Registration Opens For Rescue Ranch’s Spring and Summer Critter Camps

Charlotte Stories
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Registration Opens For Rescue Ranch’s Spring and Summer Critter Camps

Parents of preschoolers to eighth-grade students can now register their children for Rescue Ranch’s 2022 Critter Camps, daily spring and daily/one-week summer camp sessions offering hands-on educational experiences with animal interactions.

Critter Camps are designed to be fun, educational camp experiences for children who love animals. All camps involve daily interaction with animals, games, crafts and STEM activities. Campers will learn how to care for animals, provide enrichment, and to promote humane animal care to others.

In addition, and weather depending, campers will explore the Ranch’s walking trails and have access to the 10,000 square foot inclusive Earnhardt Family playground.

Assisting with each camp session are Rescue Ranch’s 79 permanent residents and animal ambassadors that include steer, turkeys, miniature horses, potbellied pigs, a variety of parrots, ferrets, rabbits, snakes, lizards, tortoises and more.

The 2022 Critter Camp schedule is as follows:

Spring Break

For kindergarten through fifth-grade students, the spring break session is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $43 per day or $200 per child, per week, March 7-11.

  • Animal Engineers –This week campers will learn what engineering is, what animals are engineers and attempt to engineer their own animal. Campers will play games, complete STEM activities and have hands on animal interactions.

To register for the Spring Break Critter Camp, visit rescueranch.com/programs/camps/.

Summer Camp

For preschool children age four or five, there is one session available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Animal Alphabeteers – Campers will learn about the alphabet with animals. They will also learn about shapes, colors, letters and numbers through crafts, games and exploration. The cost is $110 per child, per four-day session and the dates include June 6-9.

For children entering kindergarten through fifth grade, there are seven themed, weekly and daily sessions available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  • Animal Archaeology – Campers will learn about animals throughout history. They will learn how animals were discovered, where mythological animals came from, and what it takes to discover an animal. The cost is $210 per child, per five-day session and the dates include June 13-17, June 20-24, June 27- July 1 and July 6-8 ($45 per day for this session).
  • Are You Smarter Than A Pot-Belly Pig?  – It’s not just dogs who can be trained to do tricks. Campers will learn about all the amazing things that animals are capable of doing. The cost is $210 per child, per five-day session and the dates include July 25-29, August 1-5, and August 8-12.

For students entering sixth through eighth grade, there is one themed weeklong session from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  • Animal Careers –From veterinarians, to zookeepers, to wildlife rehabilitators campers will learn about all different careers for animal lovers. The cost is $210 per child, per week and the date is July 18-22.

For campers with special needs, entering first through sixth grade, there is one weeklong, half day, sessions available from 9 a.m. to noon.

  • Animal Alphabeteers – Campers will learn about the alphabet with animals. They will also learn about shapes, colors, letters and numbers through crafts, games and exploration. The cost is $25 per child, per week. No additional discounts are available this week as the cost has been reduced thanks to donor support and the date is July 11 – July 15.

These sessions are open to children with disabilities including but not limited to, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other special needs that require more supervision and a smaller group setting in order to have a successful camp experience. This camp is taught by certified teachers with exceptional children experience who are first aid and CPR certified. This camp will have a 3 to 1 ratio of kids to adults with junior counselors to assist. All abilities welcome.

To register for this session, please contact Allyson Floyd at (704) 768-0909 or at education@rescueranch.com.

A 10 percent discount applies for any preschool, elementary or middle school Summer Critter Camp if registered by March 15 or a 5 percent discount if registered by May 1. Also available is a $10 sibling discount when registered together. For some sessions, extended care is available from 8-9 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. for $15 per day.

Registration will remain open as long as space is available. For more information on Rescue Ranch’s Critter Camps or to register, visit rescueranch.com/programs/camps/. Payment plans and partial scholarships are available.

Meet An Olympic Gold Medalist and Learn How To Curl This Weekend in Charlotte

Charlotte Stories
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Meet An Olympic Gold Medalist and Learn How To Curl This Weekend in Charlotte

This coming weekend is your chance to learn all about the amazing Olympic sport of curling and meet a gold-metal Olympian while watching the 2022 Winter Olympics live at the Charlotte Curling Association.

For just $10 admission, Charlotteans can receive an on-ice session, learn to sweep, and throw two rocks. The 2021 US Men’s National Championship team, led by Korey Dropkin and 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Joe Polo will be present to go into detail about the skills involved in the sport. This weekend’s olympic open house will take place on February 19 from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm.

The Charlotte Curling Association is located at 6525 Old Statesville Rd., Charlotte.

If you’ve never heard about curling in Charlotte, check out this video;

You can find out more information about all their event’s on Charlotte Curling’s Calendar page here.

McCaffery Competing in Live Million Dollar Twitch + Fortnite Tournament

Steve
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McCaffery Competing in Live Million Dollar Twitch + Fortnite Tournament

Carolina Panthers’ Christian McCaffery will be participating in Streamer Bowl III—a fan-fueled esports tournament put on by Twitch Rivals, Fortnite and the NFL Players Association.

Streamer Bowl III will test the skills in the battle-royale style video game Fortnite, where Christian will be joined by other top NFLers, including Justin Jefferson, Juju Smith-Schuster and Christian McCaffrey. Each athlete will be paired with a Twitch streamer and community member to compete for charity and clout, setting the stage for an exciting weekend of football and fun, as Super Bowl season is in full swing.

The showdown is taking place on Wed, February 9th beginning at 2:30 PM PT/5:30 PM ET on twitch.tv/twitchrivals

Participants will be competing for a share of the $1 million charity prize pool.

STREAMER BOWL III PARTICIPANTS 

ATHLETES

  • Aaron Jones (Green Bay Packers)
  • Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints)
  • Amani Oruwariye (Detroit Lions)
  • Anthony Barr (Minnesota Vikings)
  • Anthony Hines III (Los Angeles Rams)
  • Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers)
  • Avonte Maddox (Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Boston Scott (Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Christian McCaffrey (Carolina Panthers)
  • JaQuan Hardy (Dallas Cowboys)
  • Jarvis Landry (Cleveland Browns)
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings)
  • Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers)
  • Kurt Benkert (Green Bay Packers)
  • Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
  • Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (Baltimore Ravens)
  • Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  • Saquon Barkley (New York Giants)
  • Tarik Cohen (Chicago Bears)
 STREAMERS

  • Alixxa
  • Aydan
  • brookeab
  • Chica
  • Clix
  • Bugha
  • deyyszn
  • Elded
  • Jelty
  • loserfruit
  • LosPollosTV
  • NateHill
  • NickEh30
  • NICKMERCS
  • pgod
  • Replays
  • StableRonaldo
  • Swagg
  • Symfuhny
  • SypherPK

What is Ethereum Classic?

Charlotte Stories
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What is Ethereum Classic?

Ethereum Classic (also known as ETC) is a decentralized, blockchain-based, open-source computing forum that is also a cryptocurrency. It lets developers build as well as deploy intelligent contracts—independent, self-executing code blocks that initiate specific actions based on conditions that are predefined.

The ETC network is permissionless, that means any individual can join or perform transactions if they have a crypto wallet that is compatible. Ethereum Classic was created in the year 2016, due to an ideological and technical split within the Ethereum community, following the infamous DAO attack.

Everything you need to know about Ethereum Classic 

With the usage of smart contracts, it is likely to build a Decentralized Autonomous Organization, also known as DAO, on Ethereum. Simply speaking, the governance and decision-making instrument of a DAO is codified, and it does not need any human interventions, so to say.

In the year 2016, the German startup Slock launched its DAO task on Ethereum, called “The DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).” While the project raised more than $150 million at the time of crowdfunding, hackers manipulated a loophole in its smart contract, which led to the theft of $50 million in the process. Most of the Ethereum users—including inventors Vitalik Buterin and Gavin Wood—supported a radical change in the blockchain’s ground protocol or a hard fork that could help them in the restoration of the funds. It resulted in the formation of the new Ethereum (ETH) chain.

Features of Ethereum Classic 

Ethereum Classic is different because it preserves the initial Ethereum blockchain. The Ethereum Classic blockchain operates on the proof-of-work protocol to validate transactions that need extensive computing resources to mine ETC. On the other hand, both Ethereum Classic and Ethereum presently use the proof-of-work approach, Ethereum also uses a different concurrence mechanism that is called proof of stake (and is slowly transitioning to using only this protocol). 

You can invest in Ethereum or Ethereum classic using the cryptocurrency exchange in India. However, doing your own research and then investing in the primary note that you must keep in mind.

Differences between Ethereum and Ethereum Classic 

In terms of basic functionalities, ETC and ETH are the same. For example, creators can use open-source code to design and run the desired decentralized applications (DApps). The developers can also create ERC-20 tokens as per their wishes for their applications. 

After we know the details, Ethereum Classic’s preliminary factor that differentiates it is its incompatibility with updates on the ETH blockchain. By description, a hard fork is a backward-incompatible update. By implementing a new set of rules, the new chain, and its users (nodes) are entirely cut off from the foremost chain. Therefore, the original chain (Ethereum Classic) cannot access any updates on the new chain (Ethereum).

Now, the question arises – What is the need for ETC in any case? if it is unable to be updated by the developers? As we have already mentioned, the footing of the Ethereum Classic is more on the ideological side than the other counterparts in the market. Its most significant relevance, or importance, so to say, lies in preserving the authentic and undiluted Ethereum code. With this logic, ETC functions as an unaltered documented record of the Ethereum network.

How To Increase Your Sales & Keep Them High

Sharon Anderson
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How To Increase Your Sales & Keep Them High

Running a company might have sounded much simpler than it actually is, and this is something you have undeniably figured out the moment you have established it. There are just so many different things to think about when you want to do everything the right way and when you want to be sure that you are doing your best for the company to succeed. Even after doing everything the right way, though, you might find yourself unhappy with the number of sales you are getting. This is a perfectly normal situation and you are not the first business owner to experience it.

Since you are not the first company owner to experience these types of situations, you are probably hoping right now that someone could help you increase the number of those sales and thus become more successful. After all, it’s not like all of those owners have given things up the first time they hit a snag. And, most importantly, you certainly aren’t going to give things up the first time you hit a snag, meaning that you need to find a solution to your specific issue.

Some of the techniques found here could be of help: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/03/30/14-simple-but-effective-techniques-to-increase-sales/?sh=f4ab6bc54963

The solution is, as we all know it, for you to increase your number of sales, since that will undeniably lead you towards success. If, however, you don’t want the mentioned success to be temporary and transient, then you will also have to find a way to not only increase those sales, but also keep them at a high level at all times. In other words, you need to get loyal and regular consumers if your plan is to succeed on the market, and I am pretty sure that it is.

Now, if this is clear to you, then I am guessing that you have another question swirling around your mind at the moment. In the simplest words possible, you want to be absolutely sure that you know how to increase those sales and how to keep them high, and chances are that you don’t really have an idea about how to do it. Well, that most definitely needs to change, because you don’t want to end up creating any particular sales strategies that won’t work and then realize afterwards that you have simply been wasting your time.

Since you do not want that to happen, it is quite normal to assume that you want to get at least a few relevant tips on how to increase your sales and how to keep them at a high level. By getting those tips, you will actually get a rather clear idea on how things work on the market and what it is that you should do in order to get more customers and, of course, turn them into regular customers. The good news is that I will provide you with some of those tips below, which is why I suggest you continue reading and get your facts straight on how to do this.

Create A Lead Funnel

It does not come as a surprise that we are starting with mentioning the lead funnel, as it does play a major role in the entire process of not only gaining new customers, but also retaining them, which is practically what you want. As the name says it, a lead funnel will actually help you generate more leads and it will be designed in a way that will sort of filter out all of those people who don’t have the potential of becoming your customers in the future and leave you with the ones that do. This way, you will get to interact with your potential customers and work towards squeezing them to make their final purchasing decision. The squeezing is done with a landing, or a squeeze page, so make sure you know what you are doing.

Anyway, creating a lead funnel will certainly help you push your audience towards making a purchasing decision and basically getting the products that you are selling, but here is another thing you should absolutely know. It will also help you get loyal customers and thus constant sales, because you will definitely follow up with those people who have bought your specific products. In simple words, you will keep in touch with them and let them know whenever you have something new to offer them, which is highly likely to result in a sale.

Engage With Your Audience

As you might have concluded it all on your own, engagement matters in marketing these days. Since there are now all kinds of platforms out there through which you can interact with your audience and make them sort of feel closer to you, my advice for you is to use those platforms. In other words, do your best to create various types of content pieces and then share the content with the aim of engaging with your audience and thus establishing yourself as a recognizable brand.

Use Social Media Marketing To Your Advantage

The above tip has probably led you towards understanding another important thing. Simply put, social media platforms are out there and you should use them to your advantage, because sharing selfies is certainly not their purpose. A lot of businesses use social media marketing in order to gain a larger audience and interact with them on a regular basis and you should undeniably try and do the same thing, since that can lead to an increase in your sales.

Have A Customer Reward Program

We are definitely all used to the idea of large businesses having customer reward programs that are used to sort of attract their audience and get them to interact and buy certain products or engage in any other activities in order to participate in a reward program. Well, why wouldn’t you do the same thing? Of course, you should keep it within the bounds of your actual possibilities, but the bottom line is that such a program can definitely work towards increasing your sales.

What Does Java Do Best?

Sharon Anderson
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What Does Java Do Best?

Java is one of the most popular programming languages nowadays. It provides users with a range of advantages and benefits. This language has a wide scope of application that adds to its value. Java is used for building the majority of Android apps. Developers also apply to this language while developing enterprise apps, thanks to the flexibility and independent code provided by Java. You can also use it for building platforms featured by powerful library management systems. By applying to a java software development services you can even build IT products for meeting government and healthcare objectives. Among other things, this language is beneficial for building computer games and cloud servicing offers. 

All you should know about Java

Java – is an object-oriented programming language of general purpose. It was released by Sun Microsystems company in 1995. Despite being relatively old, it still remains popular among developers all around the world.  Due to the fact that this language has a good reputation and long history of usage, a lot of world-known retailers, banking establishments, insurance companies, and many others opt for Java. It is fast, highly secure, and reliable. From laptop computers to data centers, from game consoles to supercomputers used for scientific research, from cell phones to the Internet, Java is everywhere! Even Google was developed using this language. Sounds impressive, yes?

Despite being almost 30 years old Java is highly innovative. In such a way now you can run a code written a decade ago on modern devices.

Java peculiarities that make it so popular

  1. Wide choice of specialists

 There are a lot of programming languages used by developers. Due to a wide scope of application, Java remains to be among the most popular ones. Because of it people frequently opt for Java before starting a career in the IT sector. In such a way, as a business owner, you can easily find specialists with deep knowledge high expertise.  If you opt for more rare languages, then you will face higher prices and fewer developers to choose from. 

  1. Sophisticated development tools

  Java offers a range of valuable tools for writing rich codes without bugs. The main objective of the tools – is to make the developers’ lives much easier. They include efficient text editors and instruments for the automation of many processes.

  1. The aspect of security

  Cybercrimes are extremely popular among criminals nowadays. Identity thefts and money frauds become more complex and difficult to trace. Thanks to Java, developers are capable of building advanced and effective security systems. It is the main reason why this language is so popular in terms of development healthcare and government platforms.

  1. High-quality documentation

  Among the main advantage of the Java language is a range of available open-source databases and libraries. It speeds up and optimizes the development process. What’s more, Java can boast of numerous detailed guides as to its usage and debugging. 

  1. A range of available platforms

 Another benefit provided by Java is that its code can run on various platforms. This fact makes this programming language more flexible and versatile. Being presented in numerous frameworks, Java saves the developers’ time. For the customers, this feature is also crucial, because the less time is spent on the product development, the cheaper it will cost them.

  1. Enormous supportive community

  There are a lot of Java admirers worldwide. They form groups of supporters. It is entirely beneficial for people who want to master this language. Why? Simply because you can ask for advice or recommendation from more experienced developers for free. Apart from groups, there are also a lot of books, instructions, and video tutorials available on the Internet.

 Final thoughts

  The popularity of Java is quite understandable. This programming language enables the development of sophisticated applications. Being relatively easy to understand, it attracts a number of specialists. The information mentioned in this article will help you decide whether Java is a great option for you. Hope you make a well-informed decision.

Gastonia Man Wins Saudi International Tournament With Impossible 90-Foot Eagle Putt

Charlotte Stories
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Gastonia Man Wins Saudi International Tournament With Impossible 90-Foot Eagle Putt

Gastonia’s own Harold Varner III just sunk a ridiculous 90-foot eagle putt to come from behind and beat Bubba Watson by 1 stroke on the last day of the Saudi International.

The world renown tournament was held at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, and featured many of the PGA’s top golfers from around the world, including; Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, and over 100 others.

Here’s a clip of the tournament winning putt and Varner’s understandably elated reaction:

Varner’s win yesterday secured his 2nd international golf victory, with his first being at the 2016 Australian Open.

He got his start in golf at Gastonia’s Forestview High School, then East Carolina University before going pro in 2012.

Charlotte’s 5th Street Group Reaches Million Dollar Milestone for “Tip the Kitchen” Initiative

Charlotte Stories
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Charlotte’s 5th Street Group Reaches Million Dollar Milestone for “Tip the Kitchen” Initiative

Charlotte’s 5th Street Group is pleased to announce that its initiative, “Tip the Kitchen,” has generated over one million dollars for its back-of-house staff as of today. The program, which was established in April of 2021, was created in response to helping address the wage gap between the front-of-house employees and the culinary team. 5th Street Group ownership matches collective kitchen tips up to $500 a day per restaurant.

The “Tip the Kitchen” initiative adds a second line on each receipt to give patrons at 5th Street Group restaurants the opportunity to tip (or not to tip) back-of-house-staff, including the chefs, line cooks, dishwashers and prep cooks who are essential to the restaurant’s success. 5th Street Group guests are responsible for contributing $550,000 to the initiative and 5th Street Group ownership matched $450,000. Additionally, 5th Street Group ownership contributed $183,000 to supplement the server’s tips for any tips that were split between the server and the back-of-house tip, known as the ‘backstop.’

“While we do not have a year’s worth of data, we estimate that the Tip the Kitchen initiative has raised our operational costs by roughly 1.5%. However, this is a very small price to pay to move all 400 of our employees into the middle class or beyond,” says Patrick Whalen, owner and CEO of 5th Street Group. “We are grateful to both our guests and our employees for successfully partnering on such a worthy enterprise.”

In addition to providing a livable wage to all 5th Street Group employees, Tip the Kitchen has allowed the 5th Street Group restaurants the ability to operate close to, or at, 100% fully staffed.

5th Street Group began in 2012 with the opening of Church and Union Charlotte in North Carolina. The group went on to open Church and Union Charleston in South Carolina in 2015 and Tempest in Charleston in 2020. La Belle Helene in Charlotte and Church and Union in Nashville both opened in 2021. In addition, 5th Street Group will open Ophelia’s Lounge in Nashville in 2022 and Church and Union in Denver in 2023.

The most successful cities for video game development

Sharon Anderson
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Computer games have already captured the whole world by building a whole culture.  a person can find a game in absolutely any genre and on any subject, depending on his preferences. It’s like with the film industry: there are leading companies and the most popular global games, the plot of which simply blows the brain with epicness.

For more than a years, there has been such a thing as eSports, where people fight teams in Dota2, CS:GO and, for example, FIFA.  The concept of AAA rank games has been introduced.  The release of which is awaited by millions of people around the world seeking to pre-order as soon as possible.  Triple-A Games has a budget of millions of dollars.  For example, in the top of the most budgetary games are those that reach the value of $ 300 million. This is already along with Hollywood films! Convinced how serious everything is?

Of course, being a specialist in the video game industry is interesting, profitable and promising. 

In this article, we explore which cities are most likely to achieve a fast career path in the video game development industry!

Everyone plays, but not everyone creates.  This is the main snag of the issue, so I highly recommend relying on statistics so as not to miscalculate with the place on the map where to go and succeed.

Why is it important to be where this area is at the peak of popularity?

Career growth

All for beginners!  As you know, newcomers are very much loved, companies nurture and teach them for themselves, giving rise to skillful talents, which, for example, give us the Outlast.  But also if you are already a talented and self-confident person, they will not pass by your capabilities and they will hire you for a position from which you can grow to a higher level.  The main point is to be where the industry develops.

It is easy to guess which countries are the world leaders in terms of the number of companies.  Naturally, the United States of America confidently holds the first place, then, surprisingly, England, and third place belongs to Canada.

Third place: Canada

A country in North America, which is one of the most developing and has a high standard of living.  It is recognized as one of the most leading and favorable countries in the world.  And the development of the industry of creating computer games is also concentrated there. There are investments in the development of information technologies, due to this, the country has climbed into the tops of developed.

It is worth paying attention to Ottawa, which is the capital, as well as Vancouver, which is located closer to the west.

Second place: England

Who would not dream of visiting, and even more so living in England. The population of the country exceeds 55 million people.  It is famous for the rock band The Beatles, strong football teams, tea ceremonies and historic buildings from the Victorian era.  A true paradise for connoisseurs of classics and beauty, as well as for those who want to build a career in the field of computer game development.  Naturally, the leading capital is London.  In which about 45 companies are based.  This is more than in all cities combined. Real paradise! Second on the list is a Surrey town called Guildford in the southeast.

Top winner, personally the United States of America

The USA is truly a place where any person will find his calling, this is the place that sets the tone for the whole world in all trends. To visit the USA and live there is very, very worthy. From 2009 to 2012 in the United States, the games industry developed several times more actively and faster than economics. Are you interested?

The first city to be discussed is Chicago.  This is a city located in Illinois, which is home to the world-famous Lake Michigan. There is a video game museum, there is an opportunity to play vintage games.  So many people from all over the world dream of working  in Chicago gaming companies! 

The second city we’ll talk about is San Diego, California.  Many have heard about San Diego Comic Con, a multi-genre festival that brings together fans of a wide variety of entertainment.  Ranging from movie or anime lovers to video game fans.  Everyone will find their own outlet there.

The nature of this city is also fascinating, as it combines the Pacific coast, forests, mountains and plains.  But of course he is not deprived of video game companies!  Do you want to know about them?  Then follow the link! https://kevurugames.com/blog/7-inspirational-video-game-companies-in-san-diego-best-picks-to-dive-into-the-local-flavor/

Wow, you have reached the end of the article and you probably now know where to strive to move!

How to Vacation in Charlotte the Right Way

Sharon Anderson
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How to Vacation in Charlotte the Right Way

A sprawling city with an abundance of activities—Charlotte is anything but basic. As North Carolina’s commercial hub, the city booms with ever-growing businesses, flourishing sports franchises, and a contemporary culinary scene that’s mouth-watering, to say the least. With so much to offer to people of all interests, who wouldn’t want to plan a vacation in Charlotte? From seasonal festivals to year-round events, there’s always something going on in town. Consider yourself a history buff? Head to Mint Museum Uptown. Care to indulge in retail therapy? Check out the hottest trends at SouthPark. Feeling lucky? Venture out to nearby towns like Kings Mountain to hit a local casino. Whatever your preferences may be, Charlotte is the right place for a fun getaway, whether it be a girls’ trip, family vacay, or a solo adventure. 

Find the Right Accommodation 

Where you’ll be spending the night could actually make or break your vacation. Picture this: you’re a homebody planning to see only an attraction or two during the day—you’re not really keen on the idea of having too much on your plate. For such cases, we recommend staying at a luxury hotel, where you’ll have every amenity imaginable for a comfortable stay. Hotels like Comfort Suites Northlake, Hampton Inn Charlotte-Uptown, and Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel are wonderful options for a luxurious and pleasant experience. On the other hand, you could always rely on Airbnbs in Charlotte if you’re looking for affordable choices or unique lodging.

Engage in Fun Activities 

What’s a fun getaway without an itinerary full of fun things to do? That’s right, you’re not going to be taking Instagram selfies during your vacation—you’re going to engage in a whole lot of activities and actually enjoy your time. Are you an auto racing fanatic? We recommend paying a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. With interactive exhibits featuring the history and legacy of NASCAR, going on a tour of this popular attraction will have you raving for days. But, if you consider yourself a more active person, the Whitewater Center is where you need to go. This outdoor sports hub offers more than 30 recreational activities including kayaking, rafting, climbing, mountain biking, and more. However, if you’re visiting with your family, we highly suggest planning a full day at Carowinds, a 407-acre amusement park that you just can’t miss.

Look Past Tourist Attractions

When planning a vacation itinerary, most people fill their schedules with tourist attractions. And true, you can’t visit Charlotte without checking out the local landmarks and icons—but, you’ll also have to look beyond these places. You’ll soon discover that this vibrant city is jam-packed with hidden gems that offer unparalleled experiences. One of these places is Big Rock Nature Preserve. This under-the-radar wildlife habitat is where you’ll encounter strange, large rock formations surrounded by unusual artifacts like stone tools, musket balls, and pieces of cooking pots. Another hidden spot to visit is the Common Market. Also an unconventional destination, this place is a convenience store, deli, and bar in one location—essentially a one-stop shop. But one place that will truly blow your mind is Wing Haven. This garden and bird sanctuary is an outdoor paradise decorated with landscaped greenery and verdant pathways that look straight out of a fairytale.   

Indulge in Local Cuisine

If you don’t plan on trying new food when vacationing in Charlotte, then you’re not going to have an authentic experience. So, come with an open mind, because your taste buds are going to thank you, a lot. Seafood lovers can head straight to Sea Level NC. This charming, farm-to-fork restaurant serves the most delectable mussels and oysters you’ll ever have—order the Seven Flavor Squid and you’ll have a hard time stopping yourself. Those following the vegan diet will find themselves spoiled for choice at Sanctuary Bistro. The plant-based eatery offers appetizing meals such as Butternut Squash Fried Ravioli, Root Vegetable Curry, and Roasted and Smothered Cauliflower. Nevertheless, if you’re always craving good, old-fashioned American fare, nothing beats the burgers at Bocado Bar and Diner. Opt for the classic Bocado Burger Stack and you’ll never have burgers from anywhere else.  

At the end of the day, a memorable vacation depends on your choices—where you decide to stay, what you decide to do, where you decide to go, and what you decide to eat. And if you know where to look, you’ll realize that there’s more to Charlotte than just museums and galleries; exciting adventures await!

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