- Westfield Shoppingtown in Gastonia is the fourth largest enclosed mall in the Carolinas. It includes 800,000 square feet and 100 stores, such as Belk, J.C. Penny, Dillard and Sears, as well as numerous specialty shops, restaurants, a roller coaster and entertainment offerings.
- Franklin Square is a major retail area with over 1,000,000 square feet. Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sam’s, Lowe's and Kohl’s are located in Franklin Square along with many other retail stores, restaurants and a movie theater.
- Gaston County also has many other shopping centers, antique and specialty shops, outlets and other retail and restaurant establishments.
Housing
Gaston County residents can choose among historical neighborhoods, golf course developments, lake communities, apartments, condominiums and rural housing developments. Housing costs are below the national average. For more information on Gaston-area housing, check out:
Accommodations
Gaston County has more than 25 hotels, motels and bed & breakfast facilities, including Comfort Suites, Holiday Inn and Fairfield Inn.
Health Care
CaroMont Health Care is a highly-rated private, non-profit, general, acute care hospital that serves Gaston County. This 442-bed, 400,000 square-foot facility offers many services including:
- Comprehensive Cancer Center
- In-Patient/Out-Patient Surgery
- Special Care Units
- The Birthplace
- Courtland Terrace Long Term Care Facility
- The Diagnostic Center
- CaroMont Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine
- CaroMont Specialty Surgery (outpatient eye, ear, nose and throat procedures)
- Gaston Memorial Home Health Care
- CaroMont Medical Group (19 physician practices in the area)
Over 200 physicians serve Gaston County, including 90 primary care practitioners and more than 100 specialists. Gaston also has approximately 60 dental practices.
Sports and Recreation
- Golf is a popular recreational activity in Gaston County, and the County has many private and public golf courses.
- Gaston County parks feature tennis courts, jogging trails and walking/nature trails.
- Home to the Gastonia Grizzlies and the Carolina Speedway
- The Carolina Panthers (NFL), Lowe's Motor Speedway (NASCAR Racing), Discovery Place, Paramount's Carowinds, the Charlotte oliseum, the Mint Museum, and the Charlotte Knights (AAA baseball) are all within 30 minutes of Gaston County.
Arts and Culture
Gaston County’s arts community features several outstanding museums including:
- Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, featuring the largest collection of land mammal species in the Southeast.
- Gaston County Museum of Art and History, with North Carolina’s largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles.
- C. Grier Beam Truck Museum, one of only three truck museums in the US.
- American Military Museum.
- The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden borders Lake Wylie and is quickly being recognized as one of the finest perennial gardens in the Southeast.
- The United Arts Council of Gaston County offers excellent theater, dance performances and concerts, as well as exhibits by local and visiting artists.
Libraries
The Gaston-Lincoln Regional Library system is the sixth largest public library system in the state. It has 11 branches which offer numerous resources.
Media
Gaston County has seven radio stations and is within the listening area of countless others. There are two TV stations in Belmont and eight in nearby cities.
Religion
More 700 churches and other houses of worship are located in Gaston County, representing more than 20 denominations.
Chambers of Commerce
- Belmont Chamber of Commerce (704) 825-5307
- Bessemer City Chamber of Commerce (704) 629-3900
- Cherryville Chamber of Commerce (704) 435-3451
- Gaston Chamber of Commerce (704) 864-2621
Visit www.gastontourism.com for more details.
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