Half a Year in the Queen City: What I’ve Learned and Loved
When we announced that we were leaving South Florida & moving to Charlotte, the feedback was all so positive. “Charlotte is a great city, so family friendly, you’ll love being close to the mountains & beach, the seasons are so beautiful.” It felt too good to be true, can a new city really have all of that?
Fast forward to 6 months later - it’s all true. From moving here during the winter 7 months pregnant, to being 4 months postpartum in the spring, I’ve lived here during some of my most vulnerable moments as a new mom of two.
Before we moved, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the salt air to breathe in or see the ocean to calm my mind. That we’d lose the sense of community we had in South Florida. What I found in Charlotte is different so far but just as comforting - I’ve seen all the trees go from barren to fully bloomed. I’ve spent my morning walks breathing in mother nature and staring up at the tall pine trees swaying in the wind with the sunlight peeking in, warming my shoulders.
Since January, we’ve grown our family and have made an effort to explore every weekend. I’ve been to at least ten parks, walked multiple greenways, dined lakefront with my husband, listened to live music at a brewery with friends, tasted local wine, and learned that if you take the time to learn a new city, there’s beauty in finding that sense of community we all want and peace in slowing down to focus on yourself.
While we’ve had to adjust to having a newborn with a toddler, there’s no better recipe than getting out and exploring to calm the craziness. Here’s a list of my favorites so far while living in North Charlotte.
My Charlotte Favorites (as of 6/3/2025)
Parks:
Jetton Park in Lake Norman (where I take all my visitors, beautiful trails on the lake)
Freedom Park in Charlotte (feels like the Central Park of the city, so much green space and areas to hang out, nice greenway connector)
Bailey Road Park in Cornelius (hidden gem of a park with a greenway attached to it & playground for toddlers)
North Mecklenburg Park (awesome playground, baseball grounds, and splash pad)
Restaurants:
Kindred (very popular spot in Davidson, vibes and food are perfect for a date night)
North Italia (my go-to for Italian, sit on the front patio in Birkdale & order the Citrus Smash Aperol spritz - it’s absolutely worth the $17)
Sixty Vines (the one in Southend has a nice city view with ample green space nearby for kids to run while waiting for your meal, also delicious wine flights)
Foxcroft (the one in Birkdale has a great ambiance both inside and outside, they make all their pasta homemade and great wine flights as well)
Cava (best fast casual Mediterranean bowls, pro-tip if you’re at Birkdale location, order to-go and let your kids play on the turf area while you eat)
Noble Smoke (so many BBQ options and great ambiance)
Midwood Smokehouse (great service and also amazing BBQ, a must in the Carolinas!)
Kid Cashew (fresh food and fun location by Freedom Park, sit outside on the patio)
Flower Child (healthy food that tastes really good and the ambiance is so cute)
Lakehouse Bar & Grill (beautiful lake views with quality food choices and cocktails)
Coquette (exquisite French food with city vibes, oui!)
Breweries & Wineries:
NODA Brewery (tasty beers, wines & cocktails, live music and green space for kids to run)
Lost Dogs Brewing (in the corner spot of a plaza, nice patio seating and good beers and wine)
Legion Brewing (we went to the Plaza Midwood location, delicious comfort food and beers)
760 Craftworks (favorite in Huntersville, live music, food trucks, local beers & wines, Friday night is all families)
Daveste Vineyards (hidden gem in Troutman, delicious local wine and so much green space to enjoy a nice day)
Veronet Vineyards (feels like you’re in Napa, beautifully run winery by Grandfather Mountain, less than an hour from Charlotte).
Places:
Birkdale Village (this Florida girl needed a shopping plaza with good restaurants and this has it ALL.)
Camp Northend (unique space in city, family friendly, must try tipsy pickle and hex coffee!)
Davidson Farmer’s Market (every Saturday from April - October, worth checking out and walking around Davidson, it’s like a hallmark town)
Southpark Mall (best mall in Charlotte, every store you can imagine and if you park by Dick’s Sporting Goods, there’s a playground for kids by Suffolk Punch Brewing).
Boatyard Lake Norman (live music venue in Cornelius with beautiful grounds, great food & drink options and a fenced in playground for kids)