Sat7Nov
Tomorrow · 10:30 AM · Outdoors
Donkey Meet & Greet
Come meet and learn about the donkeys who live in our donkey pasture!
Anne Springs Close Greenway · Fort MillPrice not listed
Next 7 days
Outdoors in Charlotte
Group rides, greenway walks and other outdoor events in Charlotte this week.
TomorrowSaturday, November 7
1 eventOutdoors places to go
All 66
Outdoor recreation center · Outdoors
Whitewater Center
Outdoor recreation center. Entry is free; activities like rafting, kayaking, climbing, ziplines and mountain biking need an Activity Pass, and parking costs $13 a day. Hours change daily and some activities are seasonal.
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy · West Charlotte
Free entry
Public park · Outdoors
Romare Bearden Park
Public park of just over five acres with waterfalls, a large lawn and space for events held through the year.
300 S Church St · Uptown
Free entry
Greenway · Outdoors
Little Sugar Creek Greenway
Mecklenburg County greenway with more than 17 miles of trail from Brevard Street in NoDa to the South Carolina state line. It is part of the Cross Charlotte Trail.
Many access points from Brevard St southward · NoDa to the South Carolina line
Free entry
Public park · Outdoors
Independence Park
Charlotte's first public park, designed by John Nolen and split in two by Hawthorne Lane. The 34-acre county park has a perennial garden, nature playground, trails, athletic fields, a greenway link to Little Sugar Creek and the 300-seat Independence Park Stadium.
300 Hawthorne Ln · Elizabeth
Gardens and bird sanctuary · Outdoors
Wing Haven
Three public gardens on one ticket: Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden and the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden. Check in at the Clarkson House, 248 Ridgewood Ave; it holds more than 40 programs and events a year.
260 Ridgewood Ave · Myers Park
Free entry
Botanical garden · Outdoors
UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens
Three garden sites on the UNC Charlotte campus, McMillan Greenhouse, Susie Harwood Garden and Van Landingham Glen, with sixteen collections. Admission is free; workshops and events need registration.
9090 Craver Rd · University City
Nature preserve · Outdoors
McDowell Nature Center and Preserve
Mecklenburg County nature preserve on Lake Wylie with a nature center featuring live native animals, a discovery hall and a gift shop. Visitors can bring their own canoe, kayak or paddleboard, and guided programs provide boats.
15222 York Road · Steele Creek
Nature preserve · Outdoors
Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve
Mecklenburg County nature preserve whose nature center has live native animals, an exhibit hall, a classroom, a gift shop and the Dr. James F. Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies. The center offers educational programs for all ages.
2986 Rocky River Road · East Charlotte
Lake access park · Outdoors
Copperhead Island Park
Mecklenburg County park on Lake Wylie listed by the county as a boating and paddling access point.
15200 Soldier Road · Lake Wylie
County park · Outdoors
Hornets Nest Park
Mecklenburg County park listed by the county for mountain biking and fishing, with 12 tennis courts and an indoor pavilion and picnic barn.
6301 Beatties Ford Road · Beatties Ford Road
County park · Outdoors
Freedom Park
Mecklenburg County park with tennis and pickleball courts (some reservable, some for open play) and fishing. It is home to the Mahlon Adams Indoor Pavilion.
2435 Cumberland Ave. · Dilworth
County park · Outdoors
Park Road Park
Mecklenburg County park with a lake listed for fishing and 12 tennis courts, four of them for open play. Its indoor pavilion has lakeside views.
6220 Park Road · Park Road
Outdoor outfitter · Outdoors
Jesse Brown's Outdoors
Charlotte outdoor retailer selling gear and apparel in store and online. It also offers guided fly fishing trips on North Carolina trout streams.
4732 Sharon Rd #2m · SouthPark
County park · Outdoors
Frank Liske Park
Cabarrus County park with a 10-acre lake for fishing and paddle boats, an 18-hole mini golf course, playgrounds, lighted pickleball courts, walking and nature trails, and soccer and softball complexes.
4001 Stough Rd · Concord
Nature preserve · Outdoors
Latta Nature Preserve
Mecklenburg County's largest nature preserve, 1,460 acres on Mountain Island Lake with 16 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding and two canoe and kayak launches. The Quest nature center has live native animals and a 6,000-gallon aquarium.
6345 Sample Rd · Huntersville
Lake park and boat launch · Outdoors
Blythe Landing Park
Mecklenburg County park on Lake Norman with six boat ramps and 218 parking spaces for boat trailers. Lake Norman Community Sailing also operates here.
15901 NC Highway 73 · Huntersville
Town park · Outdoors
Fisher Farm Park
A 200-acre town park in the early stages of development, with four miles of beginner-to-advanced mountain bike trails, an archery range and access from the West Branch Greenway.
21215 Shearer Rd · Davidson
Town park · Outdoors
Roosevelt Wilson Park
Town park around a large pond with a fountain, with boardwalks, paved walking trails, a playground, a picnic shelter, fitness stations and public restrooms.
420 Griffith St · Davidson
Lake park · Outdoors
Ramsey Creek Park
A 43-acre Mecklenburg County park on Lake Norman with a seasonal swimming beach, four boat ramps and docks, a fishing pier, an enclosed dog park, nature trails, a playground and picnic shelters.
18441 Nantz Rd · Cornelius
Lake park · Outdoors
Jetton Park
Mecklenburg County park on Lake Norman that the county lists as a fishing spot. Its Waterfront Hall is a lakeside event space available to rent.
19000 Jetton Rd · Cornelius
Free entry
Town park · Outdoors
Squirrel Lake Park
36-acre town park with a fishing pond and pier, playground, 12-hole disc golf course, walking trails and a connector trail to the Four Mile Creek Greenway.
1631 Pleasant Plains Rd · Matthews
Free entry
Town park and trails · Outdoors
Mazeppa Park
163-acre town park with about 2 miles of walking trails, 7 miles of mountain bike trails, ballfields, picnic shelters and a playground.
645 Mazeppa Rd · Mooresville
Botanical garden · Outdoors
Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Botanical garden and nature property; The Gardens at Stowe require paid admission, while the trails, dog park, Trailhead Store and Farmhouse Garden Center are free.
6500 S New Hope Rd · Belmont
Free entry
Trail park · Outdoors
Rocky Branch Park
City trail park with beginner, intermediate and advanced features for mountain biking, running and hiking; the system extends into Cramerton and the Sacco Street trailhead is about a mile from Main Street.
103 Sacco St · Belmont
Other ideas
- Walk or bike a stretch of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
- Catch sunset from an Uptown park with the skyline behind it.
- Stroll the Rail Trail in South End and spot the public art along the way.
FAQ
What outdoors is happening in Charlotte this week?
1 outdoors listing this week, including Donkey Meet & Greet.
Are there free outdoors events in Charlotte?
None this week, but the free things to do page has no-cost plans across every category.
More from LastMinuteCLT
- Live Music in Charlotte
- Food & Drink in Charlotte
- Family & Kids in Charlotte
- Arts & Culture in Charlotte
- Things to do in Charlotte todayEverything still happening today, updated all day.
- Things to do in Charlotte this weekendFriday-to-Sunday plans across the city.