More than anywhere else in the region, CHARLOTTE , at the junction of I-77 and I-85 near the South Carolina border, can genuinely claim to have made it: a banking and transportation center that has become the largest city in the state, "boosted," in much the same way as Atlanta, by ambitious business and city leaders. They like to project the image of a sophisticated, fast-lane cultural metropolis in fact its center is somewhat soulless, though many nearby neighborhoods are delightful and stuffed with good places to eat. Served by direct British Airways flights from London, however, it does make one of the best and most manageable arrival points in the region.

The chief attraction in downtown Charlotte,known as "uptown," is Discovery Place , 301 N Tryon St, a kids-oriented science museum with an indoor rainforest and an OMNIMAX theater hosting a planetarium (tel 704/372-6261 for hours and prices). There's also the Nature Museum at 1658 Sterling Rd (MonFri 9am5pm, Sat 10am5pm, Sun 1pm5pm; tel 704/337-2671), geared toward children seven years and under, and replete with rabbits, hamsters and ponies, as well as puppet shows and a butterfly room. Another major landmark, on the east side of downtown, is the massive Ericsson Stadium , home of the NFL team, the Carolina Panthers.

Although most restaurants and stores are tucked away inside the city's skyscrapers, Tryon Street is downtown's busiest thoroughfare. At the intersection of Tryon and Trade streets is Independence Square , where at each corner giant modern statues stand depicting transportation, commerce, industry and the future. Just a few blocks away, the newly renovated Levine Museum of the New South , 200 E 7th St (TuesSat 10am5pm, Sun 1am5pm; $6), looks at the growth of the region from Reconstruction onwards. Interesting vignettes examine musical history, with the spotlight falling on local names such as gospel legends the Golden Gate Quartet. The Mint Museum of Art , three miles further southeast at 2730 Randolph Rd on bus #15 (Tues 10am10pm, WedSat 10am5pm, Sun noon5pm; $6; tel 704/337-4820), has a good array of Indian, pre-Columbian and African art, plus a noted collection of pottery and porcelain. The Mint Museum of Craft and Design at 220 N Tryon St, is also worth a stop for its eclectic collection of metal, glass, wood, fiber and ceramic works (TuesThurs 10am7pm, Fri 10am9pm, Sat 10am7pm, Sun noon5pm; $6; tel 704/337-4920).

For those interested in NASCAR racing, fifteen minutes from downtown in the suburb of Concord is the Lowe's Motor Speedway , where guided tours are available, and in late May the Coca-Cola 600 comes to town.