If you want to cover more ground or

you simply don’t like walking, rest as- sured there are several other ways to see the city and its attractions. Charlotte Segway Tours was ranked among the

best tours and activities in Charlotte by Trip Advisor. It is located only a few blocks from the hotel and convention center and offers two tours; one by Segway and the other by bicycle. Take your pick and enjoy a guided tour of the historic sights and parks of downtown Charlotte. If you like to eat and enjoy

good food, you might want to try the Feast Food Tours

and Culinary Events, (left),“Feast Food Tour” which showcases Charlotte “through its culinary artisans, restaurant owners, chefs, and

farmers.” The tour provides an experiential, in- depth dining and tour experience providing the opportunity to sample and sip your way through five to seven different venues. The tour also al- lows you to “go behind-the-scenes, meet the owners/chefs, and gain valuable culinary educa- tion through cooking and craft beer brewing demonstrations, wine classes, and much more.” If you have children with you on this trip or

you are just a big kid yourself, the Discovery

Place is a must-see. It’s Charlotte’s science mu- seum that comes alive through interactive, hands-on exhibits that cover a variety of scien- tific concepts like physics and earth science. You can design and conduct lab experiments, build mock structures and study different ecosystems with the museum’s rainforest exhibit and aquar- ium. Discovery Place also boasts the largest IMAX screen in the Carolinas, featuring an ever- changing program of educational films. Switching gears to another North Carolina

legacy, before the mad dash to California during the gold rush in 1848, North Carolina led the gold production in the United States. Gold min- ing, during its peak years, was second only to farming in the number of North Carolinians it em- ployed. During

34 Automotive Recycling | July-August 2015

that time, the estimated value of gold mined reached over one million dollars per year.

Reed Gold Mine (below, left), the site of the

first documented gold find in the United States, is a short drive from downtown Charlotte and offers visitors the chance to relive those days by panning for their own gold. There is no charge for admission or a tour of the mines and a small fee for each pan to find your own gold. The Billy Graham Library (below) was

ranked the number one thing to do in Charlotte in a U.S. News and World ReportTravel survey. It is located off of Billy Graham Parkway, close to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and is a 40,000 square foot experience that allows vis- itors to discover the life and legacy of “Amer- ica’s Pastor,” Billy Graham. The Billy Graham library is housed in a barn- shaped building situated on 20 landscaped acres (including a Memorial Garden) only miles from where Billy Graham grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Through dynamic multimedia presentations, interactive kiosks, photos, and memorabilia, visitors can get an inside view into Billy Graham’s fascinating journey from humble farm boy to an international ambassador of God’s love. Visitors can also tour the Graham Family Homeplace –meticulously restored – where Billy Graham lived from the time he was nine years old until he left for college. Trip Advisor reviews say: “This is a great mu-

seum. It is free. It tells the story of Billy Graham. It has his child-hood home and library/museum. It honors the man without glorifying him. The Berlin Wall exhibit is fan- tastic (so life like).”