Charlotte is an incredible city to visit, and because of all the fun things to do in Charlotte with kids, the city is also great for families.
From learning about science to playing miniature golf to seeing a football game, the kid-friendly activities in the city aren’t only fun for children but they can be great for the whole family. The city has great museums for kids, amazing events, and much more. Whether you want to do something very fun or you want your children to learn something, there’s a lot to choose from.
To help you find the most fun family-friendly activities, I made this guide to the best things to do with kids in Charlotte.
Things To Do in Charlotte With Kids
Go to Discovery Place Science
Discovery Place Science is a museum that is located in the city of Charlotte where children can learn about science and technology in a fun way.
At the museum, you can find many interactive exhibits that make learning about science and technology a lot of fun and interesting.
There are both permanent and temporary exhibitions. For example, there is a permanent exhibition about frogs.
Lots of live shows also take place at Discovery Place Science. For example, there is a live show called “Science at The Stage” during which children can see a variety of interesting experiments and demonstrations.
Other types of events also take place at the museum.
It is also possible to see a show at the IMAX theater of Discovery Place Science. Children can learn about nature and the universe through various interesting movies that are projected on a domed screen.
Address: 301 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Play Miniature Golf at Monster Mini Golf Charlotte
Monster Mini Golf Charlotte is a miniature golf course that makes for a fun family-friendly activity in Charlotte.
You can play indoor miniature golf here, and the miniature golf course features black lights and monster-themed decorations. These elements make playing miniature golf here very fun!
In addition to that, there are other attractions at Monster Mini Golf Charlotte as well.
There are several lanes for bowling and there is also an arcade with a large number of games.
You can also find a laser maze at this place where you have to navigate a room without touching any of the green lasers.
Address: 230 E W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262
Visit ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center
You can find ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center at 300 East Seventh Street. This is a center with various venues that are great to go to with children.
You can find the Spangler Library for Children at ImaginOn, which is a library with books, media, and other items for children. In addition to that, there are hands-on activities for children at this library.
The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is also located at ImaginOn. This is a theater with family-friendly productions that you can see in both the McColl Family Theatre and the Wells Fargo Playhouse. These productions include both classic as well as contemporary performances.
There are also classes for all ages at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte that are taught by professional theatre artists.
Address: 300 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Have Fun at the Museum of Illusions Charlotte
The Museum of Illusions Charlotte is a fun museum for all ages that you can find on South Tryon Street.
At the museum, you can find all kinds of exhibits where you can see unique illusions.
From illusion rooms where it looks like there’s no gravity to fun installations that will amaze you to interesting optical illusions, there’s a lot to see at the museum.
One of the most fun rooms at the museum is a room that you can stand in together with someone else, where one person appears to be a giant when looking at the room from a certain spot.
There is also a tilted room that is fun to check out.
Each of these illusion rooms is also great if you want to take fun photos.
Address: 601 S Tryon St Suite 138, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to Big Air Trampoline Park
The Big Air Trampoline Park is an indoor trampoline park where children can have fun while jumping on many wall-to-wall trampolines.
There are also special “cosmic nights” during which the lights get turned down, there are colorful lights, and there is music.
Big Air Trampoline Park can also be great to visit with younger children as there is a special “Toddler Time” event for children ages 6 and under.
There are also several other attractions for all ages. For example, there are zip lines and there are dodgeball courts.
Moreover, it’s possible to get a membership which makes it possible to go to the trampoline park as many times as you like in a month.
Address: 2408 Sardis Rd N, Charlotte, NC 28227
Go to the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Charlotte
You can find a Build-A-Bear Workshop in the city and this place is perfect if you’re looking for things to do in Charlotte with kids. At this well-known toy store, children can make their own stuffed animals, including teddy bears.
For this, there’s an interactive process during which children can choose various aspects of the stuffed animal, including accessories, to make the stuffed animal that they want.
There is a large variety of base animals to choose from, including many seasonal ones.
Have Fun at Carowinds
Carowinds is an amusement park that you can find in the city of Charlotte. The park opened in 1973 and has close to 50 different attractions, including more than 13 roller coasters.
There are great attractions that are fun for kids. A great attraction is the Carolina Skytower, which is one of the park’s original attractions. The attraction has a cabin that goes to the top of a 262-foot tower, from where you can enjoy an incredible view.
You can also find the Carolina Harbor Waterpark at Carowinds. This waterpark features wave pools, a large children’s area, and several slides.
Many events also take place at Carowinds, such as seasonal events.
Explore the Sullenberger Aviation Museum
The Sullenberger Aviation Museum is an aviation museum that you can find at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The museum dates back to the year 1992 and is an interesting place to check out if you want to see old aircraft and learn about aviation history.
The collection includes many types of aircraft. For example, you can find the aircraft of the “Miracle on the Hudson” and various items related to the aircraft.
You can also see various military aircraft at the museum, such as the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger.
Besides that, the collection of the museum also includes memorabilia, archival material, and other type of objects from various airlines.
See a Game at the Bank of America Stadium
The Bank of America Stadium is a large stadium in Charlotte’s uptown where you can see a football game, which is one of the most fun family-friendly activities in Charlotte.
The stadium is the home stadium of the Carolina Panthers, a team that competes in the National Football League.
Besides that, the stadium is also the home of Charlotte FC, a team that competes in Major League Soccer.
What makes seeing a game here an even better experience is that you can see the skyline of Charlotte while being in the stadium.
In addition to being a great place for sporting events, the stadium is also great if you want to enjoy other types of events, such as concerts.
Address: 800 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to the LEGO Store Southpark
You can find the LEGO Store Southpark Mall in Charlotte. It is located inside the Southpark Mall.
The store is great to check out with kids, especially with kids who love LEGO because you can find all sorts of LEGO sets here. It is a great place to buy a gift.
In addition to that, the store has various features which make it fun to go here.
For example, there is a pick & build wall, children can build their own minifigure here, and there is a LEGO DUPLO play table.
Sometimes there are also events that take place at the store.
Besides that, because of the store’s location at Southpark Mall, you can combine going to the store with going to other stores at the mall.
Address: 4400 Sharon Rd Space M05, Charlotte, NC 28211
See Animals at SEA LIFE Charlotte
SEA LIFE Charlotte is a fun aquarium with more than 10 exhibits where children can see and learn about marine animals.
One of these exhibits that can be great to check out is the Tropical Ocean Exhibit. You can find an ocean tunnel here where it is possible to see more than 800 animals while underwater. The animals that you can see here include sharks, rescued sea turtles, and many other animals.
There is also a “Jellies Exhibit” and an exhibit where you can see stingrays.
It is also possible to do a behind-the-scenes tour of 30 minutes, during which you can learn about what happens behind the scenes of SEA LIFE Charlotte.
Address: 8111 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027
Check Out DEFY Charlotte
DEFY Charlotte is an indoor trampoline park with various attractions that are great for children.
For example, there is an open jump area with wall-to-wall trampolines where children can jump on trampolines.
In addition to that, DEFY Charlotte has a ninja course, an area with trapezes and aerial silks, and a zip line.
It is also possible to go to DEFY Charlotte during “KidJump”. During this, only children 6 and under can explore the park. Adults can jump with their kids for free.
Address: 8116 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28213
Attend a Family Event at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is a performing arts complex with various venues in the city of Charlotte. The complex opened in 1992 and can be found in the city center.
The largest venue of the center is the Belk Theater. This is a venue with a capacity of 2,118 people and has a contemporary European horseshoe design, which makes it such that every seat is very close to the stage.
Lots of family events take place at the venues of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center which can be amazing if you’re looking for things to do with kids in Charlotte.
For example, there are often concerts, and some of these take place at the Knight Theater.
Many musicals that are great for all ages also take place here, and these most often take place at the Belk Theater.
Address: 130 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Have Pizza and Play Games at Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese Charlotte is a fun well-known children’s entertainment center, and you can go to one of its locations in the city of Charlotte.
At this place, you can find all kinds of arcade games that are fun for children to play.
Furthermore, there are fun animatronic bands that are very entertaining to see for kids.
In addition to that, you can get great food that your child will enjoy here. For example, there is great pizza and there are many other food options, including French fries, salads, and ice cream.
Address: 5612 Albemarle Rd #100, Charlotte, NC 28212
Visit Frankie’s of Charlotte
Frankie’s of Charlotte, which you can find at 10621 Bryton Corporate Center Drive, is a place with several fun attractions for the whole family.
For example, you can play miniature golf at Frankie’s, as there are three miniature golf courses with 54 unique and fun holes in total. These miniature golf courses are great for the whole family and all skill levels.
You can also find 24 bowling lanes here.
There is also a fun attraction called “Family Swings”. This is a fun rotating attraction during which you are 20 feet up in the air.
Another attraction that is located here is “Tea Cups”. This is a great ride for all ages.
Furthermore, there is a laser tag arena, there is an arcade floor with many games, and there are many other games.
Address: 10621 Bryton Corporate Center Dr, Huntersville, NC 28078
Go to the Charlotte Museum of History
The Charlotte Museum of History is a museum where you can learn about the history of Charlotte and its surrounding area. The museum aims to connect the past to the city’s current problems and opportunities.
There are 7 galleries in total at the museum, which include both permanent and temporary exhibits through which it is possible to learn about 400 years of the city’s history.
You can also find several outdoor exhibits at the museum, including the 1774 Alexander Homesite, which is a historic building from the year 1774 and the last structure of Charlotte’s Revolutionary history.
It is possible to do a guided tour of the various exhibits of the museum. These tours are great for the whole family.
In addition to that, there are often family events at the museum that make for perfect things to do in Charlotte with kids, including story time events and concerts for families.
Address: 3500 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215
Check Out the NASCAR Hall of Fame
The NASCAR Hall of Fame is a place where you can learn about the history and people of NASCAR, making it a great place to visit with kids who love cars and car racing.
There are various changing exhibits at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
For example, you can find a display at the hall where you can learn about cars of Ford.
You can also find the Hall of Honor here, where you can learn about the people who made contributions to the sport.
It is also possible to do a guided tour of the Hall. During this, you can learn even more about the Hall and its objects.
Address: 400 E M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28202
Attend a Kids Event at the Bojangles Coliseum
The Bojangles Coliseum, which is a large arena with a capacity of 8,600 seats and is part of the BOPlex, is a venue where a large variety of events take place, including events that are great to attend with your kids.
For example, sometimes there are concerts at the venue, there are musicals that are great for all ages, and you can often attend great sporting events at the arena. Throughout the year, lots of different events take place here.
Address: 2700 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28205
Go to Discovery Place Nature
Discovery Place Nature is a museum that you can find on Sterling Road in the city of Charlotte close to Freedom Park.
At the museum, children can learn about various aspects of nature.
There are interactive exhibitions for all ages and this is great if you’re looking for a kid-friendly activity in Charlotte during which your children can learn something. For example, one of the exhibits is called “Insect Alley”. Here, children can see and learn about a live collection of insects.
There is also an exhibition where it is possible to see native plants.
Another exhibition lets children learn about the life cycle of young animals.
In addition to that, there are live animal encounters with animals and lots of other interesting and fun events take place at the museum throughout the year.
Address: 1658 Sterling Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209
Visit the Mustang Owner’s Museum
The Mustang Owner’s Museum is an interesting museum that is located near the city of Charlotte. This is a museum that is especially great to visit with children who love cars.
You can find a collection of 25 Mustangs at the museum, that includes classics, Mustangs for racing, and unique versions.
The cars and exhibits that you can find at the museum are always changing, such that when you come back here, there’s always something new to see.
Through the cars that you find at the museum, you can also learn about Mustang history.
Besides going to the museum to see the collection, you can also go to the museum to attend an event. For example, there are car shows that take place at the Mustang Owner’s Museum.
Address: 4001 Dearborn Pl NW, Concord, NC 28027
Go to a Kids Event at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is a botanical garden that you can find close to the city of Charlotte. The garden contains various large gardens with beautiful plants and flowers.
Lots of events take place at the garden throughout the year, including great events that are suitable for all ages.
For example, there are interesting guided tours during which a volunteer docent shows you the garden’s highlights.
There are also events during the holiday season. For example, you can attend “Holidays at the Garden”, which is an event during which you can see beautiful lights and decor throughout the garden. There is also an outdoor fire, and there is special food and drinks.
Address: 6500 S New Hope Rd, Belmont, NC 28012
Get Ice Cream at Two Scoops Creamery
Two Scoops Creamery is an ice cream shop with several locations in and near the city of Charlotte. The first ice cream store opened in 2016. Getting delicious ice cream here is a fun thing to do with kids in Charlotte.
At this ice cream shop, you can get more than 100 homemade flavors each year, and there are seasonal special flavors as well.
There are many unique flavors of ice cream, including “Strawberry Cheesecake” and “Choco Taco”. There are also many flavors of chocolate ice cream to choose from.
In addition to that, Two Scoops Creamery has many plant-based ice cream flavors, including pineapple sorbet, chocolate chocolate chip, and key lime pie.
Address: 913 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Visit Mint Museum Uptown
Mint Museum Uptown is one of the two locations of The Mint Museum. You can find Mint Museum Uptown at the Levine Center for the Arts on South Tryon Street.
At this location of the museum, you can find a collection of craft and design objects, American art, and contemporary works of art.
In addition to that, there are free events for all ages that take place at The Mint Museum. For example, there are film screenings.
Address: 500 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Go to Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Charlotte
Sky Zone is an indoor trampoline park with fun attractions for children. There are many Sky Zone trampoline parks in the state of North Carolina, and each one has unique attractions, including the ones in Charlotte.
There is one location in Charlotte and one just outside of the city.
There is a large freestyle jump area with wall-to-wall trampolines that your children can jump on and have a fun time.
In addition to that, there is an obstacle course, there is an arena called “Drop zone” where you can jump and then land softly, and there are various other attractions.
There is also an exclusive area for toddlers and parents at Sky Zone Charlotte.
Address: 10200 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville, NC 28134
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To have an even better time in the city with kids, you can combine the things to do with kids in Charlotte in this article with going to a family-friendly restaurant in the city. A great restaurant for this is Midnight Diner, which is a restaurant with a great kids menu and a wonderful atmosphere.
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I hope you liked the family-friendly activities in the city. Thanks for reading my guide to the best things to do in Charlotte with kids!