CityView Magazine

+ Design, a must-see for those interested in North Carolina’s well-known heritage in craft work. themintmuseums.org If history is your thing, take in the Levine Museum of the New South. The interactive history museum explores post-Civil War Southern society and the events and people that shaped the region. The main exhibit, “Cottonfields to Skyscrapers,” lets you experience firsthand how to pull the seeds from a cotton boll as you listen to the sounds of the cotton mill. You can see just how small a tenant farmer’s home really was, or listen to the personal stories of local sit-in leaders as you take your place at a lunch counter. Check out the Web site for special exhibits throughout the year. museumofthenewsouth.org The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium is where the wild things are … the stuffed ones, that is. Exhibits include not only North Carolina wildlife and habitats but also many North American creatures such as bears, bison, moose, elk and other mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians. But do they have dinosaurs and pre-historic animals? Of course, and when you’ve finished gawking at the sabertooth tiger, visit the American Indian exhibit or find your way to the planetarium. schielemuseum.org Your Charlotte museum trek would not be complete without a trip to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport where you’ll find the Carolinas Aviation Museum. With close to 50 major aircraft and plenty of artifacts, including a reproduction of the Wright brothers’ 1902 glider, the museum focuses on both commercial and military aircraft with ties to the Carolinas. carolinasaviation.org Nature Lovers Outdoor enthusiasts will love the U.S. National Whitewater Center. An official U.S. Olympic Training Site, the center is the world’s largest artificial whitewater river, offering rafting and kayaking, mountain biking and hiking, and a climbing center and ropes course. Don’t forget your energy bars! usnwc.org For a more leisurely hike, try the Ribbon Walk, a 137-acre botanical forest and environmental education Above | The U.S. National Whitewater Center is the world’s largest artificial river, and it’s located just 10 minutes from downtown Charlotte. It’s just one of the Queen City’s many attractions. center with four walking trails, three ponds and creeks throughout. Tired of walking? Saddle up your horse at the Latta Equestrian Center for a guided trail ride. Check out Charlotte- Mecklenberg Parks and Recreation for more fun. charmeck.org The weather’s fine, so why not launch your boat at Lake Norman? Catch and release a few largemouth bass or get a bucket of minnows and find a honey hole full of crappie. lakenormancvb.org If you prefer that someone else steer the boat while you relax, look to Queen’s Landing. You might enjoy a romantic dinner cruise on the Lady of the Lake, a 90-foot luxury yacht, or a shorter lunch tour on the Catawba Queen, a replica CityViewNC.com | 61

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