Concord Travel and Things to Do Guide

Welcome to Cvent’s Meeting and Event Planning Guide to Cabarrus County - a countywide guide for meeting professionals. Nestled within the rolling countryside of the Carolina Piedmont, Cabarrus County is a year-round business and leisure destination home to high-energy sporting, rich history, fantastic shopping (including Concord Mills Mall, the largest shopping and entertainment destination in the Carolinas), group-friendly attractions, and much more. Located in south-central North Carolina about 20 minutes northeast of Charlotte, Cabarrus County is made up of the municipalities of Concord, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, Midland, and Mount Pleasant. While racing reigns supreme here (Cabarrus County is home to the greatest concentration of NASCAR team headquarters), this scenic area offers groups much more than its excellent NASCAR events and exciting motorsports heritage. Its top visitor attractions, convenient location along I-85, multiple transportation options and verdant surroundings together make Cabarrus County a fantastic meeting location.

Cabarrus County is home to Concord Regional Airport, which specializes in corporate and private aviation, About 20 minutes away, Charlotte Douglas International Airport the sixth-busiest airport in the world. Serving more than 140 nonstop destinations around the globe and operating more than 700 departures and landings daily, Charlotte Douglas International also serves as US Airways’ larg-est hub. Once in Cabarrus County, visitors can traverse the area via the Concord Kannapolis Area Transit (CK Rider) bus system, which operates seven routes with connections at the Amtrak station in Kannapolis. Visitors can also ride the Cabarrus Links shuttle system, which connects Mount Pleasant, Midland, and Harrisburg with Concord Mills Mall and the CK Rider bus hub.

Cabarrus County’s group-friendly attractions and activities allow groups to speed up or slow down, thanks to its high-octane excitement and surrounding rolling hills and quiet countryside. Known as the heart of NASCAR country, the region is home to a number of motorsports-minded attractions, including the legendary Charlotte Motor Speedway, which hosted the first World 600 race in 1960, as well as a number of NASCAR race shops that allow visitors to take a behind-the-scenes look at race day preparation. The county’s rate of hotels, restaurants, and attractions easily accommodate year-round meetings and events, together offering ample facilities in a number of styles, ranging from elegant and sleek to rustic and casual.

The Concord Convention Center at Embassy Suites Charlotte - Concord Golf Resort & Spa offers 42,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, perfect for small gatherings to full-scale conventions. Spanning 308 two-room suites, the hotel and convention center also features a full-service spa, onsite dining, and Rocky River Golf Club, one of only two Charlotte area public courses consistently ranked in the state’s top 100 courses, and a fantastic event venue in itself. An innovative event venue hosting a range of concerts, sporting events, conventions, tradeshows, and conferences, the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center features more than 150,000 square feet of event space and flexible floor plans. With 2,300 fixed seats and additional seating available on the arena floor, the facility can accommodate up to 6,000 people and features seven VIP suites seating 12 people each. Groups can also hold events at the legendary Charlotte Motor Speedway, which features 51 corporate suites, each with seating for 66 people and pre-race pit access, as well as number of pit crew box seating options for smaller groups. Groups can tour Hendrick Motorsports, home to four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, as well as hold events in Hendrick Motorsports’ state-of-the-art facilities. Groups looking for a dose of family-friendly entertainment can take in a Kannapolis Intimidators game. This Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox minor league system plays at the 4,700-seat Intimidators Stadium, which features six luxury suites, a 50-person conference room, reserved seat sections, a 500-person picnic shelter, party pavilion, and grassy area down the third base line.

Groups looking to get back to nature can hold private events or opt for facility buyouts at the SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium, home to more than 5,000 species of underwater creatures, an underwater 180-degree ocean tunnel, more than 20 display tanks and an interactive touchpool, among other features. Thirsty groups can head to the picturesque Rocky River Vineyards, a 45-acre destination set within the area’s gently rolling hills that features indoor and outdoor event space, in addition to delicious varietals.