 Live well in the Queen City on a budget
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools are on Spring Break, including weekends, from Friday, April 3, to Sunday, April 12, 2026. Other school districts might have different schedules.
Here are a few FREE or CHEAP things to do with them to keep them busy and happy. Make sure to follow each link to get the necessary details on times and locations. You can keep track of free and cheap things to do in the Charlotte area by subscribing to the free email list and following us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Special Events during Spring Break
Here are some events that are definitely work fitting into your child’s spring spread schedule!
Charlotte SHOUT!: This is Charlotte’s biggest festival, by far. It goes from April 3 to 19, 2026, and features live music, family-friendly interactive art, huge, fun art installations, and so much more. It takes place all around Uptown Charlotte. Do not miss it!
Easter Egg Hunts and Bunny Visits: Check out our huge (seriously, huge!) list of egg hunts and Easter Bunny visits. If you’re looking for a FREE picture with the Easter Bunny, you’ll find some on this list. Easter is 5, 2026, so there will be some Easter egg hunts and more the first weekend of Spring Break.
Regional Festival of India at Matthews: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 12 to 6 p.m., at Stumptown Park, 120 S Trade Street, Matthews, North Carolina. Enjoy performances, Indian cuisine, a bazaar, Henna and much more. Admission is free.
Chalk the Walk: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 am. to 2 p.m., at the Linear Park beside the Municipal Complex, 400 E Central Avenue, Mt. Holly, North Carolina. Compete by decorating a sidewalk square with chalk. There will also be music, food vendors and fun activities. Free.
IKEA Spring Break: IKEA Charlotte is offering free DIY events during Spring Break. You must be an IKEA Family member (free to join) to participate, and registration is required. Space is limited.
STEAMfest: Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 12 to 4 p.m., at Woodlawn School, 135 Woodlawn School Loop, Mooresville, North Carolina. Enjoy over 100 fun and engaging hands-on activities centered around science. Free.
North Carolina Science Festival: NC Science Festival is a month-long celebration of science throughout the State of North Carolina in April. It features special events like a STEAM expo, star parties, and lots of hands-on events.
Spring Break Calendar
Always free
ImaginOn: Teens have a whole floor to themselves. Studio I provides the means for teens and families to create stop motion animation and other films. Preschoolers can dress up in costume and stage their own shows. Even the outside of the building has become an attraction, with kids jumping from one huge typewriter key to another. I’d bet that there are more than a few Charlotte kids who learned to spell their names from playing on those keys.
Greenways: The 37 miles of developed Greenways and 150 miles of undeveloped Greenways are undeniably a hidden treasure. These paths, perfect for walking or biking, run along creeks throughout the county. They connect neighborhoods and other points of interest. Kids love how they’re sort of hidden. As you drive on busy W.T. Harris Boulevard, you might never guess you’re passing over a tunnel where kids are riding their bikes, on their way to play by a creek.
Romare Bearden Park: The beautiful Romare Bearden Park features a huge field for throwing a frisbee, lighted water features and a stunning skyline view. Visit the park and grab some grub in one of the nearby restaurants.
U.S. National Whitewater Center: No, the water sports, climbing and zip lines aren’t free, and there is a charge for parking ($13/car), so I expect some will protest the Whitewater Center’s inclusion on this list. But it belongs here because of all that is free: possibly the best mountain biking in the city, on 20 miles of trails that are also good for walking and running. If you have your own kayak, there’s no charge for putting it into the Catawba River. And it’s fun to watch people navigate the rapids. (And, it’s also fun to watch them fall out!)
Mecklenburg County Nature Centers: Mecklenburg Parks and Recreation boasts four nature centers, McDowell, Reedy Creek and Latta Plantation, plus the newest one, Stevens Creek Nature Center. All four are free, have animals and much more for kids to explore, and host fun, educational programs all year, even campfires at night. Each one is situated in a nature preserve, so provide plenty of opportunity to really get into nature.
UNCC Botanical Gardens: Many parents don’t know about this free resource, or might not know if it’s appropriate for kids. It is. Paths wind around Asian gardens, a butterfly garden, a waterfall pond, a 120 year old cabin and so much more. This is a place that will ignite kids’ imagination. Botany classes are also offered to both kids and adults.
Big Rock Nature Preserve: Many people don’t know about this historically and geologically interesting site nestled away in Ballantyne. These are the largest exposed boulders in Mecklenburg County.
Discounts on Kids’ activities
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