Neighborhoods, schools, commutes, utilities and the first ten places to eat

This is the short version. Charlotte’s relocation questions come in a fixed order, and each one has a full guide in this series. Below is the one-page pass: the decision, the two sentences that matter, and the link. At the end, ten restaurants, because the first month in a new city is measured in dinners. Businesses link to the directory.

1. Neighborhoods

The city is a hub with rings, and the address “Charlotte” covers thirty distinct neighborhoods plus a ring of independent towns with their own schools and taxes. The two questions: inside the city or a ring town, and which side of the state line. Young singles: South End, NoDa, Plaza Midwood. Families: the lake towns, the Union County towns, Fort Mill. Money: Myers Park, SouthPark. Value: east Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia. Full map: Charlotte neighborhoods, explained, then the neighborhood and town pages.

2. Schools

Inside Mecklenburg, one county district assigns by address with a magnet lottery; the ring counties are separate districts; charters have their own lotteries that close the winter before; private schools tour in fall. Pick the school before the house, not after. Full guide: Charlotte schools guide.

3. Commutes

Everything funnels onto I-77, I-85, I-485 and Independence Boulevard, and the light rail runs one line from South End through Uptown to the university. A house 20 miles out can be a 25-minute or a 55-minute drive depending on which highway. Drive the route at 7:45 on a weekday before signing. Full guide: getting around Charlotte without a car and riding the LYNX.

4. Utilities and setup

Duke Energy for most of the metro’s power, York Electric and York County Natural Gas in South Carolina, city or town water, Spectrum, AT&T, Google Fiber or Comporium for internet, municipal or Waste Pro for trash. The license and the car registration have a 60-day clock in North Carolina. Full checklists: the utility and setup checklist and your first week.

5. The people who help

The relocation realtors, movers, storage and CPAs are in so you’re moving to Charlotte; the doctors and vets in finding a doctor and the dog owner guide.

The first ten places to eat

One per kind of night, spread across the metro so that wherever you landed, three are close.

1. The Smoke Pit, Concord. Barbecue smoked up to 18 hours from meat butchered in house. The first Carolina meal. 2. Hickory & Heart, south Charlotte. The other barbecue, for the other side of town. 3. Mexilove, South Tryon. Birria and a tequila bar, walking distance from the stadium. 4. Carrburritos, Davidson. Family-run California taqueria, everything made on site. 5. Brickhouse Tavern, Davidson. The college-town tavern since 2000, 70 beers. 6. Peninsula Prime, Cornelius. Locally owned steak and seafood on the lake, for the first celebration. 7. The Pump House, Rock Hill. Southern food in a five-story pump house on the river; the first date night. 8. Mario’s, Matthews. Family Italian since 1984, for the night the grandparents visit. 9. Famous Toastery, Mooresville. All-day scratch breakfast, for the Saturday you’re too tired to decide. 10. Super G Mart, east Charlotte. Not a restaurant; the biggest international grocery in the Carolinas, with food counters. The meal that tells you what Charlotte actually eats.

The long lists are in the where to eat guide, the brunch guide, the international corridors guide and the cheap eats guide.

The first ten things to do

Since you’re here: Freedom Park, the greenway, Romare Bearden Park at blue hour, Ramsey Creek Beach or Jetton Park, the Whitewater Center for the price of parking, a brewery lawn, $10 improv at CATCh, a Cannon Ballers or Knights game, Crowders Mountain on a clear day, and Super G Mart again, because once isn’t enough. All in the Things to Do guides.

The first ten people to know

A realtor who does relocation (At Home in the Carolinas). A CPA who works both states (Patricia Belcourt in Waxhaw). A primary care office (the doctor guide). A vet (Clear Creek, free new-client exam). A mover (Port City Movers, since 1971). An insurance agent who writes both states (Gill-Holler). An HVAC company, because the air conditioner will fail in July (Putnam Mechanical north, Charlotte Heating and Air in the city). A plumber (Three Way Plumbing, 4.9 stars per its site). A pest company, because the termites are real (Carolina Pest, since 1939). And a coffee shop, from the ranking, because that’s where you’ll meet the rest.

The first ten things to learn

Uptown means downtown. The Booty Loop is a road, not a bar. Independence Boulevard is to be avoided at all hours. “The lake” means Norman unless you live south, when it means Wylie. Pollen season is two weeks in April and the cars turn yellow. The Panthers and Charlotte FC share a stadium and a fan base. Barbecue means pork unless you ask. Sweet tea is the default. Ballantyne is technically Charlotte and behaves like a town. And nobody is from here, so nobody minds that you aren’t.

The one-page rule

State line, then commute, then school, then house, then everything else. It’s the order every long-time resident wishes they’d used. The moving checklist turns it into boxes. Tell us what you’d add to the ten.