Largest City Charlotte

North Carolina is a southeastern U.S. state that has a landscape ranging from the beaches by the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains.

The largest city and commercial hub is Charlotte. It was named in honor of the wife of King George II, Charlotte of Mecklenburg.

NASCAR Hall of Fame delights visitors with a banked ramp that simulates a racetrack. You can see historic race cars such as a 1952 Hudson Hornet, a 1967 Chevelle, and a 2008 Chevy Impala 55. There is a High Octane Theater which features a 64-foot wide projection screen with surround sound. Exhibits give visitors a look at NASCAR behind the scenes and how individual teams prepare for a race day. The Hall of Honor pays tribute to all the NASCAR inductees.

Carolinas Aviation Museum offers exhibits about the history, technology, and evolution of air travel. Visitors can see aircrafts on display among them a replica of the Wright Flyer. There are also military aircraft on display including the most important British fighter planes that were used in WW I. Visitors also have the chance to see the planes outside on the tarmac.

If you are looking for some thrills and chills visit Paramount’s Carowinds Amusement Park. It is the “Thrill Capital of the Southeast”. You can enjoy roller coasters, water rides, and stage shows. There is a dinosaur exhibit that lets you walk through a Mesozoic setting which is brought to life with detailed animatronics. If you have a pet with you there is a pet kennel for your best friend.

Discovery Place is a museum that lets visitors see, feel, and hear science. The displays welcome hands-on participation. The Explore More Life Lab explores biodiversity and lets visitors participate in experiments. Project Build looks at the properties of physics and Think It Up encourages creativity and originality with various projects. There is Kid Science offering children under seven the chance to get involved with science. You can enjoy the IMAX theater where you can imagine being small enough to travel inside the human body, explore the natural world, and explore space.

The Billy Graham Library is where you can learn about the life of the TV pastor through displays and multimedia presentations. It is a 1.5-hour tour that includes memorabilia exhibits and a tour of the Graham family home. Afterward, you can relax in the Memorial Prayer Garden. Here you’ll also find Billy Graham’s personal library and a custom mural by Thomas Kinkade.

Freedom Park is a great place for people to relax. There are outdoor shelters with grills for picnics. For those who love sporting activities, there are tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts. Baseball players can practice their swings in the batting cages or watch games at one of the four ball fields. There are lots of walking trails as well. Children can enjoy the playgrounds and the NFL Play360 KidZone. There is a concession stand for refreshments and lunch. The park is also a popular place for both formal and informal concerts and performances and is the home of the Freedom Park Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.

The Levine Museum of the New South has exhibits focused on post-Civil War Southern history and the people who shaped it. Visitors enjoy the interactive exhibits. Temporary exhibits focus on social and political change and the influence of diversity on Southern culture.

The Mint Museum of Art opened its doors in 1936 and was the first art museum in North Carolina. Today it is an internationally renowned institution regularly featuring new exhibits. In the permanent collection, you can see art throughout history including paintings, textiles and fashion, decorative arts, modern art, and crafts.

The Charlotte Museum of History has permanent exhibits among them one that looks at the neighborhoods of Charlotte. Docents offer visitors entertaining and informative tours of the beautifully restored buildings among them the Hezekiah Alexander House, the Kitchen and the Springhouse. Visitors can walk about the galleries and the paths through the historic garden and see the seven-ton American Freedom Bell, a 1769 Spanish cannon, and a stone Chilean mill dating back to the nation’s first gold rush.

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art has a collection of artworks by some of the best-known artists of the mid-20th century. The museum also hosts music events throughout the year, including a monthly jazz night. This is the second museum in the country to be designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta.

The Historic Rosedale Plantation can be found just minutes from busy Uptown. It offers visitors a look into the life in antebellum Charlotte. It was built in 1815 and known as “Frew’s Folly” since its owner merchant Archibald Frew spent his money on the construction of the 4.600-square-foot plantation. The plantation is known for its majestic flowering trees.