Insiders' Guide® to Charlotte

Skyscrapers. Sports. NASCAR. Nature. Culinary delights. A world-class, can-do city. A crown jewel of the New South. • A personal, practical perspective for travelers and residents alike • Comprehensive listings of attractions, restaurants, and accommodations • How to live & thrive in the area-from recreation to relocation • Countless details on shopping, arts & entertainment, and children's activities Our insider, Craig Distl, a native of North Carolina and a longtime Charlottean, has been a journalist for the Charlotte Observer, and his articles have also appeared in Charlotte Magazine, Southern Sports Journal, and Golfweek. His writing has received awards from such organizations as the North Carolina Press Association.

Writer and publicist Craig Distl is a native of North Carolina, graduate of UNC Charlotte and a long-time Charlottean. He dabbled in tourism during college––first on the log ride at Carowinds theme park and later as a bellman at a four-star hotel. His eclectic journalism career includes stints at The Charlotte Observer, Southern Jewelry News, and Jefferson-Pilot Communications. He's freelanced for Charlotte Magazine, Southern Sports Journal, and Golfweek, and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers. His writing has received awards from such organizations as the North Carolina Press Association. Craig loves the Queen City for its can-do attitude and its emergence the crown jewel of the New South. His reply to those who say Charlotte has turned its back on a rich history? "Nonsense. You just have to know where to look."