Beth & Tyler
Things To Do
U.S. National Whitewater Center
An outdoor activity center with whitewater rafting, hiking, ziplining, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, and paddleboarding, and some great food and drinks too. One of our favorite weekend activity spots!
Crowders Mountain State Park
A beautiful and moderately challenging hike with incredible views, just 30 minutes outside of Charlotte! Our #1 favorite hiking spot.
Pinhouse
A duck-bowling alley + self-serve beer bar with a great patio. Also conveniently located right next to Lulu's for some bomb crab cakes.
Stroke
An upscale indoor putt-putt golf course and cocktail bar.
Romare Bearden Park
A beautiful park in the heart of uptown with great city views and a color-changing fountain.
Mint Museum UPTOWN
A beautiful, several floor art gallery in uptown with rotating and permanent exhibits. Right across the street from The Green, which is a great little park we love too.
The Rail Trail
A long walking trail through South End alongside the Blue Line, with a ton of great restaurants, bars, and shops along the way. Goes right by our #1 ramen place.
Seven Oaks Preserve Trail
An easy hike with beautiful lake views just down the road from Charlotte.
Freedom Park
Charlotte's Central Park!
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Beautiful sprawling botanical gardens with a gorgeous heated orchid house, just 30 minutes from Charlotte. A great hiking trail, the Seven Oaks Preserve Trail, runs right through the property.
Paddywax Candle Bar
A chic space where you can BYOB and pour custom candles.
PlantBar
Build your own plant-based gift for yourself or someone else! BYOB and make an adorable terrarium.
Topgolf
Fun for people who like to golf and people who don't! We had Tyler's 30th surprise birthday party here and had an excellent time.
Carowinds
One of the biggest themeparks/waterparks in the Southeas.t
Queen Park Social
A bar and restaurant with arcade games, bowling, shuffleboard, and a ton of other fun things to do while you drink.
Optimist Hall
A killer food hall just down the street from our wedding venue, with more than 20 incredible options ranging from to gelato to Indian street food to gourmet grilled cheese. Also houses a few shops, such as a gourmet pet food store and Archer Paper Goods (such a cute store!).
Camp North End
Redeveloped industrial complex now filled with restaurants, outdoor bars, bakeries, and lots of outdoor seating.
7th Street Public Market
A collection of renowned food stalls and shops in the 7th Street Rail stop.
Lucky Dog Bark & Brew Charlotte
Come get a beer and play with other people's dogs!
The Bohemian: A Wine Bar
One of our favorite wine bars, with fabulous charcuterie and flatbreads, and a completely non-pretentious wine list with very knowledgeable staff.
Veronét Vineyards & Winery
A new, beautiful winery with views of Crowder's Mountain! Try a red, white, or sweet flight, or sample some of our favorites: Brut Cuvee Sparkling, Rose of Grenache, or the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Tattoo
A super tiny, secret, and swanky cocktail bar hidden inside an old tattoo shop, by reservation only. Enter the restaurant next door, Kiki and ask about Tattoo. They have a small menu, but just tell the server what you like and the bartender will make you your own custom drink!
Dot Dot Dot
A speakeasy hidden behind a shopping center with phenomenal cocktails and really pretty space. You have to pay a one-time membership fee (I think it's $5-10), but it's totally worth the experience. Look for the ellipses above the door!
Merchant and Trade
Rooftop bar with incredible center-city views. There's usually a line for the elevator up, but the place is worth it!
City Lights Rooftop
Another great rooftop bar with awesome city views and comfy hangout spots. Not usually too crowded, and they make a cocktail where you pick a popsicle to dissolve in champagne!
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Charlotte's oldest brewery, with German-style food and just really good beer. Also has an awesome beer garden space with lots of doggos. Our recs for beer: Copper (Tyler's fav), Hornet's Nest (Beth's fav), Dunkel (seasonal), and Fruh Bock.
Legion Brewing
We lived right down the street from here for a long time! Great food, great trivia, and a huge range of tasty beers. Our recs: Carolina Sparkle Party (Beth's fav), Juicy Jay (Tyler's fav), and Slainte (seasonal).
Wooden Robot Brewery
One of the best breweries in Charlotte. Get the pretzels and beer cheese! Get the Good Morning Vietnam beer, and thank us later.
Heist Brewery
A huge brewery with a killer Sunday brunch buffet, and always good food. Also has a full bar in addition to decent beers.
Summit Seltzer
Charlotte's first craft seltzery! Great views of uptown from the patio, and across the street from Lucky Dog, a super fun dog bar. Recs: Basecamp, Lulu's Lemonade, Cool As A...
Stagioni - Four Seasons of Food
A gorgeous Italian restaurant with wonderful, handmade pasta served in a small, historic villa.
Barrington's
A teeny-tiny, incredibly fancy restaurant with impeccable service and unbelievably good food. Recommended for a special night out, but you'll need a reservation.
Good Food on Montford
Our absolute #1 favorite restaurant in Charlotte, and a frequent date-night spot. Usually a long wait, and you'll see why if you get a table. The menu changes frequently, but it's hard to go wrong with anything. Desserts are amazing, cocktails are unique, and if the steamed bun is still on the menu, just go ahead and order a few.
Fern, Flavors from the Garden
A vegan restaurant with some of the best brunch in Charlotte, and a really pretty outdoor patio. Highly recommend for non-vegans too. Recs: cinnamon rolls, breakfast sandwiches, cocktails, and the buffalo cauliflower app.
Three Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina
Our favorite Mexican food in Charlotte (and just about everybody else's, too!). Not fancy, very loud, and such good food. Recs: Arroz con pollo, gordita, mole enchiladas, chicken or beef empanadas, or anything on the menu. Great margs too!
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
A chain restaurant that's crazy popular here for brunch. Incredibly long waits - reserve your place in line for a table online! Recs: OMG French Toast (that's really what it's called), pancake flight, Benny Duo (get the habenero pork belly benny!), Huevos tostados, Sweet potato bacon smash-up, and the Everything Bacon Sensation sandwich.
Bistro La Bon
Another of our favorite date-night spots. Consistently voted as one of the prettiest restaurants in Charlotte. As good for brunch as it is for dinner! Recs: Sunday brunch (a la carte), Saturday brunch (all-you-can-eat menu), lavender chicken (our fav!), gnocchi, and literally any cocktail.
Soul Gastrolounge
This is where we had our first date, and many after! City views with a DJ at night and cocktails on tap, and a frequently changing menu. Also one of the best places for Sushi in the city. Recs: pork belly tacos (our fav!), truffle flatbread, shells and cheese, brussels sprouts, and any cocktail.
Fahrenheit Charlotte
One of our top places to take out-of-town visitors. Worth going for the incredible rooftop downtown views!
The Pizza Peel & Tap Room
Our fav pizza place, with seriously good crust and interesting pizzas. If they have it, try the Jambalaya pizza or the Kimbo Slice.
Supperland
A beautiful restaurant inside a restored church, with the original church pews running down the center and the grill at the altar. There is a gorgeous attached outdoor/indoor bar with snacks. Cocktails and service are excellent, and the food is to die for. Recs: pot roast (veggie or wagyu), baked brie bites, hot onion dip, and the charred carrots.
Baoding Restaurant
Newly found by us but not new at all to Charlotte (since 1993), and definitely the best Chinese food we have had here. Great takeout, but a really cool dining space too!
Futo Buta
Our favorite Ramen spot! Right along the Rail Trail, and with a nice outdoor patio. Recs: Rice Crispy Squares (Beth's fav), Duck Donburi (Tyler's fav), Fire and Ice Ramen, and Miso ramen. Tip - order "the little noodle," and just add anything you want to build a custom ramen bowl.
Superica
Highly recommended for Tex-Mex brunch! Tasty cocktails, a really pretty restaurant, and phenomenal brunch options. Recs: share the giant pancake (seriously), chilaquiles, and the chorizo, potato and eggs.
Midwood Smokehouse
Our FAVORITE BBQ restaurant in the city. Fun fact - Tyler and Josh once met the band Jamestown Revival here. Recs - pulled chicken with South Carolina mustard sauce, BBQ pork (obviously), burnt ends, hushpuppies, creamed corn, Fixin' to Chicken salad (seriously), and the cuban sandwich.
Barcelona Wine Bar
An unexpected party-atmosphere, but delicious authentic Spanish tapas in a beautiful restaurant. Another favorite date-night spot. Recs: chorizo and figs, potato tortilla, vegetable paella, beef empanadas, and their fresh baked bread.
The Crunkleton
Great cocktail menu and fantastic food in a really cute space. One of our newest favorites! Recs: Sweet Potato Gnocchi (Beth) and Wagyu Burger (Tyler).
Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
Tasty ceviche and Cuban/Caribbean classics. Recs: classic ceviche, vaca frita, cuban fried rice, and guava maria.
Cajun Queen
Seriously tasty Cajun food and drinks in a beautiful renovated home. Live jazz 7 nights a week! Recs: Crawfish Diane (Beth), Bayou Platter (Tyler), Etouffe, and Specialty Fish with Mahi-Mahi.
Flour Shop
Fabulous freshly made pasta and local ingredients. One of our new favorites.
The Goodyear House
A gorgeous restaurant in a renovated home in the NoDa neighborhood with a very cool backyard dining area. Go for a bunch of apps and cocktails in a beautiful outdoor space, the main dishes aren't as good as the apps.
Amélie's French Bakery & Café
One of our top bakeries in the area with an unbelievable pastry case, but excellent food to match. Recs: build your own breakfast sandwich, fig and bacon tartine, salted caramel brownies, and the daily quiche. You might see a few of the pastries at the wedding, too!
Suárez Bakery
Our wedding cake baker, but worth a visit for their pastry selection in store and their daily fresh Cuban bread. Their decorated sugar cookies are so cute! Also visit them in the Optimist Hall location, where they serve food as well as dessert. Recs: cuban sandwich, yuca fries, guava pastry, coconut cake, tres leches cake, and the raspberry croissant.
Villani's Bakery
Another bakery you'll see represented on our dessert table! A phenomenal Italian bakery we walked to more times than we will admit. Open until 10 PM, with an awesome rotation selection of daily cheesecake slices, turnovers, a ton of macaron flavors, and more. Recs: funfetti or latte cheesecake, tiramisu, lemon ricotta cake, cheddar bacon biscuits, and the lobster tails.
Two Scoops Creamery Plaza Midwood
Our favorite ice cream shop! Amazing handmade ice cream, with a rotating seasonal flavor selection. You can't go wrong with any flavor!
Sleepy Poet Antique Mall
A super fun and trendy antique shop in South End so big you can get lost in it!
Grow a plant shop
Visit this tiny and adorable garden shop behind Moxie Mercantile with the teeniest cactuses up to massive houseplants, and talk with the super knowledgeable staff about all your plant questions.
Moxie Mercantile
One of our favorite stores in Charlotte! Located in a beautiful old home, and a great place to get jewelry, clothes, local gifts, vintage cocktail supplies, and so many other great things to find.
Charlotte Collective
A great Plaza Midwood space that houses different local artisans and shops all under one roof. You can get everything from tiny cactuses to handmade clothing and jewelry.
The Culture Shop
Stop in and check out this adorable wine and cheese shop, where you can get everything from bar essentials, to local beers, to baby onesies, to handmade grilled cheese sandwiches.