Charlotte is one of those cities that can satisfy any craving. There’s great food, hidden boutiques, a wild nightlife, calm coffee spots, and other varieties of fun. I have visited quite a few times during the past few years thanks to a close friend who now calls the city home. On my latest girls-only trip, we really made a point to see as much as we could. I wanted to share this adventure with you to help you plan your next weekend out of town on the East Coast.
Sweet Treats from Hey Sugar Shop
The first thing you’ll need to do is make a special order with Hey Sugar Shop. These are the most delicious and artistic cookies in all the land. Make a special order to have them waiting for you on arrival. They ship, but also provide store pick-up or local delivery around their store-front. It’s open on Friday’s and Saturday’s in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Big Brunch at Famous Toastery
Of course you’ll need some real food (and more mimosas) before you hit the shops. We went to Famous Toastery and were not disappointed. I love the philosophy of “All servers are our servers.” You can ask any server at any time for anything you want. We were never left unattended. The food hit the spot, too. Not to mention the coffee and drinks.
Wedding Research at J. Major’s
One of us gals is getting married this year. Although she has her dress, we’re still on the hunt for accessories for her preppy and chic southern wedding this fall. We explored the store’s selection of bridesmaid dresses and the bridal accessories. We ran our fingers over a few gorgeous wedding gowns, too. Their entire collection was vast and full of variety. J. Major’s Bridal Boutique was well worth the look and also right next to Famous Toastery!
Secondhand Shopping at J. T. Posh
J. T. Posh was a real gem to find. This high-end consignment store is BIG! We all found something to love here. You can tell they pay close attention to details in clothes they buy. Everything was current, with a bunch of popular brands and styles. Everything might as well have been brand spankin’ new. I was inspired by all the colors in the store. The outfit you see me wearing below features a scarf and chambray shirt I scored there for a total of $34. That scarf is J. Crew!
Get Your Fix at Davidson Chocolate
Obviously, you need a snack break. For just a hand full of dollar bills, you can enjoy a few scrumptious bites at this gourmet pit stop. We could see the chefs at Davidson Chocolate working their magic on freshly made morsels in plain view in the back. We tried truffles infused with flavors like lavender, Jack Daniels, and peanut butter.
Accessorize at Hand Picked
We sort of stumbled on this spot full of gems that include tons of items to personalize with monograms, necklaces, and earrings in every color, and more from jewelry artists near and far. HandPicked is definitely the spot to go to find a Kate Spade mug for a friend’s birthday, to find a necklace in just the right color for that dress, and to have a pendant engraved with your monogram (or someone else’s–It’s wedding season, ya’ll!).
Brewskies at NoDa Brewing Company
NoDa is short for “North Davidson,” a historic arts and entertainment district in Charlotte. NoDa Brewing Company is one a few breweries that have popped up in the area to accompany the other great restaurants, bakeries, concert venues, and hot spots. We popped over after our shopping adventures to give it a taste. This was St. Patty’s Day weekend, so we brought some green mustaches to keep us in the spirit. We also left one behind on the token mannequin head behind the bar. I opted for the tasting and wasn’t disappointed. We brought home some of the Hop Drop ‘N Roll IPA, which was the 2014 World Cup Gold Award winner.
Steal Apps and Beers at Heist Brewery
We were definitely hungry at this point in the night. Our tour guide suggested Heist Brewery. They had a great menu of munchies, small and large plates. The place was packed and full of energy. We dove in on some hush puppies, ravioli tempura (with duck meat), and I honestly can’t remember the last item, but it was delicious. Our beers were on-point, too. The waiters were really friendly and calm amidst the crowd of St. Patty’s day celebrators.
Late Night Eats at Rhino Market and Deli
This was another great culinary find. My friend is definitely fortunate to have Rhino Market in her backyard for anytime she needs some of those special chips, a solid bottle of wine, a hard-to-get craft beer, home-made coleslaw, and homemade pasta salad. We called in our orders of sandwiches and walked over while they were being made, picking out out a few grab-and-go items with them. It was nothing short of perfect.
I must stay there are more places than I have fingers and toes to recommend you visit in Charlotte. This includes many of the wild, fun bars at The Epicentre, a nightlife destination in the city, or the concert venue where I first saw Grace Potter live, the Fillmore.
Where are your favorite places in Charlotte? I’d love to know because I’ll be back!
You should be a part of a contest foor one of the highest quality sites on the internet.
I will recommend this site!