Fast Facts

American Express -- Call customer service (tel. 800/528-4800) to report lost or stolen traveler's checks or for locations in Virginia. The main Virginia office is in Richmond at 1412A Starling Dr. (tel. 804/740-2030).

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 (no charge) for police, fire, and ambulance. Dial tel. #77 on your cellphone to reach the state highway patrol.

Liquor Laws -- In Virginia, many grocery and convenience stores sell beer and wine, but only state-licensed Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) stores are permitted to sell bottles of hard liquor. Any licensed establishment (restaurant or bar) can sell drinks by the glass. The legal drinking age is 21, and photo ID may be requested.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. Visa's U.S. emergency number is tel. 800/847-2911 or 410/581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309 or 636/722-7111. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory at tel. 800/555-1212.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Identity theft and fraud are potential complications of losing your wallet, especially if you've lost your driver's license along with your cash and credit cards. Notify the major credit-reporting bureaus immediately; placing a fraud alert on your records may protect you against liability for criminal activity. The three major U.S. credit-reporting agencies are Equifax (tel. 800/766-0008; www.equifax.com), Experian (tel. 888/397-3742; www.experian.com), and TransUnion (tel. 800/680-7289; www.transunion.com).

Finally, if you've lost all forms of photo ID call your airline and explain the situation; they might allow you to board the plane if you have a copy of your passport or birth certificate and a copy of the police report you've filed.

Newspapers/Magazines -- Each major city in Virginia has its own daily newspaper. The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Roanoke Times, and the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot are the largest. The Washington Post and USA Today are available at newsstands and coin boxes throughout the state.

Police -- To reach the police in an emergency, dial tel. 911 from any phone (no charge).

Taxes -- The Virginia state sales tax is 5% for most purchases. Hotel taxes vary from town to town; in most communities it's 5%, which makes the total tax on your hotel bill at least 10%. Some local jurisdictions also add a restaurant tax, which jacks up the price of food and drink by 10% or more.

Time Zone -- Virginia is on Eastern Standard Time (EST), the same as New York and other East Coast cities. When it's noon in Virginia, it's 11am in Chicago, 10am in Denver, 9am in Los Angeles, 8am in Anchorage, and 7am in Honolulu. Daylight savings time is in effect from 2am on the first Sunday of April until 2am on the last Sunday of October. Effective in 2007, however, it will run from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. In either case, time "springs ahead" 1 hour in spring and "falls back" 1 hour in fall.

Weather -- For current conditions in northern Virginia, call tel. 703/936-1212; in Richmond, call tel. 804/268-1212; in Roanoke, call tel. 540/982-2303. Elsewhere, check the front pages of the telephone directory for the local number.