Charlotte, North Carolina is a beautiful mix of new meeting old. The city proudly boasts being named after Queen Charlotte of England and stands on the crossroads of an old Native American trading route. It has a rich history combined with lush natural surroundings and breathtaking new architecture. After meeting with our local Destination Services Consultant (DSC) team, I could tell how city-proud they were of Charlotte. By the end of the Area Orientation tour that our Consultant Cat took me on, I understood both her and her team’s pride in their city, making me want to move there myself!

Overview:
The greater Charlotte area has a population of 2.5 million and is growing larger. The growing population supports the prospering business sector which is home to 8 eight Fortune 500 companies and 950 international companies. The business sector houses major companies and industries including: NASCAR, banking, finance, energy, aerospace, and defense. The city also boasts an impressive host of arts, cultural, and recreation attractions.

Housing:

• Charlotte’s economic growth has caused the rental market to be very competitive, with housing going fairly quickly once listed.
• Young professionals favor the area of Uptown (Charlotte’s Downtown). Uptown has a great night life, but the cost of living there is often on par with larger in-demand markets.
• Another neighborhood, South End, is a less expensive area, however, it is still popular secondary option.
• Families tend to prefer the southern suburbs of Charlotte. Although one of the most expensive suburbs, Ballantyne is the most popular for families.

Attractions:

• NASCAR Hall of Fame has more than 50 interactive exhibits with nearly 1000 artifacts spread out over four floors and 150,000 square feet.
• U.S. Whitewater Center promotes an active, outdoor lifestyle for all ages. They offer programs both at the Center’s 500 acres on the Catawba River and work with groups across the US.
• Carowinds hosts the tallest and fastest giga coaster, “a classification given to coasters between 300-399 feet tall which completes a full circuit,” which won the 2015 Golden Ticket Award for “Best New Ride
• Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s sprawling is 380 acres of gardens, which and was named one of the nation’s “20 Great Gardens” by HGTV, offers flowers and plant life that is truly stunning.
• Discovery Place is a museum for all ages to discover, where “science astonishes, educates, and entertains.” It is one of the top science museums in the U.S.

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Author: Anna Engel, Destination Services