Driveable Family Trips from Charlotte
Are you looking for an easy and driveable family getaway from the Charlotte area? One of the best things about living in Charlotte is that we have so many wonderful areas to visit all within a short drive. Whether you’re looking for the beach, mountains, city, or anything in between all are accessible and short drive from Charlotte.
Today I’ve got you covered with a list of driveable family-friendly options all within 4 hours of Charlotte. Use this list for an easy spring break or bookmark it for trip ideas all summer long.
Blowing Rock/Boone, NC
With beautiful mountains, hiking, and lots of family-friendly activities Boone and Blowing Rock are an excellent choice if you like to explore the outdoors.
Driving distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
See my Instagram Reel on this area.
Family-friendly things to do in Boone & Blowing Rock:
Grandfather Mountain Wildlife and Nature Park
Memorial Park Playground in downtown Blowing Rock
Hiking: Crab Orchard Falls Trails in Banner Elk, Price Lake Loop, Beacon Heights
Grandfather Mountain Winery
The Children’s Playhouse
Tweetsie Railroad Wild West Theme Park
The Blowing Rock
Mast General Store
Mystery Hill
Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster
Skiing at Sugar, Beech, and Appalachian
Snow Tubing at Hawksnest
Family-friendly dining in Boone & Blowing Rock:
The Speckled Trout in Blowing Rock
Lost Province Boone
Coyote Kitchen Boone
Town Tavern Blowing Rock
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro is an easy day trip or there is plenty to do over a few days stay. The Greensboro Science Center is absolutely amazing and there are several other fun kid activities to enjoy.
Driving distance from Charlotte: 1.5 hours
See my Greensboro Instagram Reels Here:
Family-friendly things to do in Greensboro:
Greensboro Science Center
Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum
Safari Nation Indoor Playground
Country Park Paddle Boats
ParTee Shack
Family-friendly dining in Greensboro:
Bull City Cider Works
Crafted Tacos
The Saged Mule
Dames Chicken N’ Waffles
Hops Burger Bar
Asheville, NC
Asheville is a great option if you love the outdoors. Between hiking, kids museums, and family-friendly breweries you can’t go wrong with a trip here.
Driving distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
Family-friendly things to do in Asheville:
Asheville Museum of Science
Asheville Pineball Museum
Western NC Nature Center
Mountain Play Lodge
NC Arborteum
Family-friendly dining in Asheville:
Sierra Nevada, Whistle Hop, Highland Breweries
S & W Market
Pizza Mind
Baby Bull
Sunny Point Cafe
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta offers one of the best aquariums in the country plus an excellent zoo, children’s and science museum, Lego Discovery Center, and great parks. There is so much to do for families making it a great trip option.
Distance from Charlotte: 3-4 hours
Family-friendly things to do in Atlanta:
Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta Zoo
Lego Discovery Center
Centennial Olympic Park
Chattahoochee Nature Center
College Football Hall of Fame
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Six Flags Over Georgia
World of Coca-Cola
Family-friendly dining in Atlanta:
Wood’s Chapel BBQ
Ponce City Market
Farm Burger
Wild Heaven and Monday Night Breweries
Mission and Market
Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN
Home to the popular Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have lots of family-friendly activities. Anakeesta, Ripley’s Aquarium and hiking in Smoky Mountain National Park are a few of our favorites.
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours
See my Instagram Reels with recaps of this area here:
Family-friendly things to do in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge:
Dollywood Theme Park
Anakeesta
Ripley’s Aquarium
Smoky Mountain National Park
Legacy Mountain Ziplines
Toy Box Mini Golf
Family-friendly dining in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge:
Dolly Parton’s Stampede
Sunliner Diner
Mama’s Farmhouse
The Pottery House Cafe
Benett’s Pit BBQ
Smith and Son Corner Kitchen
Hilton Head, SC
Hilton Head is an extremely family-friendly beach town and has lots of options of activities if it ends up being too cool to get in the water or play on the beach.
Distance from Charlotte: 3 hours
Family-friendly things to do in Hilton Head:
The Beach
Shelter Cove Center Playground
Coligny Shopping Center including Celebration Park Playground
Harbor Town at Sea Pines
Ride Bikes
Sandbox Children’s Museum
Pirate Cruise
Sea Pines Petting Zoo
Family-friendly dining in Hilton Head:
Skull Creek Boathouse and Dockside
Hudson’s on the Docks
Posideon
Hilton Head Ice Cream
Greenville, SC
Greenville has a lot to offer families especially their Zoo, Children’s Museum and the very unique Airport Runway Park where kids can play and watch airplanes take off.
Driving distance from Charlotte: 2 hours
Family-friendly things to do in Greenville SC:
The Greenville Zoo
The Children’s Museum of Upstate
Airport Runway Park
Explore downtown and see the falls and bridge
Family-friendly dining in Greenville SC:
Gather GVL
Swamp Rabbit Cafe
Runway Cafe
Tupelo Honey
Smoke on the Water
Day Trip Ideas for Nearby Family Fun:
North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC
Riverbank Zoo in Columbia, SC
Crowders Mountain State Park
Lake Norman State Park
Kaleideum Children’s Museum Winston-Salem, NC
NC Transportation Museum in Salisbury, NC
Schiele Museum in Gastonia
Greensboro Science Center in Greensboro, NC
Kaleideum Children’s Museum in Winston Salem, NC
Qubein Children’s Museum in High Point, NC
Catawba Science Center in Hickory, NC
Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC
