Weekender’s guide to Memorial Day around Charlotte and beyond
Good day to you, Charlotte! Molly here.
We’re ever so close to Memorial Day weekend, and I’m sure some of of you will be taking to the road or the airport (godspeed) starting tomorrow. So, today’s newsletter dives into what you should know about travel for the holiday weekend, plus things to do around here if you’re staying in town.
Check out those stories and more below.
1. Memorial Day travel tips and advisories, whether in the car or on a plane:
Driving? Millions are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend.
Here’s what AAA says about the best and worst times for avoiding gridlock on the road this holiday weekend
Going to NC beaches and want to avoid I-40 traffic? Try these roads less traveled.
Myrtle Beach Memorial Day crowds in 2021 were huge. Will this year be any different?
Gas prices: Gas prices are hitting record levels. Use this interactive map to see Charlotte’s average
Heading to the airport? Airport officials say long lines and crowded parking lots will kick off this summer starting with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Roughly 31,000 local travelers are expected fly out of CLT over the holiday weekend.
How long are Charlotte airport lines, really? The Observer tested their online estimates
Expect even bigger crowds at the Charlotte airport. What to know for summer and holiday travel
Plus: What’s behind long lines at CLT airport? ‘Perfect storm’ of guns and weather, TSA says
2. Memorial Day weekend forecast:
Editor’s note: As weather so often is, these forecasts, too, are subject to change.
Severe weather could impact North Carolina travel, beach trips over Memorial Day weekend. What to know
Here in town: More storms and possible tornadoes threaten Charlotte area ahead of Memorial Day weekend
Know what spring weather alerts mean with this guide to the difference between a watch and a warning
3. Things to do (and eat!) for a staycation in the Charlotte area:
Planning to set off fireworks? If you bought them in South Carolina, it may not be legal to set them off in North Carolina
Film screening, tour and campout: Watch ‘The Hunger Games’ in District 12 under the stars this weekend in Hickory
Cheers! Want to go on a wine tasting? These four wineries are a short drive from Charlotte
Food finds in the Charlotte area to fuel your weekend:
Try something new: Get a taste of Cuba at Havana Carolina, a restaurant worth the drive to Concord
Seafood without the beach: Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, 7 places to get a Lowcountry Boil in Charlotte
Ultimate burger guide: Where to find 100+ best burgers in the Charlotte region
Find the best restaurant patios in Charlotte with our interactive guide
4. Stories for your weekend beach read (or reads from your front porch ... or bed ...)
This 85-year old takes a defiant stand against high gas prices. He’ll bike instead.
From fillings to flags, for Charlotte-area dentist turned NFL ref, it’s part of the drill
‘Shoulders I stand on.’ From birth to death, Ella Scarborough broke barriers.
At a crossroads, a Charlotte artist finds inspiration in love and her Puerto Rican roots
5. New from CLT Politics: ‘Pathway to victory.’ Why a July election might give the Charlotte GOP a fighting chance.
With primary elections over, the handful of Charlotte City Council candidates without general election opponents can rest easy, writes Will Wright in the newest installment of his column, CLT Politics. Here’s a snippet:
“And the Democratic at-large winners? Recent history would say they can, too, but a slate of four GOP opponents have their sights on a surprise victory July 26, the general election date for mayor and City Council.
If they pull it off, they’ll secure at-large Republican representation for the first time since 2009. In any other year, “there is 0% chance a Republican wins in the general election,” Charles Jeter, a former Republican state legislator, told me. This time, though, it might — and Jeter emphasized might — be different.”
CLT Politics is a new weekly analysis of political news and events in Charlotte and across the region published Thursday by The Charlotte Observer.
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