so lounge... I'm new to Charlotte NC

[obxhead]

Which clubs/bars should I see?
What trails should I hike in the mountains?
Now that the OBX is 7 hours away which beach makes the best weekend trip?
Activist groups, who should I check out?
What should I make a "must see/do"?

[Bossy Monkey]

1. There's a wonderful tapas place called Don Quijote

at 4640 South Blvd.

You will probably find the beaches off Charleston (Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms) to be the most attractive easily reachable ones.

If you want more useful answers, you might try posting in the DU NC group.

[obxhead]

3. Are those beaches

hotel strips or places you can escape the 24 hour commercialization?

[Bossy Monkey]

16. Residential. They're actually towns that happen to have beaches next

to them. After Hugo, everybody used their flood insurance money to build huge houses, so it's kind of uncomfortably high-end looking, but public access to the beach is still good.

[BikeWriter]

2. Ah, yes... I've never been within 800 miles of there...

Bummer.

[obxhead]

5. 1 week of free time in the Outer Banx would be worth the trip.

[BikeWriter]

6. I would love to visit the East Coast! If...

If finances work out like I hope, I will.

[obxhead]

7. If you do "camping"

the OBX can be done dirt cheap (aside from the gas). I've traveled down with less than $200 and had great 5 day trips getting away from the entire world.
If you go to the right spots you can sit on the beach and not see another person all day long. My home away from home.

[BikeWriter]

12. I have friends I could see on the way there...

I surprised one old friend on the phone several years ago...
Me: "Smitty?"
My friend: "No one's called me that in years..."
Me: "Yep, like thirty-plus years ago, 1969, Sparrevohn, Alaska!"
My friend: "Tex, is that you?"

[obxhead]

14. see

Your already gettin those "cheap vacation" wheels turning. The hard part usually isn't the money, it's the time. As long as your willing to rough it a little.

[BikeWriter]

15. Another military buddy was from High Point, N.C.

I've never been able to locate him on the phone. If I were actually there I might be able to. Yes, I could spend months up there just locating friends.

[MissHoneychurch]

4. its been too long since I've been to Charlotte, NC

was a nanny there 10 years ago (darn, the time is running), so I guess the clubs to go to changed since I was there (not that I went out often back then).

[obxhead]

8. Got any names?

Most of the time the clubs that have withstood the test of time have the most personality.

[MissHoneychurch]

9. not really

I just remember that when I visited Charlotte a couple of years ago I went to a Salsa club uptown. Don't ask me the name though. But there were different clubs together in the same area. Like a party zone.

The lakes up north of Charlotte are nice, like Lake Norman.

[obxhead]

10. I got to see some of those lakes

coming down I85 and they did look awesome. Probably have to wait until next summer to get out there for a ski trip though.

[MissHoneychurch]

11. Lake Norman is on I77

but all lakes around there are just worth a trip.

And of course the Great Smoky Mountains. Lots of things to do there, like skiing, rafting, hiking ....

[obxhead]

13. yup Norman is on the 77

That looks even bigger than the lake I passed on 85 whatever that was. Coming from the Northern VA area I'm just happy seeing much less pollution.

[obxhead]

17. kick