Dashboards and Saddlebags the Destination Magazine™ Issue 022 January 2013 | Page 25

The Catawba Queen teams, so it’s not uncommon to see NASCAR drivers like Rusty Wallace, Sterling Marlin, and Ricky Rudd in town. The local visitor center is located in the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, at 119 Knob Hill Road. The hall of fame contains over 35 racecars, assorted displays, and a gift shop. Credits “Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story” (CBS, 1999),”Vestige of Honor” (CBS, 1990), “The Lookalike” (USA, 1990),”A Stoning in Fulham County” (NBC, 1988) Lake Norman The Catawba Queen riverboat is based at Queen’s Landing, located at 1459 River Highway in Mooresville, for hours, call 704-663-2628. For information about the area, visit www.lakenorman.org or www.racecityusa.org., or call the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau at 800-305-2508. F ilmmakers have discovered the charms of Lake Norman, the state’s largest man-made lake. In Days of Thunder, Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and sexy surgeon Claire (Nicole Kidman) go for a boat ride on Lake Norman when they visit another couple at their lakefront home. In Shallow Hal, Lake Norman Regional Medical Center stands in as the hospital where Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow) works with bur ned children. And it’s where Hal’s dying father leads him astray with advice about women. Lake Norman Fire Equipment, Inc., poses as the exterior for Sun Records in “Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story.” World-class fishing, camping, boating, and hiking along six miles of nature trails are among the recreational opportunities at Lake Norman. You can even take a riverboat cruise or a hot-air balloon ride to see the elegant homes, charming bed-and-breakfasts, and fine hotels and restaurants that surround the camera-worthy lake. Credits “She Says She’s Innocent” (NBC, 1991) stars Katey Sagal. Lake Norman’s other credits include Shallow Hal (2001); “Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story” (CBS, 1999); and Days of Thunder (1990). From the Film Junkies Guide to North Carolina by Connie Nelson and Floyd Harris. DashboardsandSaddlebags.com 704-706-2365 25