If you are new to Charlotte or been here awhile, Charlotte is constantly changing. It’s worth it to look around and explore all there is to do– which is a lot! Apache and I have been making effort to go out more lately being that we are now self proclaimed travel content creators! I’m going to share 3 places you could go for your next date night in Charlotte, NC.
Charlotte, North Carolina is expanding by the minute with new apartment complexes, homes, businesses and transplants from all over the world. I think most people are coming from the north though- Let’s Go Yankees! Of course there are a multitude of options for things to do around Charlotte. I’m gonna make sure you are aware of at least 3!
Apache and I went to see “The Ghost of Splinter’s Cove” at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte on a Friday night so we decided why not tack on dinner and finish up with a dope House Music Party!
I know you’re burning with excitement to find out how you to can recreate such an exciting night! Lucky for you I’m willing to share all the juicy details!
Make sure to start your night off getting dressed to some fun music and dance yourself right into that date night outfit like I did!
Charlotte Date Night Idea #1
Places to eat
First and foremost is always food!
We arrived at the South End section of Charlotte for dinner. This neighborhood is cool because you can sit out on a few of the restaurant patios and look out at the tall Uptown Charlotte buildings off in the distance. They are pretty when lit up in the evening hours. South End is an enthusiastic, buzzing, contemporary little village.
Looking newly renovated, South End is young and vibrant with new hang out spots, cozy narrow tree lined streets, and happy looking people walking through town socializing or zipping around on prepay electric scooters. The Lynx Blue Line light rail quietly runs right through the center of town if you prefer not to drive.
A good friend of ours referred us to check out Hawkers Asian Street Fare as a great place to eat on Camden Road. I’m sure Hawkers would have been amazing had we left cushion time for 1) already running late 2) blowing more time trying to avoid the pay for parking (which was a useless pursuit- grumble, grumble). I’ll be nice and spare you my rant about why people shouldn’t have to pay for parking. Instead I will say that I’m glad it wasn’t more than $5. Last but not least is 3) the 30 minute wait time that the hostess gave us. Blank stare.
My watch said 6:15pm and there was a show to catch by 7:30pm so we side stepped on over to the next option. Right next door to Hawker’s, sat Pike’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop! Yup, it’s the same soda shop featured in that movie “Shallow Hal.”
We sat out on the patio with a very nice view of Uptown Charlotte, a lovely breeze caressing our skin and lots of bubbly people to look at.
The waitress was very friendly and helpful in picking out a dinner that would be delish but not take long to prepare. We both settled on the Quiche of the Day which came with a side. I got my typical French fries and Apache picked the sweet potato casserole as his side dish.
Apache and I both agreed the Quiche of The Day definitely did taste like a Southern Grandma homemade it in her kitchen and found it very satisfying with chunks of onion and mushrooms baked in. We were so grateful for that thick but flaky crust covered in cheese!
If you have a sweet tooth like Apache does, you might also choose the sweet potato casserole side. It has chopped pecans and is lightly topped with brown sugar- a dinner dessert!
The appetizer was a hearty Chicken Quesadilla (I really need to get more adventurous though). Next time I think I will try the warm Homemade Pimento Cheese with Tortilla Chips because I just found out recently that pimento cheese is a big deal in the South like fried pickles… I had no idea.
Having dinner here felt easy breezy lemon squeezy- very laid back because it wasn’t crowded.
Charlotte Date Night Idea #2
Go to the theatre
Go catch a show! We went to the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte which is within the wonderland of a library called ImaginOn to catch a production called “The Ghost of Splinter Cove.” We got FREE may I repeat FREE parking (big smiles).
You can get free parking on Friday’s after 5pm and Saturday- Sunday with a validated parking ticket; check the website for further details about this.
This was our second time seeing a CTC production.
The theatre is small and intimate so everyone gets a great seat to the show and can feel more connected to the characters. The Ghost of Splinter Cove was short and sweet while simultaneously comical and dark. The show kept our interest with underlining messages about trust and closure with a disinterred family secret.
The Ghost of Splinter Cove is portrayed through the eyes of children. They resort to their own creativity in the basement of their home so their parents could have “Adult Time” upstairs. Can’t we all relate to this?
We found the play warm, personal and sculpted for all ages because we were all children at one time and more than likely played similar make-believe games. Apache and I walked the line between their imagination and reality as we escaped into their world for just a little while.
What made this story cooler is that the playwright, Steven Dietz, also created another story linked to The Ghost of Splinter Cove called The Great Beyond. The Great Beyond is based around the same family, in the same home with the same theme but takes place upstairs as seen through the experience of the adults. The Great Beyond was showcased at the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte (ATC) and generally geared toward older audiences. The ATC is another option for date night theatre.
The Second Story Project was a collaboration of these two theaters to show opposite sides of the same coin so to speak. As we all know there are always at least two sides to any story!
Theatre prices
We have always loved theatre so it was really fun to go see an affordable show in Charlotte after dinner. Ticket prices generally range between $15-$30 at CTC and $30-40 at ATC. ATC also offers a Pay What You Can night which you could take advantage of if your budget is running on low.
Charlotte has tons of entertainment but now you know of two great theaters that won’t break your piggy bank!
Charlotte Date Night Idea #3
Go dancing
You only live once so dance while you can!
We figured we were on a roll so why stop after the show? There was a party going on and we still had energy so we cruised on over to Crown Station Coffee House & Pub on N. Davidson St. The House Music party hosted by the Solstice crew was taking form.
As the party gradually unfolded the older House Head generation definitely danced a burning hole through that floor! One of the regular attendees that I didn’t even know wandered around the spacious dance floor giving people love (including me!) with welcome greetings, hugs and selfie pics. She even offered to share her instruments with us including tambourines and rattles for a heightened experience.
We got to end off our night being in the presence of great people! It was a very loving inclusive environment where everyone came together in joy through the power of House Music! Lots of laughs, hips shaking and also some good two stepping on our part! I love the lack of stuffiness and ego in a real House Music party environment.
We went to meet friends at a Raw Substance House party held at Crown Station.
The Cranberry Cosmo that Apache and I got at Crown Station was fabulous to say the least! That bartender gave us a sweet kick in the *ss and I could have had two more but used restraint.
Go out dancing!
Check out our favorite Charlotte DJs listed below. Look them up on IG and message them for inquiry about when and where they will be playing next! You can find one of these DJs spinning at a cool lunch brunch, festival, art gallery showing or other special event. Don’t forget to let them know CLP sent you because they are the real deal holy field!
Dope House DJs of Charlotte, NC
House Music DJs of Charlotte
1)Charles Gaitling @Rawsubstanceclt
2) Steve Howerton @guided_beats_radio of @Rawsubstanceclt
3) Ifeanyi Ibeto aka DJ Kato @Katobeats
4)Smitty @Thatguysmitty
5) DJ Marcus Wade @djmarcuswade
6) @Unifiedsoulsevents
5) Jason Cooper @Vonfunkhauser
You don’t stop having fun when you get old, you get old when you stop having fun. – Ritu Ghatourey
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