text:
Spokane

Spokane is a city in the Palouse region of eastern Washington, also known as "The Inland Empire", pre-dating by nearly a century the use of the same title by a region in Southern California. It is the second largest city in the state, and the largest between Seattle and Minneapolis.

Pronunciation
The city is pronounced as "spo-CAN," but often mispronounced as "spo-CANE."

Basics
Spokane is named for a Salish-speaking tribe of Native Americans who were the original inhabitants of the area. The original spelling, Spokan, was given an e by the adoption of the name of the original building, Spokane House (a trapping house built by early European arrivals).

Spokane is the economic hub of an area that serves roughly 1.5 million people. The largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis, its immediate metropolitan area, which includes neighboring Kootenai County, Idaho, is home to roughly 680,000 people. The city is home to just over 200,000. Politically, Spokane is as conservative as most regions its size across the west, but within city limits, it typically votes for Democrats. Despite immigration from other areas of the country and world, Spokane has a fairly small racial minority population of around 15%.

Climate
Spokane receives only a fraction of the rain that falls in Seattle and western Washington. However, winters are a lot colder with much more snowfall. Summers are hotter, but still more mild and less humid that those in the Midwest and East. Even temperatures of to  are often followed by cold early mornings with temperatures not much more than. Always have a jacket handy year-round.

By plane
( for Geiger Field) is about to the west of Downtown off of I-90 from Exit #277B (along US Hwy 2) towards Airway Heights. The following airlines serve Spokane (some distant cities are seasonal and/or weekly):

 * Alaska Airlines/Horizon (Concourse C, Gates C22-25 & C30-31): (Boise, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco,San Jose, Seattle-Tacoma, and seasonally from Los Angeles)
 * Allegiant: (Las Vegas, Mesa AZ, Orange County)
 * American Airlines (Concourse A, Gate A4) (Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix); additional flights from Portland and Seattle-Tacoma are operated by Alaska Airlines on a codeshare basis.
 * Delta/Delta Connection (Concourse B, Gates B4 - B8 even numbered): (Atlanta, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St Paul, Salt Lake City, Seattle-Tacoma)
 * Southwest (Concourse A, Gates A11-A15 odd numbered): (Denver, Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Sacramento, San Jose (CA))
 * United Airlines/United Express (Concourse B) (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, San Francisco)

There are no non-stop flights to Spokane from outside of the U.S. Most international connections are made in Atlanta, Seattle (most common), Minneapolis, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, or Chicago depending on the airlines you choose.

To travel from the airport to downtown:
 * A taxi from the airport will cost $25+ 15% tip.
 * The STA #60 bus, costs $2.00 one way (or $4.00 for day pass if requiring to transfer buses) and takes 25 minutes to travel from the airport to downtown (at the 'Plaza' @ W Sprague & Wall St). The stops are outside the police office & conference center at Concourse C and the arrivals concourse past Concourse A at the opposite end of the main terminal building. Click here for a list of additional local (door to door) and long distance buses to Coeur d'Alene, Kettle Falls, Pullman/Colfax, Moscow and Fairfield.

By train

 * Train operator:
 * Route serving Spokane:
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.

By bus
The bus station for long distance buses is the same as the train station (intermodal station) at 221 W 1st Ave and/or the airport:

By car
Interstate 90 (I-90) connects Seattle with Billings, Montana via Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Spokane. Spokane is accessed from Exits #279 (US Hwy 195) through #285 ( "Appleway Blvd and Sprague Ave" from the eastbound lanes and "Sprague Ave" from the westbound lanes) just east of town.

US Route 2 is a more scenic alternative to I-90. If coming from Seattle, it winds its way eastward through Leavenworth and Wenatchee in the North Cascades. It continues north and east towards Northern Idaho and Montana after leaving Spokane. From the north, US Hwy 2 and US Hwy 395 go through town as N Division St into downtown. US Route 2 runs concurrent on I-90 between Exit 281 (Division St) and 277("Spokane Airport Davenport") where it continues west towards Davenport as a separate road.

US Route 195 connects the Palouse country in the southeastern part of the state to Spokane. It passes through the southwestern neighborhoods of Spokane as a freeway and ends at I-90, at Exit #279 west of downtown.

US Route 395 connects Spokane to Tri-Cities through Ritzville (at freeway speeds, and shares its route with I-90 into Spokane after Ritzville). From the north, Christina Lake, BC (mostly a two-lane highway) goes through Colville and Kettle Falls in the northeastern part of the state. US Hwy 395 and US Hwy 2 go through Spokane as Division St, but with the new freeway, just US Hwy 2 will be Division St. and US Hwy 395 will be the North-South Freeway.

E Trent Ave goes across the northeastern part of town, parallel I-90, towards Rathdrum, Idaho via Antoine Peak Conservation Area. It becomes ID-Hwy 53 in Idaho.

W Francis Ave begins from N Division in the northwestern part of town. It eventually leaves town alongside the Spokane River towards Long Lake.

For those originating or passing through the Salt Lake City area, there are two freeway routes with nearly the same distance. I-15 north to I-90 west is slightly shorter than I-84 west to US-395 north. However, whichever route has the best weather at the time (especially in winter), would be the better choice. The I-15/I-84 split is about 75 miles north of downtown Salt Lake City.

By bus
The STA (Spokane Transit Authority) is an excellent way to get around to the north, south, and west sides as well as to the Valley and Liberty Lake in the east. Public transit is a great way to get to meet the people of a city. Bus route maps can be found in a few stores and gas stations. Most drivers are very friendly and helpful so ask any questions you may have.

The STA offers 2-hour and all-day passes. You must ask the driver for a pass before you put your fare in the fare box.

By car
Car rentals are available in many locations, mainly near the Spokane International Airport. All the major companies are there. Returning cars at the airport can be a little confusing. The main entrance to the rental return is an entire mile before the airport terminal (left at Flint Rd.) You can also drop off passengers and turn right at Flint Rd. just past the terminal. Note there are no directional signs for rental cars between these two places.

Interstate 90 is an excellent way to cross town east-west. A north-south freeway is under construction, and won't be finished for years. Allow more time if you have to go very far in this direction, as there's no express route yet. (The construction is unlikely to cause you any delays, as it's not on the main roadways.)

Spokane has many uncontrolled intersections in older residential neighborhoods. Watch for cross traffic and yield as necessary. Also, on the northwest side of the city, Maple Street (northbound) and Ash Street (southbound) are one-way thoroughfares. Be extra careful where Northwest Boulevard intersects Ash and Maple at a 45 degree angle.

Check with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for current driving conditions.

The area's roads are designed more or less around a grid system, where most addresses are numbered based on their distance from the city center (Sprague & Division). Nearly all streets run with the compass directions with Sprague Ave (going east-west through downtown to Spokane Valley and in Airway Heights) and W Riverside(west of downtown, west of Walnut St) divide north from south while Division St (US Hwy 2 and 395) north of I-90 and Grand Blvd south of I-90 divide east from west. The "Avenues" run east-west, parallel to Sprague, while "Streets" run north-south parallel to Division & Grand. Most streets are named except the east-west avenues south of Sprague in downtown (and south of downtown) and in Airway Heights which are numbered streets. This also applies to much of the extended areas of unincorporated Spokane County such as Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Country Homes and other surrounding areas outside the Spokane city limits. The addresses in places like Cheney, Deer Park, Medical Lake and Sprangle have their own numbering system and are not based on Spokane's numbering system.

By bike
Within the past five years, Spokane has rapidly developed its bicycling infrastructure, adding both protected and unprotected bike lanes, traffic-separated bike trails and paths, and bike parking areas downtown and in major commercial districts. As a result, biking is a convenient and desirable way to commute. Within the six-month period from April to October when the weather is most reliably bicyclist-friendly, it is not uncommon to see throngs of bicycle commuters traveling downtown or to the various districts, like South Perry and Garland. Many employers now offer showers and changing facilities to their employees to encourage cycling.

The Centennial Trail runs along the Spokane River from downtown Coeur d'Alene through the Spokane Valley and downtown Spokane, ending in Riverside State Park. The nationally-recognized trail is a favorite among bicyclists, runners, and skaters. Be on the lookout for the particularly dramatic section near Mile 23. Here trail users exit the up-and-coming Kendall Yards neighborhood to downtown (when traveling eastbound) and cross under the century-old Monroe Street Bridge, exposing beautiful views of the Spokane Falls. Be sure to take enough time to enjoy this true gem that makes Spokane one of the most beautiful downtown urban areas in the United States. And don't forget a camera.

Do

Golf- There are 33 golf courses within a short drive of the city center. The city of Spokane runs 4 public golf courses including the award winning Indian Canyon, Spokane County runs 6 other public courses. The Coeur d'Alene resort golf course features a green floating in the lake.
 * - in Spokane
 * - in Spokane

Buy
Many of the newer, suburban-style stores and shopping centers are on the far north side of the city. The huge Northtown Mall is on the NE corner of Division (US Hwy 2/395) & Wellesley. A mile further up is Francis Ave., and there are many places to shop as you go north on both Division (US 395) and the Newport Hwy (US 2) (which soon splits off from Division).

Eat
Spokane's dining scene has come into its own. A wide variety of chef-owned restaurants serve all tastes, with an emphasis on locally-grown and organic ingredients. You can't leave without enjoying a craft pizza at one of the area's many artisan pie shops. The area is known for wild and exotic pizza varieties, including Thai and a four-cheese pie called the "Honey Badger," topped with a honey glaze.

Mid-range

 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551
 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551
 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551
 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551
 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551
 * Bark, A Rescue Pub, 905 N Washington St. Located in the former Broadview Dairy building, this restaurant also serves as an adoption center for dogs and cats with a site in back and supports animal adoption causes. +1 509-418-2551

Drink
Within the past ten years, Spokane has experienced an explosion in craft brewing, with new local and regional brewers rapidly expanding in popularity. Beyond that, the nightlife scene has grown significantly with the addition of a number of bars, pubs, and nightclubs downtown.

Breweries
Spokane is the center of the Inland Northwest Ale Trail of over 25 different microbreweries. Many of them have food or partner with food trucks.

Splurge

Stay safe
People in Spokane are generally quite kind and hospitable. The city is safe, and violent crime is rare. That said, Spokane has had ongoing challenges with property crime and vehicle theft. As such, use common sense––if parking a vehicle, be sure to lock the doors and ensure that all valuables are in the trunk. Also, use caution when walking through Riverfront Park or on the Centennial Trail at night.

Do not swim or wade in the Spokane River, as this is very dangerous; drownings are not uncommon. While Spokane has a few hospitals (typical for a city its size), it does not have a Level 1 trauma hospital. While the need is rare, patients are flown by air ambulance to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Connect
Spokane is one of a few cities nationwide that has Wi-Fi access just about everywhere Downtown. The entire Downtown area is a Wi-Fi hotspot or an area where wireless Internet is provided free of charge (2 hours per day) if your computer is equipped for Wi-Fi. There is also free Wi-Fi at the airport (with commercials before access).

Cope
During the first Sunday in May, Spokane hosts the Bloomsday 12-km timed street run, while the Hoopfest basketball tournament is on last weekend in June (could be June 30th/July 1st). These are both hugely popular events with tens of thousands of visitors. If you're not interested in either, avoid the area altogether on these two weekends, as traffic will be extremely bad, and accommodation impossible. Even Thursday night should be avoided for Hoopfest. Barring some unusually severe weather, the other 50 weekends each year should be just fine for visiting.

Go next
Although the destinations of Seattle, Portland, Glacier National Park, Mount Rainier, and Mount St. Helens are popular with locals, these are not day trips, and even a two-day excursion will seem rushed. The distance to Mt. St. Helens is easily underestimated, as the only access is from I-5 between Seattle and Portland (with substantial backtracking).

The area to the west and south before the mountain ranges can be considerably hotter in summertime than it is in Spokane. Bring plenty of drinking water.

 * Being in the foothills of the Rockies, Spokane has excellent skiing in the wintertime, including cross-country. Forty-five minutes (by car) north of city lies the closest local ski area; Mt. Spokane Ski Resort
 * If you don't ski, Mt. Spokane State Park, has camping and daytime recreation. In the Selkirk Mountains, at the top of the 5,883-foot summit there are great views as far as Canada. US Hwy 2 north to Mt. Spokane Park Dr. (Hwy 206), then 19 miles east. (Don't use Day Mt. Spokane Road, as this goes into the backcountry.) Entry to Mt. Spokane requires a Washington State Parks Discover Pass (including the privately run ski resort.)
 * Also, 40 minutes east of downtown is the lakefront tourist town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. It's also known for its quaint downtown. (Note that all marijuana is illegal in Idaho, and their laws are very strict.)
 * Fairchild AFB, just west of Spokane International Airport on US Highway 2 (only for special events open to the public; otherwise a current Department of Defense ID card is required)
 * Grand Coulee Dam — About from Spokane, the largest electric power-producing facility in the U.S., and one of the largest concrete structures in the world. A laser light show is sometimes held after dark on summer nights (check schedule).
 * Walla Walla — It has been known for its funny name and famous sweet onions. Traditional crops have been replaced by the vineyards of over 100 area wineries. Due to the distance (157 mi/256 km) and large number (for its size) of hotels and Bed and Breakfasts, many visitors stay overnight. If too pricey, accommodation in Pendleton, Oregon is much cheaper.

title: Spokane


text:
Spoleto

Spoleto is a city in the Umbria region of Italy.

Spoleto is a small but lovely city with an ancient past. Its importance during Roman times is shown by the ruins of the Roman theatre its citizens used to patronize. Today, as in times long past, Romans come to Spoleto in the summertime for a relaxing vacation, and the city is also known for the Festivale dei Due Mondi, a music festival that is internationally renowned.

Get in
There is a train station in the city which offers direct connections to Rome. Bus service to various locations is also available. For those driving into town, Umbria has a very good and well-maintained road system.

Get around
Spoleto is a small town in area, so you are best off walking, though it is possible to drive or take taxis.

See

 * The Duomo, a beautiful Romanesque building that was completed in the early 13th century.
 * The Roman ruins and Archeological Museum
 * The first-century Roman Villa
 * Ponte delle Torre - old aqueduct and footpath behind the fort at the top of the city.

Do
Spoleto is a UNESCO Lombard Site and well known for its music festivals, especially the Festivale dei Due Mondi in the summertime.

Otherwise, it is a very peaceful and pleasant place to walk around, and you can use Spoleto as a base to drive through beautiful Umbrian countryside and mountains and visit other Umbrian cities.

Eat
Umbria is known for its mushrooms and black truffles, and also for its wild game, so if you see primi piatti of pasta dishes with some kind of fungus and secondi piatti of game such as cinghiale (wild boar), order them.

Drink
Umbria is a land of rolling hills and has its own wine industry. There are also some very good mineral waters drawn from its mountain springs.

Go next
Logical places to go next include Assisi and Perugia, which are about 50 and 65 km to the north, respectively, and the mountains which are 20-30 minutes' drive to the east and are cool even when Spoleto is aggressively hot in the summertime.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Spoleto


text:
Spooner

Spooner is a city in Northwest Wisconsin.

Go next
Pine City just a little over an hour's drive west, and worth making the side trip.

title: Spooner


text:
Sporades Islands

The Sporades Islands (Greek: Βόρειες Σποράδες) have a quite different atmosphere from the travel-poster Greece of the Cyclades islands: instead of bare rugged hills topped with dazzling cubistic villages, the Sporades are fertile and heavily wooded, with pine-forested mountains sloping down to some of the best beaches in the Aegean, and the local architecture is more characteristic of Northern Greece, with less whitewashing and more stone roofs. Skiathos is the best known and easiest to get to – accordingly it is the most crowded, with throngs of visitors arriving all summer. Skopelos, while just as attractive, is less touristed outside of July and August, while Alonnisos is much quieter.

Regions
Major islands:

Get in
From Athens you can buy a combined bus/ferry ticket which will take you overland to the port of Agios Konstantinos, where you can transfer to a boat to all three Sporades islands. If you have your own car, you can also drive to Agios Konstantinos and take a car ferry from there, but bear in mind that not all scheduled boats carry cars, so you'll need to verify in advance which ones do. There are also some boats to the Sporades from the mainland port of Volos and from Kymi on the island of Evvia.

Only Skiathos has a commercial airport. From there you'll find frequent boats to the other Sporades.

title: Sporades Islands


text:
Spratly Islands

The Spratly Islands are a collection of more than 100 small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, claimed in full or in part by several governments in the region.

Understand
This tropical archipelago is surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits, and strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea.

There are only 4 km² of land, but there are six countries with territorial claims. It is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. 45 of them are claimed and occupied by one of these parties. Brunei claims exclusive economic rights encompassing one of the islands. The United States endorses the territorial claims of the Philippines, and has a strong military presence in the region to support the Philippines' claims.

Wikivoyage takes no stand in the territorial disputes, and treats each island as part of the country that has effective control over it, as visitors will need to obtain that country's visas, use that country's currency and fall under that country's de facto jurisdiction while visiting.

Get in

The vast majority of the Spratlys are either uninhabited, military bases, or otherwise off limits to casual visitors. However, a few have small civilian communities and can be visited by determined travellers.

By plane
Layang Layang (Swallow Reef), controlled by Malaysia, is the only island in the Spratlys with regular flights. A popular dive resort, it can be accessed via Kota Kinabalu.

There are a handful of unpaved airstrips among the other islands.

By boat
Pagasa (Philippines) and Itu Aba (Taiwan) are accessible on irregular cargo services from their respective mother countries.

See and do
Scuba diving in the Spratlys is excellent, but the only island with a full-fledged dive resort is Layang Layang.

Buy
The economic value of the islands is the waters for fishing, and the suspected presence of underwater petroleum reserves. There is virtually no economic activity taking place on the islands themselves.

title: Spratly Islands


text:
Spreewald

The Spreewald is a region in Brandenburg in the east of Germany.

Understand
The Spreewald (Spree Forest) includes low-lying areas in which the river Spree meanders in thousands of small waterways through meadows and forests. It is a beautiful, unique landscape about one hour south of Berlin and well worth a day trip or a weekend trip to relax from the buzzing city life.

Besides its beautiful nature, the Spreewald is home to one of the two recognized minorities in Germany, the Sorbs with their unique culture. Many old, traditional farmhouses along the waterways offer beautiful sights.

History
It has been a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1991.

Landscape
Forested low moor landscape with 1,300 km of irrigation channels.

Flora and fauna
Broad leafed forest, mainly Alder on wetlands, with pine on sandy dry areas.

Talk
Most people only speak German (at least the standard variation without major accents). Some younger people understand and speak English, some older people might still remember a few words of Russian. Some people may still speak a Low German dialect and Sorbian is still spoken in the south of Brandenburg.

Get in

 * The main entry points to the Spreewald are Lübben, Lübbenau and Burg (Spreewald). Lübben and Lübbenau are pretty touristy but can be reached directly by train. Burg (Spreewald) is more quiet and more beautiful if you are interested in nature and canoeing. However, the latter can only be reached by car.
 * By car from Berlin: Follow the A113 south out of the city. At "Schönefelder Kreuz", continue south on the highway A13 to Dresden. Leave the A13 at the exits Lübben or Lübbenau or continue to the "Dreieck Spreewald" (junction of highways A13 and A15) and then on the A15 towards "Vetschau". Leave the A15 at the exit "Vetschau" and continue to Burg(Spreewald).
 * By train from Berlin: Take the hourly regional train RE2 from Zoologischer Garten, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz or Ostkreuz to Lübben or Lübbenau. Some of the hotels in Burg (Spreewald) offer a pick-up service from the Vetschau railway station when you book in advance.

Get around
Get around on your feet, on a cycle or by boat. Not every location can be reached by motorized transport. Visiting the Spreewald means getting around by muscle power. Public transport is virtually nonexistent.

See

 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.
 * Visit the impressive post-mining landscape that left large areas devastated land (undergoing rehabilitation) south of Cottbus and the Spreewald.

Do

 * Take a guided boat tour on one of the traditional barges to experience the beautiful nature in this area. The barges are moved forward by punting - similarly to the gondolas in Venice. The ferrymen explain the nature and culture of the Spreewald on the way. If you need an English-speaking ferryman, you are most likely to find one at the larger tourist stations in Lübben or Lübbenau.
 * Hire a canoe or kayak from one of the plenty to paddle some of the hundreds of kilometers of waterways yourself.
 * Go on a hiking or cycle tour in the beautiful nature and landscape. Numerous quiet hiking and bicycle tracks lead through the beautiful countryside.

Eat
Typical dishes
 * Do not miss trying the large variety of pickled cucumbers (cornichons), horseradish, linseed oil and "Sauerkraut" - that is what the region is famous for. Pickled cucumbers are available sour, with herbs, with garlic, with mustard - the choices are almost infinite.
 * Pike and pike-perch (sweetwater predatory fish) served with a heavy sauce made from cream, flour and horseradish.
 * Potatoes with cream cheese, onions and linseed oil. Be careful with the latter, it is said to be very healthy but you really have to get used to it. In other regions, they use the stuff to produce putty to seal windows and not to eat.

Restaurants

Drink

 * Local beer from a small brewery in Lübbenau ("Babben-Bier") is served in many restaurants in the area.
 * The restaurant and hotel "Zum Grünen Strand der Spree" in Schlepzig serves beer from its own in-house brewery. Seasonal beer specialities are offered. The beer can also bought for take-away.

Sleep
The Spreewald is a preferred region for short holidays of people from Berlin and Saxony. Around the holidays in April and May (Easter, Pentecost, Ascension) and during the summer holiday season, it may be hard to find accommodation without prior reservation. During the rest of the year, finding accommodation should be no problem. The local tourist offices will assist in finding accommodation.
 * Camp with your tent or caravan at one of the numerous camping facilities in the middle of nature.
 * Rent one of the many holiday apartments.
 * Stay at one of the numerous bed & breakfasts and hotels.

Stay safe

 * Canoeing is absolutely safe because most of the waterways (except for a few larger ones) are only knee-deep.
 * Mosquitoes and horse-flies can be pretty annoying in wet summers and summers following mild winters. However, repellents will help.

Go next

 * Cottbus
 * Potsdam
 * Dresden, 1½ hours south by car)
 * Berlin, 1 hour north (by car or train)
 * Upriver on the Spree lies the (still under development) Lusatian Lake District of former open pit lignite mines being developed into lakes many of which are already open for use

title: Spreewald


text:
Springbok

Springbok is a town in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. With a population of 13,000 (2911), it is the biggest settlement in the region, and the business centre of the Namaqualand.

The town’s mining history, flora and connection to the Second Boer War makes it a rich hub of natural and cultural heritage. It is still widely used as a stopover for those travelling between South Africa and Namibia.

Flora
Springbok experiences low levels of air humidity, limited soil moisture and severe sunshine throughout the year. This often arid area is home to seasonal vegetation and drought resistant succulents like the kokerboom which have adapted to the harsh conditions to survive.

What would generally be an unfavourable environment for vegetation, this area experiences high floral diversity. Springbok is especially fascinating since almost half of the plant species here are found nowhere else in the world. When the winter rain falls, the Goegap Nature Reserve, home to the Hester Malan Wild Flower Garden, with outcrops of granite, is covered in spring flowers like irises and orchids.

The streets lead off from a central little koppie (hill) which now shows off Namaqualand’s strange flora, such as the almost leafless Quiver tree whose branches were used by San people to hold their arrows. This area is famed for the incredible transformation which occurs every spring, when the near-lifeless scrubland explodes into colour from thousands of flowers hidden in the dry dusty earth, brought to life by winter rains.

By car
From Cape Town follow the N7 northwards for approximately 562 km, about 7 hours driving time. The border to Namibia is another 100 km along the N7 from here. The N14, which crosses the whole Northern Cape crosses the N7 just outside Springbok and offers connections to Upington and Gauteng.

By plane
Springbok airport is 5 km outside the town. Flights to Cape Town are available from here.

By bus
Intercape buses stop in front of the Springbok Lodge. They offer four weekly connections to Cape Town and Pretoria.

Get around
The town of Springbok is nestled in a valley totally surrounded by hills. It is not very big and its attractions can easily be reached by foot.

See

 * Start your tour through Springbok in the city centre, which is around a hill called Klipkoppie. Here was an English fortress, burned down during the Anglo-Boer war by a troop of general Jan Smuts.
 * After a short walk along Monument Street, you will reach the town museum in an old synagogue.
 * A bit further on is the entrance to the Blue Mine, the first commercial copper mine of South Africa, which started operations in 1852. There is now mining for diamonds and other gems. The area has a blue tinge created when copper reacts with oxygen in the air.

Buy
In Melkboskuil is an old store selling antique furniture.

Eat

 * Springbok Lodge & Restaurant, corner of Voortrekker and Keerom Road. A meeting point for travellers and locals to have a bite to eat.

Go next

 * Goegap Nature Reserve, 10 km south-west of the town along the R355, is a conservation area that gets covered in spring flowers. It is often called Namaqualand in miniature. Inside the reserve is the Malan Wild Flower Garden, which offers hiking trails, mountain bike tours and roads for 4x4 vehicles. It also the home of several mammalian species like springbok, gemsbok and aardwolf. Throughout the year tourists visit for hikes and mountain biking on the trails and routes across the tranquil land.
 * Springbok is frequently visited as a stopoff point between Cape Town and Namibia, or on the way to the Augrabies Falls National Park.

title: Springbok


text:
Springboro

Springboro is a city in Warren County, Ohio.

By car

 * Interstate 75 passes right through Springboro, take Exit 38 from I-75 North, or Exit 44 from I-75 South.
 * Interstate 675 outlines the northern edge of Springboro, take Exit 2 from I-675 South.

See

Go next

 * Dayton to the north
 * Cincinnati to the south

title: Springboro


text:
Spring City (Utah)

Spring City is in Central Utah. Originally settled by James Allred from Manti, the place was known as Canal Creek. With the outbreak of the Wakara War hostilities in July 1853, Hambleton settlers on Pleasant Creek retreated to the Allred Settlement and pleas for reinforcements brought 50 Danish families via Salt Lake. The village was sacked, and settlers removed to Manti and soon helped establish Fort Ephraim.

Little Denmark was resettled in 1859. The Blackhawk War caused further disruptions in the 1860s when the place became known as Spring Town. The abundant and quality springs in town account for the name. The city is one of two towns in the United States on the National Register of Historic Places.

Get in
To get to Spring City from Salt Lake City, head south on I-15 and take Exit 261 at Spanish Fork. Then follow Highway 89 south to the Spring City turnoff south of Mount Pleasant. To get to Spring City from the South, take I-70 Exit 56 at Salina and follow Highway 89 north.

Do

 * Maple Canyon –Conglomerate rock climbing. West of Moroni
 * Maple Canyon –Conglomerate rock climbing. West of Moroni
 * Maple Canyon –Conglomerate rock climbing. West of Moroni

Go next

 * Canal Canyon. Area with many walking, hiking, biking, and horseback riding, along with snowshoeing in the winter.

title: Spring City (Utah)


text:
Springdale

There is more than one place called Springdale:

United States of America

 * Springdale (Arkansas) - a town in the state of Arkansas.
 * Springdale (Maryland) - a town in the state of Maryland.
 * Springdale (Montana) - a town in the state of Montana.
 * Springdale (Ohio) - a town in the state of Ohio.
 * Springdale (Pennsylvania) - a town in the state of Pennsylvania.
 * Springdale (South Carolina) - a town in the state of South Carolina.
 * Springdale (Utah) - a town in the state of Utah.

title: Springdale


text:
Springdale (Arkansas)

Springdale is in the Ozarks region of Northwest Arkansas.

By car
Springdale straddles a north-south highway with three designations: Interstate 49, US Route 62, and US Route 71. I-49 feeds into I-40 at the town of Alma, about 1 hour south. US-62 and US-71 branch off in neighboring Bentonville. US-71 then continues on over the Missouri border, eventually leading to Joplin.

title: Springdale (Arkansas)


text:
Springdale (Ohio)

Springdale is a small town in Southwest Ohio. Most notably, a suburb of Cincinnati.

By car
Springdale is located at the intersection of the Cincinnati bypass and SR4.

title: Springdale (Ohio)


text:
Springdale (Utah)

Springdale is a town in the Dixie region of Utah, just outside of the southwest entrance to Zion National Park.

Get in
The nearest major airport is in Las Vegas, 150 miles away. There is a municipal airport in St. George (45 minutes from Springdale), with flights arriving from major cities such as Salt Lake City. There is no public transportation into town, so driving is your only real option. Most people get here by taking Utah State Road 9 off I-15 north of St. George, and following the road east through the town of Hurricane. You can also get here from the east by taking US Route 89 and turning west onto State Road 9, taking you through Zion on the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel into Zion Canyon and Springdale.

Get around
This is pretty much a one-street town; just about everything in Springdale is aligned along the main street, UT-9. Everything is fairly close together, often making it pretty easy to walk around town. Bicycling is also a good way to get around town or into Zion.

By shuttle
As part of Zion National Park's free shuttle system, Springdale has a route running through the town April–October. Parking at the Visitor Center in Zion often fills up, so if you're spending the night in Springdale you would do good to leave the car at the hotel and take the shuttle into the park.

The route has 9 stops, with three of those available only on request (or when people are waiting): Majestic View, Silver Bear (request only), Driftwood / Quality Inn, Bit & Spur / Zion Park Inn, Pizza & Noodle / Bumbleberry / Zions Bank, Canyon Ranch / Desert Pearl / Post Office (request only), Flanigans / Zion Canyon Clothing, Cliffrose (request only), and the Zion Canyon Theater. The last stop is within easy walking distance of the Park Entrance and the Zion Visitor Center.

In spring and fall, the shuttle runs from 6:30AM until 10:15PM, with 10-15 minute frequency. In the summer (mid-May to early September), the shuttle runs from 5:30AM until 11:15PM, with 10-15 minute frequency, and 20 or 30 minute frequency in the very early morning and late evening.

See and do

 * There are a number of guide/outfitter places in town. Two are located in the Zion Outdoor Center, 868 Zion Park Blvd (a mile from the park entrance):, +1 435 772-0630, and , +1 435 772-0400. Also in town is , 36 Lion Blvd (next to Flanigan's Inn), +1 435 772-1001, and , 1458 Zion Blvd, +1 435 772-3303.

Eat
In August 2015, the city finally gave up on defending its 2006 ordinance against formula and chain restaurants (it became too expensive to defend in the courts). You're bound to see chain restaurants springing up in the city. The ordinance was meant to keep the dining options unique and special in this city that sits just outside of Zion National Park (they wanted to avoid becoming similar to West Yellowstone). Think about patronizing a local restaurant before going to a chain restaurant in Springdale.

Go next

 * Zion National Park - obviously, this is the main reason most people come to Springdale in the first place
 * Grafton ghost town - just south and west of the village of Rockville, between Springdale and Hurricane
 * Hurricane - about 25 miles west on UT-9.
 * St. George - about 45 miles west of town.

title: Springdale (Utah)


text:
Springfield

There is more than one place called Springfield:

Australia

 * Springfield (Queensland) - a suburb of Ipswich in Queensland.

Belize

 * Springfield (Belize) - a Mennonite village in Belize.

New Zealand

 * Springfield (New Zealand) - a small town in New Zealand.

United States of America
"Springfield" is sometimes claimed to be the most common non-generic city name in the US.

This makes it a popular location for fictional works:
 * Springfield (state deliberately left ambiguous) is the setting of The Simpsons, and has been recreated at Universal City in California.
 * Springfield was also used by the Guiding Light serial, which ran 1952-2009 on CBS TV and 1937-1956 on network radio.

The many real places with the "Springfield" name include:
 * Springfield (Colorado) - a small town in Colorado.
 * Springfield (Florida) - a small town in Florida.
 * Jacksonville/Springfield - a neighborhood in Jacksonville.
 * Springfield (Georgia) - a small town in Georgia.
 * Springfield (Illinois) - a city, the state capital of Illinois
 * Springfield (Kentucky) - a small town in Kentucky.
 * Springfield (Massachusetts) - a city in Massachusetts. The first American Springfield, founded in 1636. Home to the Springfield Armory and Basketball Hall of Fame.
 * Springfield (Michigan) - a small city in Michigan.
 * Springfield (Minnesota) - a small town in Minnesota.
 * Springfield (Missouri) - a city in Missouri.
 * Springfield (Nebraska) - a small town in Nebraska
 * Springfield (New Jersey) - a city in New Jersey.
 * Springfield (New York) - a small town in New York
 * Springfield (Ohio) - a city in Ohio
 * Springfield (Oregon) - a city in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.
 * Springfield (Tennessee) - a city in Tennessee
 * Springfield (Vermont) - a town in Vermont
 * Springfield (Virginia) - a city in Virginia.

title: Springfield


text:
Springfield (Illinois)

Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.

Etymology
The city was founded as "Calhoun", after John C. Calhoun. In 1832, the city was renamed to Springfield, derived from Spring Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River.

History
In the early 1830s, Abraham Lincoln moved to Springfield and lived here for a long time until he became president in 1861. He and his associates (commonly known as the "Long Nine") were largely responsible for making the city the capital of the state.

Springfield has grown from a small city to one of the largest cities in Illinois, with a population of almost 115,000 people (2020).

As the capital of Illinois, the state of Illinois is one of the city's major employers. Springfield also has a significant regional presence in healthcare and education, as the location of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Memorial Hospital Springfield, HSHS St. John's Hospital, Springfield Clinic, and the University of Illinois Springfield.

Tourist information

 * Visit Springfield website

By car
I-55 approaches from the north and south. US-36 and I-72 approach from the east and west. Downtown has readily available curbside metered parking as well as an underground garage beneath the Old State Capitol. Most attractions have ample parking in adjacent lots or garages.

By train
Amtrak has five daily trains from Chicago via Bloomington-Normal and Joliet with its Lincoln Service. Additionally, the once-daily Texas Eagle between Chicago and San Antonio, Texas (with carriages continuing to Los Angeles three times a week) stops here. is centrally located at 100 North 3rd St and is within walking distance of downtown and several local bus routes. Taxi service is usually available outside the station.

Get around

 * Due to ongoing state budget uncertainty the district has had to enact some cuts to night service (all schedules will end an hour earlier, no night service on Saturdays, and route 904 is cut entirely) and could see more cuts in the future so refer to the website for any sudden developments.
 * Fare is $1.25 and includes a free transfer that you should request from the driver when boarding. Daytime buses all meet at the downtown on-street transfer center located at 5th Street & Capitol Avenue, while night service buses meet on the north side of the Old State Capitol on Washington Street between 5th Street and 6th Street.
 * The website has online schedules for each route. SMTD also provides their schedule data to a number of web/mobile apps including Google Maps, Bing Maps, Moovit, and TripGo which can be used to plan trips. SMTD does not provide real-time information.

See
Springfield is home to numerous attractions.

Entertainment
Springfield has been the home of several influential artists who have contributed immensely to American culture. Staying true to this, there are numerous entertainment opportunities in the city.

Learn
There are quite a number of learning opportunities in Springfield.

Eat
One of the legendary food items that is part of the heritage of Springfield is the horseshoe sandwich. The horseshoe sandwich originated in Springfield, Illinois sometime in the early 20th century at the Leland Hotel. You can get horseshoe sandwiches at most Springfield restaurants, at some restaurants in central Illinois, and at a few restaurants in other parts of the state. Horseshoes are not generally served outside of Illinois.

A traditional horseshoe is two hamburgers each on a piece of toast with fries and cheese sauce over the top. Variations now include broiled(or deep fried) tenderloins, shaved ham, shaved chicken and even vegetarian variations. A pony shoe is half a horseshoe - a sufficient quantity for most people.

Work
Virtually everyone in Springfield works for the State of Illinois (the local government), the city's largest and most dominant employer.

Government jobs
Springfield is an ideal place for those wishing to get a government job. The prospect of serving a state and making a difference with your work excites many. Government jobs entitle you to several benefits and privileges, much more than what many other companies can offer.

The local government doesn't provide employment visa sponsorships (e.g. H-1B visa status). If you are neither a US citizen or a permanent resident, your chances of finding a job with the local government are next-to impossible.

A valuable resource to check out is this: Careers at State of Illinois.

Stay safe
The city has seen a dramatic rise in panhandlers in the downtown area, especially near bars. Most are harmless but be cautious. Otherwise use common sense. Don't wander down dark alleys or leave valuables clearly visible in a parked vehicle and you should be fine.

Emergency services
Dial 911 to get emergency help.

Internet
The city provides a free wifi service, "SpringfieldFreeWifi," for the downtown area from Second to Ninth streets and East Jefferson Street to East Capitol Avenue.

Consulates
There are no consulates or embassies in Springfield. If you run into any trouble, or if you need assistance of any kind, head over to Chicago.

Go next

 * Athens
 * Jacksonville
 * Petersburg
 * Vandalia

title: Springfield (Illinois)


text:
Springfield (Massachusetts)

Springfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River, in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, USA. It sits 24 miles (40 km) north of Hartford, Connecticut, and 5 miles (8 km) north of the Connecticut state line. Springfield and Hartford are the principal cities in the Knowledge Corridor - the second largest urban region in New England with 1.9 million people, 29 universities and colleges, and 120,000 university students.

Understand
With economic reinvestment, Springfield is experiencing a cultural renaissance. New festivals such as the "Hoop City Jazz Festival", the "Springfield Vintage Grand Prix," which is the Vintage Sports Car Club of America's official race; and Springfield's "Gay Pride Week". Renovations to Gilded Age theaters like the Paramount (formerly the Hippodrome,) the Bing Cultural Arts Center, and Springfield's increasingly eclectic Club Quarter have made the city more exciting than at any time in the past half-century.

On June 1, 2011, large portions of the Springfield were devastated by two tornadoes that touched down within city limits. The U.S. National Weather Service rated Springfield's first of two tornadoes an E4 on the Fujita Scale (out of a possible E5.) Springfield's historic Main Street, with its attractive 19th century architecture, was left in shambles - particularly the commercial district of the historically Italian South End, the historic district surrounding Mulberry Street (of Dr. Seuss fame), Springfield College, and Springfield's more suburban outer neighborhoods.

Located on New England's most fertile farmland in the Connecticut River Valley, at the mid-point of America's major northeast trade routes between New York City, Boston, the Great Lakes, and Montreal, Canada, the City of Springfield (pop. 155,000) has been the technological and cultural center of the Connecticut River Valley since its founding in 1636. Having been burned to the ground during King Phillip's War in 1675, Springfield has rebuilt before.

It is nicknamed The City of Homes because of its ubiquitous Victorian architecture and The City of Firsts because of the numerous innovations that took place there during its first 375 years, including America's first American-English dictionary (1806), the first gasoline-powered car (1893), the first motorcycle (1901, Indian Motorcycles), modern fire engine and fire department (1905 & 1907), commercial radio station (WBZ AM & FM, 1920, located in the Kimball Towers), and UHF television station (1951, WWLP). Springfield is best known worldwide as the birthplace of the sport of basketball (James Naismith, 1891, located at Springfield College). The Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield beside the Connecticut River, is a major, international tourist draw.

Springfield is a highly walkable city, even by urban, New England standards - most of its major sites are in the Metro Center neighborhood; however, much of the city's attractive Victorian residential architecture is focused in its street-car suburb neighborhoods (e.g., Forest Park Heights).

From the early 1800s until the 1960s, Springfield was one of the United States' most financially prosperous cities, as is reflected in its celebrated Victorian homes. The Springfield Armory, the site of which George Washington and Henry Knox selected, made the city a center of invention, industrial innovation, and precision manufacturing from 1777 onward -- for example, America's first musket (1794), the first use of interchangeable parts and the assembly line in manufacturing (1819), and the discovery of vulcanized rubber by Charles Goodyear (1844) all took place in Springfield.

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, the Pentagon controversially closed the Springfield Armory. The United States' military's loss, however, is a Springfield visitor's gain - the Springfield Armory National Park features the largest collection of historic firearms in the world.

The Armory's closing in tandem with the growth of the interstate highway system and resulting "White Flight" to the suburbs left Springfield reeling for approximately 35 years (1968-2003), as it searched for a new identity. Springfield reached its nadir during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it became financially insolvent. Luckily for Springfield, the city's financial woes focused regional and national attention on it, the problems needed to be fixed, and its development potential. Numerous organizations, most notably the National Urban Land Institute, studied Springfield and submitted plans for its revitalization.

Part of Springfield's resurgence has been due, in part, to its increasingly complementary relationship with Hartford, Connecticut. The bi-state Knowledge Corridor Metropolitan Area has benefitted both Hartford and Springfield, which once competed over the companies and workers. Increasingly, Hartford is taking on its role as the Connecticut River Valley's financial center, with its post-modern skyline and relatively wide thoroughfares; in complement, Springfield is taking on its role as the Knowledge Corridor's recreational center, with its walkable, increasingly residential Metro Center, lively Club Quarter, and Victorian architecture. In cooperating, both cities found their post-industrial identities.

Since approximately 2007, Springfield has reaped the rewards of the ULI's Plan for Springfield. Economic investment in aesthetics, particularly in the three riverfront neighborhoods, have helped to increase liveliness. As of 2010, Springfield fell to 51st in the annual U.S. "City Crime Rankings" after ranking 18th in just 2003. Increased liveliness and decreased crime will improve any city's quality of life.

Neighborhoods
Springfield's Metro Center is the highly walkable, cultural and business heart of the Pioneer Valley - a region of approximately 40 miles by 20 miles (64 km by 32 km) that follows the path of the Connecticut River and contains New England's finest farmland. It stretches from the border of Vermont in the north to the border of Connecticut in the south. Springfield's Metro Center is located 4 miles (6½ km) north of the Connecticut state border, and thus increasingly - in both governmental and popular perception - Hartford-Springfield is considered a single metropolitan area, (e.g. like Dallas-Fort Worth.) The two major Connecticut River cities' downtowns lie 24 miles (35 km) apart, with Bradley International Airport located halfway between them.

Metro Center features the Quadrangle, which includes three world-class museums - two art and one science museum - two regional history museums, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, and the palatial, neo-classical Springfield City Library. Metro Center is also home to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) at Symphony Hall; the highly-regarded CityStage theater; and 60 clubs, restaurants, and bars in its lively Club Quarter, surrounding Stearns Square and Worthington Street. Metro Center is bisected by Interstate 91, which limits access to the scenic Connecticut River.

The Basketball Hall of Fame is located on the riverfront in the nearby South End, but amputated from Metro Center and the rest of the city by Interstate 91. The South End is the focal point for Springfield's Italian community, featuring many Italian restaurants, pastry shops, and cultural institutions. The South End was hard hit by Springfield's June 1, 2011 tornado.

The North End comprises three separate neighborhoods, and is the center of Springfield's prominent and increasingly well-heeled Latino community. Springfield's three nationally ranked hospitals are located in the North End, as are several prominent parks (e.g. Van Horn Park.)

The McKnight District - known to urban planners worldwide as the United States' first planned residential district (1871) - contains over 900. Victorian "Painted Lady" houses. For decades it was the center Springfield's African-American and Jamaican communities; however, increasingly, McKnight and Metro Center have become centers of Springfield's increasingly prominent LGBT community. In 2011, The Advocate magazine rated Springfield #13 among the United States' new "gay cities."

Forest Park and Forest Park Heights contain numerous Victorian mansions, many of which surround Frederick Law Olmsted's 735-acre (430-ha) Forest Park -- one of the largest urban parks in the United States. This is where architectural aficionados should head to learn why Springfield is nicknamed "The City of Homes," as it features many parkways and elegant houses. Forest Park - the Olmsted park - contains a small but extensive zoo, a skating rink, 38 tennis courts, numerous sculptures, walking and hiking trails, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, tree groves, Victorian promenades and water gardens, a formal rose garden, paddle-boating and fishing on the 31-acre (12-ha) Porter Lake, bocce courts, lawn bowling fields, and the Barney Mansion restaurant and banquet hall, among other features.

Get in
Springfield is the most centrally located city in New England, between major tourist destinations like New York City, Boston, Vermont, the Berkshires, Upstate New York, and Canada. It features access from every direction, via every sort of transportation. Bradley International Airport is 12 miles (19 km) south of Springfield (equidistant to Springfield's twin city, Hartford, Connecticut.) Westover Metropolitan Airport is located 5 miles (8 km) north of Springfield in the City of Chicopee, Massachusetts.

The City of Springfield is a major railroad and bus nexus, with trains and buses arriving from all directions.

By train

 * Train operator:
 * Routes stopping at Springfield:
 * Amtrak Hartford Line operating 3-5 trips per direction daily between Springfield and New Haven with stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, and Wallingford.
 * Northeast Regional operating twice daily between Springfield and Washington, D.C. with stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New Rochelle, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton.
 * Vermonter operates daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C. including stops in Essex Junction, Waterbury, Montpelier, White River Junction, Claremont, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro, Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Windsor Locks, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton.
 * Valley Flyer operates twice daily between Greenfield and New Haven including stops in Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, and Wallingford. Travel time to Springfield from New Haven is 1.5 hours.
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).  The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.  Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham.

By bus
Peter Pan Bus goes to Boston 9 times a day ($18-22, between 1 hr 30 min and 2 hr 45 min, depending on the time of the day) but it can often run into traffic on the Mass Pike (Interstate 90).

Peter Pan and Greyhound provide bus service from Albany, and points further west.

By plane

 * Bradley International Airport, 12 miles south of Springfield in Windsor Locks, Connecticut; this major airport serving the Knowledge Corridor region surrounding Springfield and Hartford, Connecticut is equidistant from both cities.
 * Westover Metropolitan Airport 4 miles north of Springfield in the City of Chicopee, Massachusetts. Westover is one of New England's largest military facilities; however, its runways are also used for commercial flights.

By car
Springfield is accessible via Interstate 90 aka "The Mass Pike," (east-west from Boston to Albany, NY;) Interstate 91, (north-south from the Canadian border to New Haven, Connecticut;) and Interstate 291 (a connector from I-90 through Chicopee to Springfield.)

Get around
Springfield is one of the Northeast's most walkable cities. Most of its historic sites, points of interest, and entertainment venues are clustered in the Metro Center neighborhood (aka downtown, where the skyscrapers are.) Tourist sites are well marked, as are many architecturally significant buildings. The Basketball Hall of Fame and Forest Park — both of which are well worth visiting — are Springfield's only major tourist sites outside of Metro Center; however, the Basketball Hall of Fame is within walking distance (it's less than a mile south of Metro Center, along the Connecticut River.)

If you'd like to explore Springfield beyond Metro Center — perhaps experience Frederick Law Olmsted's Forest Park, his largest work next to NYC's Central Park — or further explore the artsy Pioneer Valley (maybe check out bohemian Northampton or Amherst, one of America's best-known university towns,) the clean, green, and reliable Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) offers service to every Springfield neighborhood, and throughout the Pioneer Valley's cities and towns north to Amherst. For $1.25 on the PVTA, you can ride the 15 miles (25 km) from Springfield to the counter-culture mecca of Northampton, or the 18 miles (30 km) to student-centric Amherst, and vice versa. Many of the routes that do not serve major points do not run after 7-8PM. Service on weekends is limited, especially on Sundays, when intervals between buses can be up to 2 hours. Check the schedule of the bus route your using.

Many use the PVTA or taxis to get to Springfield's attractions directly across the Connecticut River, like Six Flags New England and New England's State Fair, The Big E, Stanley Park, and Holyoke Mall.

Crime has fallen dramatically in Springfield, but be aware of where you are at all times. Avoid walking around Bay-McKnight, Mason Square, and certain parts of the North and South End late at night.

See

 * The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix, hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (www.vscca.org).
 * The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix, hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (www.vscca.org).
 * The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix, hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (www.vscca.org).
 * The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix, hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (www.vscca.org).

Do

 * The Club Quarter - Over 60 nightclubs, bars, LGBT-oriented bars and clubs, and restaurants line the blocks surrounding Stearns Square and Worthington Street near the Connecticut River. Upper Worthington, west of Chestnut Street, remains a "Club Quarter;" however, much of that entertainment is rated X.
 * The Connecticut River Walk - near the Basketball Hall of Fame, one can access this pleasant park and marvel at the Connecticut River scenic beauty. It's difficult to find an entrance to this park due to the inhibiting presence of Interstate 91 - a highway that virtually amputates Springfield from recreational opportunities on the Connecticut River. If you can find your way in, bring a partner at night.

Learn

 * American International College: A university located in Springfield's Mason Square neighborhood, notable for America's first "Model Congress" program.
 * Springfield College: Founded in 1885 as Y.M.C.A. International College, basketball was invented at this institution by Dr. James Naismith. In addition to basketball, America's first physical education course was taught here in 1912. A $50-million student center was constructed here in 2011.
 * Springfield Technical Community College: Located on 35 acres behind the Springfield Armory National Park, surrounded by the Armory's distinctive wrought-iron fence, STCC is Massachusetts' only "technical" community college. STCC continues Springfield's tradition of technical innovation.
 * Tufts University School of Medicine: Baystate Health serves as the western teaching campus of Tufts University's School of Medicine.
 * University of Massachusetts Urban Design Center: UMass opened an urban design center in Springfield in 2010, where it houses its urban design graduate program.
 * Western New England University: University in Springfield's suburban Sixteen Acres neighborhood, featuring a pretty campus, prominent law school, and a new pharmacy school.

Buy

 * Main Street features hundreds of shops and of restaurants.
 * State Street features many ethnic shops and restaurants.
 * Eastfield Mall on Boston Road has a large movie theater and all that one would normally expect of an American mall.

Radio
Radio stations serving the Springfield area include:

 *  News/Talk : WFCR 88.5 FM (NPR), WHYN 560 AM (conservative)

Television
Television stations serving Springfield include:

 * WSHM Channel 21: CBS.
 * WWLP Channel 22: NBC.
 * WGGB Channel 40: ABC.
 * WGBY Channel 57: PBS.

Go next

 * Hartford, Connecticut
 * Boston, Massachusetts
 * Amherst, Massachusetts
 * Northampton, Massachusetts

title: Springfield (Massachusetts)


text:
Springfield (Missouri)

Springfield is the third largest city in the state of Missouri, with a population of more than 168,000, and more than 462,000 (2019) in the metro area. It is also known as the Queen City of the Ozarks, and the birthplace of Route 66. Though it's on a flat plateau, the more picturesque Ozarks are just southeast of the city.

Understand

The Springfield Missouri Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official information source.

Climate
The city lies within the boundaries of the humid subtropical region as defined by the Köppen climate classification system. As such it experiences times of exceptional humidity; especially in late summer. According to Forbes magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the United States.

By car

 * Springfield runs along Interstate 44 in southwest Missouri which runs from St. Louis through Springfield on to Tulsa. US Routes 60, 65, and 160 all run through town too. Missouri Highway 13 is another main road.

By bus

 * Greyhound has regular service running up and down I44. Buses typically transfer in Tulsa for onward service to Dallas & Austin.

By taxi

 * Yellow Taxi is the primary taxi service in Springfield, though others do exist.

Get around
Just about everyone drives, but because Springfield is so flat, bicycling or walking are good options.

Districts

 * Downtown -- A busy professional atmosphere by day, and vibrant nightlife to follow. This area is an entertainment hub. Coffeehouses, theaters, bars, restaurants, shops, parks, fountains, and nightclubs are abundant.  Stop by the Square and see the location where Wild Bill Hickok shot Dave Tutt.
 * Commercial Street -- This Historic District features coffee houses, thrift stores and renovated loft space. Many regard this area of town as the most interesting up-and-coming area of town. Stop in at Lindberg's for a beer.
 * MSU campus -- Not the most bohemian college in the country, yet the area has a youthful energy and vitality to it.

Parks

 * Springfield Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S Nature Center Way. Has well maintained biking and hiking trails through the bluffs and along the shore of Lake Springfield. Tu-Sa 8AM-5PM.

Buy
There are many shopping centers located throughout the city with everything from Best Buy to Shoe Carnival to Marshall's.

Eat

 * Missouri does not have statewide legislation banning cigarette smoking in restaurants. However, the Springfield City Council has banned smoking in all restaurants inside city limits.

A popular local dish is "cashew chicken", a pseudo-Chinese dish found at all Chinese restaurants in Springfield. The dish is fried chicken pieces served on fried rice and covered with an oyster sauce. The dish is then garnished with green onions and cashews. Chinese restaurants are quite plentiful in Springfield because of the popularity of the dish. (However, most southwest Missouri Chinese restaurants' cuisine has been adapted to the Ozarkian palate, featuring sweeter, thicker sauces than West Coast Chinese restaurants. Natives of the West Coast, or of China itself, may be in for a rude awakening.) If you want local food, there are several restaurants.
 * Amigo's, 2118 S Campbell Ave. Authentic Mexican food - family owned and operated.
 * Buckingham Smokehouse Bar BQ, 2002 S Campbell Ave. The loaded smoked sweet potato may change your life multiple locations
 * Lambert's Café, 1800 W State Hwy J, Ozark. A large comfort food restaurant in nearby Ozark where their locally famous rolls are thrown at your face instead of given to you. Somewhat pricy but an essential for first-time visitor's.
 * Hong Kong Inn . Springfield is famous for its cashew chicken, which is best at this small local chain.
 * W.F. Cody, 3138 E Sunshine St. Greasy spoon gastropub type of place.
 * Gilardi's, 820 E Walnut St. Good wine list, great eggplant pasta.
 * Buckingham Smokehouse Bar BQ, 2002 S Campbell Ave. The loaded smoked sweet potato may change your life multiple locations
 * Lambert's Café, 1800 W State Hwy J, Ozark. A large comfort food restaurant in nearby Ozark where their locally famous rolls are thrown at your face instead of given to you. Somewhat pricy but an essential for first-time visitor's.
 * Hong Kong Inn . Springfield is famous for its cashew chicken, which is best at this small local chain.
 * W.F. Cody, 3138 E Sunshine St. Greasy spoon gastropub type of place.
 * Gilardi's, 820 E Walnut St. Good wine list, great eggplant pasta.

Drink
If you are looking for a good cup of coffee, the Mudhouse would make a great choice. It has a great selection of both hot and frozen drinks and has monthly art exhibits. It is downtown on South Street, one block south of the square. You will find that a lot of college kids hang out there (many of them with laptops due to the free Wi-Fi access), but it has a quiet atmosphere nonetheless. A good place to get a cup of coffee, read a book, or find an interesting person to talk to.

There is also a few chain smoothie stores around town.

The downtown area still has some funky dive bars despite the ongoing gentrification of the area. Expect cheap beers and girls of dubious repute.

Sleep
Most of the city's more affordable motels and hotels are located near the intersection of Glenstone and Kearney, not far from the I-44 exit. There is also many chain hotels and motels throughout the city.

Go next

 * Branson A family-friendly Las Vegas with lots of live stage shows, two amusement parks, and more.
 * Buffalo National River in Arkansas is an untarnished, free-flowing river that is perfect for boating and fishing.
 * Joplin A quirky Ozark town west on I-44.
 * Lebanon and Rolla are both east on I-44.

title: Springfield (Missouri)


text:
Springfield (New Zealand)

Springfield is a small town in the foothills of the Torlesse Range on the way to the Craigieburn ski fields and Arthur's Pass. It was an important source of coal for Christchurch and later became an important staging post to service the stage coaches travelling to the West Coast.

Get in
Springfield hosts the last fuel station and garage before Arthur's Pass. Springfield Motors also operates a salvage truck.

See

 * St Peters Church
 * St Peters Church

Do

 * Four ski fields in the Craigieburn ranges.

title: Springfield (New Zealand)


text:
Springfield (Ohio)

Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio.

Get in
Springfield lies on the intersections of I70, US Route 40, and US Route 68.

See

title: Springfield (Ohio)


text:
Springfield (Virginia)

Springfield is in Virginia, within the United States of America.

Get in
Springfield is served by a metro station (Franconia-Springfield), a Greyhound stop, nearby Amtrak stops, and several city bus lines. It is also the home of the I-95/I-395/I-495 junction which makes trips to DC, Tysons and Alexandria very easy from Springfield.

The Franconia-Springfield metro station has a large park-and-ride parking facility, which is free on the weekends. This makes it an ideal location to park for a weekend visit to Washington DC. On weekdays, a SmartTrip card (Metro's fare card) must be presented to leave the facility.

Get around
Springfield is a car-oriented suburban city, and many of the distances between attractions may be too great to walk. Additionally, walking paths in the built-up areas may not be the most beautiful, but a day trip walking around Lake Accotink will help clear out the concrete blahs.

Do

 * Explore some of the otherwise run-down looking strip malls for awesome finds in Asian and middle-eastern foods and other goods. Some of the best cheap eats are found in the corners of these old plazas.
 * Take a day trip into Washington DC via the metro's Blue Line or one of the city bus lines.

Eat

 * Mike's American Grill, 6210 Backlick Rd. Seafood, ribs.
 * Hunan Taste, 8088 Rolling Rd.
 * Hard Times Cafe, 6362 Springfield Blvd. Bar food.
 * Silver Diner, 6592 Springfield Mall. Old-timey.

Buy

 * If you are looking for a new instrument, Music and Arts is a great place to buy some musical instruments.

Go next

 * Lake Accotink, a park featuring a 55-acre lake, wetlands and streams
 * Washington, DC is 10 miles away.

title: Springfield (Virginia)


text:
Spring Green

Spring Green is a village of 1,600 people (2019) in Southwest Wisconsin and is the home of two unique architectural wonders: Frank Lloyd Wright's magnificent Taliesin, and Alex Jordan's mysterious House on the Rock. The area is also popular with visitors because of a local Shakespearean theatre, the nearby Wisconsin River with its many recreational opportunities, and a 27-hole Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course.

Get in
The nearest airport is in Madison. From there, take US-12/14 to exit 251A/B and continue on US-14 West for 35-40 minutes.

Get around
Visitors will need a car to get around Spring Green. The intersection of Highway 14 and Highway 23 is near the center of town. Most lodgings are off Highway 14, while the small downtown is signposted from Highway 23.

Affluent visitors can choose to fly into the small airport located just north of Lone Rock and enjoy breakfast at the Piccadilly Lilly, a restaurant associated with the airport.

See

Buy
The Taliesin gift shop has books, gifts, home accessories, and some gorgeous Wright furnishings, but you'll need a similarly gorgeous amount of money to buy most of them.

Drink
Downtown Spring Green has more bars than restaurants, which is to say "two or three".

Go next

 * Southern Wisconsin produces a lot of wine, and many vineyards are open to the public. See Prairie Du Sac, or inquire at any hotel in the area.

title: Spring Green


text:
Spring Grove

There's more than one place called Spring Grove:

United States of America

 * Spring Grove (Illinois)
 * Spring Grove (Indiana)
 * Spring Grove (Minnesota) - a city in Houston County, Southern Minnesota
 * Spring Grove (Pennsylvania)
 * Spring Grove (Virginia)
 * Spring Grove (Wisconsin)

title: Spring Grove


text:
Spring Grove (Minnesota)

Spring Grove is a city in Houston County, Southern Minnesota. Located in the very South-East corner of Minnesota, it is a 25 min. drive from Decorah, Iowa a 30 min. drive from Lacrosse, Wisoncosin a 1 hour drive from Winona, Minnesota and a 1.5 hour drive from Rochester, Minnesota. Its located on a small plateau in the middle of bluff country it is a small farming community in a very scenic area. South-East Minnesota is completely different (geographically) than any other part of the state. It has a strong Norwegian background that is prevalent throughout the city.

Get in
With no means of public transport available, visitors are to arrive in Spring Grove by car.

Get around
Horse Back Trails

Buy
Spring Grove Soda Pop

title: Spring Grove (Minnesota)


text:
Springhill

Springhill is a town of 2,700 people (2016) in Nova Scotia. It had a large coal mining operation and is the birthplace of Canadian singer and songwriter, Anne Murray.

Understand
The community was founded as "Springhill Mines." Coal mining lead to economic growth, with its incorporation as a town in 1889. The mines in the Springhill coalfield were established in the 1870s. All coal mining had ceased in the area by the early 1970s. The community is famous for the Springhill Mining Disaster and being the childhood home of international recording star Anne Murray, who is honoured by the Anne Murray Centre, a popular tourist attraction.

There were three mining disasters in 1891, 1956, and 1958 in different mines within the Springhill coalfield. The third and final disaster in 1958 accelerated the closure of the largest mines when what was known as a "bump" occurred. The underground upheaval can be described as a bump due to a seismic jolt stemming from the collapse of one or more support pillars within a mine.

In 2015 the mine properties, among the deepest in the world were filled with water and provide Springhill's industrial park with geothermal heating. Geothermal energy from the waters of the abandoned mines are capable of providing heating and cooling for large buildings through the use of heat pumps. Because the water in a mine circulates by convection, shallow wells produce water of a temperature significantly higher than groundwater of the same depth.

By car
Springhill is on Highway 2 about 20 km south of Amherst and 50 km northeast of Parrsboro. It is connected to the Highway 104 (Trans-Canada Highway) by Highway 142 (exit 5).

Springhill is 1 hour and 52 minutes driving distance from Halifax, and approximately 45 minutes from Moncton, New Brunswick, both of which have international airports.

By train

 * Train operator:
 * Operates The Ocean route between Halifax and Montreal, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates three trips per direction per week. A shuttle between train stations in Sainte-Foy and in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance.

See

 * Miners' monument on the main street of Springhill honours the lives of miners and their families. The statue is near to Miners' Hall, on the corner of Main and Pioneer Street.
 * Miners' monument on the main street of Springhill honours the lives of miners and their families. The statue is near to Miners' Hall, on the corner of Main and Pioneer Street.

Buy
Springhill is a haven for people who are tired of being dragged through shops by their spouses. There's a Foodland supermarket on Main Street, a couple of pharmacies, and the gift shop in the Anne Murray Centre. And that's pretty much it for shopping

Sleep
There are no hotels in Springhill, but Amherst (Nova Scotia) and Parrsboro aren't far away.

Go next
16 km east of town on the Trans-Canada Highway is the small town of Oxford, which hosts a wild blueberry festival every year for two weeks in late August: live music, community picnics, teas, suppers and pancake breakfasts, farmers markets, pie eating and baking contests, quilt fairs, exhibitions, children’s activities, U-Picks, processing tours, blueberry wine fest, beer gardens, and kitchen parties.

title: Springhill


text:
Spring Lake

Spring Lake is a borough along the Jersey Shore. Spring Lake is a premier summer resort community with two miles of sparkling beaches, palatial summer homes, hotels, quaint cottages and guest houses, and well-appointed year-round homes.

Understand
This historic town is extremely welcoming and family oriented. Spring Lake is commonly known as the "Jewel of the Jersey Shore".

Get in
Get off the Garden State Pkwy at exit 98 and continue south on Rt. 35 until you see a sign for Manasquan. Take this exit and continue straight for a couple of miles. Then you will encounter a large circle, pass two exits then take the third. Go straight until you reach light and turn right. Continue on road and it will eventually bring you to Spring Lake, do not turn.

See
The Boardwalk is a two-mile elevated walking platform where entrances to the beach are blocked by badge checkers. The two pavilions (North & South) have bathrooms, food and tourist goods for sale.

Do
In the summer months, there is so much to do. Along with swimming, fishing and boating, there are many beautiful bicycle paths to explore, concerts in the park to enjoy, a five-mile run (Memorial Day weekend), and youth activity programs. Notices of all these events are noted in the windows of the borough's shops along Third Avenue, and on the community bulletin board at the corner of Third and Morris Avenues.

title: Spring Lake


text:
Spring Valley (New York)

Spring Valley is a city in Rockland County, New York.

title: Spring Valley (New York)


text:
Spring Valley (Wisconsin)

Spring Valley is a city in Northwest Wisconsin.

title: Spring Valley (Wisconsin)


text:
Springville

Springville is a city in the Wasatch Range in Utah.

Get in
Springville is accessible by car and by UTA bus from Salt Lake City.

Get around
Public transportation in Springville is limited. A car is highly recommended.

See

title: Springville


text:
Springwood

There is more than one place called Springwood:

Australia

 * Springwood (New South Wales) - A town in the Blue Mountains.
 * Springwood (Queensland) - A town near Brisbane.

title: Springwood


text:
Springwood (New South Wales)

Springwood is a town about halfway up the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.

West of Sydney, Springwood is a mainly suburban centre in the Blue Mountains. Home to the oldest railway station building in the Blue Mountains, Springwood is located between Valley Heights and Faulconbridge on the Blue Mountains railway line, south of Winmalee. It is a useful stopping point on the way to the major tourist centres further up the mountains.

By road
Springwood is on the Great Western Highway. From Sydney, follow signs to Penrith or other locations in the outer Western Suburbs and follow the Western Motorway. The Western Motorway changes into the Great Western Highway around Penrith. Exits to Springwood are clearly marked.

By train
is on the Blue Mountains line on Sydney's Intercity train network. Trains from Central station depart from the intercity platforms. Trains to the Blue Mountains run about every 30 minutes at peak times and about hourly at all other times. Expect the journey to or from Sydney's Central station to take about 1 hr 20 min. A PDF copy of the timetable can be found on TfNSW's website.

By bus
Springwood is served by the 690P bus from Penrith and the 690K bus from Katoomba.

Get around
Everywhere in the central Springwood area, where the shops are located, can be reached on foot within ten to fifteen minutes. Areas further out, which are mainly residential, can also be walked to but this may take rather more time. A car is easiest, but some buses run in the area.

Buy

 * The shopping is not fantastic in Springwood, but there are several clothing boutiques around, as well as jewellers, homeware stores and various other places. Local markets, where food, plants, crafts and other items are sold, are held at least monthly, mostly on Saturdays.
 * Alternative Influence, just opposite the station, stocks lots of incense, candles, clothing, jewellery and so on.

Eat
You won't find haute cuisine in Springwood but there are a couple of OK restaurants, as well as many takeaway options and cafés.
 * There are bistros at the Royal Hotel, Oriental Hotel and Springwood Sports Club.
 * There is only one pizzaria, Napoli Pizza.
 * There is a barbequed chicken shop and a fish shop around town.
 * If you want to cook for yourself there is a supermarket and a butchery (opposite the church). There are also several bakeries.
 * There are an increasing number of cafes serving good coffee with a variety of food menus including Cassiopeia, The Bakers Wife and
 * If you want to cook for yourself there is a supermarket and a butchery (opposite the church). There are also several bakeries.
 * There are an increasing number of cafes serving good coffee with a variety of food menus including Cassiopeia, The Bakers Wife and

Drink
The two main pubs in Springwood are the Royal Hotel and the Oriental Hotel (known locally as the 'Ori'). Both have a bar and some dining facilities. They are on opposite ends of the main street, Macquarie Road. The Royal is located opposite the train station. To get to the Oriental from the station, cross the road after coming out of the station underpass and turn left. Walk along the footpath and continue until you cross Raymond Road. The Oriental should be in front of you.

If you continue a little further the new bowling club is on the left, but the Oriental is probably the nicest of Springwood's pubs.

Go next

 * Wentworth Falls
 * Take a trip to some of the main attractions of the Blue Mountains in Katoomba, Glenbrook or Blackheath, among other places. Buses and trains (although infrequent) can take you to some of the most popular locations.
 * Glenbrook – closer to Sydney

title: Springwood (New South Wales)


text:
Spruce Grove

Spruce Grove is a city of about 34,000 people in the Edmonton Capital Region.

Understand
Homesteading in Spruce Grove started in 1879.

By car
Spruce Grove is 14 km west of Edmonton, take Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) or Highway 16A. Highway 16 is a controlled access highway and passes along the northern city boundary, take exits 360 or 363.

From the west, both highways pass through Spruce Grove from Edson, Hinton, and eventually Jasper.

Get around
There is an on-demand transit service for trips within Spruce Grove, and also to Stony Plain. The city also has a network of trails for those opting to walk and bike.

By car
The major roads around Spruce Grove mostly reflects the Dominion survey, with roads placed in regular intervals. Most major roads aside from Highway 16A or the Yellowhead Highway are four-lane roads, either divided or not. The downtown (City Centre) follows a rough grid, with streets slightly curved in line with Highway 16A and the Canadian National (CN) line through town. Roads in the majority of neighbourhoods are full of curves and dead ends, characteristic of suburban cities.

title: Spruce Grove


text:
Squamish

Squamish is a town of about 20,000 people (2016) in the Sea to Sky region of British Columbia half-way between Vancouver and Whistler. Squamish calls itself the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada due to the abundant rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, golf, fishing, kayaking, bouldering, white-water rafting, horseback riding, scuba diving and other activities readily available in the area.

History
The town of Squamish had its beginning during the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway in the 1910s. It was the first southern terminus of that railway (now a part of Canadian National Railway). The town remains important in the operations of the line and also the port. Forestry has traditionally been the main industry in the area, and the town's largest employer was the Western Forest Products pulp mill. However, Western Pulp's Squamish Operation shut down in 2006. Before the pulp mill, the town's largest employer had been International Forest Products' (Interfor) sawmill and logging operation, but it closed a few years prior to the pulp mill's closing.

Squamish has become popular with Vancouver and Whistler residents escaping the increased cost of living in those places, both less than one hour away by highway. Tourism is an increasingly important part of the town's economy, with an emphasis on outdoor recreation.

Climate
Squamish is one of the wettest inhabited locations in Canada, with over 2,200 millimetres (87 in) of rainfall per year, often falling in long stretches through the winter.

Located at the head of North America's southern-most fjord, glacier capped mountains rise from the Pacific waters to create stunning views from the protected waters below. Steady, predictable winds practically assure a great day of sailing every day between May and Sept.

Get in
Squamish is on Highway 99, 60 km north of downtown Vancouver (about a 45-minute drive). The town is also served by bus:

Private aircraft can fly into.

Get around
Squamish sprawls over a large area for a town its size, so a car is the easiest way to get around.

Do

 * Rafting - Squamish has amazing rafting on the Elaho and Squamish Rivers 40 km (25 miles) north of the town in the Squamish Valley. The rapids are class 3 and 4, including the spectacular "Devils Elbow."
 * Rafting - Squamish has amazing rafting on the Elaho and Squamish Rivers 40 km (25 miles) north of the town in the Squamish Valley. The rapids are class 3 and 4, including the spectacular "Devils Elbow."
 * Rock climbing - Squamish is world renowned among climbers. The towering granite monolith, the Stawamus Chief, serves as the primary draw. There are over 600 established routes in the area, most of them traditional in nature, requiring the placement of gear for protection. There are many sport routes in the area with fixed/bolted protection though the majority of sport climbing in the area is along the Squamish-Whistler corridor. The boulders located at the base of the Stawamus Chief are starting to attract many climbers. This is to be partially attributed to the climbing DVD Rampage starring Chris Sharma. There are several quality guide books available for the established climbers as well as several commercial guides for hire.

Eat
Along Highway 99 you'll find the usual fast food fare with a higher concentration near the city center exit.

Go next
Visiting other spots in the Sea to Sky corridor holds many sightseeing and recreation possibilities:

 * Britannia Beach - 10 minutes south of Squamish by car. It has the BC Mining Museum and scuba diving can be done at nearby Porteau Cove.
 * Garibaldi Provincial Park - hiking to beautiful alpine lakes and vistas.
 * Whistler - 55 km north of town, Whistler is one of the biggest ski resorts in North America and an all-year playground of recreational activities.

title: Squamish


text:
Squaw Valley

Squaw Valley is a ski resort town on the border between California and Nevada area centered around Lake Tahoe. Squaw Valley Ski Resort covers 3,600 acres (15 km²) employing 30 chairlifts and the only funitel in the U.S. It is the second-largest skiing complex in the Lake Tahoe area after Heavenly Mountain Resort. It is best known for hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Understand
The existence of Squaw Valley as more than a dot on the map is heavily tied to the 1960 Winter Olympics. Wayne Poulsen, president of the Squaw Valley Development Company, convinced then California governor Goodwin Knight to support a bid by Squaw Valley to host the 1960 Winter Olympics and the governor did so, asking his state legislature to appropriate a million dollars for that purpose. In 1955 the bid was officially submitted to the IOC (at the time led by the American Avery Brundage) who accepted the bid much to the chagrin of established winter sports destinations like Innsbruck Chamonix and St. Moritz which had also bid, but the IOC warned that the hosting rights would be reassigned if the U.S. did not invest further money into local facilities. The California state legislature committed another four million dollars and thus Brundage confirmed the hosting rights for Squaw Valley. The task now was to turn what was a resort of one chair lift, two rope tows and a fifty room lodge in 1956 into an Olympic class winter sports destination. Local boosters sold this apparent disadvantage as a plus, arguing that this "blank canvas" allowed them to build a resort perfectly in line with the demands of the 1960 Olympics. Just how small a place Squaw Valley was, was underscored when during the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo the traditional ceremony of the mayor of the previous host ceremoniously handing over the baton to the mayor of the next host had to use a random IOC member from California to stand in for the - not yet existing - mayor of Squaw Valley. Ultimately the games cost some eighty million dollars all told (of which a quarter came from the federal government) and Squaw Valley had a lot of state of the art facilities - including the first Olympic Ice Rink to use artificial ice. However, as a cost cutting measure and because only 9 nations wanted to send competitors in that sport, bobsledding was left off the Olympic schedule that year to avoid having to build a venue - bobsledding had been an Olympic event at every prior Winter Games and would remain so into the 21st century. The games were the first to be shown live on U.S. television (the 1956 games had been shown by some European broadcasters) and while the broadcasting rights were sold to CBS for only $50,000, that figure would soon jump tenfold for the same year's Summer Games.

In August 2020, the owners announced their commitment to remove the word “squaw” from the resort's name by summer 2021 as the use of the term is an ethnic and sexual slur.

Get in
Squaw Valley is found off California State Route 89, about 12 miles south of Truckee at the intersection of CA-89 and Interstate 80. The closest city with a major airport is Reno, Nevada, about 32 miles east of Truckee on I-80.

Get around
Squaw Valley Road is the main arterial. It runs roughly east-west and feeds into California State Route 89 at its eastern end.

Go next

 * Other resorts and parts of Lake Tahoe
 * Reno, the closest large city
 * Sacramento, the capital of California

title: Squaw Valley