The 7 Wonders of Charlotte: An updated list of the city’s most breathtaking places

Have you ever sat down and tried to identify the seven most marvelous pieces of Charlotte?

We have. Twice now.

The first time was in July 2011, and our “Seven Wonders” included postcard-picturesque Queens Road West, the dumbfounding Big Rock Shelter, crown-like Calvary Church, Duke Energy Center’s dazzling light shows, the metal-morphing “Metalmorphosis” sculpture, the U.S. National Whitewater Center’s roaring rapids, and supermassive Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Almost 11 years later, we’re revisiting the list — and have replaced every entry.

Three of the new Wonders, in fact, were not yet in existence in 2011. One of them, meanwhile, has been a fixture in the area for more than 100 years. In yet another, Queens Road West makes a small cameo. The only thing about the list that hasn’t changed is the criteria: All seven creations have a foothold within Charlotte proper, and each fills us with a greater sense of astonishment and admiration than anything else in the city.

Oh, and for the record, it’s not that we no longer are wowed by what wowed us in 2011; it’s just ... well, the city has changed so much in the past decade, and it seems fitting that our opinions have, too.

1. Truist Field

What it is: The 10,200-capacity home stadium of the Charlotte Knights, a Triple-A Minor League Baseball team that is an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Why it’s a Wonder: You’ve probably been to a number of Knights games since the ballpark opened with a different title sponsor (BB&T) eight years ago. But be honest: Can you recall the name of any Knights player, past or present? In any case, what you definitely will remember is that there’s something almost spiritual about the experience of taking in a ballgame there, predominantly because of the close-up panoramic view of uptown Charlotte.

Of course, the fact that it’s a minor-league baseball park — and not, say, an NFL stadium — is what makes this possible. The left-field scoreboard and the right-field “home run porch” are just a few stories high, compared with the skyline-blocking uppermost reaches of the 180-foot-tall Bank of America Stadium just down the block.

The vistas at Truist are splendid from most seats, but they’re particularly eye-popping from seats in Sections 114 through 117. It can, at times, seem like a home-run ball could be hit far enough to carom off a skyscraper.

Don’t just take it from us: In a February article for MLB.com, Benjamin Hill (who has visited 182 Minor League ballparks) wrote that Truist Field “just may be the most spectacular setting in all of Minor League Baseball.”

Pro tip: The higher up in those aforementioned sections you sit, the better your chances of being shaded from the hot summer sun, which sets behind the third-base side of the park. Also, if you can get tickets to a Friday home game, stick around for the team’s post-game fireworks show — something that makes the view even more dramatic.

For the GPS: 324 S. Mint St.

2. The Thirsty Beaver Saloon

What it is: A small “dive” bar that sits along one of the busiest sections of Plaza Midwood’s main drag.

Why it’s a Wonder: It’s got one of the most famous backstories of any business in Charlotte: Co-owners/brothers Mark and Brian Wilson have stubbornly refused to bow to aggressive Central Avenue development, and today the orangeish-tan brick watering hole looks as if it’s being swallowed whole by the apartment complex that wraps tightly around three sides of it. But if you’ve only seen the outside, you only know the half of it.

There’s something intoxicating, almost mind-altering, about hanging out inside — and not just because of the 24-ounce cans of PBR or the plastic cups of cocktails being slung by the bartender. Even if you don’t like outlaw country, weirdly, you’ll want to select a song on the jukebox. Even if you stink at pool, oddly, you’ll want to play a game in the cave-like back room. Even if you’re sensitive to sexism, strangely, the dozens of bras nailed to the entrances will (OK, might) make you smile.

Indeed, The Beaver is a spot-on homage to the honky-tonks of the past. It’s also Charlotte’s naturally-coolest bar by far.

Don’t just take it from us: Last September, while he was in town with his band to perform a concert at Bank of America Stadium, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger sipped from a bottle of beer while standing on the front patio. How’d he hear about the place? “Local people,” he said in an interview with The Washington Post, a couple months later, “tell me that that’s a popular dive bar.”

Pro tip: Stop by after work on a Wednesday, when a friendly group of regulars tends to show up. Eavesdrop from a table off to the side, or, if you want to get in good with them, buy their next round.

For the GPS: 1225 Central Ave.

3. Camp North End

What it is: A 76-acre complex featuring myriad food and shopping vendors, public art and private events, situated barely 2 miles due north of the center of uptown.

Why it’s a wonder: Once a collection of staid factories run by Ford Motor Company, the U.S. Army and the Eckerd Corporation, the area began its transformation into a dynamic mecca for hip small-business owners and creative types in 2017 thanks to one of the largest adaptive reuse projects in Charlotte’s history. Then, last year, it had a coming-out party of sorts, when tens of thousands of people visited during Immersive Van Gogh in the former Ford factory building off Statesville Avenue.

But while it took less than 40 minutes to experience the virtual journey through the painter’s work from a seat inside that warehouse, it would probably take 40 hours — maybe more — to fully explore every nook and cranny of Camp North End, from the traditional Latin cuisine at La Caseta to the vintage motorcycle parts at Prism Supply Co.

Oh, also: This is becoming the hottest place in Charlotte to take Instagram-worthy photos, with visual surprises (mesmerizing murals, striking staircases, funky furniture) around literally every corner.

Don’t just take it from us: In November 2020, Esquire compiled a list of the Best New Restaurants in America for that year, and No. 2 was Camp North End’s Leah & Louise. The magazine noted that owners Gregory and Subrina Collier share a “vision of Black southern cuisine that’s as innovative as it is fun,” and those last five words sum up most of its Camp North End neighbors well, too.

Pro tip: The best spot for photos is the “Boileryard” area that runs perpendicular to Hercules Avenue. The best time? An hour or so before sunset, when the strands of string lights hanging over the courtyard get turned on, creating a heavenly backdrop.

For the GPS: 300 Camp Rd.

4. ‘The Booty Loop’

What it is: A just-under-3-mile route, popular with walkers, runners and cyclists, that runs a clockwise circle around Myers Park.

Why it’s a Wonder: A key reason is the iconic Charlotte scenery anyone who makes the circuit will see, including the gold-colored Hugh McManaway statue (which, last time we passed it, was waving a Ukrainian flag that had been taped to its right hand); Queens University of Charlotte’s lush, green campus; Myers Park United Methodist Church and its magnificent stonework; and the Gothic canopy of giant, 121-year-old willow oaks that make Queens Road West the most beautiful street in Charlotte.

But more than anything, it’s this: Ever since male cyclists coined the name in the early ’90s — after, according to legend, perceiving it to be a good place to gawk at fit-looking females — “The Booty” has remained a thing in a remarkably grassroots way.

Despite the fact that the city has done close to nothing to help make the roads more cyclist-friendly (or the sidewalks more runner-friendly, for that matter), and although the loop can be a bit of a white-knuckle ride by bike during rush hours, consistency has been the key. Local motorists are so used to sharing “The Booty Loop” with bikes at this point that accidents are astonishingly rare.

Don’t just take it from us: In its review of the loop, outdoor-fitness-focused website RootsRated noted: “Somehow, with no designated facilities or organizing body, (“The Booty Loop”) has emerged as one of the premier places to cycle in all of Charlotte.”

Pro tip: Since it does traverse public roads, “The Booty” really is best-suited for more-experienced cyclists. To use it safely for joy-riding on cruiser- or BMX-style bicycles, consider signing up for the annual 24 Hours of Booty event, during which hundreds of people on bikes will circle the loop for — yes, 24 hours — to raise money for cancer charities. This year, the dates are July 29-30.

For the GPS: A good place to park and start is in Myers Park UMC’s parking lot at Hopedale Avenue and Queens Road — though not during church events. Another is in the free street spaces along Selwyn Avenue next to Queens University of Charlotte — though they fill up quickly when school is in session. You could also park at Freedom Park and walk, run, or ride over to the loop from there.

5. ‘The Overlook’ at CLT Airport

What it is: A public observation area on the northern edge of Charlotte Douglas International Airport that sits just a few hundred yards from the nearest runway.

Why it’s a Wonder: Given the drastic way 9/11 reshaped airport security, it’s no small wonder that CLT is one of the only airports in the U.S. that permits regular people to get this close to planes taking off and landing. And the views here — of aircraft maneuvers most of us usually only get to see up-close from the inside looking out — can be fascinating to behold from this elevated vantage point, with the Charlotte skyline in the backdrop.

Equally popular with photographers, aviation enthusiasts, families with kids, and couples looking for a unique date-night idea, “The Overlook” can be a pretty happening place in the warmer months. It is open after dark (the lot closes at 10 p.m.), there are food trucks Fridays through Sundays year-round, and it is a totally free activity (unless you want the food from the food trucks, of course).

But worrisome changes loom on the horizon: In 2024, “The Overlook” will close, due to construction of a new runway. Airport officials have promised a new overlook will open, in a new location; but how will it compare? We can only wonder...

Don’t just take it from us: A Google reviewer named “Mike B,” who has “Local Guide” status, wrote earlier this year that “The Overlook” is a “mandatory place to visit for any aviation enthusiast or photographer. At most airports, you have to get creative if you want to see planes. Not here.”

Pro tip: You’ll see many mentions online about the fact that “The Overlook” doesn’t have restrooms. That was true at one point, but it’s no longer the case. There are portable toilets on site.

For the GPS: 7300 Airport Overlook Dr.

6. Davis General Store

What it is: A family-owned store housed in a north Charlotte building that’s been recognized as a local historic landmark.

Why it’s a wonder: In a suburban area of the city packed with character-less dining and retail options and cookie-cutter subdivisions and apartment complexes, Davis General — founded across the street in 1890 and established in its current location in 1908 — isn’t merely unique. It’s an anachronistic, how-can-this-place-still-be-in-business revelation. A living, breathing time capsule.

The two-story red-brick building looks vintage from every angle. The paint that spells out the store’s name (“S.W. & C.S. Davis Company Gen. Store”) is fading above the front door, and an antique gas pump frozen at 35.9 cents per gallon stands out front.

Meanwhile, inside, it feels a little like being in a big old barn. There are creaky loose floorboards, badly peeling walls and drafty wooden doors, and current owner Silas Davis still hawks many of the types of wares that his grandfather and great-uncle originally sold. That includes everything from tin washbasins to cast-iron grill pans, horseshoes to hunting knives, shelled peanuts to Moon Pies, with items crowded onto ancient-looking shelves and labeled with crudely handwritten signs.

A wood stove in the back provides heat in the winter; there’s no air conditioning, so the doors simply stay open in the summer. And although there’s a credit card machine, cash sales are still made using a register that hasn’t been new since 1922.

Don’t just take it from us: Almost 10 years ago, the makers of the violent, steamy Cinemax series “Banshee” liked the look of the store’s facade so much that they made it a recurring character: a rundown bar called The Forge. The crew added the roofed porch out front, and designed a sign that covered the words “Company Gen. Store” with “The Forge” — but left “S.W. & C.S. Davis” above it.

Pro tip: While it might be tempting to use the outside of the building for photo shoots, remember that this is private property. If you go in and buy something, you can get away with a quick pic as you leave. But if you want to do more than that, ask for permission.

For the GPS: 8940 Old Statesville Rd.

7. Fury 325 at Carowinds

What it is: Unveiled in 2015 and straddling the North Carolina/South Carolina border, it’s been the theme park’s marquee thrill ride ever since. It also just so happens to be one of the tallest, fastest and longest roller coasters in the world.

Why it’s a Wonder: To motorists used to traveling up or down Interstate 77 between Charlotte and Fort Mill, South Carolina, the teal- and lime-green-colored arch that makes up the Fury’s towering first hill looms like a theme-park-themed version of St. Louis’s arch to the west of the highway. But it’s kind of like being a D.C. resident and having the Smithsonian in your backyard: It’s easy to forget that people come from all over the world and plan entire vacations around this very specific experience.

The coaster has found its way onto thrill-seekers’ must lists — and onto the feint-of-hearts’ must-never lists — for good reason: It stands a staggering 325 feet tall, it travels at an eye-watering top speed of 95 miles per hour, and the ride time clocks in at a hefty 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Its crown jewel is that first drop down, which puts riders into a stomach-losing free fall that provides a jolt of adrenaline that keeps surging through your system as you catch air multiple times, and doesn’t seem to wear off until after you’re back on solid ground. And unlike a lot of roller coasters, this ride is alarmingly smooth, so it doesn’t feel like your brain is being scrambled by the twists and turns.

There is nothing — and we mean nothing — you can do (legally) in Charlotte that will make your heart pound like riding the Fury.

Don’t just take it from us: Fury 325 has been named “best steel coaster” by trade publication Amusement Today five times, including from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2021. (There was no winner in 2020 due to the pandemic.)

Pro tip: Sitting in the back row isn’t necessarily better than sitting in the front ... but it’s at least equally awesome.

For the GPS: 300 Carowinds Blvd.

The 8th Wonder

After perusing our list of “The 7 Wonders of Charlotte,” you might think there’s a place or thing within the city limits that’s more deserving than what we’ve highlighted. So what would you have included that we didn’t? And which of our picks would you have nixed to make room for it? Tell us, in an email to tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.

Théoden Janes

The Charlotte Observer

704-358-5897

Théoden Janes has spent nearly 20 years covering entertainment and pop culture for the Observer. He also thrives on telling emotive long-form stories about extraordinary Charlotteans and — as a veteran of three dozen marathons and two Ironman triathlons — occasionally writes about endurance and other sports. Support my work with a digital subscription