Charlotte is one of the most populated cities in North Carolina. It is full of fun things to do, attractions to visit, foods to try, and places to explore. With its heartwarming southern hospitality and plenty of amenities, it serves as a popular vacation destination where couples flock every year to spend time with one another. For your next romantic getaway, here are some of the many fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples you can’t miss out on:
Take a Cooking Class at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen is a popular cooking school in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood. Experts believe that cooking together can help strengthen bonds and build romantic relationships. This is to say that Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen is the best place to go if you want to learn to cook delicious foods with your loved one. You will learn how to cook with fresh seasonal ingredients and get classes specially aligned to your current skill level.
Baking Class at Sweet Spot Studio
Sweet Spot Studio is a baking studio where bakers of all levels can take pastry and baking classes. These classes are engaging and fun as you make mouthwatering delights in the kitchen. For this reason, it’s perfect for any date night with your significant other. Their bake and brew classes take guests to any of the top breweries in Charlotte, where you can enjoy a beer on their tab as you learn to make delicious baked items. If you or your loved one have sweet tooth…this is a one of the fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples.
Grab Tickets To The Museum Of Illusions
Want to have the best date night in Charlotte? Impress your partner by taking them to the mind-bending Museum of Illusions in Uptown. The museum boasts a variety of interactive exhibits, illusion rooms, and images guaranteed to amaze. Immerse yourself in their mesmerizing optical illusions, holograms, and of course, take photos together along the way! Together you and your date can experience a world unlike our own, where everything is possible and nothing is quite what it seems—how romantic is that?
Check out some of the museum’s mind-bending exhibits:
A Tilted Room – With the power of perception, standing up straight in this room instantly becomes a challenge.
Vortex Tunnel – Try to walk a straight line with spinning lights and bright visuals altering your sense of depth and equilibrium.
Reversed Room – Get the perfect photo opportunity where everything is turned on its head in the Reversed Room.
A Cloning Table – See double versions of yourself at the Cloning Table.
Beuchet Chair – Challenge your perception with the ever-popular Beuchet Chair.
Head on a Platter – A classic illusion where your head becomes the main course!
After the museum, keep the magic of date night alive by indulging in a romantic dinner at French restaurant Coquette. Afterwards, elevate your evening by enjoying a rooftop cocktail at Merchant and Trade. Finally, end your night with a stroll through Romare Bearden Park, and enjoy the sights of the city.
Explore Camp North End
Camp North End is a 76-acre open-air facility located at the North End of Charlotte in North Carolina. This is a multi-use space where creative minds gather to showcase their food, arts, crafts, entertainment, and more. Furthermore, people from all sectors have opened up their establishments here, transforming it into a hub for creative development and innovation. You can visit with your significant other to explore the many amenities and projects hosted here.
Visit The Batchmaker For Dessert
If you are in the mood to feast on some decadent desserts, head to The Batchmaker, a dessert lover’s paradise. The Batchmaker is a popular bakery that serves the community with hand-baked desserts that hit the right spot. Here you will find delectable cakes, cookies, bars, brownies, cheesecakes, and other delights you can enjoy with your loved one.
Dinner at McNinch House Restaurant
Plan the perfect romantic evening with a dinner at the McNinch House Restaurant. McNinch is a classic 1892 Queen Anne Style restaurant that has been serving the community for over 30 years. Here you can feast on gourmet foods paired with fine wines of your choosing. You can also host private anniversaries, birthday parties, or intimate dinners with your significant other.
Drink At Idlewild
Idlewild is a popular craft cocktail bar in the NoDa neighborhood in North Charlotte, the home to Charlotte’s entertainment district. It is open 7 days a week, serving a wide range of drinks and snacks from 6 pm to 2 am. However, unlike most traditional bars, this one has no official menu. Instead, you get to choose the type of drink you desire and see what creative concoction comes before you! This spontaneity in the cocktail making is why we think it is one of the fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples. It is perfect for a date night Charlotte NC.
Check Out Shows At The Evening Muse, Visulite Theatre, And Neighborhood Theatre
For a night of fun and entertainment, catch a show at one of Charlotte’s theaters or art centers. The Evening Muse offers live music, open mic nights, entertaining shows, and more.
Another popular destination is the Visulite Theatre, also known for featuring some of the best performers on their nightly live music scene. Similar is the Neighborhood Theatre, located in the NoDa neighborhood in Charlotte. This is one of the premier music venues in the city and one of the oldest as well, having been operative since 1997!
Visit The Art Museums Uptown: Mint Museum, Bechtler Museum, Levine Center For The Arts
Looking for some date night ideas dealing with art? Uptown Charlotte has several stunning museums that preserve the rich history, arts, and culture of North Carolina. The Levine Center for Arts in North Carolina is one of the top cultural campuses in the city. Also, it houses several art institutions, including the Mint Museum and the Bechtler Museum.
The Mint Museum features a diverse collection of contemporary arts, crafts and design, and other creative pieces from America and around the globe. Similar is the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, where you will find more modern artworks, sculptures, paintings, drawings, and tapestries. It is one of the top recommended things to do in uptown charlotte.
Candle Making Class at Paddywax Candle Bar
The Paddywax Candle Bar is a DIY workshop where visitors can make their own customized candles. You can work with your significant other, select the fragrance they prefer and choose a vessel to house it. The guides at the workshop will walk you through the process. In the end, you will have your very own candle ready in less than 45 minutes!
During your visit, you can also shop from their curated selection of candles and home accessories. This is one of the top fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples.
Painting Class at Wine&Design or City Art Room
For a creative and interactive date, why not go to a painting class together? Many wonderful studios around the city offer painting classes to couples for the day. For example, Wine&Design is a creative studio where you can enjoy a glass of wine as a local artist guides you through the artwork step by step.
City Art Room is another popular choice where you can go for a private art session. They provide a more diverse choice of activities, including canvas painting, clay molding, glass painting, and more.
See A Performance At The Comedy Zone Charlotte
Searching for fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples? Does it get more fun, or funnier, then The Comedy Zone??? Good humor is the perfect add-on to any date night. For some tear-jerking fun, head to The Comedy Zone. It’s one of the only full-time comedy clubs in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Here you can enjoy stand-up comedy shows from local and visiting performers that entertain you well. They also serve a variety of small bites and snacks along with refreshing cocktails and drinks at their venue.
Drinks and Mini Golf At Stroke
Stroke Putt is an urban bar and indoor mini golf center in Charlotte, NC. The facility’s rich urban retro theme gives it a vibrant ambiance. You can settle down in their lounge, enjoy a drink or two, and munch on delectable foods from their menu. Or you can head to their indoor mini golf course and enjoy a game of golf with one another. The swanky ambiance and classic date activity puts this on our list of top couples activities in Charlotte NC.
Bad Axe Throwing
Bad Axe Throwing is one of the largest urban axe-throwing clubs around the world, with facilities in over 40 locations in the US and Canada. Head to their facility in Charlotte, covering over 6000 square feet of space. It features 10 throwing lanes where axe coaches will teach you all you need to know about this traditional Canadian sport.
District 57 Entertainment Complex
The District 57 Entertainment Complex is an immersive 20,000-square-foot game bar in Charlotte, NC. This facility features a post-apocalyptic theme; players can enter and take part in their high-stakes combat laser tag. Other games include foosball, electronic darts, ping pong, old-school Nintendo and more. This is the perfect place to play games with your loved one or simply dine on their food and drink for the night. It is one of the top fun things to do in Charlotte NC.
Funny Bus Comedy Tour
The Funny Bus Comedy Tour is a popular comedy tour that takes you through Charlotte’s many neighborhoods and notable areas. If you want to explore the city’s history with your significant other in a fun, entertaining way, this is the perfect way to go about it. The tour will last around 90 minutes, during which you will discover the key highlights of the city and learn about the city’s rich history.
U.S National Whitewater Center for Music or Outdoor Activities
The U.S National Whitewater Center is a premier outdoor center covering over 13,000 acres of land where you can immerse yourself in a wide variety of outdoor activities. In short, you can enjoy whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, yoga, ziplining, mountain biking, running, hiking, and ice skating.
Besides its outdoor activities, it also hosts several events and live music shows year-round that you can look forward to.
Bowling At Pins Mechanical
If you want to enjoy some old-school entertainment, visit Pins Mechanical, a popular bar and bowling alley in the heart of South End Charlotte for your next Charlotte NC date night. Undeniably, their facility is a hotspot for social gatherings and date nights featuring duck bowling, over 40 pinball machines, old-school entertainment, and a wide variety of craft beers and classic cocktails you can enjoy.
Rock Climbing At Inner Peaks
Inner Peaks houses two state-of-the-art rock climbing facilities in Charlotte, at the South End and Mathews. Even if you are new to the spot with zero rock climbing experience, you can still have an enjoyable time here and it can prove to be a great way to bond with your significant other.
Besides its rock climbing facilities, there are certified yoga instructors who hold special patio classes at the studio from time to time. It is one of the top-recommended things to do in Charlotte NC.
Lunch At Optimist Hall
Optimist Hall is one of the top unique food destinations in the city. This facility is a redesigned old industrial unit turned into a modern food court that features over 20 leading food vendors from around the city in one spot. Specifically, you can visit it during lunch and explore the many vendors in the area, along with the diverse foods they serve.
Watch The Sunset Over Lake Norman
Located around 20 miles from Charlotte, Lake Norman is the largest lake in North Carolina, covering around 32,510 acres. It’s the perfect spot to head to if you want to enjoy the scenic beauty of North Carolina and some waterfront activities. Take your partner for a pacifying boating trip, or go fishing together in the lake. Additionally, you can hike and bike in the lands surrounding the lake during your visit.
Walk The Gardens At Duke Mansion
The Duke Mansion is a historic mansion built by industrialist and philanthropist James Buchanan Duke in 1915. Today it is a popular tourist destination for those who want to get in touch with the city’s history and southern charm. Most popular are the Mary DBT Semans Gardens at the Duke Mansion, covering a total of 4.5 acres of ground. Stroll through the gardens filled with historic trees, shrubbery, and delightful flowers in bloom year-round. It is one of the top couples activities in Charlotte NC.
Visit McGill Rose Garden At Rosie’s
Visit Rosie’s Coffee & Wine Garden, a wine bar and coffee shop connected to the McGill rose gardens. Basically, this is the perfect spot to go out for a romantic date night, and it’s popular for housing anniversaries and other private events in their gardens. The garden is open to the general public for visiting; you can come in for a stroll, have a picnic, or simply lounge on their grounds.
Walk The Rail Trail
The Blue Line Rail Trail is a unique 3.5-mile urban trail that winds through the city’s South End. The trail is popular for walking and serves as a hub for food vendors, entertainment centers, and art and shopping facilities. You can walk the rail trail and explore the many amenities connected to it along the way. It is one of the top things couples can do together.
Roller Coasters at Carowinds
Carowinds is one of the go-to amusement parks in Charlotte, North Carolina, featuring over 60 rides and attractions. You can climb aboard one of their thrilling roller coasters. Besides their thrilling rides, they also house a water park and adjoined water slides and pool perfect for relaxing in during the hot summer!
Couples Activities in Charlotte NC: Final Thoughts
So, now you know what to do when you are looking for fun things to do in Charlotte NC for couples? Charlotte, NC, presents many outdoor and indoor activities you can do with your loved ones. If you are exploring the city but unsure where to head for your next date night, try out any of the locations we mentioned above!