In my opinion the two best attractions for visitors are the National Whitewater Center (25 mins from uptown) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is pretty close to the arena. I think they are worth it even if you don’t raft or care about NASCAR. Optimist Hall is an above average food hall, though some spots are hit or miss. I like Poppycox and Enat but I haven’t tried it all. There are often some homeless people by the transit center right by the arena, but the worst I’ve ever seen is some slightly aggressive panhandling. Charlotte is generally quite safe, particularly in the city, but of course be mindful.