Charlotte, NC Vacation

Charlotte has some attractions for kids- Carowinds is a theme park located in Charlotte. Also, the Nascar Hall of Fame is located there as well (if your kids are fans). I know there is white-water rafting tours in Charlotte and I know they have family (beginner class) rapids for families with kids- I think that would be a total blast!
The closest beach is going to be about a 4 hour drive (Wrightsville Beach or Myrtle Beach, SC), so plan to stay overnight if you go.
You might consider visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chimney Rock is fun, Linville Caverns, Grandfather Mountain, Biltmore Estate (as someone else mentioned), etc...
Hope this helps!

Some really good options from MamaDuck. We lived in Concord for 9 years and love it there! Ashville and the Biltmore estate are beautiful, but that is mountains, which we don't have here in Texas either ;-) There are a few beaches closer than Myrtle, but Myrtle will be your best bet, but stay in south Myrtle it is more family friendly and then just go check out the north Myrtle. Downtown Chartlotte is not a busy place on the weekends, they do have Discovery Place. Have fun!

North Carolina is a big state and Charlotte is a lovely city but it is not on top of the beach. We love the Outerbanks but stay to the north near Corolla which would be too far. Not sure you can access the OuterBanks far enough south... but there are other beaches. Alternatively, the mountains are lovely - google Asheville and Biltmore Estate and Chimmney Rock. I have only been to NC a few times, but it is a great state.

I recommend Wrightsville Beach which is near Wilmington. I have been going there since I was a kid to visit grandparents and I have taken my kids as well. It is a real nice family beach and is not overly commercialized like a lot of beaches. It has a nice pier, lovely restaurants and shopping and there are tons of rental houses and condos to rent. We have always used Bryant Real Estate to rent and I believe you can rent just nightly as well.

My daughter and son-in-law live in Charlotte (or rather south of Charlotte in Waxhaw) and I lived in G'ville, SC for 5 years. Ditto on Wrightsville Beach. It was one of our favorite beaches. There are lots of things in and around Charlotte. Ashville, NC is also beautiful. The Biltmore House is a must-see! I've been there 5 times and it never gets old! One of my favorite places is Brevard. Waterfalls, hiking, and natural beauty. Order a packet from NC tourist dept. and you'll see lots of things to do.