Charlotte/South End

South End is a district in Charlotte. Extending from the southern side of the I-277 freeway loop south of Uptown, it extends along South Boulevard toward I-485. It was historically dominated by mills and factories, but it has been reborn as an arts and entertainment district. It is one of the city's fastest-developing districts, primarily due to the placement of a light rail line along South Blvd.

Get in


South End is well connected to other parts of Charlotte. South Blvd connects to I-485 south of the city, giving visitors from that direction an easy inlet to the district. Visitors from the Uptown area may travel down South Blvd by car (the easiest way is to take S. Brevard until it becomes South Blvd after the I-277 junction). A cab is also a reasonable option, since the district is only about a mile from Uptown.

Visitors may also reach South End via mass transit. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) operates the transit system in the city. The LYNX Blue Line light rail service runs the length of the South End, stopping at Carson Blvd., Bland Street, and East/West Blvd. The Blue Line connects the South End to Uptown to the north and travels along South Blvd. to the south. Frequency varies from 7-10 minutes on weekdays to 20-30 minutes on weekends. Fares for LYNX are $2.20 one-way (seniors and youth receive 50% discount), $4.40 round-trip. In addition, bus routes 10 and 16 serve the South End corridor while numbers 19 and 36 just pass through the area.

The northernmost end of the district is within reasonable walking distance of Uptown, though this requires crossing over I-277 via a somewhat unsightly pedestrian bridge along either College or Tryon streets.

Sleep
Despite being the location of many high-end apartment complexes, there are no hotels in South End. For accommodations, your nearest options are to cross I-277 into Uptown.