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City guide

Charlotte, North Carolina

S. state of North Carolina.

Type CityPopulation 874,579Metro Area Population 2,880,000

Why go

  • Most populous city in North Carolina, United States.
  • 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including Fort Sumter National Monument.
  • 1 hand-picked place to stay.
  • Served by Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

History

Charlotte is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. With a population of 874,579 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., seventh-most populous city in the South, and second-most populous city in the Southeast. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.88 million residents, is the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an 18-county combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3.47 million as of 2024. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County.

Must-see attractions

1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island (Charlotte), SC 29482 · nps.gov
Outdoor

34 more attractions in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Where to stay

400 Hermitage Road, Charlotte, NC 28207 · dukemansion.org
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201 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · ritzcarlton.com
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10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28277 · marriott.com
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Right Side, 0 George St, Charleston, SC 29401 · zerogeorge.com
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North Tower, 555 S McDowell St Tower, Charlotte, NC 28204 · marriott.com
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1921 Charlotte Dr, Charlotte, NC 28203 · kasa.com
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2109 Morton St, Charlotte, NC 28208 · kasa.com
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303 S Church St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · tryonparkhotel.com
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1122 E Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28204 · moreheadinn.com
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127 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · theiveyshotel.com
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1617 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28203 · ihg.com
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9420 E Independence Blvd, Matthews, NC 28105 · ihg.com
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237 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · dunhillhotel.com
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6020 University Pointe Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262 · ihg.com
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5700 Westpark Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217 · sonesta.com
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100 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · marriott.com
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315 E Woodlawn Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217 · 315loso.com
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242 E Woodlawn Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217 · marriott.com
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201 S McDowell St, Charlotte, NC 28204 · marriott.com
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530 E M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28202 · hilton.com
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435 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · hyatt.com
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222 S Caldwell St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · hyatt.com
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125 S Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · marriott.com
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601 S College St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · marriott.com
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230 N College St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · hilton.com
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508 N College St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · hilton.com
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132 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · omnihotels.com
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650 S Caldwell St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · marriott.com
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210 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 · marriott.com
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555 S McDowell St Tower, Charlotte, NC 28204 · marriott.com
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212 W Woodlawn Rd Bldg C, Charlotte, NC 28217 · choicehotels.com
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Restaurants & places to go

Brazilian steakhouses, Brazilian steak houses · . Sharing a one-of-kind experience. For reservations call (704) 601-4141. #Chimacharlotte · chimasteakhouse.com
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weddings, meetings · Located in Myers Park, the Duke Mansion is a historic inn meeting place. Our 20 guest rooms unique meeting venue hosts corporate, social… · dukemansion.com
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100 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) 6.3 mi to the centre
Charlotte, NC, US — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 17 airlines (US Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines…) · direct flights to 141 destinations incl. Atlanta, Baltimore, New York, Orlando, Boston… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 17 airlines, 141 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA) 15 mi to the centre
Concord, NC, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Rock Hill - York County Airport (RKH) 19 mi to the centre
Rock Hill, SC, US — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport 17 mi to the centre
Monroe, NC, US
Outdoor
Goose Creek Airport 15 mi to the centre
Indian Trail, NC, US
Outdoor
Aero Plantation Airport 15 mi to the centre
Weddington, NC, US
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT); 8 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CLT has direct flights to 141 destinations on 17 airlines (incl. Atlanta, Baltimore, New York, Orlando, Boston…).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Charlotte, North Carolina. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet card, charter · Partner fleet · Jet cards and on-demand charter from Boston.
Jet card · Partner fleet, light to heavy · One of the first jet-card programmes; guaranteed availability on partner aircraft.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Phenom 300, Challenger 350 · Fractional and jet card programme centred on the US Midwest and East.
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.

Tours & experiences