The Neighborhoods of Charlotte

Charlotte is more than uptown high rises and banks. The Queen City is rich with talent and personality that is exemplified in its neighborhoods. Read on to see which neighborhood is a fit for your family.

Cotswold

If you love a brick ranch or split-level house built in the 1950s with a large back yard for playing, Cotswold is calling. A 10-minute drive to uptown, 10 minutes to Southpark and easy access to Independence Boulevard/U.S. 74 eases commutes to many parts of town. Cotswold Village Shops houses retail stores, including a Harris Teeter grocery store, pharmacy, toy store and family yoga, and a Publix is slated to open in 2016. Many of Charlotte's best private schools are clustered within five miles of Cotswold, and Cotswold IB Elementary received the 2015 Elementary Magnet School Merit Award of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America.

Dilworth

Craftsman-style bungalows are now becoming two-story pop-ups throughout this neighborhood. The area is attractive for being only minutes to uptown and adjacent to the Carolinas HealthCare System campus. In close proximity is Freedom Parkﾠ – a year-round hub for outdoor activity with its 7-acre lake and NFL Play 60 Kidzone and playground, tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields – and the family-favorite Charlotte Nature Museum. Dilworth Elementary is nestled in the center of the neighborhood, alongside Latta Park that has a small splash pad, large playground, sand volleyball and basketball courts. Specialty clothing boutiques, several restaurants and a large Harris Teeter grocery store on East Boulevard add to the area's appeal.

Myers Park

One of Charlotte's oldest neighborhoods, Myers Park is home to Queens University, Myers Park High School, Myers Park Country Club and some of the city's oldest, most grandiose trees and homes. Selwyn Avenue has a mix of retail and restaurants, including the family-favorite Mellow Mushroom. Park Road Shopping Center is one of Charlotte's oldest outdoor shopping centers that offers everything from martial arts and movies to gelato and a hardware store. Pick up Little Sugar Creek Greenway behind Park Road Shopping Center and follow its path to Freedom Park in Dilworth.

NoDa

Logan Cyrus

What was once a mill village is now a diverse, eco-minded arts community only two minutes northeast from uptown. North Davidson and 36th streets are lined with locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, live music venues, craft breweries and eclectic retail stores with mural-painted facades. Highland Mills Montessori School, one of four in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system, is in NoDa, as is the Veritas Charter School, opening for the 2015-16 school year. Kids can learn to swim or dance, play soccer or join in a summer camp at the Johnston YMCA. With the LYNX light rail extension taking shape, morning commutes uptown become easier, and more growth and transition for this neighborhood is sure to follow.

Plaza-Midwood

From quirky and eclectic to contemporary and modern, Plaza-Midwood is a hybrid community of families and young singles, quaint bungalow homes and modern apartments just minutes from uptown. Tree-lined streets give the neighborhood a certain historic charm, and sidewalks make it easy for family strolls. Midwood Park in the center of the neighborhood includes a playground, tennis and basketball courts and a small amphitheatre. Central Avenue is the main hub of retail activity. A large Harris Teeter and newly opened Healthy Home Market, plus plenty of locally-owned shops and restaurants satisfy a variety of shopping needs and tastes. Kids of all ages can take dance classes at Open Door Studio, and parents can get in on a yoga class at Okra and Yoga One. It also is close to restaurants that offer some of Charlotte's most authentic international cuisine.

Southpark

Anchored by Southpark Mall, this upscale area in South Charlotte boasts high-end retail and restaurants at Piedmont Row and Phillips Place. Gated communities of Foxcroft and Morrocroft cater to families who enjoy privacy with a bonus of easy access to plenty of amenities, including the Harris YMCA – one of Charlotte's largest Ys – and a mega-size Harris Teeter, Whole Foods and EarthFare. High school students feed into Myers Park High School, one of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's largest and best-regarded high schools. Symphony Park, adjacent to Southpark Mall, hosts family-friendly summer POPS concerts and an outdoor movies series. Enjoy a matinee with the kids at Phillips Place Stadium 10, followed by coffee and a treat at Dean and Deluca or pizza at Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar.