Uptown Charlotte is built for people on the move. Office towers, ballparks, museums and green space all fit into a few walkable blocks, which makes it a great part of town for anyone who works from a laptop. Maybe you’re a freelancer, a hybrid worker with a free afternoon, or a traveler squeezing in a few hours of email between meetings. Either way, this guide covers where to settle in, where to take a break, and how to get around without moving your car.
Start your day at a coffee shop in Uptown Charlotte
A remote workday goes better with a good home base. Coffee Republic Trade Street sits at 500 W Trade St, on the west side of Uptown. It’s one block from Truist Field and two blocks from Bank of America Stadium. We open at 6:30am every day, so you can grab a drink before your first call and sort out your plan for the day.
A few habits make any café work session go smoothly. Order something every couple of hours if you’re staying a while. Take calls outside or keep them short. And during the morning rush, give up the bigger tables when the line is long.
Get some fresh air: Uptown parks for a laptop break
Your best ideas don’t always show up at a desk. Uptown has several public parks that are good for a walk, a phone call or an outdoor lunch.
Romare Bearden Park
Romare Bearden Park, at 300 S Church St, covers about five acres across the street from Truist Field. It’s named for Charlotte-born artist Romare Bearden, and its design draws on his collages and paintings. You’ll find gardens, waterfalls, a big event lawn and a courtyard with tables and chairs, which is handy for a quick outdoor break.
The Green
The Green, at 400 S Tryon St, is a small, shady pocket park between the Levine Center for the Arts and the Charlotte Convention Center. It has fish fountains, mosaic benches and literature-themed sculptures, and Uptown workers have long used it as a lunch spot.
First Ward Park
On the northeast side of Uptown, First Ward Park at 301 E 7th St is a roughly four-acre green space just east of the light rail tracks. It’s a quieter place to stretch your legs if you’ve been working on that side of Center City.
Fill a long lunch with art
If your schedule gives you a midday gap, the Levine Center for the Arts on South Tryon Street puts several cultural spots side by side:
- Mint Museum Uptown (500 S Tryon St) is known for its craft and design collection and also shows American, modern and contemporary art.
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is right next to it on the same campus.
- Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture completes the museum lineup at the Levine Center.
- Knight Theater is the campus’s performance venue, worth checking if you’d like to stay Uptown for the evening.
Check each museum’s website for current hours and admission before you go.
A note on the Main Library
Many remote workers ask about the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Main Library. The old Uptown building has been torn down. A new five-story Main Library is going up at 6th and North Tryon streets, on the site of the original 1903 Carnegie library. Until then, the library’s website lists other branches with public computers and Wi-Fi.
Getting around Uptown without your car
Uptown is easy to cover on foot, and transit fills in the gaps:
- CityLYNX Gold Line: the streetcar runs east to west across Center City, with stops that include Mint Street and Tryon Street. CATS has listed it as fare-free until further notice, but fares have been approved for the future, so check CATS before you ride.
- LYNX Blue Line: the light rail runs north to south through Uptown, and the 3rd Street/Convention Center station is a short walk from the ballpark area.
- Charlotte Rail Trail: this walking and biking path follows the Blue Line through Uptown and South End, which is handy for clearing your head between tasks.
Sample remote workday in Uptown
- Morning: coffee and focused work on Trade Street.
- Midday: walk to Romare Bearden Park for lunch outside.
- Afternoon: a museum break at the Levine Center for the Arts, then calls from The Green.
- Evening: if the Knights are home, you’re already a block from Truist Field.
Visit Coffee Republic Trade Street
Coffee Republic Trade Street is at 500 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202, and is open daily from 6:30am to 6pm. To skip the line, order ahead in the Coffee Republic app and pick up on your way to the office, the park or your next meeting. Find directions and more details on our Trade Street location page.
