TOP 10 MUST DOS IN CHARLOTTE

1 GOLD RUSH
This free trolley-style mini-bus is a great way to check out the skyscraper-filled downtown that locals call "uptown." Hop aboard from 7am to 10pm at any marked Gold Rush route stop. www.charmeck.org (type "Gold Rush" in the search window)

2 US National Whitewater Center
The world's largest artificial river is on the city's western edge. Take kayak lessons or rent a boat and try the course on your own. More of a spectator? Settle for a table at the center's River's Edge Bar & Grill, which overlooks the channel. www.usnwc.org

3 NoDa
This early 20th-century working-class neighborhood has transformed into an arts, dining and entertainment destination. Browse galleries or see who's playing at the Neighborhood Theatre. www.noda.org

4 Carowinds
This is Charlotte's amusement park destination. Test your courage on the brand-new Carolina Cobra, a "boomerang" coaster that travels back and forth on the same track. Also don't miss the old favorite Thunder Road, inspired by Carolina moonshine runners. www.carowinds.com

5 Blue Restaurant & Bar
Make time for a meal at this award-winning uptown Mediterranean eatery, and take advantage of the lengthy martini list and live jazz Wednesday through Saturday nights. www.bluerestaurantandbar.com

6 Mint Museum of Art
What was once a US Mint from the mid-1800s is now the Mint Museum of Art, whose holdings range from American decorative arts and paintings to pre-Columbian artifacts. www.mintmuseum.org

7 Lunchbox Records
This music boutique doesn't just sell new/used vinyl and CDs: Unknown up-and-comers - locals and those passing through-play here, mostly for donations. www.lunchboxrecords.com

8 Mert's Heart & Soul
Southern food for the soul is what you'll get at this "meat-and-three" restaurant, where you can dine on fried chicken, pork chops or barbecued pork-plus three hearty sides and corn bread-for a great $7 lunch. www.mertscharlotte.com

9 Levine Museum of the New South
The rise of Charlotte from backwoods crossroads to mining, textile, transportation and financial center is chronicled in the museum's "Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers" exhibit. Sit at a lunch counter and listen to recorded accounts of the Civil Rights movement. www.museumofthenewsouth.org

10 Central Avenue
This strip has become known as Charlotte's "International District." On the three-block area between The Plaza and Clement Avenue, you'll find shops, groceries and eateries catering to recent immigrants from China, Vietnam, Central America, Lebanon, Serbia and beyond.