There are many incredible day trips from Charlotte that are perfect if you need a break from the city.
Charlotte is a large city and there’s always something to do, but it can be very fun to explore a new place near the city for a day. Whether you want to visit another large city, or you want to explore a small town, there are plenty of options. From seeing historic architecture to exploring iconic sights, you can have a lot of fun during a day trip.
I made this Charlotte day trips guide with a variety of fun places to visit near the city for a day!
Day Trips from Charlotte
Charleston, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 4 hours
Charleston, SC, is a historic city that you can reach from Charlotte in about 4 hours by car.
The city is South Carolina’s most populous city and it dates back to the year 1670 when it was founded as Charles Town.
There’s much to see and do when you are doing a day trip to the city.
Charleston has a beautiful historic district with lots of examples of incredible architecture. Rainbow Row is one of the best places for this to go. This is a row of colorful houses.
King Street and Church Street are two streets in Charleston’s French Quarter where you can see beautiful architecture and find restaurants and shops. You can also find the Dock Street Theatre on Church Street, which is a historic theater where you can see all sorts of performances.
Other sights to consider for your day trip include the Charleston City Market, the South Carolina Aquarium, and the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
Durham, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2.5 hours
Durham, NC, can be reached from Charlotte in 2.5 hours. During a day trip, there are many things to explore in the city.
One of the best things to do in Durham is to visit the American Tobacco Campus. This is a former tobacco factory that was transformed into a complex with restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.
There are also interesting museums to check out when you are doing a day trip. For example, you can go to the Nasher Museum of Art, which is a museum of Duke University where you can find an interesting collection of art.
If you want to see a show, you can go to the Durham Performing Arts Center or The Carolina Theatre.
Beaufort, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 4 hours
If you want to visit a small town, Beaufort is one of the best day trips from Charlotte. You can find it in South Carolina and you can get there from Charlotte in less than 4 hours.
This is a beautiful town with quaint streets and beautiful architecture.
When you are in Beaufort, you can check out the Beaufort History Museum to learn about the town’s history and culture. Another museum that is interesting to visit is the Parris Island Museum, which is a museum about the United States Marine Corps and about the history of the Port Royal region.
The town is also home to great boutique shops and other local stores. For example, you can find Chocolate Tree here, which is a chocolate shop where you can get incredible chocolates.
Raleigh, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2.5 hours
Raleigh, NC, can be reached by car from Charlotte in about 2.5 hours. North Carolina’s capital is a city with a lot to explore during a day trip.
There are many things to do in Raleigh, such as visiting one of the incredible museums in the city. For example, you can find the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Marbles Kids Museum, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. These are great for those who want to learn about art, are visiting Raleigh with kids, or want to learn new things, respectively.
You can also go to the Morgan Street Food Hall, which is a food hall where you can get delicious food from various local eateries.
If you want to see a show at the end of the day, there are plenty of options for venues to go. For example, you could go to the historic Raleigh Memorial Auditorium to attend a concert of the North Carolina Symphony or attend another type of show.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 3.5 hours
By car, you can get to the city of Myrtle Beach in about 3.5 hours from Charlotte. Myrtle Beach is a wonderful resort city in the state of South Carolina on the Atlantic coast where you can find all sorts of attractions.
The Hollywood Wax Museum, a wax museum, and the Myrtle Beach Pinball Museum, which is an arcade with vintage pinball machines, are two of the most fun attractions in the city.
You can also ride SkyWheel Myrtle Beach. This is a Ferris wheel from which you can enjoy a great view of the ocean.
Besides that, there are many great options for seeing a performance. For example, you can go to The Carolina Opry Theatre to see live theater shows. You can also have dinner and see a show at the same time at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show.
Knoxville, TN
Distance from Charlotte: 4 hours
In less than 4 hours, you can get to the city of Knoxville from Charlotte.
There are many things that you can do when you are doing a day trip from Charlotte to Knoxville.
For example, you can go to the Knoxville Museum of Art to see both historical and contemporary works of art from East Tennessee.
Knoxville is also known for hosting the 1982 World’s Fair. You can check out World’s Fair Park to see structures that still remain from this fair.
The Sunsphere is one of the structures that you can find at the park. This is a tower from which you can enjoy an incredible, panoramic view of the city of Knoxville.
You could also go to the Tennessee Theatre, which is a historic movie palace that dates back to the year 1928, to see a performance, such as a Broadway show.
Cary, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2.5 hours
Cary, NC, can be reached from the city of Charlotte in about 2.5 hours.
From incredible restaurants to amazing places for shopping to places with great entertainment, there’s much to discover in Cary.
One of the best things to do in Cary is to go to the Cary Arts Center. At this venue, you can enjoy all sorts of performances, such as concerts. You can also do art classes and attend a variety of other events at Cary.
Seeing a movie at The Cary Theater is also a must. This is an art house theater where you can see independent and classic films. In addition to that, you can enjoy live music and other types of events at The Cary Theater.
The Phillips Farm, a farm with activities throughout the year, is great to check out as well when you are spending a day in Cary.
Augusta, GA
Distance from Charlotte: 2.5 hours
From Charlotte, you can get to the city of Augusta in about 2.5 hours. Augusta is one of the state’s most populous cities and there’s a lot to do, making it one of the most fun day trips from Charlotte.
During a day trip to Augusta, you can visit one of the city’s great museums. For example, you can visit the Morris Museum of Art, which is a museum with a collection of art from the American South. The Augusta Museum of History is another interesting museum to check out.
Augusta is also home to historic landmarks, such as The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson.
You can also see a show at one of Augusta’s historic theaters during your day trip. For example, you can go to the 1818 Savannah Theatre for live performances and movies.
Winston-Salem, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 1 hour and 15 minutes
From visiting a museum to seeing a game, there are a lot of fun things to do in Winston-Salem. From Charlotte, you can get to this city in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
When you are in Winston-Salem, you have to check out the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. This is a 1917 estate where you can see American Art and a beautiful garden. Also, throughout the year lots of events take place at the estate.
Old Salem Museums & Gardens is a place where you can find all sorts of historic buildings through which you can learn about the city’s history.
When visiting Winston-Salem with kids, you can go to Kaleideum. This is a children’s museum with many different interactive exhibits that let children learn new things in a fun and playful way.
Truist Stadium is a baseball stadium that is the home of the Winston-Salem Dash, a team that competes in minor league baseball. You can attend a game when there happens to be one when you are doing this day trip.
Asheville, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
Asheville is a great city in Western North Carolina that you can reach from Charlotte in about 2 hours.
Asheville’s most famous landmark is Biltmore. This is a historic house from the end of the 19th century that is the largest privately owned house in the country. It is possible to do a tour of Biltmore.
Another one of the best things to do in Asheville is to go to the Asheville Pinball Museum. This is a museum where you can find 70 playable pinball machines and arcade games that you can play as long as you like for a fixed fee.
The city is also known for its art galleries, which you can find in many places in the city. One of these galleries is Lexington Glassworks. This is an art gallery where you can see amazing works of glass art and see glass-blowing demonstrations.
Columbia, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 1.5 hours
Columbia, South Carolina’s capital city, is a wonderful city that you can reach from Charlotte in about 1.5 hours.
When you are in Columbia, you can check out one of the city’s museums. For example, you can go to the Columbia Museum of Art to see a collection of art from all around the world.
Another interesting museum, where you can learn about the state’s history, is the South Carolina State Museum, and when you are visiting the city with kids, you can go to the EdVenture Children’s Museum.
You could also do a tour of the South Carolina State House.
The Soda City Market, which is a European-style outdoor Saturday market, can be great to visit as well. This is a producer-only market where you can find about 150 vendors per week.
Athens, GA
Distance from Charlotte: 3.5 hours
Athens, GA, is a city that you can reach from Charlotte in about 3.5 hours. Athens is the home of the University of Georgia.
You can visit the Georgia Museum of Art when you are in the city. This is a free museum of the University of Georgia where you can find more than 100 works of art from across the country.
You can also attend an event at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
The Georgia Theatre is a great place to end your day as you can listen to live music by national and local acts here. There’s also a rooftop where you enjoy food and drinks while seeing the city of Athens from above.
Every Saturday, you can explore the Athens Farmers Market. You can shop for local goods at this market. There’s also a special winter market.
Greensboro, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 1.5 hours
From visiting a museum to seeing a show at a historic theater to going to an entertainment center, there are a lot of things to do in Greensboro.
One of the best activities in the city is going to the Greensboro Science Center. This is a science museum and zoo where you can find all sorts of interesting exhibits and animals such as red pandas.
During your day trip, you can go to the Carolina Theatre to see a show. This is a historic performing arts venue that dates back to the year 1927. You can also go to the Greensboro Coliseum for concerts by famous musicians or other types of events.
Celebration Station Greensboro is an entertainment center that is great to go to when you are in Greensboro with kids. At this place, you can find attractions such as a miniature golf course, an arcade, and a laser tag arena.
In addition to that, lots of events take place in the city of Greensboro.
You can get to Greensboro from Charlotte in about 1.5 hours.
Mooresville, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 30 minutes
Mooresville, NC, is a city that is close to Charlotte. From the city, you can get to Mooresville in about 30 minutes, making it a very easy day trip from Charlotte.
The city, which is also known as Race City, has a lot to see during a day trip.
One of the best things to do in Mooresville is to go to the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. This is a museum where you can find exhibits to learn about the history of racing in North Carolina. There are cars, memorabilia, photos, and many other objects.
The city is also home to great antique stores, such as the Main St. Antiques & Design Gallery. There are more than 500 local vendors here selling all sorts of items.
Lazy 5 Ranch is also located in Mooresville. This is a privately owned zoo with more than 750 animals.
Mooresville’s downtown is a lovely place to go to shop on Main Street, have dinner, enjoy ice cream at the historic Mooresville Ice Cream Parlor, and attend an event.
Blowing Rock, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
You can reach the small town of Blowing Rock from Charlotte in about 2 hours. Blowing Rock is a small town that is situated in Western North Carolina.
When you are doing this day trip, you can go to the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum. This is a museum where you can learn about the history and heritage of the Southern Appalachian region by seeing exhibitions and attending events.
In addition to that, you can find great boutique shops and art galleries in Blowing Rock, and the town is home to great coffee shops, such as Camp Coffee Roasters.
Roanoke, VA
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours
Roanoke is a small city in Virginia that is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
One of the city’s highlights is the Mill Mountain Star, which is the world’s largest freestanding neon star and it dates back to the year 1949.
The city also has great museums, such as the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Taubman Museum of Art.
For a fun time, you can go to the Roanoke Pinball Museum. At this place, you can find more than 65 different playable pinball machines, with the oldest machine dating back to the year 1932.
Mill Mountain Zoo, a non-profit conservation zoo, with many different species of animals, can be great to visit during a day trip as well.
You can get to Roanoke from Charlotte, by car, in about 3 hours.
Fayetteville, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2 hours and 45 minutes
With many things to do in Fayetteville, the city makes for an incredible day trip from Charlotte. From the city, you can get to the city by car in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Fayetteville is known for being next to the home of the Fort Liberty.
You can visit one of the museums in Fayetteville when you are doing a day trip. For example, you can go to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. You can also visit the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, which is one of the best things to do with kids in Fayetteville.
You can also attend an event at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
The city is also home to many great performing arts theaters, such as the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, where you can see great performances.
Hillsborough, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
From Charlotte, you can get to Hillsborough, NC, in about 2 hours.
Hillsborough is a small town that is situated on the banks of the Eno River and was established in the year 1754.
The small town has a great downtown where you can find art galleries, cozy coffee shops, and unique boutique shops. You can see historic architecture and attend a variety of events throughout the year in the town.
The Eno River Farmers Market can also be great to check out when you are doing this day trip on a Saturday.
Lynchburg, VA
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours
You can get to the city of Lynchburg, from Charlotte, in about 3 hours.
Lynchburg, Virginia, is a small city with many things to do.
For example, you can go to SeaQuest Lynchburg. This is an aquarium where you can see more than 1,000 exotic marine animals. You can also do all kinds of interactive experiences here.
When you want to do this day trip with kids, you can go to Amazement Square. This is a children’s museum where you can find four floors of interactive exhibits through which children can learn in a fun way.
You can also see a performance at the Academy Center of the Arts during your trip. You can attend concerts, live theater, and other types of performances here. In addition to that, there are also art exhibits at the center.
Wilmington, NC
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours and 30 minutes
The beautiful city of Wilmington, NC, can be reached from Charlotte in about 3 hours and 30 minutes. There are many amazing things to do in Wilmington.
You can also walk the Wilmington Riverwalk. This is a walkway along the Cape Fear River where you can enjoy views of the river and find many restaurants.
Wilmington’s Historic Downtown is a place with many historic buildings, such as the Bellamy Mansion. There are several ways to discover this district, one of which is a horse-drawn carriage tour.
Another one of the city’s highlights is Battleship North Carolina. This is a fast battleship from the year 1940 that was used during World War II. It is possible to do a self-guided tour of the vessel and discover its nine decks.
If you like museums, Wilmington is also one of the best day trips from Charlotte, as there are a lot of great museums in Wilmington. For example, Wilmington is home to the Cameron Art Museum, a museum where you can see art exhibitions and attend all sorts of events. When you are here, you can also go to the CAM Café.
Pawleys Island, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours and 45 minutes
By car, you can get to Pawleys Island, SC, in about 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Pawleys Island is a beautiful small town where you can find amazing restaurants, great golf courses, and much more.
The town is situated next to the Atlantic Ocean and you can many places in town where you can enjoy incredible ocean views.
When doing this day trip, you can visit The Hammock Shops Village, which is a shopping center from the year 1938.
Hilton Head Island, SC
Distance from Charlotte: 4 hours
From Charlotte, you can get to Hilton Head Island in less than 4 hours. Hilton Head Island is a small town in South Carolina.
The town is home to many art galleries and waterfront restaurants where you can enjoy a view of the ocean.
In addition to that, Hilton Head Island has many incredible golf courses.
One of the best places to visit in the town is the Coastal Discovery Museum. At this museum, you can find exhibits and attend events through which you can learn about the history of Hilton Head Island.
You can also do a tour of the Hilton Head Distillery during a day trip. This is the only distillery on Hilton Head Island and there’s also a tasting bar.
Savannah, GA
Distance from Charlotte: 4 hours
The city of Savannah, GA, can be reached from Charlotte in less than 4 hours. Savannah is a historic coastal city on the Savannah River with a lot of things to do and see.
The city’s historic district is home to many beautiful antebellum homes. It is possible to do various guided tours to explore this district. Also, you can find several historic house museums here.
During a day trip, I also recommend going to River Street. This is Savannah’s waterfront where you can find many restaurants and shops and where you can enjoy a view of the river.
In addition to that, you can go to the Savannah Theatre, which is a historic performing arts venue that dates back to the year 1818.
You should also get ice cream at Leopold’s Ice Cream when you are doing this day trip. This is an ice cream parlor that opened in the year 1919.
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Charlotte Day Trips Tips
Many of the destinations that I recommend in this Charlotte day trips guide have a lot of things to do that you likely don’t want to miss out on during your day. When you know where you want to spend a day, I recommend making a detailed itinerary such that you can pack as many sights as possible in one day. I also recommend choosing the restaurants that you want to go to in advance.
Day Trips from Charlotte Map
As you see, there are a lot of amazing places to explore near the city. I hope you liked the day trips from Charlotte, NC!