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Keys to the City
Facts & Fundamentals
A major center for banking, Charlotte is home to both the Bank of America and Wachovia headquarters. Many other Fortune 500 companies are located in the city, including Duke Energy, Lowe's and Goodrich Corporation.
One of the fastest growing cities in the nation, Charlotte has a population of 671,588.
Sales tax in Mecklenburg County is 7.5%.
Weather
Charlotte has four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and humid with temperatures ranging from the 70s to the low 90s. In the fall, the average low drops to 50 degrees and the high to 73. Winters are mild, with lows in the 30s and highs in the 60s. By mid-spring, highs reach the 70s and lows are in the 40s and 50s. The city receives moderate rainfall throughout the year and occasional snow and ice storms during the winter.
Holidays & Business Hours
On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:
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Coming & Going
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport lies seven miles outside the city and serves over 500 flights daily. Amtrak rail service connects the city to the north and south.
By car, Charlotte is accessible from Interstates 85, 77 and 40. The I-485 beltline is currently underway but loops around more than half of the greater Charlotte area (everything south of I-85). I-277 circles the city center, making access to places like Bank of America Stadium and Uptown much easier.
Making Your Way
With the exception of the Uptown area, Charlotte's layout is better-suited for driving than walking, so renting a car or using public transportation is recommended. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has 30 routes within the city that run from 5am-2am and 12 express routes that connect Uptown to the suburbs. Local fare is $1.50 and exact change is required. Weekly and monthly passes are sold in many local grocery stores.
The South End Shuttle runs daily, every half hour between 7am and 11pm, from Atherton Mill in the South End to Center City. Fare is $1.
News & Views
The Charlotte Observer serves as the area's primary source for daily news. The Charlotte Post is a weekly newspaper that targets the African American community, and Charlotte Creative Loafing focuses on the local arts and entertainment scene. For business news, pick up a copy of the weekly Charlotte Business Journal.
Quirks & Curiosities
Thanks Lowe's Motor Speedway right outside the city, Charlotte is mecca for NASCAR enthusiasts. Most drivers own a home in the area, and most of the nation's motorsports industry is located within two hours of Charlotte – faster than that, depending on who's driving.
Getting Your Bearings
When you're not familiar with a city, you feel completely adrift. That's exactly what local visitors' centers hope to ward off. They've compiled a vast collection of resources to help you better understand a particular city, and they're more than eager to share their time, hints, and literature. In Charlotte, Visitor Info Centers are located at the following addresses:
Center City
330 S. Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28202
800-231-4636
Levine Museum of the New South
200 E. 7th St
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-333-1887 ext. 235
Necessities - Post Offices
It's usually not too difficult to spot a drop box when you're out and about, but if you need to conduct more serious postal business, it's not always that easy. In the heart of Charlotte, several locations are convenient to travelers and residents. They include:
Downtown
201 N Mcdowell St
Charlotte, NC 28204-9798
704-333-2542
Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm; Sat 10am-1pm
Central Contract
100 N Tryon St Ste 50
Charlotte, NC 28202-4010
704-338-1770
Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
Midwood
1233 The Plz
Charlotte, NC 28299-9798
704-376-9684
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm
Common Courtesies
Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. It is also common now for some restaurants to charge an automatic gratuity of 18% for groups. You should be aware of this possibility before providing an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.
Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. Bartenders are customarily given $1 per cocktail, hotel maids are provided $1 for each day of a stay, bellhops get about $1 per bag, and a coat-check clerk typically receives $1 as well. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).
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