Fun Things for Teenagers to Do in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the major hub of activity in North Carolina with its professional sports teams, many musical venues and other lively attractions. Often referred to as the Hornet's Nest because of its staunch rebellion in the Revolutionary War, the city of Charlotte provides plenty of ways for teens to have fun and stay busy.

Teens love fun. (Image: Chad Baker/Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images)

Museums

Your teen might be interested in learning about aviation. At the Carolinas Aviation Museum, visitors can see a large collection of aircraft, find plenty of interesting facts about the history of flight and climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet. The Mint Museum will be of interest to the art-minded teenager. It has an extensive collection of artwork from around the world. The center offers summer art camps for teens and interactive displays in the museum.

Water Fun

An excellent place for teens to hang out in the summer is the US National Whitewater Center. It is a whitewater experience with a lake for calm water fun, grassy areas for sun bathing, a restaurant and frequent live musical performances. The teens can try out the rough rapids, take lessons on proper whitewater navigation, swim around, paddleboard across the lake, climb around on the ropes course or just relax in the sun. Ray's Splash Planet is another option providing a three-story waterslide, swimming pools, basketball courts and horseshoe pits.

Amusement Parks

Teens are usually up for a thrill ride or two, and Carowinds will provide just that. It has upside-down coasters, go-kart racers, a drop tower and the extreme sky flier. It also has a water park, live entertainment and regular firework shows. Victory Lane Karting is a racing venue fit for teens. Youth up to 15 years old can ride the youth karts and 16 and older can try the adult karts. You can go for the day or enroll in racing school, which eventually leads to racing leagues. Strike City is a bowling alley featuring 18 lanes, a snack bar and plenty of plasma screens to stay entertained.

Events and Shopping

The Charlotte Motor Speedway has plenty of racing events. It has bus races, firework shows, auto shows, stock car races, monster truck rallies and live music. A fine place to find fun is in the Epicentre. It is a multi-dimensional hub of activity featuring several outdoor music venues, retail shops, restaurants and patios. The Shoppes at University Place provides several retail stores, concerts, paddleboat fun on the lake and several food choices.