Charlotte Tourist Attractions

The 21st largest city in the United States, Charlotte is the largest trading center in the southeast and second largest financial center in the United States and the center of the nation's fifth largest urban region. Charlotte's key attractions include Carowinds Theme and Water Park, Discovery Place science center and IMAX Dome Theatre and the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.

Charlotte is a sports enthusiast's dream! World-class professional sporting events are held in Charlotte throughout the year, many of which call Charlotte home.

Visitors can experience Charlotte’s Center City by riding the Gold Rush rubber-wheeled trolley service, or ride the rails and take a relaxing guided tour of Charlotte aboard Streetcar #85 – an electric streetcar built in the Queen City in 1927. During this two-mile jaunt through Historic South End and the Center City on the Gold Rush, hear about Charlotte’s rise as an industrial and financial center and note the many historic landmarks along the route. Hop off to enjoy antique shopping and fine dining.

The trolley showcases Charlotte’s growing, diverse community and introduces many to smart city planning and transit. Charlotte’s vintage trolleys animate the city center, connecting thriving urban neighborhoods with business and entertainment, creating a moving, changing classroom for exploring science, technology and the story of Charlotte’s past and future. Construction crews are now working on building light-rail transit stations and laying the tracks for the South Corridor Light Rail Line from Tremont Avenue to Seventh Street.

To maintain the transit connection between Center City and South End, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) launched a service called the South End Shuttle, which closely mirrors the Charlotte Trolley Line. The shuttle operates every half hour, seven days a week. Travelers between Morehead and 11th streets can ride free of charge. Riders between Atherton Mill and Morehead Street will be charged $1.

Discovery Place

One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation, Discovery Place provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that foster experiences in areas that range from life science to space exploration. More than a half-million people from all over the United States visit Discovery Place, its IMAX Dome Theatre and the Charlotte Nature Museum each year. In 2005 Discovery Place was selected by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Jerusalem to develop and present a major exhibition featuring the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The exhibition proved to be the most successful exhibition the science center developed in its 25-year history, attracting more than 300,000 visitors while on display.

ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center

Experience Charlotte’s newest educational facility, ImaginOn. Colorful, whimsical and unexpected. ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center: a partnership and joint use facility of The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, is no doubt going to be an integral part of the city’s burgeoning cultural district. Reflecting an original approach to education, learning and the arts, ImaginOn will be an unprecedented resource for the community and for Charlotte visitors by creating an inspired marriage of form and function offering an educational playground for young and old.

NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

The NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art, multi-use performing arts center that yearly hosts the Broadway Lights Series, featuring national touring Broadway productions and a wide range of special attractions.

All About Sports!

Boasting an impressive roster of professional sports teams along with the best and most varied recreational facilities available, Charlotte is a national sports center and a sports enthusiast’s dream.