Charlotte is incredible during the day, but the things to do at night in Charlotte are also worth checking out!
Whether you want to listen to music, have food, do a ghost tour, or see art, there’s something in the city for you. The nighttime activities in the city will definitely surprise you!
Exploring Charlotte during nighttime is a very different experience from exploring the city during the day. To help you find the best activities for you, I made this Charlotte things to do at night guide. I included many kinds of activities to make sure there’s something for everyone’s liking.
Things To Do at Night in Charlotte
Join a Historical Ghost Walking Tour
A historical ghost walking tour in Charlotte can be very fun. During this walking tour that takes about 1.5 hours, you can learn about the darkest history of the city of Charlotte.
For example, you can learn about spots where ghosts were spotted by locals.
Also, you can learn about battles and haunted mansions in the city.
An experienced guide leads you through the city during this experience and gives you a lot of information and tells you a lot of stories. And what’s great is that this is done in a very entertaining way, which makes this tour a great nighttime activity in Charlotte.
Have Fun at the Museum of Illusions Charlotte
Another one of the most fun activities that you can do at night is going to the Museum of Illusions Charlotte.
This is a museum where you can find a lot of different rooms with interactive exhibits.
Each exhibit is a fun illusion that will trick your mind.
For example, there is one room where you can sit on a stool in such a way that it looks like you are very tiny.
Also, there is a room where it appears you are walking on the wall. This is a lot of fun to see. And especially when you are visiting this place with friends you can have a lot of fun here at night.
What’s great is that the museum is open till 9 PM or 10 PM, depending on the day, so you can go here when it gets dark outside.
Address: 601 S Tryon St Suite 138, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to the Mint Museum on Wednesdays
One of the most interesting things that you can do when it is nighttime is to visit The Mint Museum.
This is a museum with two locations that you can find in the city of Charlotte.
At these locations, you can find a collection of great objects of art and design.
For example, you can find a large collection of American Art here.
Also, the museums hold a collection of great European Decorative Art. And there is a significant collection of pottery from North Carolina as well.
Besides that, you can find a huge collection of other art that varies in medium and the location where it comes from. Moreover, you can find art here from many periods in time and from all over the world.
And what’s great is that the museum is open till late, so you can visit the museum in the evening in Charlotte.
Address: 500 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 and 2730 Randolph Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207
See a Concert at The Fillmore Charlotte
You can also go to The Fillmore Charlotte when you are visiting Charlotte at night.
This is a live music venue that you can find on Hamilton Street inside a historic textile mill.
You can go here to attend great concerts that I’m sure you will enjoy.
Combine attending a concert here with having dinner at one of the best fine dining spots in the city, and you’ll have a very fun night for sure.
The venue has a beautiful interior which makes your experience of attending a concert here even better. And what’s great is that The Fillmore Charlotte uses the latest techniques to bring you the best sound and lighting, which enhances your experience even more!
Address: 820 Hamilton St, Charlotte, NC 28206
Have Dinner at The Fig Tree Restaurant
Looking for a great restaurant where you can enjoy a fine dining experience when you are in Charlotte?
Having dinner and enjoying very good food is one of the best nighttime activities that you can have and a very nice spot for this in the city of Charlotte is The Fig Tree Restaurant.
You can find this restaurant inside a historic house, which adds to your dining experience.
The restaurant serves very good seasonal French and Italian food. The food is very tasty and each menu item also looks incredible.
Also, the wine list of The Fig Tree Restaurant is very good.
This place is perfect if you want to enjoy a chic time. For example, it is perfect if you want to celebrate your anniversary at night.
Address: 1601 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28204
Go to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art on Wednesdays
Here’s one of the best things to do at night in Charlotte if you like modern art.
You can go to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. This is a very good modern art museum and it is possible to go here on Wednesdays as the museum is open till 9 PM on that day of the week.
At this museum, you can find a great collection of modern art.
The museum houses a collection that consists of close to 1500 different works. Most of these works are works of modernism from the 20th century. Moreover, you can see a lot of works by the School of Paris here. And there are works by very famous artists such as Picasso, Warhol, and Miró.
Address: 420 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Bowl at Bowlero Charlotte
Want to have a night during which you can have a lot of fun? Then, you can bowl.
There are various places in the city of Charlotte where you can do this and one of the best bowling spots is Bowlero Charlotte.
This is a bowling alley where you can find many bowling lanes.
Also, there is an arcade, so you can go here to bowl and play games.
Furthermore, there is a great bar at this place where you can relax with food and delicious drinks. And there are weekly specials at Bowlero as well, including fun nighttime events.
Address: 210 E Trade St D-164, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to the Charlotte Fair
The Charlotte Fair is an annual fair that takes place in spring at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The fair is a very fun place as you can do a lot of fun things there.
For example, there are a lot of fun and thrilling rides and attractions.
Also, there are lots of spots at the fair where you can play games.
Besides that, there is a variety of shows and other types of events that you can attend at the fair.
Want to have food as well? Then, you can also go here as there is delicious fair food.
You could go to the Charlotte Fair during the day, but it is also possible to go here when it gets dark outside. During this time of the day, the fair also has a very nice atmosphere.
Go to an Event at the Bojangles Coliseum
The Bojangles Coliseum at the Bojangles Entertainment Complex is a great place to attend an event when you are visiting Charlotte.
There are a lot of events that take place here when it is dark outside.
For example, you can go here to attend concerts or sports events.
Also, there are musicals and a variety of other types of events.
You can check out the venue’s calendar on the website of the Bojangles Coliseum to see if there’s an event that you like to attend when you want to do something fun at night.
Also, what’s great is that there are often family events at this place.
Address: 2700 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28205
Go to the Water Lantern Festival in Charlotte
Attending the Charlotte Water Lantern Festival is yet another great thing to do at night in Charlotte.
This is a festival during which you can see the most beautiful lanterns floating on the water. There are hundreds or thousands of lanterns that are floating on the water at the same time.
And these lanterns look very beautiful together because they shine very brightly when the surrounding area is completely dark.
Besides seeing lanterns, you can do much more at the festival.
At the festival, you can also listen to great live music and have very delicious food, which makes going here even more special!
Also, what’s great is that this festival brings thousands of people together.
Go to a Show at the Dale F. Halton Theater
You can also go to the Dale F. Halton Theater when it is dark outside.
This is a performing arts theater where lots of performances take place.
For example, during the holiday season, you can see great Christmas shows at this place.
Also, you can go here to listen to great live classical music. And there are often plays that take place here.
If you want to enjoy great entertainment when it gets dark outside in the city of Charlotte, this can be a great place that you can consider.
Also, to make your night even better, you can both see a show at the theater and enjoy a delicious dinner at one of the top restaurants in the city.
Address: 1206 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Go to the Levine Museum of the New South at Night on Wednesdays
The Levine Museum of the New South is a very interesting museum that you can visit on Wednesday evenings.
This is a local history museum where you can learn about what life was like in Piedmont North Carolina after the Civil War took place.
You can find a lot of exhibits at the museum that relate to the war and that are very interesting.
Also, you can see many displays that showcase old buildings and stores of the time.
For example, you can see an early department store here.
Also, there is a display of a historic hospital here.
Through the different exhibits of the museum, you can learn a lot about culture, history, and art at the same time.
Address: 401 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Attend a Concert at The Underground
The Underground is a live music venue that you can find in the city of Charlotte.
At this music venue, concerts of lots of different genres of music take place.
For example, you can enjoy great electronic music here, but also pop music and many other genres.
Moreover, you can enjoy great concerts here by artists from all over the world, but there are concerts by emerging artists as well.
This place is perfect if you want to have a lot of fun when it gets dark outside in Charlotte.
Also, what’s great is that the venue has a very intimate atmosphere. This makes going here an even more fun experience.
Address: 820 Hamilton St, Charlotte, NC 28206
Go to the Breakaway Music Festival
Another activity that can be great to do when it is dark in Charlotte is going to the Breakaway Music Festival.
This is a festival that takes place in many cities in the United States and one of the festival’s editions takes place in the city of Charlotte.
You can attend the festival every year in the month of May at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
During the festival, you can enjoy great music from artists that are famous all around the world.
For example, in one of the editions of the festival, Tiësto and Deadmau5 performed.
Many of the festival’s performances take place at night when it is dark outside, so this festival is perfect when you are looking for nighttime activities in Charlotte.
Attend the Summer Pops Series at Symphony Park
The Summer Pops series that takes place at Symphony Park is one of the best events that you can attend at night.
During these events, thousands of people in Charlotte go to the park to listen to great performances by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.
You can sit down in the grass while listening to very good music.
Also, you can enjoy a great fireworks show during Summer Pops.
What’s great is that some of the events of this series take place in the evening making it perfect if you’re wondering what to do in Charlotte at night.
See a Movie at the Ayrsley Grand Cinema
You can also go to the movies when the sun goes down in the city.
You can find various great movie theaters in Charlotte, but one of the best ones, and one that I recommend is the Ayrsley Grand Cinema.
This is an independent movie theater where you can see the latest released movies, but also great independent films.
The theater has a wonderful atmosphere and what’s great is that tickets for this movie theater aren’t very expensive.
Also, what’s great is that the seats of the Ayrsley Grand Cinema recline, which improves your cinema experience, and the quality of the sound and screen make your experience even better.
Address: 9110 Kings Parade Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
Go to a Film Screening of the Charlotte Film Festival
The Charlotte Film Festival is an annual festival that takes place for one weekend.
During the festival, you can enjoy film screenings of a variety of films.
For example, you can see documentaries, narrative short films, and a variety of other types of films.
What’s interesting is that the films that you can see at the festival have their premiere in Charlotte, they haven’t been shown to a public audience elsewhere.
Also, what’s great is that you can see many genres of films at the festival. So if you are a film lover, attending one of the film screenings at the festival at night is an activity that you should not miss out on for sure!
Go to a Show at the Knight Theater
You could also go to the Knight Theater in Charlotte in the evening. This is a large performing arts theater that you can find on South Tryon Street in the city of Charlotte.
The theater has a seating capacity that is close to 1,200.
This is a nice performing arts venue where you can enjoy a great variety of shows.
For example, you can go here to attend concerts of classical music by the Charlotte Symphony.
Also, you can go to this place to see great dance performances.
What’s nice as well is that you can find the theater next to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. In fact, the theater shares a building with the museum.
This means that you can combine visiting the museum when it is open till late and seeing a show at the Knight Theater.
Address: 430 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to the Charlotte Jazz Festival
Here’s one of the best things to do in Charlotte at night for lovers of jazz. You can go to a nighttime act of the Charlotte Jazz Festival.
This is an annual festival that takes place in Uptown Charlotte.
During the festival, you can listen to great jazz performances that I’m sure you are going to enjoy.
These jazz performances take place at a variety of places, including Romare Bearden Park.
Moreover, the festival takes place at the end of the month of April and the festival takes about one week in total.
Furthermore, what’s great is that the concerts of this festival are free. So anyone that wants to enjoy great jazz music can go to the festival and have a nice time!
Besides jazz performances, there are other activities that you can do at the festival as well. For example, there are visual arts installations that can be nice to see.
Visit the Visulite Theatre and Attend a Concert
The Visulite Theatre is a great live music venue that you can find in the city of Charlotte.
It is one of the largest and most popular concert venues in the city.
You can go here to attend great concerts by bands. Also, there are great concerts by very well-known artists.
Also, you can attend a variety of recurring music shows here.
What’s nice about attending a concert here as well is that the experience is very intimate.
And another great aspect of this music venue is that you can see concerts of a wide variety of genres here.
Address: 1615 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Experience the Taste of Charlotte Festival on the Weekends
Here’s one of the best activities for lovers of jazz. You can go to a nighttime act of the Charlotte Jazz Festival.
This is an annual festival that takes place in Uptown Charlotte.
During the festival, you can listen to great jazz performances that I’m sure you are going to enjoy.
These jazz performances take place at a variety of places, including Romare Bearden Park.
Moreover, the festival takes place at the end of the month of April and the festival takes about one week in total.
Furthermore, what’s great is that the concerts of this festival are free. So anyone that wants to enjoy great jazz music can go to the festival and have a nice time!
Besides jazz performances, there are other activities that you can do at the festival as well. For example, there are visual arts installations that can be nice to see.
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Charlotte Things To Do at Night Tips
When you’re choosing what to do in Charlotte at night, there are several things that you need to think about to have a great time.
First of all, there are some places for which you need to buy a ticket in advance. For example, when you want to see a show at a theater, you often need to buy a ticket, and you need to keep this in mind when planning a trip.
Another thing to think about is whether the activity that you want to do takes place outdoors or indoors. This will influence the type of clothing that you’ll need. It can get very cold outdoors at night!
Things To Do in Charlotte at Night Map
As you see, there are a lot of great things to do in Charlotte at night. I hope you found some activities that are great for you!