Life > October 11, 2007

By Elliot Engstrom | Asst. news editor

Many students, especially those from large urban areas, may find the Winston-Salem area a bit barren at times as far as off-campus life and activities go. Having trouble finding that nice restaurant, bar, art museum or nightlife that you thought college would give you a chance to explore? About one and a half hours to the south lies Charlotte, a city of around 670,000 people with a metropolitan area of 1.5 million.

click to enlarge

(Elliot Engstrom/Old Gold & Black)

This makes Charlotte the 20th most populous city in the United States. Whatever you cannot find in Winston-Salem, you are sure to find here.

For those who are looking to spend a pretty penny to make their weekend a great one, Charlotte has many fine hotels and resorts, including the Westin and Embassy Suites in the uptown area, as well as the Ballantyne Resort Hotel in the Ballantyne area of south Charlotte.

However, for those trying to save money, the city has plenty of chain hotels scattered throughout, along with the occasional bed and breakfast. So, wherever you are planning to spend your weekend, affordable accommodations will not be far.

Be sure to see if you have any friends in Charlotte before you head down, as free accommodations are always best!

For visitors to Charlotte, the city can be divided into several prime areas. These include Uptown, South End/Dilworth, NoDa, South Park and Ballantyne.

Uptown Charlotte is the heart of the city, and features enough for an entire weekend in itself. Fine dining restaurants such as The Capital Grille, Aquavina (fine seafood dining) and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse allow you to eat a nice meal while watching the city in motion.

However, the region also features more affordable dining, such as Graduate Food and Pub and Fuel Pizza, which has two locations uptown due to its popularity among the lunch hour crowd.

Also be sure to check out the bars that uptown has to offer. Visit Ri-Ra Irish Pub for a night of music and fun. The Breakfast Club is another popular area bar where you will find a lot of locals on the weekends.

If you are in downtown late at night, be sure to check out Time Lounge, V Lounge and Velocity for some of the best nightclubs in the region.

The uptown area of Charlotte features attractions on both the national and regional levels. Both the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Bobcats have stadiums in the area, so be on the lookout for when your favorite NFL or NBA team comes to town.

Uptown Charlotte is also home to the Levine Museum of the New South, the only museum in the country that focuses specifically on the history of the South from the end of the Civil War to today.

Also be sure to check out Discovery Place. From its indoor rain forest exhibit to its IMAX Theatre, Discovery Place has a little something for everyone.

Uptown is also home to the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, which has featured such shows as Phantom of the Opera and Cats, and is home to the Charlotte Symphony.

Maybe you are the avid shopper who is looking for something a little more extravagant than Hanes Mall. South Park is the place for you. The main feature of the area is South Park Mall, which features names such as Coach, Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany and Co., as well as over 100 shops that offer everything from specialty coffees, teas and chocolates to designer clothing and furniture.

The mall itself includes several restaurants like Maggiano’s Little Italy, Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen.

If you plan to eat a nice meal in this area, be prepared to spend some money. However, the fine dining options are practically endless.

Morton’s Steakhouse and Frank Manzetti’s Tavern are just a few of the possibilities. Of course, you can always go to Showmars (Greek sandwiches) or Chick-Fil-A in the mall’s food court if you are looking to dine cheap.

South End and Dilworth make up an area with a long history that has become popular over the last few years, and features a variety of attractions, restaurants, bars and music venues.

Brixx Pizza in Dilworth is a local favorite, which is renowned for its variety of sometimes odd yet always flavorful pizzas.

Price’s Chicken Coop in South End is a requirement during any trip to Charlotte. The Food Network has called Price’s Chicken Coop some of the best fried chicken in the country. But be careful, this restaurant accepts cash only. Also, do not try to eat at Price’s Chicken Coop during lunch hour, due to the massive lunch rush.

The Southend Brewery and Smokehouse is a great place to get dinner and try some of the best brews in the area. The establishment houses a functioning brewery, and has been rated the number one microbrewery in the South.

While you are checking out the restaurants, bars and coffeehouses in South End, be sure to catch a show at Tremont Music Hall, a premier location for both the underground and mainstream music scenes.

Just a few upcoming national acts include Cannibal Corpse, New Found Glory and Senses Fail. Past shows have included acts such as Papa Roach, Dragonforce and VNV Nation.

Ballantyne, located in South Charlotte near the border with South Carolina, has become one of the city’s premier locations for entertainment, fine dining, shopping and all-around relaxation.

If you are looking for a nice meal, try Gallery Restaurant, featuring upscale dining with cuisine inspired by the Southeast and an in-restaurant art gallery. Or you might prefer something more like Oneo Bistro and Wine Bar, a contemporary bistro featuring outdoor dining and a separate wine bar.

Ballantyne Resort and Spa is one of the top resorts in the region. Even if you do not want to stay at the resort, you can still play golf at the public course, which is one of the best in the region.

The Golf Club at Ballantyne Resort has been named “Great Golf Resort of the World” by PGA Magazine and “Best Golf Course” by Charlotte Magazine. Ballantyne Village contains The Village Theatre, which is Charlotte’s premier theatre for independent, art and foreign films.

The theatre features gourmet concessions, luxury seating and a beer and wine bar. While visiting Ballantyne Village, visit Kilwin’s Chocolates and Ice Cream for some delicious treats, or maybe check out Jade Asian Fusion and Sushi Bar for the sushi lover.

Ballantyne Village also has options for a nice dinner out on the town, including Table Restaurant and Bar, Village Bistro and Villa Antonio. Of course, for those trying to save money, the area also features Moe’s Southwest Grill and Panera Bread.

NoDa is Charlotte’s historic arts district, and is so named because it runs along North Davidson Street. The area has a generally funky feeling about it, and it starts with the area’s restaurants and eateries.

For example, Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen offers classic cajun and Creole style dishes with French style and a comfortable atmosphere, as well as specialty cocktails. Or perhaps you would prefer Cabo Fish Taco, where the freshest ingredients are used to prepare original dishes from Southern California and Baja Mexico. The daily menu here includes a wide variety of chicken, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Feel free to have dinner or just sit back and drink a homemade margarita.

NoDa is home to Charlotte’s premier art galleries, and shows this off on the first and third Fridays of every month with gallery crawls, when all of the galleries open their doors for people to stroll in and explore free of charge.

Just a few of the best galleries in the area include the Hart-Witzen Gallery, BEET Contemporary Crafts and Function Art, and Center of the Earth Gallery. Visit during gallery crawls or during regular business hours to view some of the best collections in the region.

The area surrounding North Davidson Street also contains some of Charlotte’s best performance venues. The Neighborhood Theatre, originally built in 1945 as a movie theatre, has recently been restored and turned into a performance venue.

Also be sure to visit The Evening Muse, which is a listening room, art gallery and café, and features live music five or more nights each week. The Muse has rightfully earned its reputation for having award-winning sound and a great atmosphere.

While visiting Charlotte, also be sure to check out the U.S. National Whitewater Center, located 15 minutes from uptown Charlotte.

The center is the world’s premier outdoor recreation center, and allows visitors to raft the world’s largest manmade whitewater river, mountain bike 11 miles of trails along the Catawba River and climb on one of the largest outdoor climbing structures in the US.

Spend your day rafting, roping and biking before heading to Ballantyne or Uptown for a leisurely dinner.

Regardless of what you are looking for, Charlotte promises a weekend you will not soon forget. So find a good weekend, get some friends together and head south for a few days.

The possibilities are endless, and once you spend one weekend in the Queen City, you will probably end up spending many, many more.