Charlotte – the Queen of North Carolina

In North Carolina's largest city, serenity meets urban flair. Just under a million people live in the university city, which has a more leisurely pace than many other US metropolitan areas. Gardens and parks help to slow things down, and only the NASCAR races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway are all about speed. The "Queen City" is also a popular starting point for road trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Atlantic coast or Lake Lure, the filming location for "Dirty Dancing." Lifting and watermelon carrying competitions are still held there regularly today.