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Huntersville began as a farming crossroads called Craighead and was renamed for Robert Boston Hunter, a local cotton farmer, before it was incorporated in 1873. For most of its history it was a small rural town north of Charlotte, and several of its early homes survive, including the Hugh Torance House and Store, Holly Bend and Latta Place, an 1800 house that is now the center of a living history farm.
Dams on the Catawba River created Mountain Island Lake in the 1920s and Lake Norman in the 1960s, turning the area into lake country, and today Huntersville is one of the fastest-growing towns in the Charlotte region. It is also a racing town, home to Joe Gibbs Racing, whose race shop lets fans watch NASCAR teams at work from a viewing area.
Visitors come for Latta Nature Preserve and the Carolina Raptor Center on Mountain Island Lake, the free EnergyExplorium beside Lake Norman, Discovery Place Kids and the shops and restaurants of Birkdale Village. Each October and November, the Carolina Renaissance Festival fills a wooded village north of town with jousting, crafts and costumed performers.
WiserMap travel guideHuntersville North Carolina Lake Norman and Rural HillPlan a Huntersville, North Carolina trip with Latta Nature Preserve, Historic Rural Hill, Lake Norman, Jetton Park, Birkdale Village and the Carolina Renaissanc...Read the guide
A restored 1800s plantation house on Mountain Island Lake, built by merchant James Latta, now run as a living history site. Costumed interpreters, period farm buildings and heritage livestock show daily life in early Mecklenburg County, including the lives of the enslaved people who worked there. Check event days.
The former Davidson family farm on the north side of Huntersville, with surviving outbuildings, nature trails and open fields. It hosts the Loch Norman Highland Games each spring, one of the largest Scottish festivals in the Southeast, plus a fall corn maze and sheepdog trials. Grounds open for events and trails.
A small log and frame house that served as a general store in the early 1800s and is considered one of the oldest surviving stores in North Carolina. The museum shows original account books, goods and furnishings from the period. Opening hours are limited, usually on weekends in warm months, so check before going.
Mecklenburg County's largest nature preserve, with about 1,400 acres of forest and meadow along Mountain Island Lake. It has hiking and mountain biking trails, horseback riding, a canoe and kayak launch, and a nature center. The trails can be busy on weekend mornings, so arrive early to find parking.
A narrow, wooded lake on the Catawba River west of Huntersville that supplies Charlotte's drinking water, so its shoreline is largely protected. It is quieter than Lake Norman and good for kayaking, fishing and pontoon boating. Public access is mainly through Latta Nature Preserve and county boat ramps.
Located inside Latta Nature Preserve, this center rehabilitates injured birds of prey and keeps non-releasable eagles, hawks, owls, falcons and vultures along a wooded walking trail. Live bird presentations explain each species. Wear walking shoes, and check show times so you can catch a flight demonstration.
Duke Energy's free visitor center on Lake Norman beside the McGuire Nuclear Station, with interactive exhibits on how electricity is made, from nuclear and hydro power to solar. Outside are a lakeside nature trail and picnic area. It is a short, educational stop for families; check hours before visiting.
The town's large recreation center has an indoor leisure pool with a lazy river and water slide, a lap pool, a gym, fitness classes and courts. Day passes are sold to visitors. It is a handy option on rainy or very hot days with children; check the open swim schedule, as lanes are often reserved.
Held on weekends in October and November on a wooded site in Huntersville, this large festival recreates a 16th-century village with jousting, comedy and music stages, artisan crafts, and turkey legs and other fair food. Costumes are encouraged. Go early in the day to avoid long parking lines.
An open-air town center near Lake Norman built like a small Main Street, with shops, restaurants, a movie theater and apartments above the storefronts. It is a popular place to stroll and eat outdoors, especially on summer evenings and during holiday lights season. Parking decks are free.
A large town park in Huntersville with athletic fields for baseball, softball and soccer, playgrounds, a walking track and picnic shelters. It hosts youth tournaments and community events. It works well for an easy walk or a picnic; expect it to be busy on weekend mornings during sports seasons.
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North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
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