About Charlotte

Big and getting bigger perfectly describes Charlotte, North Carolina. As the nation's second largest financial center, Charlotte adds to its already impressive skyline with more new buildings every year.

As major business travel destination, flights to Charlotte are easy to come by, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport is well served from around the country by major airlines including American, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways.

Charlotte may be best known as a business travel destination, but there's plenty for leisure travelers to do as well. Watch high-speed race-car action at Lowe's Motor Speedway, which hosts the annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race each May. Or achieve maximum velocity on a roller coaster at nearby Carowinds amusement and water park.

Find more thrills in the great outdoors at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, where visitors can raft, kayak, hike, bike, and even climb at one of the world's largest outdoor climbing facilities. Continue the outdoor adventure and get up close and personal with large birds at the Carolina Raptor Center or giraffes and zebras at the Lazy 5 Ranch.

North Carolina's largest city offers cosmopolitan diversions as well. Broadway musicals come to the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. The Mint Museum of Art is rich in pre-Columbian art as well as contemporary art and photography. And nightlife is in full swing in NoDa, Charlotte's historic arts district, and at EpiCentre, where you'll find restaurants, bars, and music venues.