Fast Facts

Airport -- The Memphis International Airport (tel. 901/922-8000; www.mscaa.com) serves the Memphis area.

American Express -- There is no American Express office in Memphis, but its representative is American and International Travel Services, at 5124 Poplar Ave. (tel. 901/754-6970), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. There is a national number for American Express (tel. 800/528-4800) and for American Express travel assistance (tel. 800/YES-AMEX).

Area Code -- The telephone area code in Memphis is 901.

Babysitters -- Contact Annie's Nannies (tel. 901/755-1457).

Business Hours -- Banks are generally open Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 4pm, with later hours on Friday. Office hours in Memphis are usually Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. In general, stores located in downtown Memphis are open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5:30pm. Shops in suburban Memphis malls are generally open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm and on Sunday 1 to 5 or 6pm. Bars are allowed to stay open until 3am, but may close between 1 and 3am.

Dentists -- Contact Dental Referral Service (tel. 800/917-6453).

Doctors -- If you should find yourself in need of a doctor, call the referral service at Methodist/LeBonheur Healthcare.

Emergencies -- For police, fire, or medical emergencies, phone tel. 911.

Eyeglass Repair -- Contact Eyemasters, with several locations. The most convenient may be inside Oak Court Mall, at 4465 Poplar Ave. (tel. 901/683-1689).

Hospitals -- Major hospitals in the downtown/midtown areas are Methodist Healthcare at 1211 Union Ave. (tel. 901/516-7000), and The Regional Medical Center/Elvis Presley Trauma Center, at 877 Jefferson Ave. (tel. 901/545-7100).

Hotlines -- The Crisis Counseling and Suicide Prevention number is tel. 901/274-7477, and the Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center number is tel. 901/272-2020.

Libraries -- The modern, user-friendly main branch of the Memphis/Shelby County Public Library is at 3030 Poplar Ave. Elsewhere around town, there are more than 20 other branches (tel. 901/415-2700).

Liquor Laws -- The legal drinking age in Tennessee is 21. Bars are allowed to stay open until 3am every day. Beer can be purchased at a convenience, grocery, or package store, but wine and liquor are sold through package stores only.

Lost Property -- If you left something at the airport, call the airport police at tel. 901/922-8298. If you left something on a MATA bus, call tel. 901/274-6282.

Luggage Storage/Lockers -- There are lockers in the Greyhound station at 203 Union Ave.

Newspapers/Magazines -- The Commercial Appeal is Memphis's daily and Sunday newspaper. The arts-and-entertainment weekly is the Memphis Flyer, and the monthly city magazine is Memphis Magazine. Out-of-town newspapers are available at Davis-Kidd Booksellers and Borders.

Pharmacies -- There are about 60 Walgreens Pharmacies in the Memphis area (tel. 800/925-4733 for the Walgreens nearest you). Several have 24-hour prescription service, including the one at 1863 Union Ave. (tel. 901/272-1141 or 901/272-2006).

Police -- For police emergencies, phone tel. 911.

Post Office -- The main post office is at 555 S. Third St., and there's a branch in East Memphis at 5821 Park Ave. in the White Station area. If you're downtown, Peabody Place also has a branch. Hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm. For more information, dial tel. 800/275-8777.

Radio -- Memphis has more than 30 AM and FM radio stations. Some specialize in a particular style of music, including country, gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz. WEVL at 89.9 FM plays diversified music such as alternative rock, rockabilly, blues, Cajun music, and jazz. National Public Radio (NPR) news and talk radio can be heard on 88.9 FM, and NPR classical programming can be heard at 91.1 FM.

Restrooms -- There are restrooms available to the public at hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls.

Safety -- Memphis is a large city with a serious crime problem, earning the dubious rank of America's violent crime capital in 2007. Take extra precaution with your wallet or purse when you're in a crush of people. At night, whenever possible, try to park your car in a garage, not on the street. When walking around town at night, stick to the busier streets, and hang with a crowd. Generally speaking, don't venture into deserted-looking areas alone at any time of day -- either on foot or by car -- and do not wander the streets of downtown or midtown alone after dark.

Taxes -- The state sales tax is 9.25%. An additional room tax of 6.7% on top of the state sales tax brings the total hotel-room tax to a whopping 15.95%.

Television -- The six local television channels are 3 (CBS), 5 (NBC), 10 (PBS), 13 (FOX), 24 (ABC), and 30 (independent).

Time Zone -- Tennessee is in the central time zone -- Central Standard Time (CST) or Central Daylight Time, depending on the time of year -- making it 2 hours ahead of the West Coast and 1 hour behind the East Coast.

Transit Info -- Call tel. 901/274-MATA for the MATA bus system route and schedule information. Call tel. 901/577-2640 for information on the Main Street Trolley.

Weather -- For weather information, phone tel. 901/526-5261.