Whether it’s too hot , cold or rainy, this is the guide for you.
Here's a list of 40 things to do inside in Charlotte to escape the elements, listed in no particular order.
Grab your pickleball paddles
Check out Charlotte’s new indoor/outdoor pickleball bar, restaurant and cafe, Rally , located in LoSo.
- Court reservations can be made for up to twelve players and for up to two hours. Equipment is included.
Go deeper: Pickleball restaurant and bar with 8 courts opens in LoSo
Rally’s indoor courts. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Go to the Museum of Illusions
Uptown's Museum of Illusions includes more than 60 interactive exhibits that play different visual tricks on your mind. You’ll find holograms, optical illusions and plenty of Insta-friendly exhibits. Carve out 45-90 minutes to walk through the exhibit.
Go deeper: 5 takeaways from my visit to Charlotte’s Museum of Illusions
Laura laid down on the floor to get this epic pic. Photo: Clayton Sealy/Axios
Grab a scoop of ice cream, or two
There’s nothing like a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. Here are 25 options to choose from.
Coffee toffee in a sprinkle-covered waffle cone at The Local Scoop in Parktowne Village. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Play indoor putt-putt
The Puttery is a swanky mini golf course-meets-bar concept in South End, with two courses, a full bar and plenty of lounge space to hang out before or after a game.
Go deeper: 7 takeaways from my first time at Puttery, Charlotte’s cool new mini-golf bar
Photo: Axios archives
Test your swing even further
If mini-golf’s not your thing but you still want to practice your swing, head to one of Charlotte's two TopGolf locations: University City and Southwest Charlotte, near Steele Creek.
Stop by: TopGolf University City is located at 9110 Drivers Way . TopGolf Southwest is located at 8024 Savoy Corporate Drive .
Go deeper: Where to take your parents when they visit Charlotte
Photo: Axios archives
Play games old and new at a bar-cade
Super Abari , a nearly 5,000-square-foot game bar and arcade in the Belmont neighborhood, has 35 pinball machines, 60 arcade games and a massive Nintendo Game Boy, plus a bar and a “living room” lounge area.
Of note: You must be at least 21 years old to visit, except on Saturday and Sunday from noon until 6pm when all ages are welcome.
Go deeper: Highly anticipated bar-cade opens in Belmont
Photo: Axios archives
Go duckpin bowling
Duckpin bowling, which uses smaller and lighter pins than regular bowling, has proven to be all the rage in recent years.
Stop by: Pins Mechanical Co. , Slingshot in South End, Pinhouse in Plaza Midwood and SupperClub SouthEnd are all great spots for a game with friends.
Photo: Axios archives
Pet some cats and drink some coffee
Calling all cat lovers! You can hang out with adoptable cats at Mac Tabby Cat Cafe in NoDa for 30 or 60-minute time slots. Reservations are recommended but not required.
If you go: There's also a small cafe area (totally separate from the cat room for sanitation regulations) where you can grab baked goods, coffee or kombucha.
Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Test your detective skills at an escape room
You don’t need to leave Charlotte to find a daring adventure. Here are a few nearby escape rooms to check out:
Photo: Axios archives
Sing your heart out with karaoke
Invite your friends and rent one of Seoul Food Meat Co. ‘s private karaoke rooms. Of course, if your goal is to not remember ever hitting the stage at all, Jeff’s Bucket Shop’s basement karaoke operation on Montford is the place for you.
Each karaoke booth at Seoul Food Meat Co. in Optimist Park is themed in a different color. They fit around 25 people comfortably. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Hit the race track with indoor karting
Victory Lanes Karting in north Charlotte has an indoor go-kart track (each race is eight minutes long), axe throwing, an arcade, a virtual reality space and bowling.
Stop by: Victory Lanes is located at 2330 Tipton Drive.
- Open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Fridays 11am-midnight, Saturdays 10am-midnight and Sundays 10am-7pm.
Embrace your inner American ninja warrior
Ninja Nation Huntersville is an 11,500-square-foot arena with several obstacle courses complete with bars, boxes and platforms that are frequently re-arranged to keep guests on their toes. You can race against friends on two-lane courses or on the warped wall.
Go deeper: Indoor obstacle course arena called Ninja Nation now open in Huntersville
Photo: Axios archives
The massive shopping mall in the SouthPark neighborhood has a footprint of more than 1,750,000 square feet and over 150 stores with brands like Saint Laurent, Golden Goose, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
What's next: Spanish retailer ZARA will join the lineup of retailers in 2026.
Go deeper: SouthPark’s personal shopper will help transform your wardrobe, no matter your budget, age or lifestyle
Neiman Marcus at SouthPark Mall. Photo: Axios archives
Unleash your inner lumberjack
Escape the heat with axe throwing — here are a few spots in the area:
Photo: Axios archives
Take an adult arts & crafts class
Check out Wine + Design in Dilworth for a guided painting experience.
Stop by : The studio is at 1419 East Blvd , near Toccare Day Spa.
Wine + Design painting. Photo: Axios archives
Rock climb to new heights
Head to Inner Peaks , an indoor climbing center with locations in Matthews and South End .
Bonus: Members can bring a first-time climber for free any day of the week.
Go deeper: What to know on your first trip to Inner Peaks, the indoor climbing wall in South End
Photo: Axios archives
Laugh until it hurts
Catch a wide range of comedians at The Comedy Zone inside AvidXchange Music Factory. If you’re open to some light roasting, try to close to the stage.
- Check out the upcoming lineup here.
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Be a scientist for a day
Head to Discovery Place Science in Uptown. The hands-on museum has rotating exhibits, live shows and hands-on labs.
- Admission starts at $18 for kids, $23 for adults and $20 for seniors. Kids under two are free.
If you go: Catch an IMAX® movie there, too.
Photo: Axios archives
Hunt for antique treasures
Check out Sleepy Poet Antique Mall on South Boulevard, or one of these five other second-hand furniture stores in the area, to get some unique decor for your home. If you're down to drive head to The Depot, the largest antique mall in the South, located at Gibson Mill in Concord.
Go deeper: Beloved antiques destination Sleepy Poet opens new location, investing $5M
Photo: Axios archives
Flip, fly and jump through the air
Big Air Trampoline Park in southeast Charlotte has it all — a ninja-warrior course, trampoline basketball, interactive dodgeball courts, a massive foam pit and even one-on-one jousting.
Stop by: Find Big Air at 2408 Sardis Road N
- Open Monday-Thursday 10am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 10am-8pm.
Play all day at a local social house
Queen Park Social and Piedmont Social House are adult playgrounds without the hokeyness of a place like Dave & Buster’s. You’ll find lots of indoor entertainment like bowling, pool, darts, ping-pong, plus board and arcade games. They’ve also got full-service kitchens and bars.
Bonus: Intown Golf Club is a private social club in SouthPark. There’s currently a waitlist to join, but they release a handful of memberships each month.
Go deeper: Private social club Intown Golf Club opens in SouthPark
There are eight bays with golf simulators featuring 250 courses from around the world. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Reserve a book online in advance or just explore the racks at your local library.
Go deeper: Demolition of the old main library building Uptown begins soon
Cool off on the ice
Head to Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail and figure skate during their public skate periods.
- Admission is $15 Monday-Sunday.
Channel your inner Robin Hood
Test your archery skills at Barefoot Archery 's 20-yard, eight-lane USA Archery-approved range.
Stop by: Find Barefoot Archery at 4410 Old Pineville Road .
Expand your child’s imagination and creativity
ImaginOn , a 102,000-square-foot facility located in Uptown is visited by over 300,000 each year. It includes two theaters, a library for kids 11 and under, a library for teens, a multimedia production studio, multi-use classrooms and an interactive exhibit area.
Go deeper: 20+ family-friendly activities to check out this summer in Charlotte and beyond
Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Go nuts inside a massive 20-acre amusement park
The 84,000-square-foot indoor portion of Frankie’s Fun Park in Huntersville has 24 bowling lanes, a restaurant, bar, laser tag, a three-story playground, a ride that drops 30 feet, LED-illuminated bumper cars and a massive arcade.
Of note: Entry to the park is free. You pay for the activity you choose.
Go deeper: Frankie’s Fun Park, where Disney World-like attractions meet Las Vegas vibe
Photo: Axios archives
Watch games and eat wings at a sports bar
Here’s our guide to the 30 best sports bars in Charlotte. Hungry for wings? We’ve got you covered with Charlotte’s best wing spots .
Photo: Maxwell Millington/Axios
Explore a museum
Check out Charlotte’s history and more at one of our museums or art galleries. Here are a few:
“
The Vault ” at the Mint Museum Uptown is on view through Sept. 17, 2023. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Shoot your shot at an indoor shooting range
Blackstone Shooting Sports includes a 27-lane indoor shooting range. It’s open daily.
Stuff yourself at brunch
Charlotte doesn’t mess around when it comes to brunch. From classics like 300 East to breweries like Suffolk Punch, here are the 35 best brunch spots in our city, right now.
Breakfast pizza at 300 East. Photo: Ted Williams/Axios
Grab a pint at a brewery
Charlotte loves local breweries. Here’s a complete list and map of Charlotte’s 40+ local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each .
- Pro tip: Most of them are dog-friendly.
Sycamore sign on the second-floor biergarten. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Pour your own candles
You can make your own candles in SouthEnd at Paddywax Candle Bar . The experience is simple — choose a vessel, select a fragrance and then measure, mix and pour to create your own candle.
Go deeper: $45 pour-your-own candle workshop The Candle Bar now open in new South End space
Photo: Axios archives
Let the games begin
Play a classic like Monopoly or try a new game at Luck Factory Games at Gibson Mill Market. It’s the state’s largest board game café with a library of more than 1,000 games.
Go deeper: Board game cafe opens in Gibson Mill Market
Luck Factory Games in Concord’s Gibson Mill. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen classes cover everything from basic knife skills to specific cuisines like Mediterranean or French.
Get creative work done at a coffee shop
Take a break from working at home or the office, if the latter is an option for you. Explore Charlotte’s best coffee shops and enjoy a change of scenery. Here’s our guide on the best coffee shops in Charlotte to work remotely .
Not Just Coffee in west Charlotte. Photo: Axios archives
Eat, sip and shop inside one of Charlotte’s food halls
- Optimist Hall has more than 20 tenants, including Undercurrent Coffee and Papi Queso.
- Urban District Market is home to 12 new restaurants and a soju distillery called LaBARatory .
- The Market at 7th Street is a non-profit food hall in Uptown, with incubator programs for local business owners. It has 10 vendors, including Orman's Cheese Shop, Resident Culture and Geno D's Pizza, to name a few.
- The Gibson Mill Market in Concord is a bit of a drive but you can easily spend your day there. After you’re done eating, head next door to The Depot at Gibson Mill , the largest antique mall in the southeast.
- Monarch Market in Uptown is one of the latest food halls to open. It has about 12 food stalls including Curry Junction from the family behind Curry Gate .
- Alley 51 in Pineville has a range of international food options, retail boutiques and arcade games.
LaBARatory, located inside the Urban District Market, is a science lab-themed bar that serves drinks from its on-site Soju distillery along with other local craft beer and cocktails. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
This 40,000-square-foot library will allow you a look into the life of Billy Graham, “America’s Pastor.” Admission is free.
Grab a cocktail or mocktail
There’s nothing like a cozy cocktail to make the outside world melt away, but there are plenty of alcohol-free options in Charlotte too.
Villa Heights cocktail bar
Humbug is now open. Rye’d or Chai cocktail with rye whiskey, chai-infused cold brew coffee, whole egg and grated nutmeg. Photo: Courtesy of Humbug
Head to the theater to watch a show
Whether it’s “Charlotte Squawks” or " Back to the Future: The Musical ," they certainly crank the air conditioning in the theater, and the shows entertaining too.
Belk Theater in Uptown. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Pamper yourself
Treat yourself to a massage. Charlotte has plenty of options, including Okra in Plaza Midwood and Mood House in Dilworth.
Photo: Axios archives
Go deeper: Popular massage studio Mood House will open a second location in Oakhurst
Editor's note: This guide was last updated in June 2024.
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