Charlotte

State

North Carolina

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Size

771 KM²

Population

857,000

Spending Budget

$2,533 - $5,066

Best Time to Visit

January
May
September
October
November

History

What was once an epicenter of America’s gold rush is now a major financial hub in North Carolina. Famous for its heart-pounding NASCAR races and world-class barbeque Charlotte metropolitan is the largest in the United States, Charlotte was officially incorporated in 1768 under the name ’Charlotte Town’ as a tribute to King George III's wife, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg. As a result of which Charlotte is also known as ’The Queen’s City. There are many interesting stories about the city, its name, and its people. For instance, in 1799 a 17-ton gold nugget was accidentally found in Cabarrus County which eventually led to America’s famous gold rush. Almost overnight, Charlotte went from a small town to a booming metropolis with miners striking it rich. The mining activity continued for decades altogether.

Present Day

Charlotte’s gold history is romantic, but railroads actually had a greater impact on the local economy. In 1852, local investors in Charlotte and upstate South Carolina succeeded at completing the first rail line to enter the heart of the Carolinas. Railroad crossroads made tiny Charlotte a hot spot in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Today, it is one of America’s largest banking centers and one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas. The estimated population of the city is 8.72 lakhs. Charlotte is also the home of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1946) as well as the Carolina Panthers and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Attracting not only tourists but also locals Charlotte’s Hall of Fame is definitely the stop of choice for NASCAR enthusiasts. The exhibits include historic race cars like a 1952 Hudson Hornet, a 1967 Chevelle, and even Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2008 Chevy Impala SS.

Future

The Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the Transformational Mobility Network Task Force report will be road maps for the transformational growth the Charlotte region will experience over the next 20 years. Its efforts to shape its future and the values that it incorporated in that planning are part of the reasons that ENR Southeast is recognizing the city of Charlotte as its 2021 Owner of the Year. Pat Rodgers, president and CEO of Charlotte-based Rodgers Builders, and a well-known figure in Charlotte’s construction community, sees the plans and the ideas in them as vehicles for justice as well as growth.According to the plan, that focus is a by-product of the realization that “Today, neighborhood change, fear and polarization inequitably impact historically African American areas.” Additionally, the report notes, Charlotte ranks last amongst America’s 50 largest cities in upward economic mobility.A significant part of addressing these issues is the plan’s incorporation of an approach of restorative justice, a concept aimed at cooperatively righting past wrongs inflicted upon certain communities.

Must Visit Places ------------

BILLY GRAHAM LIBRARY

Visitors can learn about the television pastor’s life through displays and multimedia presentations. The tour includes a memorabilia exhibit and a tour of the Graham family home. The exhibits at the Levine Museum of the New South are focused on post-Civil War southern history and the people who have shaped it. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to run their hand through a pile of cottonseed, play old-fashioned checkers, or step inside a one-room farmhouse. Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers portrays the evolution of the south through stories from Reconstruction, the economic transformation from agriculture to industrialization, the Civil Rights Era, and the rapid growth of the urban center and changing populations in Charlotte.

DISCOVERY PLACE

Is it an ever-changing museum that allows visitors to see, feel, and hearing science? In addition to several more interactive exhibits, children under age seven have their own special area called KidScience, designed just for younger visitors. The American art collection is especially strong in Federal portraiture, 19th-century landscape painting, and early-20th-century Realism. The museum has more than 2,500 works of art from the civilizations of the ancient Americas, one of the largest collections in the country and representing more than 40 of the major societies.

HISTORIC ROSEDALE PLANTATION

And its nine-acre landscaped grounds offer a glimpse at life in Antebellum Charlotte. Built in 1815, Rosedale was known as "Frew’s Folly" because its owner, merchant Archibald Frew, lavished money on constructing the 4,600-square-foot plantation home. The house, a blacksmith shop, and the extensive historic gardens, which include formal beds bordered in boxwood, an outstanding rose collection, and five Treasure Trees, designated for their age, historical significance, size, or rarity in the region. The plantation is known for its majestic flowering trees.

DANIEL STOWE BOTANICAL GARDEN

Set on the banks of Lake Wylie, a conservatory dedicated to tropical plants and orchids. The 8,000-square-foot, five-story glass house includes a waterfall and an orchid wall draped in showy and fragrant blossoms. Outdoors, the Four Seasons Garden provides colors, shapes, and textures that are pleasing any time of the year. The gardens glow throughout December with the Mile of a Million Lights, when the lights on the topiary trees dance in time to music, and glittering cherry trees reflect in the canal; fairy villages and seasonal model railway scenes enliven the conservatory. Other special events are Independence Day activities and fireworks and a Chinese Lantern Festival.

PARAMOUNT’S CAROWINDS AMUSEMENT PARK

The "Thrill Capital of the Southeast" provides plenty of things to do, with family diversions, roller-coasters, water rides, and stage shows. A dinosaur exhibit allows you to walk through a Mesozoic setting brought to life with detailed animatronics. The world’s tallest and fastest Giga coaster, the 325-foot-tall Fury 325.

US NATIONAL WHITE WATER CENTER

Is known for its innovative man-made rapids which allow beginners and experienced white water enthusiasts to learn or test their rafting skills in a variety of rapids with the help of experienced guides. Flatwater sports of paddle-boarding, canoeing, and kayaking are offered.

FREEDOM PARK

Covers nearly a hundred acres and has plenty of activities for everyone, tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, while ballplayers can practice their swing in the batting cages or catch a game at one of the four ball fields. There are also plenty of walking trails for a more leisurely visit. It might not be known for its best dining experience but Charlotte has a lot to offer to satisfy every palate. Barbeque is the major source of Tarheel State pride. It is an all-time favorite in Charlotte. Come summer, and you will get to taste some of the best barbecue pork, chicken, and lamb on the East Coast. Most of these dishes are served with coleslaw, spicy smoked sweet potatoes, cornbread, barbecued beans, and jalapeno cheddar corn cakes. Lexington Barbecue is the stop shop for all kinds of barbeque, their speciality being pork.