Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the fastest growing cities in America. Currently, Charlotte has an estimated population of 903,211 people, the city is thriving and continues to grow rapidly. People from all over the country are moving to Charlotte. The lifestyle change is seemingly a positive one, as most people who move to Charlotte decide to stay for the long term.

Charlotte has plenty of things to do, and many attractions are within the city limits. The Queen City has a lot to offer and is one of the best cities in the nation. This is a list of attractions you should consider exploring during your time in Charlotte. The city never sleeps and there’s always something to do. It has an amazing nightlife and vibrant business district. Below are just a few of the great things to do in the Charlotte metro.

Carowinds Theme Park

Carowinds is a 407-acre amusement park with a 27-acre water park included. The amusement park spans across North Carolina and South Carolina. Although, the official park’s address is Charlotte, NC. With about 2 million attendees per year and 56 attractions, Carowinds will surely be a part of Charlotte’s landscape for years to come. It’s a great and fun place for families of all sizes and ages.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

This museum is dedicated to the sports racing phenom, NASCAR. It showcases a ton of memorabilia which includes exhibits from drivers, crew chiefs, owners, broadcasters and more who have contributed to the race car genre. The NASCAR Hall of Fame museum allow visitors to drive simulation arcade-style vehicles and race others. It’s a fun experience that the entire family can enjoy.

Sea Life Charlotte

The interactive aquarium is located inside the Concord Mills Mall. There are thousands of sea creatures in this aquatic sanctuary. Sea Life Charlotte also includes an interactive touch pool where you could physically touch starfish and other sea animals. It also has an ocean tunnel you can walk through and watch sea life. It’s a great place to take the family. This should definitely make your list if you’re visiting the Charlotte area.

The Mint Museum

The Mint Museum has two locations in Charlotte. It is an art and design museum showcasing hundreds of collections from around the world. The beauty of the exhibits are what attract people all year long. Opening in 1936, the Mint Museum was the first art museum in North Carolina. It features American art, African art, Asian art, decorative art, fashionable art, visual art, contemporary art and more.

Discovery Place Science

This is a science and technology museum located in the heart of Charlotte. The two-story facility has a rain forest, live animal exhibits, aquariums, labs and more. It’s home to the largest IMAX theater in North Carolina. Discovery Place houses an education studio meant to inspire and train STEM educators. This is a great place to learn and explore while having amazing fun.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Located in Belmont, North Carolina, in the suburbs of Charlotte, this 380-acres of botanical gardens is a delight to see. Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens has manicured gardens, woodland trails, scenic fountains, an Orchid conservatory and more. In 1991 the property was founded by Daniel J. Stowe, a retired textile executive from Belmont. This is a peaceful and serene location.

Charlotte Motorsport Speedway

Located in Concord, NC just 13 miles away from Charlotte, the Motorsport Speedway is a great place to unwind and partake in live drag car racing events. If you’re a NASCAR fan, then this is the spot for you. Enjoy the 1.5 mile oval quad and watch as cars zip by. Come out and see an amazing NASCAR race.

PNC Music Pavilion

This outdoor amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina has a capacity of 19,500. The venue operates a ton of popular concerts every year. It’s managed by Live nation and has a naming rights deal with PNC Bank. This is a great place to party and see live concert events. A variety of acts has graced the stage at PNC Music Pavilion in a number of genres including, but not limited to, rock, alternative, pop, country, jazz, hip hop, and R&B.

Ray’s Splash Planet

Ray’s Splash Planet is the largest water park in North Carolina. With over 29,000 square feet of space, the water park is home to eight different water attractions. Ray’s Splash Planet is a joint venture between the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, built on the campus of Irwin Academic Center. This is a family-fun park that will create memories for the entire family.

Charlotte Rail Trail

In Uptown Charlotte, you will find a 3.5-mile trail with a walkway alongside the Blue Line Light Rail train tracks. The decorative space is home to a number of outdoor artists, cafés, bars, galleries and more. With at least 2,000 pedestrians strolling the trail daily, you’ll never feel alone. Take a walk, ride a bike or sit on a park bench and watch the passerby’s. It’s a great urban experience with a health focus along the way.

Those are some of the best attractions in Charlotte, North Carolina. Regardless, if you’re young or old Charlotte has a lot to offer and one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. The city has a vibrant nightlife and beautiful skyline. With so many attractions, events and activities you’ll never have a dull day in Charlotte.

1999 was probably the worst year of my professional life. Unsatisfying office jobs followed by long periods of unemployment and claiming benefits. I’d also missed out on an opportunity to train as a Microsoft certified programmer because I was unable to find a placement. The dream of making my way into the world of employment had turned into an absolute nightmare, at times I felt like a total failure.

Towards the end of 1999 an opportunity arose for me to work in a casino. I’d always loved card games after seeing the glitz and glamour of casinos in James Bond movies. Dissatisfied with life in Northern Ireland, at the age of just 20, I packed a couple of suitcases and ended up going to the Isle of Man to train as a croupier (casino dealer) in January 2000. 18 months later I was working on my first cruise ship, and 18 months after that I was boarding the QE2 (the most famous ship of them all) to do a world cruise.

For a young man from a housing estate in Antrim, Northern Ireland this was beyond even my wildest dreams. On a ferry from Belfast to Liverpool in 1997, I’d once seen a pontoon table and croupier and dreamt what it may be to work as a casino dealer on the high seas.

Everything aboard the QE2 was as you would expect, starting with Captain Ron Warwick, who looked exactly what the captain of the QE2 should look like (Google the name if you don’t believe me). Passenger facing crew were immaculate in their appearance. I could probably have shaved with the crease on my pressed tuxedo shirts, and on a number of occassions when I had been sunburnt in port, I could feel the creases cutting into my tender skin as I dealt the cards that evening in the casino.

The great thing for croupiers on cruise ships is that they only work when the ship is in international waters, in port, the casino must close, and casino staff are free to do pretty much whatever they want. Casino staff have a cabin steward who cleans their cabin and takes away their dirty laundry and brings it back fresh each day. We did a 103 day world cruise which included stops in places like Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape Town, Hawaii, Mauritius, Nagasaki, Tahiti and Singapore to name a few. I managed to do some amazing excursions like diving in the great barrier reef, quad biking in the Namibian desert, and dining in all sorts of fine restaurants, trying delicacies like Springbok, Kangaroo, Crocodile and Kobe beef. We made stops in 5 continents, crossed the equator and even experienced living a Tuesday in consequetive days when we crossed the world timeline. Imagine that, you go to bed on Tuesday night, wake up the following morning and its Tuesday again, but this was far from groundhog day.

The role in the casino was not about taking passengers’ money like in a land-based casino, it was about providing them with fun and entertainment. The passengers were friendly and pleasant, many of them being extremely successful people (I understand the lowest cabin cost for a world cruise on the QE2 was about $50,000 in 2003). A lot of the passengers had never played in a casino and were fascinated to learn and experience the one onboard. Just getting to know some of these people was an experience in itself, and a large part of the role in the casino was simply to entertain them whilst they were in the casino.

There were also celebrity passengers. We would finish work and go to the crew/members bar where we would have guest entertainers like the late Des O’Connor and the magician, the late Paul Daniels down to have a drink. God bless them both.

Was my job the best job in the world? Maybe not for everyone, but it was beyond even my wildest dreams and the 6 month experience, as well as the amazing people I met will be something I treasure forever. I was very lucky to have lived this experience and will always be incredibly grateful for it.

Many years have passed since then and I’ve always missed the buzz of casinos which is how Fun 21 Casino Hire was created in 2021. My celebrities now are anyone who hires the No Money Fun Casino that I provide for parties and celebrations, and I aim to give the same experience that you would expect onboard the QE2.