• Interested in the arts? Don't miss our offsite event at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, http://www.mintmuseum.org/. Or visit the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Belk Theatre or Booth Playhouse to see a Broadway show, opera or ballet. http://www.blumenthalcenter.org/

• Science and technology aficionados! Look no further than Discovery Place, a hands-on science and technology center complete with a live rain forest and IMAX theater. http://www.discoveryplace.org/

• Prefer an outdoor experience? You can hike, bike, white water raft, canoe, and more just outside Charlotte at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. http://www.usnwc.org/

• Gardening enthusiasts can take pleasure in the elegant orchids and more at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. http://www.dsbg.org/

• Still enjoy the thrill of an amusement park? Carowinds features world-class rides, shows and attractions as well as a 20-acre water park. http://www.carowinds.com/

• If while visiting the south you want to learn more about post-Civil War Southern history, schedule a visit to the Levine Museum of the New South. http://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

• Charlotte was home to 9 year old Billy Graham. The Billy Graham Library combines multimedia technology and fascinating memorabilia to tell the story of his life. http://www.billygraham.org/BGLibrary_Index.asp

• Feel that you can't visit Charlotte without getting behind the wheel of a NASCAR race car? Check out Lowe's Motor Speedway and experience the thrill of driving the same tracks as your favorite drivers. http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/

Dining
Whether you want fine dining or Carolina BBQ, Charlotte's restaurants have something tasty to sink your teeth into. http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/default.asp?charlotte=293

Shopping
There's plenty of shopping in this Southern hub - from trendy boutiques to local retail mainstays. http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/default.asp?charlotte=57&urlkeyword=Shopping.

If outlet shopping is more your style, try the Prime Outlets at Gaffney, NC. It's a village-style outlet center located 45 minutes southwest of Charlotte (888.545.7194 for more information).

For more details about Charlotte, visit their website: http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/?charlotte=1