Charlotte Travel Guide

North Carolina is known as a state where the “need for speed” runs through everyone’s veins. But for guests of Charlotte hotels who want to feel the rush for themselves, a day at the Dirt Track Racing School is just what the mechanic ordered! Located just outside of town, visitors to such Charlotte hotels as Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord will experience the adrenaline rush of a lifetime as they speed around the track.

The DTRS opened to guests of Charlotte hotels in March of 2008. Since then, hundreds of racing enthusiasts have taken classes at the historic Carolina Speedway. There are a variety of experiences from which visitors of Charlotte hotels can choose. Plus, the DTRS works to ensure that every guest of Charlotte hotels can find a package that suits his or her budget.

When visiting the track, visitors from Charlotte hotels will find several kinds of vehicles to drive. Options include a Legends car, Modified, Late Model, and a Sprint car. No matter which experience visitors to Charlotte hotels choose, one thing is certain: the sideways fun in the dirt is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The DTRS offers several packages to guests of Charlotte hotels. Each program includes classroom instruction and a walk-through of the track with an experienced DTRS instructor. Guests of Charlotte hotels can rest-assured that they are in the hands of professionals, and all safety precautions are in place. Programs available to visitors from Charlotte hotels range from one race session (12 laps) up to the Dirt Skills 50, where you’ll receive 50 total laps in the car of your choice.

Guests of Charlotte hotels do not need prior racing experience; however all drivers must be at least 14 years of age. Visitors from Charlotte hotels are encouraged to make reservations as far in advance as possible, as the track is often booked. For more information on the Dirt Track Racing School, contact your concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord or visit www.driveondirt.com.

For visitors to Charlotte hotels who love to shop, the Concord Mills shopping mall offers an impressive 1.4 million square feet of shopping bliss. As one of North Carolina’s biggest tourist attractions, the mall sees nearly 20 million shoppers from Charlotte hotels each year. Guests of Charlotte hotels will find over 200 stores, along with plenty of other entertainment and dining options.

The Concord Mills shopping mall offers visitors from Charlotte hotels, such as the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord, a wide variety of manufacturer stores, factory outlets, and specialty shops. Guests of Charlotte hotels will discover shops for nearly every kind of apparel, accessory, and home décor. Plus, visitors from Charlotte hotels will find several anchor stores, including TJMaxx and North Carolina’s only Bass Pro Shop.

Along with lots of places to shop, guests of Charlotte hotels can enjoy a variety of other entertainment options at Concord Mills. For example, when shoppers from Charlotte hotels need a break, the onsite AMC Theatres are a perfect place to relax and take in a flick. Concord Mills is also home to a Dave & Buster’s—a popular place for guests of Charlotte hotels to grab a bite and play a few arcade games.

In addition, Concord Mills features the NASCAR Speedpark. This attraction is a great place for families from Charlotte hotels to have plenty of fun in a race-themed amusement park setting. Visitors from Charlotte hotels will have a great time racing around the track in double- and single-seater cars. Plus, guests of Charlotte hotels can take home a token of their trip after browsing through the apparel and other merchandise in the retail store.

For the shopaholics staying in Charlotte hotels, the Concord Mills shopping mall truly offers something for everyone. In fact, you just might need more than one day to make the rounds! Ask your concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord, or visit www.usnwc.org. or www.simon.com for more information.

Wine-lovers visiting Charlotte hotels like the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord need to look no further than the Childress Vineyards to find some of the best wines in town. The vineyard, owned by NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, is just a short drive north of the city. The vineyard has been open since 2004 and offers guests of Charlotte hotels a wine experience unlike any other in North Carolina.

Visitors from Charlotte hotels will first notice the beautiful architecture of the 35,000-square-foot facility. The winery’s design was inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture, and guests of Charlotte hotels will find this old world charm throughout the winery—from balconies, to sitting areas, to tasting rooms. Visitors from Charlotte hotels can enjoy the full experience of the winery and vineyards by participating in one of the daily tours.

After touring the facility, guests from Charlotte hotels will certainly find plenty of ways to continue enjoying the Childress Vineyards. The Tasting Room is open until 6:00 p.m. daily, and allows visitors from Charlotte hotels to sample a variety of wines. Childress offers a full line of expertly created wines, including House Wines, Varietals, and Signature wines. Guests of Charlotte hotels may even get a chance to visit with Childress’ winemaker while they sip and sample.

While spending an afternoon of wine-tasting, visitors from Charlotte hotels may also order from the menu at the Bistro. The vineyard’s onsite kitchen features daily lunch hours as well as a popular Sunday brunch. Guests of Charlotte hotels can choose from a variety of freshly made entrées, soups, and other fare. The Italian-inspired menu is strongly focused on organic produce, meats, seafood, and homemade pastas.

After a day of tours and tastings, guests of Charlotte hotels can stop by the property’s gift shop to take home a few bottles of their favorite varietals, as well as wine accessories, apparel, gourmet foods, and much more. Visitors of Charlotte hotels interested in learning more about the Childress Vineyards can contact their concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord.

For thrill-seekers staying in Charlotte hotels like the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord, there’s one nearby destination that is sure to get their blood pumping. At the U.S. National Whitewater Center, guests of Charlotte hotels will find 307 acres of woodlands dedicated to a variety of recreational activities. This exciting facility opened to the public in 2006 and allows visitors from Charlotte hotels to try their hand at whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, biking, hiking, and even rock-climbing.

Located just 10 minutes from downtown along the scenic Catawba River, guests of Charlotte hotels can easily access the USNWC. One of the most unique features of the Center is the multi-channel, customized whitewater river made for rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. Visitors from Charlotte hotels will learn that this is the largest man-made re-circulating river in the world. Guests of Charlotte hotels will ride the rapids down the river, then be carried back to the top by a conveyor – much like a ski lift.

For the trail warriors visiting from Charlotte hotels, the USNWC also features 14 miles of trails for walking, hiking, and running. Its location along the Catawba River allows guests of Charlotte hotels to experience the scenic woodlands up close. Trails are color-coded so that guests of Charlotte hotels can easily choose their preferred skill level. While on the trails, visitors from Charlotte hotels will enjoy the habitats surrounding them.

Back at the USNWC, visitors from Charlotte hotels will find one of the world’s largest outdoor climbing facilities. The climbing facility has over 40 walls from which guests of Charlotte hotels can choose, ranging in skill level from beginner to obstacles that will challenge even the most experience climbers.

The U.S. National Whitewater Center has a variety of packages available for guests of Charlotte hotels. For more information, visitors to Charlotte hotels can contact their concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord, or visit www.usnwc.org.

Visitors to Charlotte hotels are surrounded by interesting places to visit. But for those Charlotte hotel guests who enjoy photography and film, the Light Factory museum is the perfect place to get your fix of contemporary art. Located in the heart of town, visitors from Charlotte hotels can easily make the Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film part of their stay.

The museum is dedicated to light-generated mediums of art and consists of exhibits that celebrate excellence in both contemporary and historic images and movies. In fact, guests of Charlotte hotels may be interested to know that this is the largest center for photography and film south of New York.

Guests of Charlotte hotels will enjoy the variety of exhibits offered at the museum. For instance, the Group f.64 and the Modernist exhibit allows visitors from Charlotte hotels to experience photography that stems from taking pictures using the smallest aperture setting on a large format camera, resulting in great depth and sharp images. Visitors from Charlotte hotels will see photos by artists such as Ansel Adams and Willard Van Dyke. Other photography exhibits open to guests of Charlotte hotels include The Ties that Bind, and The Romance of the Road.

Also at the Light Factory, visitors from Charlotte hotels can partake in a variety of films in the museums independent theater. Guests of Charlotte hotels will see independent films that are meant to stir discussion and promote dialogues outside of mainstream movies. Currently, guests of Charlotte hotels will enjoy films including Patti Smith: Dream of Life, and Life Without, a series of short films about a girl whose parents are incarcerated.

In addition to exhibitions and films, the Light Factory also has an extensive educational program consisting of classes and subjects relating to photography and filmmaking. Guests of Charlotte hotels can check the museum’s website for classes and scheduling. In addition, visitors from Charlotte hotels may participate in an educational tour, which includes a darkroom demonstration.

Visitors from Charlotte hotels who are interested in learning more about the Light Factory should check with their concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord. Admission is free and the museum is open daily.

At the Carolinas Aviation Museum, visitors from Charlotte hotels get a chance to see an impressive collection of aircraft. Founded in 1992 by Floyd and Lois Wilson, the museum is a popular place with younger guests of Charlotte hotels, but visitors of all ages will enjoy browsing through the museum’s displays.

Located right on the grounds of the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, guests of Charlotte hotels can easily find the Carolinas Aviation Museum. Visitors from Charlotte hotels will find the museum at an authentic 1930s-era hangar – a piece of history that the Carolinas Historic Aviation Commission saved from demolition in the early 1990s.

Visitors from Charlotte hotels will enjoy the many different types of aircraft on property. Guests of Charlotte hotels will see over 50 static aircraft in the collection, including airplanes, gliders, and helicopters. Visitors from Charlotte hotels will also see the museum’s collection of flying historic aircraft, including a DC-3 and two Mohawks that attend air shows along the east coast.

In addition to the commercial, military, and general aviation aircraft and helicopters, the museum also offers guests from Charlotte hotels the chance to get up close with several interactive displays. For example, visitors from Charlotte hotels can climb aboard the KC-97, the world’s first aerial tanker and an offshoot of the B-29 bomber.

Finally, in the Dolph Overton Aviation Library, visitors from Charlotte hotels can browse a collection of aviation-related books, photographs, manuals, aircraft instruments and cockpit parts. The museum is always interested in collecting relevant items, so guests of Charlotte hotels who have aviation materials to donate are encouraged to consider contributing to the museum.

The museum is open every day except Monday, and admission is always less than ten dollars per person. For more information on the Carolinas Aviation Museum, visitors from Charlotte hotels should ask the concierge at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort Charlotte-Concord.

At the Actor’s Theatre in Charlotte, guests of Charlotte hotels who enjoy contemporary theater productions will not be disappointed. This provocative theater group is the area’s only company dedicated to presenting visitors of Charlotte hotels with plays intended for mature audiences. The goal is to give audiences from Charlotte hotels an experience that is entertaining, relevant and thought-provoking.

The theatre was formed in 1989 with just one full-time employee and one part-time employee. Soon after, guests from Charlotte hotels began enjoying performances in a 70-seat studio at Charlotte’s Spirit Square. After several years of success entertaining visitors of Charlotte hotels, the company moved into Spirit Square’s 195-seat theater. The company remained at that location until its new Charlotte home was completed, which now includes a 200-seat main stage theater and the company’s offices.

The Actor’s Theatre regularly produces shows for guests of Charlotte hotels, which are written by contemporary playwrights from across the country. In order to keep costs low for visitors from Charlotte hotels, the company employs local professional actors and set designers. During the 2009-2010 season, the company will also present guests of Charlotte hotels with an expanded repertoire to include works from Broadway, Off Broadway, and Regional Theater.

In addition to offering interesting plays and musicals to guests of Charlotte hotels, the Actor’s Theatre has several other amenities and programs. During performances, visitors from Charlotte hotels can choose from a selection of wine, beer, sodas and snacks at the concession stand. For those kids from Charlotte hotels who are interested in learning more about acting, the theatre also offers kid-friendly acting classes.

Find out more about the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte by visiting the front desk of the Embassy Suites Charlotte/Concord Hotel.

Guests of Charlotte hotels looking for a thrilling way to burn some energy will find the perfect option at Charlotte’s Laser Quest. This state-of-the-art laser tag facility is conveniently located near Charlotte hotels and offers an inexpensive way to spend a day during your trip. This fast-paced game can be enjoyed by visitors from Charlotte hotels who are anywhere between the ages of 5 and 85 years old.

Visitors from Charlotte hotels will find lots of places to hide in the facility’s multi-level arena, which is equipped with such special effects as lighting, fog and exciting music. Guests of Charlotte hotels can play the game as individuals or on teams; but the goal is always the same—tag your opponents’ sensors and score as many points as possible!

During a game, approximately 30 visitors from Charlotte hotels will be in the arena at one time, with each game lasting about a half an hour. This time frame provides guests of Charlotte hotels with a game briefing, laser-tag mission, and scorecards. Once inside, it’s every man for himself, as players shoot laser beams at each other. But don’t worry, even when guests from Charlotte hotels get hit, you’ll only be down for five seconds before you’re right back in the game.

In addition to simply stopping by to play a few games, guests of Charlotte hotels may also want to take advantage of Laser Quest’s birthday, group, and corporate packages. Birthday kids from Charlotte hotels will receive two games and the party room for their friends. There are also various packages available, including the option to rent the entire arena, which may interest groups at Charlotte hotels. Finally, Laser Quest is a great alternative for companies looking for a unique place to hold team-building events.

For more information on this safe and fun activity, guests of Charlotte hotels should contact the front desk of the Embassy Suites Charlotte/Concord Hotel.