Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (tel 704/359-4000), seven miles west of town on Old Dowd Road or I-85, is served by the #5 bus ($1.45) running every 45min from downtown to the airport; taxis cost about $15 and shuttle buses , which leave from the lower level, $8. Greyhound stops centrally at 601 W Trade St, while Amtrak trains pull in at 1914 N Tryon St. The expansive visitor center is at 330 S Tryon St (MonFri 8.30am5pm, Sat 10am4pm, Sun 14pm; tel 704/331-2753 or 1-800/231-4636, www.charlottecvb.org ).

Just a mile southeast of uptown, is where you'll find the broadest range of restaurants , from the trendy Providence Caf , 110 Perrin Place (tel 704/376-2008), which offers vegetarian fare and New American cuisine, to the French bistro Bijoux , 201 N Tryon St (tel 704/377-0900), and the Southend Brewery & Smokehouse , 2100 South Blvd (tel 704/358-HOPS). Lupie's Caf , 2718 Monroe Rd (tel 704/374-1232), is an inexpensive option where you will find lip-smacking chili and other homestyle dishes. Nightlife is concentrated between the easily walked grid of Tryon, College, Seventh and Fifth streets, particularly around the Mint Museum of Art.