Charlotte, North Carolina.
restaurant from James Beard Award semifinalist Abbi Merriss; and the Madame Walker Theatre Center, a multimillion-dollar theater honoring the legacy of the first, self-made African American woman, Madame Walker. (Tip: Keep your eye on Netflix for the story of Madame Walker; she’s played by Octavia Spencer.)
Despite the fact that Fort Worth is in line to jump two spots as the 11th-largest city in the country, it still struggles to separate itself from nearby Dallas. However, with a style and scene of its own, Fort Worth is well worth exploring. In addition to its twice-daily cattle runs, the city has a growing music scene. Local museums have hosted exhibits from Monet, Renoir and Takashi Murakami, while creative event spaces like Blackhouse empower and support up-and-coming artists and musicians. Live music is very much a thing here, so grab some Texas BBQ and a cold beer and soak in the local sounds.
Houston holds up its end of the everything-is-bigger-in-Texas bargain by ranking as the United States’ fourth-largest city. It also goes big when it comes to science, culture and diversity, which can only be expected for a place with two massive space centers, numerous museums (second only to NYC), and one of the nation’s highest immigrant and refugee populations. Check out the newly opened Lyric Market, which offers tasty eats and a 4,000-square-foot rooftop deck with skyline views. Also be sure to hit up Asiatown for its temples and Viet-Cajun fare, Freedmen’s Town Historic District for soul food and African American history, and the National Museum of Funeral History for a trip to the afterlife. Want an outof-this-world experience? Visit the Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center to touch an actual piece of Mars, walk through life-size mock-ups of the International Space Station, learn how astronaut food has evolved, and see the meticulously restored Mission Control room, set up exactly as it was the day we landed on the moon.
At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was one of the most populated cities in the country and a beacon for all things new, cool and noteworthy. However, a midcentury collapse in industry and economy created a mass exodus, and the city
Charlotte is a mustvisit for craft beer lovers who can drink their way through the city’s 30 craft breweries. If wine is more your thing, check out Rosie’s Wine Garden, which has wine and beer on tap as well as a garden setting. Meanwhile, foodies will want to head straight to the new Optimist Hall, a mixed-used space with a lot of great restaurants serving everything from hearty to healthy fare. The city is also brimming with great chef-led eateries, many of which have won or been semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Award. The museums here, like the Mint Museum Uptown, showcase emerging artists and explore territory not always seen in larger-scale institutions. We also love Charlotte for its easy access to outdoor activities, like whitewater rafting, hiking and rock climbing. Charlotte is a crowd-pleasing destination that’s great for friends, family and solo trips, though it has remained relatively under the radar when it comes to major tourism — at least for now.