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Concord was settled around 1750 by German Lutherans and Scots-Irish Presbyterians, and its name, meaning harmony, settled their argument over where the county seat should go. Cotton and textile mills built the town's wealth, and grand homes from that era still line North Union Street, while the brick storefronts of downtown now hold shops, restaurants and galleries.
Today Concord is best known for speed. Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 every Memorial Day weekend, and zMAX Dragway next door brings top fuel dragsters to town. Concord Mills, one of the state's biggest shopping centers, adds an aquarium and a LEGO play center, and Great Wolf Lodge runs an indoor water park all year.
Away from the crowds, Memorial Garden winds through a 200-year-old churchyard downtown, Frank Liske Park and Lake Fisher offer room to play outdoors, and the nearby Reed Gold Mine marks the spot where America's first gold rush began in 1799.
WiserMap travel guideConcord North Carolina Charlotte Motor Speedway Race DaysPlan a Concord, North Carolina trip with Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, historic Union Street, Reed Gold Mine, Concord Mills and Great Wolf Lodge.Read the guide
This 1.5-mile quad-oval opened in 1960 and hosts NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend plus fall races on its infield road course, the ROVAL. Guided track tours run on most non-race days and include a lap around the banking in a van, so check the tour schedule before you go.
A four-lane drag strip across the road from Charlotte Motor Speedway, opened in 2008 and known for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, where four cars launch side by side. Regular test-and-tune nights let local racers run too. Bring ear protection, as the nitro cars are extremely loud up close.
Hendrick Motorsports, one of NASCAR's most successful teams, runs its race shop campus in Concord near the speedway. The free museum and showroom displays championship-winning cars, trophies and driver memorabilia. It is usually open on weekdays and Saturdays; check hours around race weeks.
Union Street is the spine of downtown Concord, lined with restored brick storefronts, local restaurants and shops. South of the center, the Union Street historic district has blocks of Victorian and Neoclassical homes built by mill-era families. It is easy to explore on foot, and parking is free in nearby decks.
The 1876 Historic Cabarrus County Courthouse on Union Street now houses the Cabarrus Arts Council, with rotating gallery exhibits by regional artists and the Davis Theatre for concerts and performances. Gallery entry is free; check the council's calendar for shows and evening events.
The site of the first documented gold find in the United States, made in 1799 when young Conrad Reed picked up a 17-pound nugget in a creek. This state historic site near Midland, southeast of Concord, offers a museum, restored underground tunnels and walking trails. Admission is free; tunnel tours are guided.
An indoor aquarium inside Concord Mills mall with about a dozen themed zones, a walk-through ocean tunnel, a touch pool with crabs and anemones, and tanks of rays, jellyfish and sea turtles. A visit takes around an hour to ninety minutes. Booking tickets online is usually cheaper than paying at the door.
A large resort hotel beside Interstate 85 with a big indoor water park kept warm year round, including slides, a wave pool and a treehouse water fort, plus a ropes course, arcade and the MagiQuest game. Water park access is mainly for hotel guests, so book a room or a day pass when one is offered.
One of North Carolina's busiest shopping destinations, Concord Mills is an outlet and value mall with more than 200 stores, a movie theater, a food court and attractions such as Sea Life and an indoor go-kart and games center. Weekday mornings are quietest; expect heavy traffic on race weekends.
Housed in the historic Gibson Mill, a former cotton mill building, this large antique and vintage market has hundreds of dealer booths selling furniture, collectibles, records, signs and racing memorabilia. Plan at least two hours to browse, and wear comfortable shoes, as the aisles stretch on for a long way.
A large Cabarrus County park on the north side of Concord with a fishing lake and seasonal paddle boats, a miniature golf course, disc golf, soccer and softball fields, picnic shelters and walking trails. It makes an easy break from the busy Concord Mills area; some activities only run in warm months.
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North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
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