Vibrant Piedmont Cities

Charlotte: Bright Lights, Big City

The largest city between Washington, DC and Dallas, Charlotte’s gleaming skyline rises from the surrounding North Carolina Piedmont like a beacon. Charlotte is now the second biggest financial center in the US (after New York), it has an airport that is a major airline hub, it is the center of the motorsports universe, and hosts the NFL’s Panthers and the NBA’s Bobcats. Charlotte has already constructed the Carolinas’ first commuter light rail system, and is busily preparing for the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. In short, Charlotte is a can-do city that never fails to impress and entertain, while still managing to hang onto much of its traditional charm and Southern hospitality.

Start with the city’s distinctive shiny and new Uptown centered at Trade and Tryon Streets. Surrounded by skyscrapers, this intersection hosts numerous dining and entertainment options within a short walk. There’s family fun (try Discovery Place or ImaginOn), nightlife, several performing arts venues, museums, a football stadium and an arena, picturesque urban neighborhoods, and one end of a light rail system that lets you avoid any worries about parking. But while Uptown is certainly the center of the Charlotte experience, it’s just one facet of a city where the fun spreads out in all directions.

To the north, you will find the NoDa (localspeak for North Davidson) Arts District, with its galleries, small music venues, and eclectic bars and restaurants. You’ll also discover the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University City area that has grown up around it. Further up the road you’ll find Charlotte Motor Speedway, hallowed pavement for any NASCAR fan, as well as the racetrack-shaped shopping mecca of the Concord Mills Mall.

On the east side of the city, there’s another arts and entertainment district in the Plaza-Midwood community, as well as just about any type of ethnic food you can think of along the busy and diverse Central Avenue. The east side of Charlotte is also home to the Mint Museum of Art, which opened its doors in 1936 as North Carolina’s first art museum.

Head south and you will wind your way down the beautiful tree-lined streets of Myers Park to the restaurants and shops of South End and Dilworth. A little further away is the upscale shopping experience of South Park. Or, ditch your car entirely and explore the south side of the city on Charlotte’s LYNX light rail system, a 9.6 mile line that takes you past a wide variety of eating, shopping, and entertainment opportunities. Further south is Carowinds, a full-sized family theme park that includes the Boomerang Bay water park with the price of admission.

Charlotte’s west side is the home to one of its newest attractions, the US National Whitewater Center. Here, an outdoor enthusiast can get his or her fill of kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, ziplining, or hiking… without ever leaving the city! Further west, outdoor fans can find more adventures at Crowders Mountain State Park in nearby Gaston County.

In short, a visit to Charlotte will uncover a major American city loaded with activity, nightlife, and history in every direction, but one that still has a friendly, hometown atmosphere. Like many visitors to Charlotte, you may also discover that you want to come back time and time again.

added: December 17, 2008

updated: February 18, 2011