Charlotte is the largest city in southern North Carolina. Sometimes called the "Southern Big Apple,"Lonely Planet: Charlotte Overview Charlotte has museums, some "excellent"Lonely Planet: Charlotte Overview dining choices and a "nightlife for every persuasion."Visit Charlotte: Charlotte City Guide

Discovery Place is a "family-friendly,"Visit Charlotte: Family-Friendly Attractions "hand-on"Frommer's: Discovery Place & the Nature Museum science and technology museum in uptown Charlotte. There is an "OMNIMAX"Frommer's: Discovery Place & the Nature Museum theater, a planetarium, a tropical rain forest exhibitFrommer's: Discovery Place & the Nature Museum, an aquarium and rides for the whole family to enjoy. Other attractions are a puppet theater and a "10-foot" eyeball exhibit that visitors can walk through.Fodor's: Discovery Place Be sure to check out the website for a schedule for the IMAX show times.Source: IMAX

For the NASCAR fan, Lowe's Motor Speedway is considered to be "the heart of NASCAR."Fodor's: Lowe's Motor Speedway It's one of the "busiest"Fodor's: Lowe's Motor Speedway sports complexes in the United States and can hold about 167,000Fodor's: Lowe's Motor Speedway spectators. There is an "upscale"Fodor's: Lowe's Motor Speedway restaurant on-site, the Speedway Club and even a driving school, "The Richard Petty Driving Experience.Lowe's Motor Speedway: Driving School Overview

When planning your trip, please see the pages on Charlotte Restaurants and Charlotte Hotels.

• TripAdvisor: Charlotte Travel Packages and Hotel Deals

• • The Mahalo Guide To Charlotte Hotels
• Official Tourism Site: Charlotte Accommodations
• Frommer's: Charlotte Hotels
• Fodor's: Charlotte Hotels
• TripAdvisor: Charlotte Hotels
• WCities: Charlotte Where to Stay
• VirtualTourist: Charlotte Hotels

• • The Mahalo Guide To Charlotte Restaurants

• Official Tourism Site: Charlotte Restaurants
• Frommer's: Charlotte Restaurants
• Fodor's: Charlotte Restaurants
• TripAdvisor: Charlotte Restaurants
• WCities: Charlotte Dining and Drinking
• VirtualTourist: Charlotte Restaurants