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Charlotte

North Carolina’s largest city, Charlotte sprawls 15 miles in every direction from its compact, high-rise core. Futuristic skyscrapers pepper downtown Charlotte, which is officially known as ‘Uptown,’ supposedly because it sits on a barely visible ridge, but really because the council decided that sounds cooler. Uptown holds several fine museums plus the high-octane NASCAR Hall of Fame, while more museums and historic sites are scattered further afield. Hotels and restaurants are also concentrated Uptown, though funkier neighborhoods within easy reach include Plaza Midwood, just east, with its boutiques and restaurants, and hip NoDa, along North Davidson St, where former textile mills hold breweries and cafes.

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Must-see attractions

Sullenberger Aviation Museum
Charlotte
The Sullenberger Aviation Museum, honoring Captain Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III, is located at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Levine Museum of the New South
Charlotte
Tracing the story of the ‘New South’ that emerged from the ashes of the Civil War, this committed museum explores the years of Reconstruction, Jim Crow…
Mint Museum Randolph
Charlotte
The US Mint opened its first-ever outpost in Uptown Charlotte in 1837, using gold mined from the mountains nearby. Transported 3 miles southeast a century…
NASCAR Hall of Fame
Charlotte
The race-car simulator ($5) at this rip-roaring Uptown museum hurtles you onto the track and into a 15-car race that feels surprisingly real. Elsewhere,…
Mint Museum Uptown
Charlotte
A stunning modernist edifice tucked between mighty skyscrapers, the Uptown portion of Charlotte’s Mint Museum consists of two distinct halves. One makes a…
Historic Latta Plantation
Charlotte
This 19th-century cotton plantation occupies a small corner of a scenic nature preserve, a dozen miles north of Uptown Charlotte. Exhibits in the visitor…
Discovery Place Science
Charlotte
Illustrating simple scientific principles with eye-catching displays, Discovery Place is targeted largely at kids. It centers on a steamy rainforest that…
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
Charlotte
An Uptown landmark, thanks to sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle’s huge mirror-tiled Firebird out front, this showcase for 20th-century art was donated to the…

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Top 14 things to do in Charlotte to get the most out of your visit

Curated by Amy Conry Davis

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
Charlotte
An Uptown landmark, thanks to sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle’s huge mirror-tiled Firebird out front, this showcase for 20th-century art was donated to the…
NASCAR Hall of Fame
Charlotte
The race-car simulator ($5) at this rip-roaring Uptown museum hurtles you onto the track and into a 15-car race that feels surprisingly real. Elsewhere,…
Mint Museum Uptown
Charlotte
A stunning modernist edifice tucked between mighty skyscrapers, the Uptown portion of Charlotte’s Mint Museum consists of two distinct halves. One makes a…
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Charlotte
Everything’s distinctly German-flavored here, from the huge wood-paneled beer hall and the sunny beer garden, via the sausages ($7) and schnitzel ($13),…
US National Whitewater Center
Charlotte
A beyond-awesome hybrid of nature center and water park, this 1300-acre facility is home to the largest artificial white-water river in the world. You can…
Harvey B Gantt Center
Charlotte
This thriving Uptown art museum was named in honor of former city mayor and civil rights champion Harvey Gannt. Its three small galleries host changing…

10 free or cheap things to do in Charlotte, North Carolina

Curated by DeAnna Taylor

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
Charlotte
An Uptown landmark, thanks to sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle’s huge mirror-tiled Firebird out front, this showcase for 20th-century art was donated to the…
Mint Museum Uptown
Charlotte
A stunning modernist edifice tucked between mighty skyscrapers, the Uptown portion of Charlotte’s Mint Museum consists of two distinct halves. One makes a…
Mint Museum Randolph
Charlotte
The US Mint opened its first-ever outpost in Uptown Charlotte in 1837, using gold mined from the mountains nearby. Transported 3 miles southeast a century…
Harvey B Gantt Center
Charlotte
This thriving Uptown art museum was named in honor of former city mayor and civil rights champion Harvey Gannt. Its three small galleries host changing…
Romare Bearden Park
Charlotte
This small park celebrates the African American artist and writer Romare Bearden, born in Charlotte in 1911. A pretty spot to admire the Uptown skyline or…