Sunday afternoon was the perfect day to take a historical Segway tour of Charlotte. Our group was not made up of expert Segway users, but that started us off with a few laughs as we practiced around the parking lot in Uptown Charlotte. Arik, our Segway tour guide, was young and patient as we set out to see the sights. We toured a desegregated cemetery, seeing the memorials to Charlotte movers and shakers, as well as many unmarked graves of those less note-worthy. One tombstone marked a circus performer “killed by a lion”. A section was marked by numerous matching headstones and dedicated to the Confederate soldiers who died in battle. While we were there, we encountered a club of vintage hearse owners having their monthly meeting. There were 8 of them lined up as if at a funeral. Very creepy.
From there we toured around the Bank of America Stadium and discovered little known facts about the Carolina Panthers. Off to Spirit Square, zipping across roads and around the sparkly “Firebird” statue at Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Pausing at the intersection of Trade and Tryon, we admired the four statues there. The statue representing “Commerce” is symbolized by a gold miner spilling money on the head of a banker. Did you know the face of the banker is modeled after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan?
We slowed down a little as we drove through historic 4th Ward. Enjoyed the charming and quirky pastel colored Victorians with interesting courtyards and porches.
It started to lightly drizzle as we headed back to our starting point. Finished off a great afternoon with milkshakes and burgers at Mattie’s Diner. A fantastic day and a super way to appreciate all that Uptown Charlotte has to offer.
Taking a Segway tour of Charlotte is a great way to spend a fun afternoon ,while also learning a little more about this great city of Charlotte which many of us call home!
