Snow makes infrequent appearances in Charlotte, but Jared Misner distinctly remembers its arrival last winter. Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows in Uptown’s Carolina Theatre, the gently falling snow captivated him. “It was so beautiful inside this wonderful glass lobby. It’s like I was in a snow globe,” he says.
Theaters make great refuges from the cold during long winter months, Misner adds. “I’m a Florida boy, so I don’t do well outside in the winter. I try to stay inside as much as I can.” As the Carolina Theatre’s communications director, he gravitates toward Charlotte’s performing arts and its many restaurants when the temperatures drop.
When it comes to winter activities, Charlotte residents and visitors don’t have to look far. Read on for our favorite ways to embrace the chill in the Queen City.
Charlotte celebrates the holiday season with festive performances, jolly markets, dazzling light displays and more. There are plenty of ways to immerse yourself in the magic of the season in the Queen City. Start planning your holiday getaway.
Take a break from Christmas shopping and glide around the ice-skating rink at Camp North End. photograph by Corine Olarte
Through January, Camp North End turns into Camp North Pole. In this winter wonderland, Christmas trees, lights, and seating within igloos surround an ice-skating rink. Tucked in the Boileryard section of the 76-acre campus, it’s mere steps from restaurants like Gravity Sourdough Pizza Co. and shops like Grow.
About 25 minutes away, the Whitewater Center contains 2,400 square feet of ice, making it the largest skating rink in the Southeast. Unlike traditional rinks, the center includes two ice trails until mid-February, one that encircles a smaller free-skate area and one that’s detached and extends off its two free-skate areas. “There’s a double-lane track that goes out and around. It’s kind of its own separate oval shape that reconnects with the main rinks,” Sean Richard explains, the senior coordinator of brand content for the center.
Cover major ground on the Whitewater Center’s ice-skating rink, the largest in the Southeast. Photography courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
On an island in the middle of the ice, skaters can stop at an Airstream camper for drinks like hot cocoa or beer. Chairs arranged around nearby fire pits create cozy spots for onlookers. Some nights, visitors can try something a little different — a round of cask curling, where teams of two face off, sliding mini kegs down an icy lane in a shuffleboard-style game.
Cheer on the Charlotte Checkers at Bojangles Stadium. Photography courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Sporting events are another great option when temperatures dip. In Charlotte, you can cheer on the local hockey and basketball teams all winter long.
Watch the Charlotte Checkers, a minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers, at Bojangles Stadium. The team’s beloved mascot, Chubby the polar bear, will have you on your feet as the team chases the puck around the ice. Sport red, black, and white while you cheer on the Checkers throughout the American Hockey League’s season, which continues into April. Promotional nights add to the fun with themes like Country Western and Star Wars.
The Hornets’ mascot, Hugo, rouses fans at home games. Photography courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
In Uptown’s Spectrum Center, the Charlotte Hornets take to the court against NBA rivals. After six months of renovations, the arena opened in October 2025 with all-new seating and a reimagined concourse that includes 360-degree bars, new dining options, and more. From tipoff to the final buzzer, the excitement is palpable as the Hornets face off against teams like the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Warm up with a sweet treat from Sunflour Bakery. Photography courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Restaurants, breweries, and bars revel in the chilly winter months with seasonal menus, brews, and cocktails. Now is the time to explore these ephemeral delights at your favorite dining and drinking establishments or visit spots on your “must-try” list.
Frosty mornings go hand in hand with gingerbread scones and chai lattes at the family-owned Sunflour Bakery. Take a seat in front of the window in the Dilworth location. With its brightly painted walls, the splashy setting outshines the winter chill.
In the evenings, cozy up with Italian comfort food at Spaghett, housed within the charming Young-Morrison House in Charlotte’s historic Fourth Ward. The menu changes regularly, depending on what’s fresh and available from regional purveyors, but expect flavors reminiscent of Nonna’s cooking in dishes like cacio e pepe and reginette pasta baked in a personal-sized crock.
Local breweries bring their own seasonal game. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery rolls out the smooth and caramelly Dunkel, a Munich-style dark lager, and Resident Culture offers Apres Ski Club, a Czech-style dark lager.
Round out any wintry day relaxing at your favorite bar with a seasonal cocktail. You can try a winter spice margarita or gingersnap old fashioned at Sixty Vines. Feel more like wine? This spot’s for the oenophiles, too. With a selection of 60 different wines on tap and vineyard-inspired cuisine, it’s a fitting alternative to wine country without leaving the Queen City.
Check out the Uptown skyline from the cozy warmth of your own personal dining igloo at Merchant & Trade. Photography courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Merchant & Trade’s Oaxacan hot chocolate, generously seasoned with cinnamon and cayenne, add a spicy twist to a cold-weather favorite. The 19th-floor bar, surrounded by glittering towers with bird’s eye views of Romare Bearden Park and Truist Field, also has a cozy spot to commune, dine, and imbibe with friends during winter months, an “igloo” of sorts. Within a clear geodesic dome, you and your posse can enjoy an array of wines, beers, and spirits.
“People can see inside, which a lot of people really enjoy. Kind of like VIP ‘see and be seen,’” says Chris Baliles, director of food and beverage. The heated igloo’s decor changes with the holidays and the season — from cheery Christmas greenery and lights to sparkling disco-ball-inspired embellishments at New Year’s.
At Discovery Place Science’s Snow Days Winter Exhibit, you can learn how Arctic communities have thrived in harsh conditions for generations. Photography courtesy of Discovery Place Science
Introduce visitors to the city’s culture and escape the cold at Uptown Charlotte’s museums and performance venues.
On South Tryon Street, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown all fall under the Levine Center for the Arts umbrella. The three museums, each with its own focus, reside on the same block.
Explore the unique, intricate design of snowflakes through visual representation and hands-on activities at the Snow Days Winter Exhibit. Photography courtesy of Discovery Place Science
The glittering Firebird sculpture near the entrance of the Bechtler Museum hints at the treasures found within the striking building, designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Mario Botta. Inside the Mint Museum, you’ll peruse American, modern, and contemporary works, in addition to its world-renowned Craft + Design collection. Across the street, the Harvey B. Gantt Center celebrates African American art, history, and culture.
On the North end of Tryon Street, Discovery Place Science explores many angles of the season in its new Snow Days Winter Exhibit. From the northern lights and snowflake science to animal adaptations to the cold and the Scandinavian concept of hygge, you’ll learn about and experience many facets of the coldest months.
Pictured shortly after its opening in the 1920s, the Carolina Theatre has been a Tryon Street icon for decades. Photography courtesy of Carolina Theatre
With a seemingly endless lineup of events, the Blumenthal Performing Arts’ calendar includes music, dance, plays, and more at its multiple indoor venues in Uptown — including Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse, and Stage Door Theater. This winter’s variety includes Dizzy Spellz, a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie performed by trumpeter Sean Jones and tap artist Brinae Ali at Stage Door Theater; the Tony-award-winning production of The Outsiders at Belk Theater; and singer-songwriter Dar Williams at Booth Playhouse.
A short walk brings you to the Carolina Theatre, which reopened in March 2025 after 12 years of renovations. Originally constructed in the 1920s, the theater’s restoration has brought to life the opulence of the original silent-movie theater. In addition to great performances and films, you’ll see the original façade, reassembled inside a new lobby, Misner says. “It’s really cool to look at old photos of the theatre on Tryon Street in black-and-white photos and then walk in and see the façade right there.”
Ready to experience it for yourself? Grab a friend and embrace the winter season in Charlotte. Click here to start planning the fun.
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