Interstate 85 and U.S. Highways 321 and 29/74 provide highway access.
There is an unmanned Amtrak station located in East Gastonia with access to trains on the Crescent line between New York and New Orleans.
A Greyhound station is located just east of downtown.
Downtown Gastonia is home to numerous historic buildings from the early 20th century as well as the Gaston County Courthouse and other County and City administrative offices. The downtown area has been the backdrop for several movie and T.V. productions due to its consistent historic look.
The city adjoins and is often considered a larger part of several smaller towns on its periphery:
McAdenville - "Christmas Town USA" hosts a nationally renown Christmas light display as the entire town is decked out in millions of lights and decorations and visited by thousands every year. This quaint mill town is experiencing dramatic growth and renewal and is located on the South Fork river.
Belmont - A city of roughly 10,000 with a very walkable revitalized downtown that is home to numerous shops, bars, and restaurants. Also home to Belmont Abbey College, including a monastery and nunnery designed in the Gothic style. Belmont is also home to the nationally recognized Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.
Bessemer City - A town of roughly 5,000 people that was originally laid out on a perfect grid system. Home to FMC's 'Lithium' facility that manufactures numerous products derived from lithium including batteries, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
Mt. Holly - Located on the South Fork River across from the U.S. National Whitewater Center (artificial river with rapids) and convenient to I-485.
Dallas - The oldest incorporated town and the original county seat of Gaston County. Dallas has numerous historic buildings including the Old Jail, Historic Courthouse, Hoffman Hotel, and many buildings on the historic courthouse square. The Hoffman Hotel houses the Gaston County Museum of Art and History.
Cramerton - Home to the exclusive Cramer Mountain Country Club.
Lowell, Ranlo, and Spencer Mountain - Former mill towns that are indicative of small piedmont textile towns.
The Gaston County Museum of Art and History is located in adjacent Dallas in the historic Hoffman Hotel and has exhibits on local history, art from around the region, and one of the largest collections of carriages in the country.
Crowders Mountain State Park is located in West Gastonia and includes two mountain peaks over 1,500 feet with miles of hiking trails. The summits of both Crowders and Kings Mountain offer breathtaking views of the surrounding region including views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Charlotte skyline. Crowders Mountain has an imposing rock face that is popular with rock climbing buffs. The ruins of the All Healing Springs Resort are located in the park. Campsites and walking tours are also available.
Local specialties of Gaston County include:
Fish Camps - Fish Camps are a fried seafood lover's dream. The decor and service are simple, but the food is great.
Livermush - Livermush is similar to sausage and often served with breakfast or on sandwiches. Livermush is available in many local 'dive' style eateries.
Barbeque - BBQ in Gastonia is predominately 'Western NC' style. R.O.'s has become nationally known due to its unique spicy slaw that is the dominant ingredient in R.O.'s style of BBQ.
Tony's Ice Cream - Consistently voted the best ice cream in the Charlotte regions, Tony's makes their own ice cream in a variety of flavors on-site and distributes to numerous retailers in the region.
SunDrop, a highly caffeinated citrus flavored soft drink, originates and is bottled in Gastonia and is a hometown favorite. Sweetened iced tea ("Sweet tea") is another local favorite.
Numerous additional hotels are located 15-20 minutes away in nearby Charlotte.