ExploreCharlotte

Your checklist of things to see, do, and experience in the Queen City

The Intimidator, at Carowinds, is the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in the Southeast.

Arts&Culture
Become a drama queen (or king) by catching a Broadway blockbuster featured in the Blumenthal Performing Arts Broadway Lights Series. Collect your artistic earnings at the location of the first branch of the U.S. Mint at the Mint Museum Randolph in Myers Park. Saddle up to a Civil Rights-era lunch counter at Levine Museum of the New South while exploring the awardwinning Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers exhibit. Attend a national touring musical, comedy or dance performance at Ovens Auditorium, a Charlotte landmark since 1955. Catch a glimpse of nationally acclaimed conductors Christof Perick and Albert-George Schram at a Charlotte Symphony Orchestra production. Retrace Christian evangelist Billy Grahams dynamic journey from a North Carolina dairy farm to stadiums across the globe at the Billy Graham Library. Enjoy dinner and a show with NarroWay Productions featuring Christian musicals from World War II dramas to Western whodunits to Christmas pageants.

Stroll from gallery to gallery during the NoDa Gallery Crawl in Charlottes historic arts district on the first and third Friday.
Leap to a North Carolina Dance Theatre performance where high-flying ballerinas are reaching new heights. Marvel at awe-inspiring works of art at the Mint Museum Uptown, showcasing renowned Craft + Design, Contemporary, American and European collections. Go inside Charlottes skinniest landmark dedicated to the African-American legacy, the 45-foot wide Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. Let your imagination soar at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, where youll find Flight 1549, the US Airways plane named the Miracle on the Hudson. Shake hands with an artist in residence at the McColl Center for Visual Art and admire their masterpieces. Sign up for a photography class at The Light Factory, a nonprofit arts center dedicated to promoting the power of photography and film. Cheer Bravo! at an Opera Carolina performance at the Knight Theater located within the Levine Center for the Arts. Quote a scene from one of the many classic productions performed by Theatre Charlotte, the oldest arts organization and community theatre in the city.

Snap a picture in front of the Firebird, the mirrored sculpture outside the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

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Dining&Nightlife
Ride the mechanical bull at Dale Earnhardt, Jr.s Whisky River, sharing the same address with more than 20 other hotspots at the EpiCentre in Uptown. Hit up Food Truck Friday in South End.

Tantalize your taste buds by sampling some cue at Macs Speedshop in South End.
Savor North Carolina wines in unexpected settings by climbing into a tree house at Treehouse Vineyards, discovering the cascading waterfall at Childress Vineyards or enjoying a concert at Shelton Vineyards. Take a chefs choice cooking class with a professional chef at Johnson & Wales University, one of the top culinary schools in the nation. Spot the stars onstage and in the sky at Charlottes open-air music venues, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre or Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre. Hop through NoDa to enjoy a crisp, refreshing pint at one of the local breweries, NoDa Brewing, Birdsong Brewing Co. or Heist Brewery. Awaken your inner musician at an intimate live show at the Double Door Inn or The Visulite Theatre in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Navigate through the NC Music Factory, home to more than 13 pubs, clubs, restaurants, comedy and music venues including The Fillmore, where legends like B.B. King have played. Take a bite out of Charlotte on a food tour with Feast Food Tours or Tour De Food, or sample the city at seasonal offerings like the Taste of Charlotte food festival or Charlotte Restaurant Week.

Sing along to a rockin show at Bojangles Coliseum, where the hottest acts from Elvis to The Avett Brothers have graced the stage for more than 60 years.
Handpick a blues, indie or other live show for good vibrations at Charlottes premier music venues like Amos SouthEnd or The Evening Muse or Neighborhood Theatre in NoDa. Enroll in a cooking class with Harpers Restaurant Group at eateries like Mimosa Grill, Upstream and Zink. American Kitchen. Sip your way through the Swan Creek Wine Trail making stops at Laurel Gray, Raffaldini, Shadow Springs and Dobbins Creek. Award yourself for getting so far on the list with the salted caramel brownie from one of the Amelies French Bakery locations in NoDa or Center City.

Delight in some southern soul food favorites like fried chicken, hushpuppies and collard greens from The Kings Kitchen or Merts Heart and Soul.

FamilyFun
Watch an American Bald Eagle take flight at the Carolina Raptor Center. Play in the fish fountains at The Green in Uptown Charlotte, a kid-friendly, novella-themed park.

Walk among free-flying butterflies in the Butterfly Pavilion at the Charlotte Nature Museum.
Relive the regions heritage with a guided tour of Historic Latta Plantation, an original cotton plantation and living history farm. Cuddle up with Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang at Carowinds Planet Snoopy, a kid-friendly play area. Familiarize yourself with the Queen City in new ways with help from Carolina History & Haunts for spooky ghost tours or Center City Carriage Tours for leisurely horse-drawn jaunts through historic Fourth Ward. Learn about the nations 11th U.S. President at the James K. Polk Historic Site in Pineville featuring a log house with authentic furnishings and a knowledgeable Visitor Center. Venture across the daring rope bridge in the rainforest at Discovery Place. Create your own masterpiece at the Mint Museum Uptowns Sunday Fun Day each month. Rock out with stars, cars and guitars at the Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival in May, which fills the streets of Uptown with NASCAR-themed excitement, concerts and kid-friendly activities.

Pan for gold at Reed Gold Mine, the first area in North Carolina to strike it rich during the nations first gold rush in the 1800s.

Meander through the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, comprised of 19 miles of trails that connect Center City to major landmarks like the Metropolitan, Central Piedmont Community College and area parks full of public art, fountains and green space. Judge a jousting tournament to determine who wins the queens favor at the Carolina Renaissance Festival.

Feed the animals at Lazy 5 Ranch, where you can meet giraffes, buffalos, ostriches, zebras and more in this drive-through safari park in Mooresville.
Journey to fairytale lands during a Childrens Theatre of Charlotte production at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center. Step into a movie on the largest screen in the Carolinas at the IMAX Dome Theatre at Discovery Place. Follow the Charlotte Liberty Walk, which ventures to 15 historical markers throughout Center City that highlight the citys Revolutionary War heritage.

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Sports&Recreation
Compete on a challenging European-style indoor road course at Victory Lane Indoor Karting. Hop on the horseback of a trusty steed for a ride at Latta Plantation Equestrian Center with 16 miles of trails through wooded areas along Lake Norman. Race in miniature Sprint Cup-style cars at NASCAR SpeedParks Mini-Motor Speedway, a quarter-mile track adjacent to Concord Mills. Root for the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan, as they host the NBAs brightest stars at Time Warner Cable Arena. Take the fast track to Charlotte Motor Speedway for three of the most anticipated races each year, the Bank of America 500 each October and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 each May.

Sing the seventh inning stretch and ask mascot Homer the Dragon for an autograph at a Charlotte Knights baseball game.
Tee off from a championship PGA golf course, The Golf Club at Ballantyne. For pointers, the experts at the adjoining Dana Rader Golf School can help, globally ranked for instruction by Golf Magazine. Watch the PGAs best take on Quail Hollow Clubs Green Mile during the Wells Fargo Championship. Catch an action-packed NFL Carolina Panthers football game at Bank of America Stadium. See the saves, breakaways and power plays of minor league hockey at a Charlotte Checkers game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Ride shotgun with a professional driver or train to get behind the wheel, racing at speeds up to 160mph with the Richard Petty Driving Experience or NASCAR Racing Experience.

Ride the class III-IV rapids by raft or kayak at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, home of the largest manmade whitewater river.

Root for your favorite Big East and ACC teams as they compete for the title of Belk Bowl champion inside Bank of America Stadium. Set sail, fish or pursue your favorite water sport on one of Charlottes nearby manmade lakes, Lake Norman to the north or Lake Wylie to the south. Zoom through the air with the 1,100 ft. Mega Zip line at the U.S. National Whitewater Center before trying other high-flying activities like the Canopy Tour and Mega Jump.

Drive the impressive wetland-shrouded 15th hole at the Rocky River Golf Club in Concord, adjacent to the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort & Spa. Cheer on the CIAA Men and Womens Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Race over to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to compete in the racing simulator and pit crew challenge.

Shopping&Relaxation
Stroll through the tranquil paths of the Orchid Conservatory at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden before exploring the attractions 110 acres of themed gardens.

Indulge in tasty treats at Bar Cocoa located inside the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, which features a Chocolate Afternoon Tea, cooking classes and delectable all-day dining.
Embark on a luxurious shopping spree for coveted brands like Burberry, Tory Burch and Louis Vuitton along with mainstays such as the Belk flagship store inside SouthPark Mall. Unwind with the experts at Ballantyne Spa at Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, specializing in treatments such as the Divine Wine Facial using indigenous North Carolina ingredients. Peruse style by the mile at Charlottes many boutiques such as Capitol Clothing in South Park, named one of the finest boutiques in America by Isaac Mizrahi. Roam Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Myers Park, where youll relax to the sounds of nature with chirping birds and soothing water features.

Shop til you drop at Concord Mills, one of the states most visited attractions featuring more than 200 outlets, restaurants and retailers as well as North Carolinas only Bass Pro Shop.
Enhance your homes design with modern Scandinavian creations at IKEAs only location in the Carolinas. Relax at the Spa Botanica with a Rocky River Facial at the Embassy Suites Charlotte Concord.

Find more great reasons to Explore Charlotte at

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