Shelby, NC Road Trips

Outdoor adventure at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Belmont 1 Morrow Mountain State Park—A park set aside for enjoying an age-old set of mountains known as the Uwharrie Mountains, particularly poignant in fall coloration, but an outdoor haven at any time.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport — Main airport serving the Charlotte Metro with numerous domestic and international flights. Concord Regional Airport — A smaller, less-used airport with cheaper flights to major destinations like Atlanta, New York and south Florida. There is an Amtrak station on North Tryon in Charlotte, on bus route 11 (North Tryon). Charlotte is the southern end of the Carolinian and Piedmont lines, which head north to Raleigh, with the Carolinian continuing to New York City. It's also a stop along the Crescent between New York City and New Orleans. There are also stations along the line in Gastonia at Hancock Street and Kannapolis at Main Street. The Charlotte Metro is best accessible by car. There are two main interstate highways that run through the area as well as numerous smaller highways connecting Charlotte to the suburbs and neighboring counties. Interstate 77—(north-south) From Rock Hill north, through Charlotte and to Mooresville. Interstate 85—(northeast-southwest) From Kings Mountain north, through Charlotte and to Kannapolis. Greyhound. The station is just northwest of Uptown Charlotte and is served by buses 1 (Mount Holly), 8 (Tuckaseegee), 34 (Freedom Dr), and 7 (Beatties Ford). Megabus. Service from Atlanta, Athens, Durham, Richmond, and Washington, D.C.. Buses arrive and depart along Whitton St between Dewitt Ln and South Blvd, near the Scaleybark LYNX station. Fares from $1 and up.

While parts of the Charlotte Metro, especially areas like uptown and suburban communities like Matthews and Rock Hill are easily accessible by foot and bicycle, the region is best accessed by car. Whether it's a taxi or your own personal car, it is the necessary form of transportation to experience the entire area. If you are just starting in Charlotte's central area, there are bus routes as well as a light rail train in and around Charlotte's central area. See Charlotte page for details on bus routes and train stations.