TORONTO — North Carolina has enjoyed 10 years of visitation growth, with half a million visitors coming from Canada. Last night in Toronto, representatives from the state hosted a media event to make sure those numbers keep coming. Here are six highlights from the Tar Heel State:
1. Bluegrass, barbecue & beverages
When asked what the biggest change to the city has been in recent times, Kristen Moore, Communications Manager for Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority noted the influx of craft breweries and wineries. The city has more than three dozen craft breweries in operation and nearly two dozen in development, making it a beer enthusiast’s dream.
“Our culinary scene is finally hitting its stride,” she said, noting that Charlotte can be considered one of the culinary capitals of the Southeast.
A common theme throughout the state is barbeque, which North Carolina is known for. But if clients are looking for a more sophisticated dining experiencing, here’s a tip: look outside the city centres where you can find many farm-to-table restaurants opening up.
Serving as the perfect complement to either barbecue or farm-to-table dining is bluegrass music, which has its roots in North Carolina’s Irish heritage.
2. Speed City USA
One of North Carolina’s biggest draws is Charlotte Motor Speedway, the iconic NASCAR racetrack located in Concord. It hosts three major NASCAR events throughout the year, plus, being just 13 miles from Charlotte, it’s also an ideal complement to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
3. Land of Waterfalls
Known as the ‘Land of Waterfalls’, Brevard and Transylvania County boasts 250 falls in the county alone. Sliding Rock is the county’s biggest star, with a 60-foot granite base that acts as a slide leading into a seven-foot deep pool. The county, also known for its music, is home to the Brevard Music Center, which is run by the Principal Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra and the BBC Orchestra in London. They perform 80 times a year, but if your clients prefer, they can simply walk through the campus and take in the rehearsals.
4. Hotel boom in the Queen City
In 2017, Charlotte is looking to get 22 new hotels, adding 3,664 rooms. The boom stems from a thriving business sector, thanks in large part to Toronto’s flight connectivity (it has two direct routes a day into Charlotte
5. Getting outdoors
For golf lovers, North Carolina has over 400 courses and will also host the PGA in Charlotte this summer. For adventure seekers, popular activities include hang gliding, kiteboarding, skydiving, Olympic-level rapids, hiking and ziplining. The destination is also popular among cyclists with trails fit for all levels.
6. Dirty Dancing
Movie buffs will be get a kick out of attending the Dirty Dancing Festival, held in conjunction with the film’s 30th anniversary. The festival takes place in August in Lake Lure where a large portion of the movie was filmed.
