Airfarewatchdog.com LLC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Many a traveler moves through Charlotte; fewer stick around. For some, it's just a busy hub airport, visited occasionally while taking advantage of US Airways' often reasonable fares to other places. We know it as an important financial capital, we know it's not Charleston, or Asheville, or any other popular destination located within striking distance.

Why stick around and get to know the Queen City? Out of plenty of reasons, here are 10 good ones to get you started.

1. Not just a banking center

Yes, it's a banking capital, but Charlotte has an attractive creative side. One of the city's oldest cultural institutions is the Mint Museum, a two-campus...