Charlotte

As much as I love winter, iron-gray skies and chilly April breezes start to wear on even the stoutest New Yorker. We've traveled to a few Southern U.S. cities a few times in February and April (Austin, Nashville, San Diego) and enjoyed the break from the cold. Charlotte seemed like a logical place to visit next because it is easy to get to from Albany (direct flight) and my Aunt Liz and cousin Laurel live there. Like many southern cities, Charlotte is growing at an impressive clip. Laurel told us that many people you meet there are transplants. They come for the nicer weather and the (comparatively) lower cost of living.

Getting around: We stayed in the Hyatt Place in Uptown. While not the most exciting neighborhood, we found it easy to walk to the transit center (bus depot) and the light rail (LYNX). The transit system is run by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and we used the buses and the train throughout our trip. The "sprinter" shuttle from the airport was cheap and easy, but we got the sense that most people probably use rideshare or car rentals since it was mostly airport workers on that bus. The CATS app turned out to be easy to use with all local bus and train tickets costing $2.10. No tap-to-pay yet (I hear it is coming), but the app quickly generates a QR code for a purchased ticket that is almost as easy to use.

The LYNX light rail is a great service, but it is currently pretty limited. We used it the first night to get to the South End and found it to be clean and efficient. Bus stops were plentiful but didn't run as often as we would have liked in some cases. The CATS app seemed more reliable than Google for providing accurate bus arrival times.

We used rideshares throughout the trip when a bus trip wasn't practical. We couldn't find an easy way to get to some locations (National Whitewater Center, Sullenberger Aviation Museum) by bus. Although there were plenty of the battery-powered scooters littered around the city, we didn't end up trying these. It seems like the bike-share situation is in transition. There were bike lanes around but Charlotte feels like a pretty car-centered town.

Neighborhoods and sightseeing: Over the five days we were in town, we tried to visit as much of Charlotte as we could. The city has many interesting neighborhoods that have their own quirks and charms.

Uptown: Our hotel was in Uptown (actually downtown) where many of the city's giant bank headquarters and hotels are. This made for some sleepy blocks in spots and it felt like there was barely anyone around when we walked through after the morning rush hour had concluded. Tryon Street was lively in the evening where the "Shout" art festival featured some creative exhibitions, especially in the area of First Ward Park. There was a trippy musical performance with light effects and several fun photo opportunities.

National Whitewater Center: On our first full day, we broke with our standard protocol of mostly wandering around a new city and instead took a Lyft to the National Whitewater Center, about 15 miles west of downtown. This unique, not-for-profit complex offers a variety of outdoor activities including ziplines, ropes courses, climbing, biking and hiking. There is also a half-mile artificial river with class II-IV rapids that looks like an ideal training course for kayakers. Whitewater rafting groups go out with guides throughout the day.

It was cool out when we visited, so we didn't opt for the water activities. Instead, we tried an advanced ropes course and a zipline. Rashna also spent some time climbing (she sorely missed her climbing shoes). Bike rentals were included in the day pass we bought, but the trails were all closed due to recent rains. The Center is a great place to spend the day outdoors and the many groups of children—off for spring break—seemed to be having a blast.

Optimist Hall: This old mill is now the site of a mix of restaurants and shops. We stopped here after our day at the Whitewater Center, both of us with appreciable appetites. The tofu bao buns from Bao & Broth were a trip highlight for me. Also—vegan dumplings from The Dumpling Lady and delicious gelato from Honeysuckle Gelato.

Camp North End: This sprawling complex of old army warehouses now houses apartments, shops, restaurants, outdoor games, and even indoor pickleball courts. We didn't arrive at the best time (it's pretty quiet in the morning), but things were picking up after we had a delicious lunch at Soul Miner's Garden. Stunning artistic displays and murals are sprinkled throughout. One cool fact about the army warehouses: they were built in the run-up to WWII and steel was considered a scarce resource, so much of the construction used lumber instead. The giant wooden beams seem to be holding up just fine.

South End: This part of town was easily accessible from Uptown using the LYNX. Much of the South End lines a paved rail trail that runs parallel to the LYNX. This is the first place we went after checking into our hotel and we were stunned by the number of people (and dogs!) walking and running on the trail. This feels like a young neighborhood with lots of upscale retail and breweries. We enjoyed a delicious Indian meal at Copper, wonderful vegan fare at Flower Child, and sumptuous ice cream at Jeni's.

My cousin Laurel lives in the area and she invited us to join her in running with one of the 75+ (!) run clubs that exist in Charlotte. This particular one started and ended at the Distro Brewery and offered several route options. We ran along the rail trail and through the lush Dilworth neighborhood. It was pretty special to do something like this on vacation. Nothing like golden hour sunlight and free beer after a nice run to build community.

Davidson: My Aunt Liz's apartment is in Davidson and Laurel was kind enough to drive us there for a tour and lunch. Davidson is home to Davidson College and sits on the shore of Lake Norman, an artificial freshwater lake that is the largest in North Carolina. We walked through some lovely neighborhoods bursting with spring color that we won't be seeing in New York for many weeks. We only walked along the edge of historic Davidson College but it looks like a beautiful campus. There were some incredible willow oak trees that towered over the streets. We had a leisurely and delicious lunch at the Pickled Peach in downtown Davidson. I can understand why Liz is enjoying living here!

And more... There were many other spots that we got to spend a few hours in but didn't fully explore. I liked the Thirsty Beaver bar in Plaza Midwood (a stubborn bar owner refused to sell to a developer so they simply built around them). Freedom Park is a gorgeous spot southwest of the South End with a huge playground and a pleasant lake. NoDa has a funky street with some fun bars and interesting shops. The Ovens Auditorium was a great place for a comedy show (Ali Wong and Aaron Chen!).

Sullenberger Aviation Museum: In our final few hours in Charlotte, Rashna indulged me with a visit to the Sullenberger Aviation Museum. This museum is located on the outskirts of the Charlotte Douglas Airport and consists of two giant hangars full of modern and historic aircraft. The museum is named after Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who famously landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike in 2009. The museum purchased Sully's Airbus A320 and it is on dramatic display in the center of the museum. Also part of the collection is an F-14 Tomcat, an F-4 Phantom, a giant C-130 Hercules, and a monstrous CH-46D Sea Knight helicopter. There were also flight simulators—I channeled my inner 14-year-old as I successfully landed a plane. To say I was excited would be an understatement.

In return for Rashna's forbearance, we stopped at one last vegan restaurant on the way to the airport, Taste of Soul, part of the Citykitch shared kitchen. It was an unconventional but delicious end to an excellent trip. We'll bring back memories of warm temperatures and abundant flora and hope that these sustain us until our own spring arrives in its own good time!