How do you save money during inflation? Staycation in the Queen City.
The universe has decided to throw the poor people of Earth with a double whammy: Gas and airfare each cost all the gold stars we earned in kindergarten.
It pains me to spend half my tank driving from work to home while gas is $40 for my little Toyota Yaris iA. In order to ease the pain of high gas prices and airfare, we have decided to compile a list of things to do in the Queen City that do not require you to fly or drive too far.
Explore the city
Funny Bus Comedy City Tours
All aboard! Funny Bus Comedy City Tours offers daily tours of the city where you can get drunk and watch live stand-up comedy. The tour guide is a local comedian who cracks jokes and gets along great with guests.
Have (not so) little ones? Don’t fret, the tour offers PG-13 tours where children ages 13 to 17 are available.
Cost: $30 + cost of BYOB
[READ MORE: I decided to take the tour — here’s what I thought.]
Explore a new neighborhood every week
Charlotte is a vast city with multiple neighborhoods within it. Let’s be real: Each neighborhood feels like its own little city. While you will have to drive a little to get to each neighborhood, it will not hurt your wallet.
My suggestion is to start with the neighborhood closest to you, then finish with the neighborhood furthest away. Here are some attractions you can visit in some of the neighborhoods:
NoDa Arts District
What’s more artsy than visiting murals? Go on a mural walk and take in the colorful and creative murals painted on some of the buildings.
Start at the corner of North Davidson and 35th Street at the “Bloom” mural. End at the “Worth the Walk” mural one block to the left of North Davidson.
Cost: Free
Historic South End
Walk, run, jog, scooter or bike along the Rail Trail. Get those steps in while taking in all the wonderful sights and sounds of the trail.
The Color Forest is something to look out for and is not hard to miss. The forest consists of 100 colorful steel poles created by local artist Ivan Depeña.
You can spend a whole day along the trail and never get bored.
Cost: Free, unless you rent a scooter or a B-Cycle bike.
Uptown
Uptown Charlotte is the heart of the city. This part of Charlotte is full of coffee shops, parks and restaurants.
Bring your friends and walk around First Ward Park. The four-acre park lets guests run, play, jog and bike to their hearts’ content.
Go on a self-guided tour of Uptown with Uptown Interactive. There are six murals included that have QR codes you can scan to learn about the art from the artist.
Cost: Free, though we recommend a Flat White from Coco and the Director while you walk around, so in that case: $4.25+ tip.
University City
Start off with the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, where you can learn all about the plants featured. Bring a book, paintbrush, or your most comfortable walking shoes.
While in the area, stop by Ninety’s Milkshake Bar. The family dessert shop offers unique creations like the Brookie Monster, Shabooyah Brownie milkshake and Magical Unicorn seasonal milkshake.
Cost: $5.50 for a milkshake at Ninety’s (+ $.50 for additional toppings)
Meet new people
Every branch of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library system has more than just books. There are 20 locations within the library system, so there’s most likely a library that’s a short drive away.
The system hosts programs and events that get community engaged with reading and learning. Make sure to check the calendar to see when there is an event happening near you.
The library offers online programs for kids ages 0-11, teens ages 12-18 and adults ages 18 and up. The adult programs have book clubs, a technology class and different ways to help in different subjects.
Don’t be afraid to make new friends at the book club you just joined or in the technology class you joined because technology can be hard to grasp sometimes.
Cost: Free
This story was originally published July 1, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
