City Life Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2024
Best of Charlotte's city life chosen by the readers of Queen City Nerve
Best in the Nest Readers’ Picks were chosen exclusively by readers through a one-month nomination process followed by a one-month voting process. The nominations were not tampered with by Queen City Nerve staff at all — save for removing ourselves from a few categories to proactively dispel any notions of favoritism. In other words, if you disagree with these ones, that’s on your fellow reader, not us. 2024 saw over 30,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting.
Winners: Download your award graphics here
CITY LIVING
BEST APARTMENT COMPLEX
Winner: Magnolia Heights
Runner Up: The Village at Commonwealth
BEST AREA TO LIVE
Winner: Plaza Midwood
Runner Up: East Charlotte
BEST BUILDING
Winner: The Duke Energy Center
Runner Up: One South at The Plaza
BEST CAR RIDE/SHUTTLE SERVICE
Winner: JUMP Transit
Runner Up: Ride Jaunt
BEST CHURCH
Winner: Wedgewood Community Church
Runner Up: Myers Park United Methodist Church
BEST CAT RESCUE
Winner: The Humane Society of Charlotte
Runner Up: Inked Kittens Club
BEST CITY IMPROVEMENT
Winner: Greenways
Runner Up: Light Rail
BEST CITY TOUR
Winner: Funny Bus Comedy City Tour
Runner Up: ArtWalks CLT
BEST CO-WORKING SPACE
Winner: Tabbris Innovation Center
Runner Up: Hygge Coworking
BEST DOG RESCUE
Winner: The Humane Society of Charlotte
Runner Up: Forgotten, Now Family Rescue
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLACE
Winner: Discovery Place
Runner Up: Camp North End
BEST HOTEL
Winner: Grand Bohemian Hotel
Runner Up: The Dunhill Hotel
BEST LOCAL COLLEGE
Winner: UNC Charlotte
Runner Up: Central Piedmont Community College
BEST LOCAL FARM
Winner: Carrigan Farms
Runner Up: Pascuales’ Farm
BEST NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Winner: New Main Library
Runner Up: The River District
BEST PARK IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
Winner: Freedom Park
Runner Up: Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve
BEST PLACE FOR A STAYCATION
Winner: JW Marriott Charlotte
Runner Up: The Ritz-Carlton
BEST PLACE TO GET HITCHED
Winner: McGill Rose Garden
Runner Up: The Mint Museum
BEST PLACE TO HOLD AN EVENT
Winner: The Mint Museum
Runner Up: Charlotte Museum of History
BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH
Winner: Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade
Runner Up: Optimist Hall
BEST PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS
Winner: U.S. National Whitewater Center
Runner Up: Optimist Hall
BEST PLACE TO WORK (BUSINESS)
Winner: Charlotte Museum of History
Runner Up: Queen City News
BEST PLACE TO WORK (REMOTE)
Winner: Local & Qualified
Runner Up: Brighthouse Financial
BEST WAY TO GET AROUND WITHOUT A CAR
Winner: LYNX Light Rail
Runner Up: Pick Me Up Rideshare
SPORTS & LEISURE
BEST BIKE CLUB
Winner: The Spoke Easy
Runner Up: NoDa Social Ride
BEST CAMPING SPOT (IN-STATE)
Winner: Kings Mountain Campground
Runner Up: Hot Springs Resort & Spa Campground
BEST DISC GOLF COURSE
Winner: Reedy Creek Park Disc Golf Course
Runner Up: Renaissance Disc Golf Park – Gold
BEST LOCAL TEAM FAN BASE
Winner: Charlotte FC
Runner Up: Charlotte Checkers
BEST GOLF COURSE
Winner: Quail Hollow Club
Runner Up: Rocky River Golf Club
BEST HIKING TRAIL
Winner: Crowders Mountain
Runner Up: Grandfather Mountain
BEST LOCAL MASCOT
Winner: Sir Purr – Carolina Panthers
Runner Up: Homer the Dragon – Charlotte Knights
BEST LOCAL SPORTS FIGURE
Winner: Greg Olsen, former Carolina Panther
Runner Up: Muggsy Bogues, former Charlotte Hornet
BEST LOCAL SPORTS TEAM
Winner: Charlotte FC
Runner Up: Charlotte Checkers
BEST PICKLEBALL COURTS
Winner: Freedom Park
Runner Up: Rally
BEST PLACE TO GET BACK TO NATURE
Winner: U.S. National Whitewater Center
Runner Up: Latta Nature Preserve
BEST MINI GOLF COURSE
Winner: Puttery
Runner Up: Frankie’s Fun Park
BEST REC CENTER
Winner: Eastway Regional Recreation Center
Runner Up: Johnston YMCA
BEST RUN CLUB
Winner: Mad Miles Run Club
Runner Up: NoDa Run Club
BEST TENNIS CLUB
Winner: Charlotte City Tennis
Runner Up: River Run Country Club Racquet & Sports Center
BEST TENNIS COURTS
Winner: Park Road Tennis Center
Runner Up: Dilworth Tennis Group
BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY
Winner: Asheville, NC
Runner Up: Blowing Rock, NC
NEWS & POLITICS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST FREE EVENT OF 2024
Winner: Wedgewood Film Festival: “Palestine : 100 Years of Struggle” at The Independent Picture House
Runner Up: Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade
BEST HERO
Winner: NC Attorney General-elect Jeff Jackson
Runner Up: Jonny Saldana
BEST HEROINE
Winner: NC Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs
Runner Up: Sydney Duarte
BEST JOURNALIST
Winner: Joe Bruno
Runner Up: Ryan Pitkin
BEST LOCAL CELEBRITY
Winner: RC Cola
Runner Up: Larry Sprinkle
BEST LOCAL FESTIVAL
Winner: Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade
Runner Up: Yiasou Greek Festival
BEST LOCAL PODCAST
Winner: The Charlotte Unplugged Podcast
Runner Up: Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins
BEST LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET
Winner: Axios Charlotte
Runner Up: WCNC
MOST IMPORTANT NEWS STORY OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS
Winner: Hurricane Helene Coverage
Runner Up: Mark Robinson Coverage
BEST POLITICIAN
Winner: Jeff Jackson
Runner Up: Dimple Ajmera
BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
Winner: (TIED) Miguel Fuller – Miguel & Holly
Winner: (TIED) Mike Collins – WFAE
Runner Up: Mac & Bone – WFNZ
BEST RADIO SHOW
Winner: Miguel & Holly – HITS 96.1
Runner Up: Woody and Wilcox – 106.5 The End
BEST TV PERSONALITY
Winner: Brad Panovich – WCNC
Runner Up: Larry Sprinkle – WCNC
BEST TV SPORTSCASTER
Winner: Ashley Stroehlein – NBC Charlotte
Runner Up: Mike Lacett – Queen City News
BEST TV NEWS STATION
Winner: (TIED) WCNC
Winner: (TIED) Queen City News
Runner Up: WBTV
BEST USE OF LOCAL TAX MONEY
Winner: Public School Funding
Runner Up: Greenways
BEST VIRTUAL EVENT
Winner: Wedgewood Talks – Wedgewood Community Church
Runner Up: Charlotte City Council Meetings
BEST NEWS ANCHOR
Winner: Morgan Fogarty – WCCB
Runner Up: Erica Bryant – WSOC
WHAT WE NEED MORE OF
Winner: Affordable Housing
Runner Up: Public Transit
LOCAL ISSUE THAT NEEDS MORE ATTENTION
Winner: Affordable Housing
Runner Up: Homelessness
SOCIAL MEDIA
BEST FACEBOOK PAGE
Winner: Charlotte Gaymers Network
Runner Up: Queen City News
BEST BUSINESS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
Winner: Charlotte Gaymers Network (@charlottegaymersnetwork)
Runner Up: CLT is Creative (@cltiscreative)
BEST INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
Winner: @charlottegaymersnetwork
Runner Up: @cltguide
BEST INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER
Winner: Andrea Fox (@dailydreclt)
Runner Up: Deej (@Deejandthecats)
BEST LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUP
Winner: Charlotte Gaymers Network
Runner Up: Charlotte Foodies
BEST LOCAL TIKTOK ACCOUNT
Winner: @axioscharlotte
Runner Up: @TheCLTea
BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT
Winner: @cltdevelopment
Runner Up: @ashstro
BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT FOR LOCAL HUMOR
Winner: @woodyandwilcox
Runner Up: @CLTpetpeeves
BEST WEB BLOG
Winner: Carolina Charm
Runner Up: Y’all Weekly
BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT FOR LOCAL NEWS
Winner: @wxbrad
Runner Up: @JoeBrunoWSOC9
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & SOCIAL JUSTICE
BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST
Winner: Braxton Winston
Runner Up: Cameron Pruette
BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST GROUP
Winner: Charlotte Gaymers Network
Runner Up: Charlotte United for Palestine
BEST EVENT FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Winner: Ascend Gala – Time Out Youth
Runner Up: Free Soup Day at Free Range Brewing
BEST NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Winner: Time Out Youth
Runner Up: Charlotte Gaymers Network
BEST PLACE TO VOLUNTEER
Winner: Time Out Youth
Runner Up: CMPD Animal Care & Control
BEST SUPPORT GROUP
Winner: Time Out Youth
Runner Up: Charlotte Gaymers Network T4T Program
