Charlotte has a strong arts and culture scene and hosts a variety of ballets and stage shows. You can experience opera, ballet, theater, fine art, architecture, cultural festivals and more. Its museums and galleries are among the best in the nation. The Arts and Science Council of Charlotte supports 27 cultural organizations, neighborhood festivals, arts education programs and more, allowing Charlotte to host more than 65,000 performances and events annually. The Billy Graham Library is located here as well.

Charlotte is also known as “the thrill capital of the Southeast.” Charlotte Motor Speedway offers world class stock car racing and tours behind the scenes of the speedway and the NASCAR Hall of Fame is one of the area’s most popular attractions. For another type of outdoor thrill try whitewater rafting at the US National Whitewater Center or the rip roaring roller coasters of Carowinds.

This city is "family and kid friendly" offering attractions such as Discovery Place, an interactive science museum with an IMAX Dome Theatre on site and the Joe & Joan Martin Center, a whimsical educational center that’s part library, part theater and all about bringing stories to life. Kids may also enjoy a baseball game of the Charlotte Knights game or feeding wild animals at the Lazy 5 Ranch.

The nightlife scene is centered around the NC Music that features an ample supply of bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and live music along a district set amid historic mill buildings. Two other popular areas include EpiCentre and the NoDa neighborhood.

With a changing face sure to surprise most fashionistas, the shopping hub of Charlotte offers up some of the best designer labels this side of Manhattan.