Charlotte/Concord convention tours

Reservations are required for all tours and must be made in advance, by Tuesday, Aug. 1. Use the Tour Reservation Form (PDF 70K).

On-site registration: At the convention, an Adventures In Motorsports representative will be available at the tour desk located in the FMCA Information Center in the Nextel Garage to take reservations.

 All tours are subject to change. Tours may be cancelled due to fewer than minimum passengers registered at the cutoff date. Adventures In Motorsports reserves the right to cancel a tour due to inclement weather conditions. If Adventures In Motorsports cancels a tour, all money will be refunded for that tour.

A Tour of NASCAR Valley

Being in the heart of NASCAR country, we will take a behind-the-scenes look at one of America’s fastest growing sports. We’ll visit race shops of some of the top Nextel Cup drivers, such as Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. We will stop at two race shop facilities, DEI and Penske South. Each is unique with their own museums, viewing areas, and other points of interest. Our guide has a motorsports background to give us that “hidden’ experience as we tour the area.

Lunch will be at Lancaster’s BBQ where many of the drivers and crews eat. It will consist of a delicious North Carolina barbecue plate featuring baked beans, French Fries, and a beverage. You’ll be amazed at the memorabilia in this restaurant.

Tour Memory Lane Museum. If you cherish automobiles, racing, or history, this museum has something for you. It has the largest private collection of NASCAR and vintage race cars in existence on display. View many one-of-a-kind items never before displayed, including a large collection of antique toys, bicycles, gas pumps, and motorcycles. This museum has provided toys, props, and vehicles to many movie sets, including Driving Miss Daisy, Days of Thunder, and The Color Purple.

The tour day will end with a visit to Kannapolis, the boyhood home of Dale Earnhardt. We will visit the Dale Earnhardt Tribute Center where we’ll be greeted by Martha Earnhardt, Dale’s mother. You’ll have the opportunity to chat, take a photo, and visit with this special member of the Earnhardt family.

Price: $55 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, two attractions, lunch, two race shops, tour guide, and appearance by Martha Earnhardt.)
Duration: 7 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Fond Memories Tour

Your guide for the day will help take us back in time to a past era. We will explore historical attractions and enjoy activities that will bring back fond memories for the “young at heart.” The tour begins with a visit to Bost Grist Mill. Established around 1810, the mill was the source of flour and cornmeal for the area. The restored mill is on the National Registry of Historic Places and is filled with original milling equipment and artifacts. The present building dates from the 1870s, at which time the water wheel created 15 horsepower allowing the mill to produce 150 bushels a day. The mill continues to use the same 48 inch millstone that was a prized possession in its day. Watch corn being ground into cornmeal and grits as it was then.

Next, we’ll stop at Concord Mills, the mega-mall with 200-plus stores for browsing and lunch on your own in the 1,500-seat Best Fest food court. You’ll find a variety of food items suited for any taste. We will spend an hour and a half here to give you a chance to view this shopping extravaganza!

The afternoon includes a tour of Memorial Gardens in the heart of historic Concord. It is a three-acre 1804 garden intertwined through the 200-year-old cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church. It has been called one of North Carolina’s hidden treasures. The garden is now maintained through a generous trust fund.

We will take a driving tour of Union Street’s lovely old homes in Concord’s historic district. We will make a stop at the Cabarrus Creamery for some complimentary homemade ice cream! They are still using the same recipes developed by the owners. The Creamery dates back to 1923 and is known for its unique flavors and generous portions. While enjoying your ice cream, you may choose to browse through 21 Union Street – a trading company. It is a blend of unique shops and crafts of all varieties located in the Creamery building.

Price: $45 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, two attractions, guide service, and complimentary ice cream.)
Duration: 5 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Luncheon Cruise on the Catawba Queen

Join our guide as we head to Queens Landing to board the Catawba Queen, a replica of a Mississippi riverboat. You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch while cruising. Hear stories of how the lake was created. You’ll see beautiful lakefront homes on this narrated hour and a half tour around Lake Norman. It is the largest man-made body of fresh water in North Carolina with 520 miles of shoreline. It is North Carolina’s “inland sea.”

Your choice for lunch will be a sliced ham sandwich, sliced turkey sandwich, chicken salad sandwich, or hot dog plate. All meals are served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, chips, and coffee or tea. (Please indicate your choice of meal when registering for the tour.)

Price: $53 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, riverboat cruise, and lunch during cruise.)
Duration: 3½ hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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5 Off 5 On Pit Crew Training Facility

For those NASCAR fans, our guide will take us on a private tour of PIT Instruction, a pit crew training facility. It is owned by Jeff Hammond, race analyst for Fox Sports. There will be a detailed presentation giving you an insiders look at how a championship pit crew functions and choreographs their exciting pit stops. Live pit stop demonstrations will occur while you are there. You can handle the equipment and ask the crew members all those questions you want answered. You will leave with a greater appreciation of the work of the NASCAR pit crews. A must-see for the racing fan!

Price: $45 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, tour of pit crew facility, and live demonstrations of pit stops by a professional pit crew.)
Duration: 3½ hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Cannon Village Design Seminar

You’ll head to Cannon Village Home Furnishings Market where you will experience the shops and boutiques in the beautifully restored Colonial Village of Kannapolis. Light refreshments and discount coupons greet you at the visitors center where Betsy Smith, a professional interior designer, will entertain you with an interactive design seminar entitled “Big Decorating Ideas in Small Spaces.” This outing combines real Southern hospitality with your seminar adventure. Items shown and created in the seminar will be available in the shops of Cannon Village.

After the seminar you’ll have time to stroll the brick-lined sidewalks, browse the unique shops in the village, and have lunch on you own at the Village Grille before departing.

Price: $40 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, and approximately 1½-hour design seminar.)
Duration: 4½ hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Reed Gold Mine

Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States in 1799. The 17 pound nugget found here was used as a doorstop for three years before it was sold for $3.50. From this discovery, gold mining spread to nearby counties. North Carolina led the nation in gold production until 1848, when it was eclipsed by the great rush to California. You’ll tour the Visitors Center that contains exhibits of gold and historical mining equipment. An orientation video highlights that first gold discovery. You will have a guided tour of a portion of the underground tunnels that have been restored. (Please wear comfortable shoes as this is a walking tour along natural trails to the mine shafts.)

Price: $35 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, and tour.)
Duration: 4 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Family Motor Coach Scavenger Hunt

We head for Concord’s main street to test our skills on an old-fashioned scavenger hunt. Get ready to race through downtown identifying 10 locations. Look up. Look down. Don’t worry! Concord is small so you can’t get lost. All sites are on the same street and within a three-block radius. Bring your completed form to be eligible for the prize drawings. Prizes will include mugs, prints, useful household items, and a “mystery” gift basket. When you finish, stop by the Cabarrus Creamery for some complimentary homemade ice cream. Stroll through 21 Union Street Craft Bazaar while enjoying your delicious treat!

Price: $35 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, tour, and complimentary ice cream.)
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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“Remembering Dale” Tour

We’ll head for Kannapolis, North Carolina, Dale Earnhardt’s hometown, for a driving tour. Hear stories about his boyhood and his rise to become a racing legend. You’ll visit points of interest as we ride down the “Dale Trail.” See the park and statue dedicated to him in the downtown area. Visit the Dale Earnhardt Tribute Center, created by Sam Bass. Tour Curb Motorsports where you will see the car and trophy from Dale’s very first Winston Cup championship. You’ll see an array of other race cars in their museum. Finally, we’ll visit Dale’s crowning achievement, the corporate headquarters of Dale Earnhardt Inc. See cars, trophies, and memorabilia in the exhibit area. Browse the huge gift shop before departing. You’ll enjoy this look back at how Dale and his family’s lives are imprinted on these streets and surrounding areas.

Price: $30 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, and visits to all attractions listed in itinerary.)
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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Charlotte City Tour

See the history and the future of this great city as we tour the downtown area. See the financial district and headquarters of two of the nation’s largest banks. Visit Independence Square, the heart of the “Queen City.” Make a stop at the Levin Museum of the New South. It is an interactive history museum that provides a comprehensive interpretation of post-Civil War southern society from the cotton fields to skyscrapers! Visit the historic Fourth Ward area filled with restored Victorian and Colonial Revival homes. You will fall in love with the beauty and rich heritage of this grand city of the South!

Price: $35 per person
(Includes deluxe motor coach transportation, guide, museum admission.)
Duration: 2½ hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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A Quilters Delight

Quoted in Southern Living magazine: “Dolly Parton’s seamstress. Disney’s Costume Makers. Miss America dressmakers. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders’ outfitters. Professional wrestlers. European fashion designers. . . That’s who shops at Mary Jo’s Cloth Store, a mecca for quilt lovers who will find mountains of material at thimble-size prices in the legendary Gastonia store.”

We will arrive shortly after their opening and spend the next two hours browsing through the Gaston Mall store, the largest fabric shop in the Southeast. We will depart the mall at 11:30 a.m.

Price: $30 per person
(Includes transportation and guide.)
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum: 30 passengers

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