You’ll never stop a traveler from traveling even during a pandemic! You just have to think outside of the box. And that’s what we did a week ago.
If you have ever traveled to North Carolina, you’ll realize you’ll never have the same getaway. There are just so many things to do there. You can either hike up to the mountains, site see in beautiful Asheville, attend Hendersonville’s famous Apple Festival, or visit the beautiful city of Charlotte, North Carolina.
We went to Charlotte this time around. And due to Covid-19, we decided to stay in a tiny house. In particular, the Gypsy Zen Retreat!
If you are traveling with no more than 2 people and a dog, it works. Any more and it becomes cramped. We have stayed in 3 tiny houses before, and this one was definitely the smallest. It’s 208 square feet. It was cute and clean. But you’ll definitely want to extend your legs outside as it’s tight inside. This tiny house is in the owner’s backyard. There are so many trees in the backyard that you feel like you are camping in the woods. And the backyard is manicured well with a fire pit and 2 Adirondack chairs. There’s a zen-like feel to both the house and the backyard despite the homes nearby. It’s a very peaceful experience, one that we were looking for especially during the pandemic. And the owner is very good to respond to questions quickly.
Charlotte has beautiful parks so we chose to go Frisbee golfing at Renaissance Disc Golf Park-Gold. This park is actually world renown. Frisbee golfers travel from afar to play this course. It is definitely a challenging course! There is plenty of parking here. I would highly recommend bringing water, sunscreen and a hat with you as Charlotte becomes very humid and not every place is covered. If it rained the day before, it can be a bit muddy as well.
Another park we chose to go to is called Chantilly Park. Chantilly Park is in a very nice neighborhood. There are only a few spots for parking right along the street in front of the entrance. It is definitely not a frisbee golf course. There’s a nice picnic spot and kids’ play area. There’s also a beautiful lake with plenty of wildlife. Great for birding! This is another hot/humid place. Bring a hat or a visor as it’s out in the open with no shelter.
The tiny house is in the city of Noda which is short for North Davidson. It’s a very cute city with different styled homes. None of the homes are cookie cutter. It is right outside of Charlotte which is nice if you want to take in the city but not to stay in it. Noda has some breweries, but we did not visit this time due to Covid-19. North Carolina is known for its famous breweries as we have been to many in the past. I would highly recommend them if you ever go. Also, if you like Pho food, Noda has its own. It’s in a really nice location. The restaurant is called Pho@Noda and they have plenty of good food and boba tea! It’s also conveniently located near Cordelia Park, another great place to enjoy and have a picnic!
If you are looking for any groceries, they have a Trader Joe’s in Noda on Metropolitan Avenue. We love Trader Joe’s. This one has its own parking garage. They did a very good job cleaning their carts so you felt comfortable during this pandemic. We always have a great experience at Trader Joe’s and this was no different. I would highly recommend Trader Joe’s Sangria. It was a new find and it won’t be my last!
If you are looking for dinner and nearby, we were lucky to find Pisces Sushi! They were only offering take out so we took it back with us. I would highly recommend this place. Excellent sushi and their prices were very reasonable.
One of Charlotte’s highlights is their shopping! Our favorite mall there is called South Park Mall on 4400 Sharon Road. It has the famous Cheesecake Factory! Who doesn’t love cheesecakes?!?! My favorite is the Tiramisu cheesecake which thankfully they had! While not all the stores were opened, this mall was very clean and had Covid 19 restrictions that were laid out extremely well! It was a great experience in a very high-end mall. We don’t live by any indoor malls, so it’s nice to visit every now and then.
Thankfully to cap off our experience on Memorial Day, we were able to go to Mecklenburg County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park . They have a beautiful memorial celebrating the lives of those in uniform local to the area who sacrificed their lives for all of us. There’s a nearby connecting park called Elizabeth Park. This too is a great place to get exercise and enjoy the backdrop of the city!
Overall, Noda/Charlotte, NC was a great place to social distance, getaway, and appreciate nature!
