Waxhaw has a quaint historic downtown area which is surrounded by historic homes, new construction homes, moderately priced older homes, as well as luxury gated communities. There is truly something for everyone in Waxhaw! The average home price is $550,000. The downtown or main street area has many small antique shops and dining establishments, as well as small specialty shops. The downtown area is walkable and many people enjoy just strolling the shops after dining or meeting friends. A highlight of downtown Waxhaw is the train trestle located in the center of town. Dreamchaser’s Brewery has special event nights where food trucks are brought in. The Waxhaw Creamery has a large variety of homemade ice cream and Italian ices. The old cotton mill has been restored and has a tapas restaurant, Emmett’s Social Table, and shops as well as residential living. Restaurants in downtown Waxhaw run the gamut from mom and pop diners to Irish Pub fare. Some restaurants in this area are Maxwell’s Tavern, Mary O’Neills, and Bistro D’Antonio.
Waxhaw’s Parks and Recreation department has 140 acres of trails and park-land area. Downtown Waxhaw boasts a children’s park, skateboard park, and memory garden, as well as a community park that hosts many festivals and fairs. On the first and third Fridays of the summer months, enjoy Jammin by the Tracks, a free concert hosted downtown. Other festivals are the Kaleidoscope Festival in the spring, which is paired with the Taste of Waxhaw, where local restaurants and artisans display their wares. Of course there is the chili cook off in the fall and Santa always joins the Festival of Lights at Christmas.
The Carolina Thread Trails is a regional network of greenways, trails and blueways (trails along water) that reaches 15 counties and 2 states. Right now there are 141 miles open to the public and the Millbridge neighborhood in Waxhaw has a 170 ft. long suspension bridge which links the NC and SC trails together.
The Waxhaw Farmers Market hosts fresh locally grown produce, Non GMO, pasture raised meat, mushrooms, flowers and cheeses. There are several local bakeries as well as many artisans and crafters in attendance.
Just outside of Waxhaw is Cane Creek Park. This park is a water-based recreational space that encompasses 1,050 acres of land surrounding a 350-acre lake. The park has many recreational opportunities, such as camping, fishing, boating, hiking, etc, and the lake is home to some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the state.
Located nearby is the Howie Gold Mine where gold was discovered around 1840. This area now is home to Terranova Farms, a full service equestrian facility. Also nearby is the JAARS center which leads the world in bible translations.
