Proposal Itinerary:
Southern Charm in Charlotte

Perched 21 floors above the Queen City in the Skye Condos building, Fahrenheit features an amazing view and impressive, Asian-inspired New American cuisine. Take in the city views on the outdoor roof deck, where you can nibble on duck fat cinnamon rolls while flagging down the rolling Bloody Mary Bar. Chef Rocco Whalen uses only the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients, so you know you’ll be getting the true taste of Charlotte.

Travel back to the early 19th century at this living history farm and former cotton plantation. Guided tours through the original home and 11 outbuildings give visitors a full picture of life here in the 1800s—and if you happen to arrive at the right time, you may witness historical reenactments performed in period dress. The site also boasts many fine hiking trails and a lake where you can rent kayaks and canoes.

Head to the Charlotte branch of Corkbuzz Restaurant and Wine Bar to sample some of the best vintages in North Carolina. Make a reservation for one of the bar’s Wine Profiles, where an in-house sommelier will fine tune your wine knowledge with blind taste tests and expert guidance on aroma, texture, tannins, and more.

Take your newly acquired knowledge of grapes to The Fig Tree, where the impressive wine list is matched by some of the best fine dining in the city. The menu leans towards French and Italian-inspired dishes, with lobster, escargots, and Foie Gras appetizers beginning a meal of seasonal fish, elk, Osso Buco and Pappardelle.

For romantic ambience, it’s hard to beat the McNinch House restaurant, a Charlotte institution operating out of a 120-year old building designed in the Queen Anne/Shingle style. The finely crafted vintage Victorian interior includes ten tiled fireplaces for you and your mate to enjoy while dining on delicious she-crab soup and pan-seared pheasant.

If you have your heart set on popping the question in a grand (and photo-friendly) setting, there are few places in the Charlotte area more inviting than the Duke Mansion. Once the home of James Buchanan Duke (the founder of Duke University), this Colonial Revival masterpiece features four-and-a-half acres of impeccably designed grounds and gardens with plenty of beautiful spots to get down on one knee and present her with a ring.

With 98 acres including a seven-acre lake, five outdoor shelters, a bandshell, and several pavilions you can reserve in advance, Freedom Park is full of spectacular proposal locations. It’s an especially great choice for sportier gestures—among the park’s potential backdrops are four baseball diamonds, four soccer fields, and 12 tennis courts.

If she’s the type that wants a fairy-tale proposal, there are few things that will make her feel more like a princess than a horse and carriage. Pick up one of the Charlotte Center City Carriage Tours at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets, and spend an hour wandering the historic Fourth Ward in the comfort of your own private barouche. You might not have room to take a knee, but the sound of a horse’s hooves on cobblestones add a kind of romance you can’t get any other way.