Monroe

See

Monroe maintains its historic downtown, though it has seen better days. The Union County Courthouse has an impressive bell tower, and is in a picturesque downtown district. The stores along Main St. bear the feeling of a 1940s town, and are reasonably well preserved. Also, the original Belk's Department Store can be found there.

There is a movie theater near the Monroe Mall on Highway 74.

Do

Monroe is not a tourist center, and there is relatively little for a visitor to do there besides shop. The Monroe Mall and Union County Farmers' Market are probably your best bet aside from strolling through the downtown area. High-school football games are also an event of interest for those looking for exposure to Southern culture.

Buy

The historic downtown of the city has some shopping, and is worth visiting for a casual afternoon. Of particular interest are independently owned boutiques, antique stores, and day spas that populate the Historic Downtown.

Monroe's other shopping district can be found along the US-74 corridor. The Monroe Mall offers some department store retail, and has a few interesting stores. Other bog box and chain retail stores can be found at Poplin Place.

Eat

The strip along US-74 has many chain restaurants. If you are looking for chain food, there is no need to plan ahead; just drive down 74 and look for what you want.

For more personal dining, try exploring the historic downtown area. There are a few good cafes to be found there and on surrounding streets.

Drink

• The Courthouse Self-Pour Beer & Wine, 101 W Franklin St. Kind of an unusual establishment with a self-pour process. Tel: +1 980-269-8386.

Sleep

There are a variety of hotels along US-74 approaching Charlotte.