Next in our series of enjoying the Queen City and its surroundings is Belmont! Belmont, NC is a charming small town located just outside of Charlotte. It is home to Belmont Abby College - a private Catholic Liberal Arts college - as well as a host of really great family-friendly restaurants, shops and parks! It is the 4th largest city in Gaston County and (if I'm honest) one of our favorite new spots to hang for the day.
Here's a great half-day or full-day itinerary if you're looking to explore:
Grab breakfast or brunch at the Honeycomb Cafe, a main street treasure in Belmont. Open Wednesday - Sunday from 9am (8 on Sat/Sun) to 2pm, this adorable cafe serves up some scrumptious breakfast and lunch to guests of all ages. My kiddos love a good Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich and this one was high on their list! Next time, I'm trying the Fried Chicken Sandwich - the table next to ours ordered it and it looked divine.
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Next, and to run off steam, you could walk down Main Street and window shop - or depending on the time, you could pop into a local store or two - like Gigi's or Jolie - and then head down to Stowe Park. They are currently adding (or renovating?) restrooms on-site, so make sure to use the restrooms before you get there. This park was high on my kids' list. The playground equipment wasn't fancy nor fenced, but it was pretty and for little runners, it's set deep down into the park (there's a hill/steps) so its hard to escape.
Once they've run off some steam, you could pop into another Belmont staple - and the highlight of my kids' day ~ The Cotton Candy Factory. The Cotton Candy Factory is a store established by the Holy Angels. The Holy Angels is a mission dedicated to providing compassionate, dependable care and opportunities for high-quality living to those with intellectual developmental disabilities and delicate medical conditions through physical, social, spiritual, educational, vocational and emotional support. The store is staffed by members of the community and offers made-to-order cotton candy as well as packaged candy items!
Or if you are more in the mood for cookies, check out Twisted Sugar.
If you're ready to call it a day, grab some food before the trek back home at STATION. Built in 1915, STATION is housed in Belmont's original Piedmont and Northern railway depot. Central to Belmont, this historic building now offers a warm and inviting atmosphere for locals and visitors to enjoy craft beer, tasty food, great company and much, much more. The menu has small plates that would be good for kids and adults, alike.
While you are out that way, pop over to The Schiele Museum for some fun on the farm or check out the dinos. This indoor-outdoor interactive museum is a great spot for kids of all ages. There are hiking trails as well as indoor activities and it's a lovely way to spend the afternoon. During the week its only open until 4PM so make sure to get there early enough to enjoy all the museum has to offer and then, hopefully, hit the road before traffic starts!
If you are more of an adventurer, you could also head over to the Northern part of Lake Wylie and try to stay afloat in a kayak! Then pop into the Boathouse in McAdenville for a bite and a drink.
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Have a suggestion for a part of town you'd like us to cover with an itinerary? Email us at rachaelw@macaronikid.com or rebeccap@macaronikid.com; and while you are out having some #familyfun tag us, @mackidrebecca @mackid.union @mackidfmrh, so we can feature you on our Instagram (Fort Mill, Union, South Charlotte)!
