text:
Sandwich (England)

Sandwich is a village in Kent, one of the Cinque Ports responsible for England's maritime defence. In the 14th and 15th centuries the harbour silted up and the river changed its course, leaving Sandwich well inland: so it lost its importance and its attractive medieval centre was preserved. In modern times a large industrial area has developed a couple of miles north, with a pharmaceutical complex operated by Pfizer, but this doesn't impinge on the old town. In 2011 Sandwich had a population of 4985.

Understand
Anglo-Saxon England didn't have an army or navy. When hostilities loomed, each baron ordered his men to take up arms, while the Channel ports mobilised ships. This was haphazard enough to let in the Normans in 1066, so once in power they made more systematic arrangements. A Royal Charter of 1155 designated five leading ports, hence Cinque Ports— Hastings, New Romney, Hythe, Dover and Sandwich. Between them they had to make 57 ships available for Crown use for 15 days each year. In return they were exempt from tax, and enjoyed a long list of privileges: soc and sac, tol and team, blodwit and fledwit, pillory and tumbril, infangentheof and outfangentheof, and mundbryce, were some of the best fun you could have in the 12th century.

The five became the nucleus of a defence confederation. Early ships lacked fire-power and their main military role was as troop-carriers: Rye and Winchelsea (chartered as "Ancient Towns") organised the men. There were seven subsidiary ports called "Limbs": New Romney had Lydd, Sandwich had Deal and Ramsgate, Dover had Folkestone, Margate and Faversham, and Rye had Tenterden. Others were added in medieval times (Sandwich even grew a Limb north of the Thames at Brightlingsea), to a peak of 42. Because of their importance, the towns' freemen ranked as barons, and enjoyed trade monopolies. A Lord Warden presided over them all.

These ports dwindled in the 15th century as a regular navy was established, larger ships needed deeper harbours (such as Southampton and Portsmouth) and their expense was met by general state revenue. Above all they lost the sea: Dover remained a major port but Hastings was washed away and the rest of the Kent coast silted up. Sandwich is now 2 miles from the coast, and much further if you try to get there along the convoluted river. It's literally a backwater, so its medieval centre has been well preserved. The confederation's duties and privileges were removed by successive government reforms, and "Lord Warden" of the Cinque Ports is now just a flummery title.

The Tourist Information Centre is in Guildhall Museum, see below.

Get in
Trains from London Charing Cross run hourly via Waterloo East, London Bridge, Ashford, Folkestone, Dover and Deal, taking 2 hr 20 min to Sandwich and continuing to Ramsgate. It might be quicker to take the fast train from London St Pancras via Ebbsfleet (for Eurostar) and change at Dover. These trains loop back to London along the north Kent coast through Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate, Whitstable and Faversham.

is just south of town centre.

Stagecoach Bus 81 runs from Dover via Walmer, Deal, Sholden and Eastry, taking 1 hr 15 min to Sandwich, M-Sa hourly and every 2 hours on Sunday. (Bus 80 might do it, but they usually only run as far as Deal.)

Bus 43 runs from Canterbury via Wingham, taking 40 min. It's every 30 min M-Sa and hourly on Sunday.

Bus 45 runs from Ramsgate hourly M-Sa, taking 40 min.

The main bus stop and turnaround is by the Guildhall.

By road from London follow M2 / A2 to Canterbury then A257 through Wingham. But if it's night and you're unsure of your navigation, you may prefer to follow A28 / A299 towards Ramsgate then turn south on the coastal A256. From Dover and the Channel ports follow A256 north.

Get around
Walk: the old centre is just a small village. Park at Guildhall, the Quays is more expensive.

Sandwich Connect is the village bus, running from Staple (5 miles inland) to Ash, Sandwich, Betteshanger, Northbourne, Great Mongeham and Upper Deal, which is a mile short of Deal and Walmer centres. It runs four times M-F.

See

 * Old town streets are charming. St Peter's Church on Market St is 14th-century: it's open daily 10AM-4PM, free, but you can pay to ascend the tower.
 * St Thomas's Hospital next to Guildhall car park was founded in 1392 as lodging for a dozen religious brothers or sisters. It's still in use as sheltered housing for the elderly.
 * guard the north exit of town towards Ramsgate. In 1028 King Cnut gave the monks of Christ Church Cambridge the right to ply a ferry here and collect tolls. That became a toll bridge in 1773, and the present iron swing bridge was built in 1892. Tolls were abolished in 1977.
 * Fisher Gate on the Quay 100 yards east of the Toll Bridge is the only surviving gate in the town walls. It has three storeys, the lowest from 1384 and the top from 1578.
 * Sandwich Medieval Centre on the Quay facing Fisher Gate is a small museum recreating medieval crafts such as metalworking - they run courses in these.
 * Salutation Gardens are in the grounds of The Salutation, a mansion built by Lutyens in 1912. Until 2020 it was a hotel, see Sleep, but the business folded and as of Jan 2021 the gardens are closed.
 * St Bartholomew's on Dover Road just south of the railway station was founded in 1190 as a hospital, ie lodging for pilgrims. It became a religious community: you can visit the chapel.
 * on Ash Rd is a smock mill. The cap rotates with the main sails, with a fan tail keeping it into wind. It was built in 1760: smock mills were common in Kent until the early 19th century then were supplanted by steam power. In 2021 the mill is closed and under restoration.
 * is a wetland nature reserve. The monks reclaimed this land for farming in the 13th century by building their flood wall, but it's now been restored to its earlier condition.
 * is a wetland nature reserve. The monks reclaimed this land for farming in the 13th century by building their flood wall, but it's now been restored to its earlier condition.

Do

 * Walk along the tow path beside the river.
 * Boat trips putter along the River Stour. They may go upstream to Richborough Roman Fort, further up to Fordwich on the outskirts of Canterbury, or down the estuary to sandbanks where seals haul out. (Some seals have orange fake sun-tans, the stain of iron oxides in the mud of Hampton Water north of the Thames estuary: inevitably they're dubbed "Essex Girls".) In either direction, boats pass Stonar Cut, a 300 yard canal that bypasses a five mile loop of river. Until medieval times the river drained into Wantsum Channel, which separated the Isle of Thanet from the mainland. This silted up while a shingle bank pushed the river further south, and further and further, until eventually it made a U-turn at Sandwich before heading north to Pegwell Bay.
 * Empire Cinema is on Delf St.
 * Sandwich Leisure Centre is on Deal Rd south of the railway station.
 * Four other golf courses lie along this coast. North to south are St Augustine's near Ramsgate, Stonelees at Ebbsfleet, Princes by the estuary east of Sandwich, then south of Royal St George's is Royal Cinque Ports near Deal.
 * Four other golf courses lie along this coast. North to south are St Augustine's near Ramsgate, Stonelees at Ebbsfleet, Princes by the estuary east of Sandwich, then south of Royal St George's is Royal Cinque Ports near Deal.

Buy

 * Co-op Food by the Guildhall car park is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.

Eat

 * Sandwiches: the Earls of Sandwich took their title from this area (the first Earl was MP for Dover), and John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), gives his name to the convenience food. Eating meat or cheese between bread slices was already common in England but around 1765 the Earl made it aristocratically fashionable - supposedly he called for a snack while playing cribbage, and his companions then asked for "the same as Sandwich." As First Lord of the Admiralty, he backed the 1775 voyage of James Cook, who gave the name to the bleak South Sandwich Islands near Antarctica. Cook similarly named a mid-Pacific archipelago, but that became known as Hawaii.

 * No Name Shop is a deli / bistro on No Name Street, open M-Sa 8AM-5PM, Su 8AM-4PM. They also have a branch in Deal.
 * Fleur-de-Lis on Delf St has a decent bar and restaurant, but reviewers don't think much of the accommodation.

Drink

 * The Admiral Owen next to the Barbican is a picturesque 15th century building, but it closed down in 2019.

Sleep

 * The wonderful Salutation Hotel alas went bust in 2020. Beware, in 2021 a flaky website still offers to take your money and credit card details to stay there.
 * The wonderful Salutation Hotel alas went bust in 2020. Beware, in 2021 a flaky website still offers to take your money and credit card details to stay there.
 * The wonderful Salutation Hotel alas went bust in 2020. Beware, in 2021 a flaky website still offers to take your money and credit card details to stay there.
 * The wonderful Salutation Hotel alas went bust in 2020. Beware, in 2021 a flaky website still offers to take your money and credit card details to stay there.

Connect
As of May 2022, Sandwich has 4G all UK carriers. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Whitstable is a pleasant old-style beach resort; the beach is shingle but the sea is surprisingly warm.
 * Canterbury is a must-see, a cathedral city on the.
 * Broadstairs had a long sandy beach and a cottage frequented by Charles Dickens.
 * Ramsgate is a large historic port.
 * Margate is down-at-heel but has a funfair and other trad resort attractions.
 * Deal on the coast has two castles built by Henry VIII.

title: Sandwich (England)


text:
Sandwich (Massachusetts)

Sandwich is on Cape Cod in Massachusetts at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal, and includes the villages of East Sandwich and Forestdale. It is the oldest town on the Cape, settled in 1637. Sandwich is famous for the glassware produced here in the 1800s. It is also home to numerous gift and antique stores, art galleries, and rare book stores.

By car
Sandwich, is a little more than an hour and a quarter from both Boston and Providence.

 * From Boston take I-93 south to Route 3 south to the Sagamore Bridge. (Becomes Rt. 6). After the crossing Sagamore Bridge any of the first 3 exits off Route 6 leads into Sandwich.
 * From Providence or points south take I-95 north to I-195 to Route 25 south to the Bourne Bridge (I-495 also becomes Route 25). At the rotary (traffic circle) on the Cape side of the bridge go almost all the way around and travel along the Canal to Route 6. Any of the first 3 exits off Route 6 leads into Sandwich. Rather than taking Route 6, you can continue straight under the Sagamore bridge on Route 6A into town.

Get around
The center of Sandwich is very walkable, but generally a car is the best way to get around.

Beaches
All require non-resident parking stickers $40/season, Sandwich Town Hall Annex, 145 Main St., +1 508 833-8012.

Go next

 * Day trips to Plymouth and other areas of the Cape are quite worthwhile.
 * The Cape Cod National Seashore on the Outer Cape is very beautiful.
 * A trip eastward on Route 6A winds through a number of interesting villages and past numerous galleries and interesting shops.
 * The bridges get very busy on summer Sundays. If leaving the Cape, try to leave before noon or after 8PM.

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

title: Sandwich (Massachusetts)


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Sandy

Sandy is a city just south of Salt Lake City in Utah's Wasatch Range. It is one of the major suburbs of Salt Lake City.

Understand
Sandy is the fourth largest city in Utah, with a population of approximately 97,000 (2018). It is a bedroom community of Salt Lake City. It lies in the south-central portion of Salt Lake Valley, a large valley located between the Oquirrh Mountains to the west and the Wasatch Mountains to the east, where the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain regions meet. The city is largely residential, but commercial areas lie in the west part of the city and along major roads through the city, including South Town Mall and the Jordan Commons shopping center. The eastern residential regions lie along the western slopes (benches) of the Wasatch Range, and the residences become more affluent as you climb the bench. Sandy lies along the Wasatch Range, the region of nearly continuous urbanization from Brigham City south to Payson, including the cities of Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo.

Sandy, in particular, is friendly toward visitors. Some refer to the city as "The Ultimate Base Camp." No where else, worldwide, is there the same proximity to as wide a variety of mountain and outdoor recreation, and metropolitan conveniences.

Car
Sandy, and all of Salt Lake Valley, lies on what is known as a grid system. See Salt Lake City for helpful information on the grid system used in Utah. The easiest way to get to Sandy from the international airport is to take I-80 East until it merges with I-15 south west of Downtown Salt Lake City, and keep going south until you reach Sandy. Sandy can be accessed from the 9000 South (Exit #298) and 10600 South (Exit #297) exits. From Downtown Salt Lake City, you can also take State Street, 700 East, or 1300 East straight south.

Rail
TRAX is a light rail line administered by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) located in the Salt Lake Valley. The southern terminus is located in Sandy, which you can board at 10000 South near Jordan High School. It runs north through downtown. Fares and schedules available at: Ride UTA. The stop at Sandy is just in the middle of a car park and bus interchange, with no pedestrian signs pointing anywhere, and all the other passengers seeming to be going to their cars or to buses. It is possible to walk to the Civic Center, and to the shopping areas, if you know where you are going.

Bus
UTA also operates an extensive bus system which covers the entire Wasatch Range. Sandy has easy and extensive access to many of these bus lines, many of which also stop at the TRAX stations.

Ski
It is said that Utah is home to the greatest snow on Earth, and Sandy is only a short drive to some of Utah's best ski resorts.

Fry Sauce

 * Fry sauce is a Utah specialty. What is it? Fry sauce is a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise eaten on French fries. Fry sauce was created many years ago by the local fast food restaurant Arctic Circle and has since spread to the rest of Utah, and to eastern Idaho. Almost any local (and many chain) restaurants will serve this tasty pink concoction. For more on Arctic Circle locations see: Arctic Circle Restaurants. Known elsewhere as "Russian Dressing". Ask for Fry Sauce at any fast food place in Sandy, and they will know what you are talking about.

title: Sandy


text:
Sandy Creek

There's more than one place called Sandy Creek:

United States of America

 * Sandy Creek - a town in Oswego County, New York (state)
 * Sandy Creek - a small town in Brunswick County, North Carolina

title: Sandy Creek


text:
Sandy Hook

Sandy Hook is a narrow land spit on the Atlantic coast of New Jersey. It is owned by the Federal Government and most is managed by the National Park Service as one of three units comprising Gateway National Recreation Area.

Towns

 * Navesink Beach
 * Normandie
 * Sea Bright
 * Low Moor
 * Gallilee (New Jersey)

Understand

Geologically, Sandy Hook is a large sand spit or barrier spit, the extension of a barrier peninsula along the coast of New Jersey, separated from the mainland by the estuary of the Shrewsbury River. On its western side, the peninsula encloses Sandy Hook Bay, a triangular arm of Raritan Bay. The 1665 peninsula was discovered by Henry Hudson, and, historically, Sandy Hook has been a convenient anchorage for ships before proceeding into Upper New York Harbor.

Get in
Sandy Hook is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Fees for motor vehicles are charged during the summer season. Season passes can be purchased, and discounts are offered for seniors.

By car
Take Garden State Parkway to Exit 117 then follow Route 36 east for 12 miles (19 km).

By plane

 * Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey
 * LaGuardia Airport, in Queens, New York
 * John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York

By ferry

 * Seastreak, . This is a very large and luxurious catamaran commuter ferry. Leaves from Pier 11 & East 34th Street in Manhattan directly to Sandy Hook, a 30-minute trip. Tickets are sold as you get on the ferry. $45 includes ferry and bus fares. On the ferry, there should be someone handing out maps of Sandy Hook. When you get there, after the 1-hour ride, you can walk to the beach or take a shuttle bus (yellow school bus). There are 3 main beaches, but the only nude beach is Gunnison. To walk to the beach, follow the other people heading out past the lighthouse. It takes about 15 minutes whether you walk or catch the shuttle.

Get around

 * The easiest way to get around Sandy Hook and surrounding areas is by car. There are not many public transportation systems in this area.
 * A bike path along much of the Hook encourages bike riding, in-line skating, and walking.

Do
Sun bathing, ocean bathing, surfing, fishing, and other beach activities are popular in season. The bay side is a popular Windsurfing venue, along with some kite-surfing and kayaking. Bike riding is popular on the bike path, and roadways.

Buy
Don't bother traveling to sandy hook to shop, there is almost nothing for sale there. A few beach items such as sun screen are available in season.

Stay safe
Only swim when a lifeguard is present. You must keep all children within a safe distance from you, and you should learn how to deal with rip tides. If you can't swim, do not go into the water. Keep an eye out for any large waves that wash further up the shore. Do not turn your back on the ocean!

Go next

 * Red Bank
 * Seaside Heights

title: Sandy Hook


text:
Sandy Springs

Sandy Springs is a city of 110,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It promotes itself as having "small town charm on the banks of the Chattahoochee just around the corner from downtown Atlanta."

By plane
Hartsfield-Jackson airport is also the terminus of the southern branch of the MARTA rail system (see 'Get around' below), and for travelers going to locations in downtown, midtown or northern Atlanta this forms a convenient, and at $2.50 per one-way ticket, economic way of getting there. Most MARTA stations have taxi stations to aid completion of the journey, and some hotels have free shuttles which will collect from either the airport or nearest MARTA station on telephone request.

By train
Being so close to Atlanta, visitors are welcome to travel by train via Amtrak. Amtrak's Crescent train runs daily and serves New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans (and vice-versa). Southbound, the train leaves New York just before 3PM, calls at Atlanta at around 9AM and reaches New Orleans by 8PM. Northbound, the train leaves New Orleans at around 7AM, calls at Atlanta at around 8PM and reaches New York by 2PM.

In Atlanta, the Amtrak station is located at 1688 Peachtree St. N.W., which is several miles north of the airport and downtown. Unfortunately, there are no direct connections between the MARTA trains and Amtrak. However, MARTA Bus routes 23 and 110, which can be transferred at the Buckhead Station and the Arts Center Station, stop in front of the Amtrak Station.

By bus
Greyhound Bus Lines,, provides bus service to Atlanta from many locations throughout the United States. Buses arrive at and depart from the Greyhound terminal at 232 Forsyth Street, located in a less affluent neighborhood on the southern edge of the downtown area and directly beneath MARTA's Garnett Station (see 'Get around' below).

By car
Atlanta is linked to the rest of the US by the interstate highway network. The principal interstates serving the city are I-75 (serving traffic from Detroit to Florida), I-85 (connecting the Mid-Atlantic to New Orleans) and I-20 (connecting Texas to South Carolina), all of which cross through Downtown.

I-285 (commonly called the Perimeter by Atlantans, and the Atlanta Bypass on overhead signs) circles the city at a distance of about 10 miles out, crossing and connecting with all the above freeways as well as the airport.

By transit
Sandy Springs is served by MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority),, which operates both rapid rail and bus networks in the counties of Fulton and Dekalb.

For out-of-town visitors, MARTA is a convenient way to travel from the airport to all stations on its network. Those who need to travel alone at night, however, may be better served by taking taxis, hotel buses, or renting a car, as the system often becomes empty or rowdy at nighttime, and travel may feel unsafe to those who do not know the city. Most destination stations have Taxi service available for local trips.

The rail network is comprised of two principal lines making up a cross. One line runs north-south across the city, while the other runs east-west. The north-south line runs from a southern terminus at Hartsfield-Jackson airport through downtown and midtown Atlanta, before splitting into two branches running north, one which terminates in Sandy Springs at the North Springs station and the other which terminates at the Doraville station. The east-west line runs from a western terminal at Hamilton E. Holmes to an eastern terminal at Indian Creek. The Five Points station in downtown Atlanta is the only station where passengers may change trains between the north-south and east-west lines. Trains run from 5AM until 1AM Monday-Friday, and from 5AM until 12:30AM on weekends and holidays. Trains run on all lines every 10 minutes during peak periods, reducing to every 20 minutes on Sundays.

The bus network comprises over one hundred different bus routes, with many routes operating approximately every 20 minutes. Bus service on some lines (generally including the most popular tourist areas) runs from 5AM until 1:30AM Monday-Friday and from 5AM until 1AM on the weekends and holidays.

A single ride on MARTA costs $2.50. The fare includes transfers. Single use Breeze Cards are sold in vending machines at all rail stations or at RideStores at Airport. When starting the journey by bus, swipe the card at the fare post next to the driver. When starting the journey by train, swipe the car at the fare gate, your now cash depleted card will act as your transfer. When transferring to a bus, give the operator your breeze card. When transferring to a train, swipe the transfer ticket through the reader on the turnstile.

Note for Weekend Travel: MARTA has a tendency to run slower on the weekends. Typical wait times are 30 minutes for trains and up to an hour for buses. Be sure to accommodate for this.

By car
If MARTA Rail does not service all the areas you need, cars are the most popular form of transport in order to get around the city to experience various shopping, events and more. Renting a car is recommended. Rush hour runs almost continuously but peaks 6-10AM and 3-7PM on weekdays and often results in congestion when traveling intown in the mornings and outbound in the afternoons. Downtown/Midtown and major shopping districts such as Buckhead will also get crowded on weekends. Most restaurants and shops in the area offer complimentary or low-cost valet services ($1-3 tip expected) and on the rare occasion where parking is scarce, public lots are usually nearby for a fee. Free road maps are available at [9].

Car rental companies:

 * Alamo Rent A Car
 * Avis Rent A Car
 * Budget Rent A Car
 * Dollar Rent A Car
 * E-Z Rent-A-Car
 * Enterprise Rent-A-Car
 * Hertz Car Rental
 * Thrifty

Go next

 * Chatahoochee River Fun — Over 20 miles of Chattahoochee River shoreline and three National Park Sites, including; Island Ford, East Palisades, Powers Island Parks. Canoeing and kayaking year around.  Rentals available at local outfitters like Shoot The Hooch.  In addition, the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell offers education environmental programs, canoe trips and other recreational activities.
 * Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags White Water — is a family amusement park open weekends, March through October, and daily, June through mid-August. The park features the tallest roller coaster in the Southeast, Goliath, and the world’s largest interactive theme park water play structure, Skull Island. Si offers a variety of thrilling water rides, slides and waterfalls, including Tornado, the Ultimate Storm and Cliffhanger, one of the tallest freefalls in the world.
 * Stone Mountain Park — Georgia's #1 attraction, Stone Mountain Park, is just east of Atlanta and has over 3,200 acres of natural beauty. The park offers recreation activities, special events, lodging, camping entertainment, themed attractions and the famous Lasershow Spectacular.
 * Lake Lanier Islands — The closet beach to Atlanta can be found at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, with its lakefront beaches, water park, golf courses, boating, spas, and more.
 * Chateau Elan Winery and Resort — Chateau Elan, a 16th-century-styled French retreat, is just 30 minutes north of Atlanta and has a festive atmosphere that encourages guests to tour the vineyards, visit the winery, have lunch at a sidewalk café and play a round of golf.
 * Callaway Gardens — Located in Pine Mountain, is a premier vacation spot with tons of activities for the entire family.
 * Wolf Mountain Vineyards — Located in Dahlonega,Wolf Mountain Vineyards offers a perfect get-away to taste award winning wines and enjoy a beautiful scenery. The vineyards and winery provide the perfect setting for Sunday brunch, café lunch, and gourmet dinners.

title: Sandy Springs


text:
San Felipe

San Felipe is a city in Baja California, Mexico on the coast of the Gulf of California. It has become a resort destination for Americans, Canadians and Mexicans. Its population of 19,000 (2018) swells by up to 5,000 during peak periods like U.S. holidays.

Understand
San Felipe began as a sleepy fishing village, barely connected by road to Mexicali over a long, often flooded, mud, or washed-out road. Its fishing roots are still evident in the large commercial harbor south of town frequented by shrimp boats.

The Bay of San Felipe is 3 meters above sea level. At low tide, the water can recede as much as 2 km. San Felipe experiences one of the largest tidal bores in the world due in part to the Colorado River delta to the north. The seven-meter tides expose a kilometer of ocean floor. The port of San Felipe is a small town historically dependent on fishing and now on tourism, catering mostly to U.S. travelers and containing an international airport.

Get in
The easiest way to get to San Felipe (unless you're considering externalized costs) is to drive. You can fly into the small Aeropuerto International De San Felipe if you have a private plane and there are a few commercial flights. There are also long distance buses, although there are no local buses once you arrive. Some people also bike or walk to get to San Felipe.

By car
If you are coming from California, into Baja Mexico, there are two simple routes.

 * 1) San Diego/Tijuana Border Crossing: Drive South on the Mexican 1-D to Ensenada.  Then, take the Mexican 3 South to the Mexican 5.  Head south on the Mexican 5.  The 5 ends directly in San Felipe.  This route takes you directly across the Baja Peninsula.  You will pass two or sometimes three Mexican Army checkpoints, where you will be greeted and searched by soldiers.  Leaving/entering San Felipe you will be searched thoroughly.  Also leaving Ensenada, heading towards San Felipe there is another military thorough inspection, and not only cars are searched.  You will need to tell them your final destination.  The Mexican 3 is notorious for major potholes and sometimes banditos.  The drive will feel like it goes on forever.

 * 1) Mexicali: The drive to San Felipe from the Mexicali border crossing is relatively more direct. Just hold south on the Mexican 5 all the way to San Felipe.  The majority of this path will take you through desert terrain.  Make sure to have extra water.

General driving advice:

Be very wary of Mexican big rigs. If a car or truck in front of you turns on its blinkers, this usually denotes that it is safe to pass on a two lane highway. Make sure your car is in good shape. Make sure to be able to speak even a little bit of Spanish! Also, few gas stations live along the road to San Felipe so make sure you have full tank of gas. It is best to fill up before you leave Mexicali or San Felipe. Another warning: Be careful with parking your car on the beach, regardless of it being 2- or 4-wheel drive. The tide is very quick, and will turn over your car/truck before you know it.

By plane
San Felipe has a small general aviation airport a few miles south of town.

By bus
ABC Buses  run from Mexicali.

By bike
It looks like a low-traffic route from San Diego is to cross at Tecate, then bike to Ensenada, and then go to San Felipe from there.

Be careful with parking your bike on the beach. The tide is very quick, and will reach your bike before you know it.

Get around
The malecon (waterfront) is the center of San Felipe. Most of the bars and restaurants are here and are within walking distance of each other. Free, ample parking is usually available.

Many of the beach-front camps and vacation villages are a couple miles away from town. You will need a car to get into town.

Driving on the beach is an excellent way to get stuck shovelling sand for a few hours. While four-wheel drive vehicles are better at driving on the beach, they too will get stuck at particularly soft spots. Fat-tire bicycles are better. They work pretty good, and if you get stuck you can just pick the bike up and carry it to a better spot.

See
The tide. The Sea of Cortez has incredible tide changes. Walk out and see the ocean bed. Be wary of the tide though. The tide can take you and your car quickly if you park on the beach.

Do

 * Fishing. Many local fishermen will take you out on their boat for a fee. Take note that while a permit is not needed to fish from shore, a permit is needed to fish from a boat.  Collecting clams and other shellfish is legal only for locals.
 * The Baja 500 and Baja 1000 races often pass near or through San Felipe.
 * California Motorsport Adventours Off road adventure tours for people of all riding abilities. Everyone welcome: families, couples, friends, single riders, bachelor and corporate groups. Our trips to San Felipe can be done in 4 or 5 days. Begin in San Diego, end in San Felipe. We can also customize tours around the Baja 500 and 1000. Contact the office for reservations and inquiries.

Event announcements and local news from almost all local websites (in English) appear on San Felipe News.

Buy
Most stores in San Felipe sell the same souvenirs: rings, necklaces, T-shirts, and so on. Typically, shopping will happen on a need basis -- "oh, I forgot to bring sunglasses; I'd better buy some", or else on a whim -- "That's a nice-looking ring". In addition to the actual stores, there are often peddlers walking around on the streets or beaches selling wares of some kind, usually personal accessories. Often, these people are associated with a store. Almost without exception, vendors in San Felipe accept the U.S. dollar.

Eat
Fish tacos! San Felipe is known as the birthplace of the fish taco and every restaurant on the malecon serves them. It is said to be the taste that launched Rubio's chain of Mexican restaurants. A trip to San Felipe would be incomplete without trying the local delicacy. Most places also serve tacos with other types of seafood as well. As with most eateries in Mexico, look for ones frequented by locals.

It is possible to buy seafood, especially shrimp (camerones) and clams (almejas), from local fish markets, or occasionally directly from the fishing vessels in the large commercial harbor.
 * El Cortez/Bare Foot Beach Bar. Just south of the Malecon, the El Cortez is a great Hotel, but has a great breakfast and a nice beach bar.
 * The Sweet Spot is the main hangout on the Malecon for "gringos" and is owned and operated by an American. Als Backstreet Bar is another famous local gringo hangout, and is two streets west of the Malecon right behind the Bancomer branch.
 * El Cortez/Bare Foot Beach Bar. Just south of the Malecon, the El Cortez is a great Hotel, but has a great breakfast and a nice beach bar.
 * The Sweet Spot is the main hangout on the Malecon for "gringos" and is owned and operated by an American. Als Backstreet Bar is another famous local gringo hangout, and is two streets west of the Malecon right behind the Bancomer branch.

Drink
Most restaurants serve beer and wine, and many have a full bar. Most of the campgrounds have a bar, making the stumble back to your tent relatively quick and painless.

There's a couple of bars and clubs along the malecon. Some of the more popular dance clubs are Rockodile and Beachcomber but they don't get hopping till after midnight. If you want to have fun with the American expat locals, no trip to San Felipe is complete without a trip to Al's bar. A true "dive: by any definition yet 100% safe and loads of fun. It's like being in a Fellini movie. A block off the malecon on a seedy dark street but worth seeking out.

Buy some Cuban rum, Coke, and limes at one of the local markets and drink Cuba Libres at your campsite on the beach. Local distributors also sell Mexican beer by the case (with a deposit for bottles).

Sleep
Many beach campgrounds ("campos" or "playas") are located a few miles north of town. Most offer a parking place, palapas, and bathrooms; some have showers.

There are a number of adequate motels in town. There is a larger hotel south of town, near the commercial harbor.

Go next
Valley of the Giants is a natural reserve of the thousand-year-old Cardon Cactus. This area has become a major visitors attraction due to the selection of one of these giant specimens that was transported to Seville, Spain during World Expo '92.

South of San Felipe, the paved road continues to Puertocitos, through to Gonzaga Bay, back to Highway 1 between Catavina and Bahia de Los Angeles. The views near Gonzaga are simply breathtaking.

title: San Felipe


text:
San Fernando

San Fernando is Trinidad's busy second city. It is built on hills including the most famous in Trinidad -- San Fernando Hill. San Fernando is very much a carnival city, experiencing a full build-up to its own wide assortment of competitions in Skinner Park as well as energetic parades.

Get in
An easy connection from Port of Spain, Chaguanas and other northern and central towns can be made via the Uriah Butler–Solomon Hochoy Highway.

From Port-of-Spain, a water taxi can be taken across the Gulf of Paria, and docks at the Water Taxi Terminal on Lady Hailes Avenue.

From the southwest, connections can be made via the S.S. Erin Road or the Southern Main Road and Mosquito Creek.

From the southeast, connections can be made via the Naparima-Mayaro Road to the Mon Repos roundabout.

Getting to San Fernando can also be done by boat. Boats can dock at the San Fernando Yacht Club.

Bus connections are available from City Gate in Port of Spain and other places via PTSC buses. Additionally, taxis and Maxi Taxis are available.

Get around
Getting around on the island is very simple. There are mini vans for hire called Maxi Taxis, which carry passengers from various towns.

Regular taxis are also available at taxi stands.

See
In San Fernando, there are plethora of things to see. This includes:
 * San Fernando Hill - the massive hill in the middle of the city.
 * Carnegie Library is another option, although it is going through some renovations.
 * Happy Corner Hotel and Bar In business since the 1870s, could be a historical site you may want to see.
 * Pointe-à-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust - a wetland habitat that is home to locally endangered wetland birds.

Do

 * Watch something at Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) or Naparima Bowl

Buy
There are a few shopping areas in and around the San Fernando area. High street, the main shopping street in the second city, has a range of chain stores and one-off stores run by local businessmen. The largest mall in the Southland is the Gulf City Shopping Complex, tucked away in the suburban Gulf View area, accessible via the San Fernando By Pass route.

Eat
Lots of restaurants around like Soong's Great Wall Restaurant, Jenny's Wok and Golden Dragon.

You must try their "black pudding". A Friday delicacy consisting of seasoned pig's blood stuffed in intestines and pre-cooked before it's fried in front of you. It may sound disgusting to many cultures but you should really try it before you knock it. It is absolutely delicious.

Another great restaurant in south Trinidad is Canton Palace which is located at Cross Crossing. They serve traditional Chinese and Cantonese style dishes. If pork is one of the meats you eat, you should try their char sue pork and their roasted pork. You could ask Michael, one of the chefs, to prepare your meals.

Drink
"Sting" and "The Edge" night clubs are popular clubs for those who want to dance to a variety of music all night long. "Horace's", "Richie's" and the "Uncle Sam's" are cozier night spots for those who prefer a smaller crowd. Don't forget about Tree House or TGIF.

Go next

 * Couva
 * Point Fortin

title: San Fernando


text:
San Fernando (La Union)

San Fernando is a city, the capital of the province of La Union in the Philippines. It is sometimes referred to with the initials of La Union's name, L.U. (as "San Fernando, L.U."), to distinguish it from the capital city of Pampanga of the same name.

By bus

 * The air-con bus from Laoag to San Fernando (215 km) takes 6 hours and costs ₱330.
 * The air-con bus fare from San Fernando to DAU Angeles costs ₱300 and takes 6 hours.
 * There are also many buses from Baguio, and from Dagupan.

Do
Go scuba diving.

title: San Fernando (La Union)


text:
San Fernando Valley

The San Fernando Valley is a region of Los Angeles County in Southern California, nestled to the northwest of the Los Angeles Basin.

Cities

 * Burbank - the "Media Capital of the World", home to the primary studios of Warner Bros. and Disney.
 * Calabasas - in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains and home to one of the oldest buildings in the LA area.
 * Chatsworth - a suburb in the hills northwest of the valley.
 * Glendale - a well-known city at the very southeastern corner of the valley, home to many Hollywood production facilities and a famous celebrity cemetery.
 * North Hollywood - holds an arts district with many small theaters and shops.
 * North Valley - the northern portion of the valley, mostly residential and home to a couple of scattered attractions such as the Mission San Fernando and the Nethercutt Collection automotive museum.
 * Sherman Oaks - a local center for business and shopping within the valley.
 * South Valley - the southwestern portion of the valley, made up of the prominent neighborhood of Encino and the western hills of the valley.
 * Studio City - trendy, upscale neighborhood that is home to CBS Studios and many stars.
 * Universal City - home to the Universal Studios and the associated Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, with its famous backlot tram and thrill rides, as well as the shopping and entertainment complex of Universal CityWalk.
 * Van Nuys - a neighborhood in the heart of the valley, home to a noted Japanese garden and Van Nuys Airport.
 * San Fernando - a suburban city in the northern part of the valley with a Latin American cultural presence, known for its high quality of life, safety, and community values.

Understand
The San Fernando Valley, northwest of LA proper, is surrounded primarily by mountains. To the north is Santa Clarita, to the east are the Verdugos, to the south is LA proper (including Hollywood) and Beverly Hills, and to the west is Ventura County. Locals refer to the San Fernando Valley simply as "the Valley".

Contrary to popular belief, the stereotypical "Valley Girl" accent was historically prevalent among teenage girls influenced by pop culture all over the USA, and not just limited to the San Fernando Valley. Though the accent itself, along with many fads popular with teenagers, has faded since its heyday and one would be hard pressed to hear it today. San Fernando Valley residents are diverse with Spanish, Korean, Thai, Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hindi, and many other languages being common besides English.

Get in
The CA-118 Freeway enters the San Fernando Valley from Simi Valley and Ventura County. The US-101 runs through from Thousand Oaks in Ventura County to Hollywood and the Los Angeles Basin. The I-405 runs north south from the I-5 to the basin, connecting with the 101 in Sherman Oaks. The I-5 runs along the eastern edge of the Valley serving Burbank and other eastern communities.

Hollywood Burbank Airport offers domestic flights.

Amtrak stops in the Valley at Chatsworth, Van Nuys, Burbank, and Glendale. Metrolink commuter trains stop in Chatsworth, Northridge, Van Nuys, San Fernando, Sun Valley, Burbank Airport, Downtown Burbank, and Glendale. The Metro Red Line can get you into Universal City and North Hollywood from points south.

Get around
The majority of streets are arranged in a grid with streets running east-west and north-south. The car is the main method of transportation but Metro buses and Metro Rail, Metrolink commuter trains, and Amtrak will all get you around. The Metro Orange Line is a busway that runs east-west from the North Hollywood Metro Rail station to the Warner Center business district in Woodland Hills and to Chatsworth. Many bike paths and bike lanes can be found. Flyaway buses connect Van Nuys to LA International Airport and run every half hour. Free parking is available at the station and tickets usually cost around 3 dollars each way. Walking can be an option in denser neighborhoods such as Downtown Burbank, the NoHo Arts District, and along Ventura Boulevard. Most taxis are regulated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation and can be ordered by phone or picked up at taxi stands such as at the Van Nuys Airport Flyaway Station. Another easier and cheaper way to get around the San Fernando Valley is by Uber and Lyft ridesharing service with the use of a smartphone.

Eat
The Valley is known particularly for Indian and Mexican food and for dozens of sushi joints (especially along Ventura Boulevard). Mexican restaurants range from the simplest take out taco trucks to expensive and elaborate, and everything in between. Several Korean BBQ restaurants can be found in the West Valley, especially Northridge and Reseda. Sherman Way west of the 170 freeway is home to a strip of several popular Thai restaurants. Expensive restaurants of all types of food can be found along Ventura Boulevard. Chains abound, but an authentic old '50s Valley experience can be had at Bob's Big Boy (the original location) in Toluca Lake, Beep's in Van Nuys, as well as at one of several In 'n' Out Burger locations. The Valley also includes a substantial number of Jewish delis, especially in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, and Encino. Many fast food restaurants dot the cross intersections of major streets throughout the valley from west to east.

Drink
Nightlife in the valley ranges from dive bars to long-established hotspots. Universal City and the CityWalk provide a touristy, upscale atmosphere; while towns like Glendale and Burbank have a more local middle-class scene. Ventura Boulevard is home to a variety of bars suitable to almost any taste at an affluent upscale atmosphere. North Hollywood Arts District have some sort of nightlife in the hippie atmosphere.

Stay safe
The Valley isn't always the sweet little suburban haven it is made out to be in popular culture; it is now more urbanized than suburban. It still retains a largely middle class existence but has shed the Brady Bunch-esque lifestyle long ago. Certain areas are best avoided at night such as Panorama City, Pacoima, North Hills, and parts of Van Nuys, Sylmar, North Hollywood, Canoga Park, and Sun Valley. The rest of the Valley is mostly safe, though dauntingly devoid of foot traffic after sunset (the exception is nightlife hotspots such as along Ventura Boulevard and in the city of Burbank). Law enforcement is provided by the Los Angeles Police Department in most areas. San Fernando, Burbank, and Glendale have their own police departments. The Los Angeles County Sheriff supplements service at three local community colleges in the valley, along with Calabasas, Universal City and Hidden Hills.

Go next
The San Fernando Valley is a centralized location providing easy access to attractions such as the Getty Center Museum, Six Flags Magic Mountain, the beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu, and The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

 * Malibu - Malibu can be reached by the 101 north to Las Virgenes. Signs direct drivers to the coast.
 * Six Flags Magic Mountain - Located adjacent to the I-5 Freeway, north of the Valley. An alternative to driving is to take the Metrolink to the Santa Clarita Train Station and then a connecting bus to the amusement park.
 * Santa Monica - The famous beach town is accessible by heading south on the 405 freeway.
 * Simi Valley - Home to the Reagan Presidential Library & Air Force One Pavilion, near the 118 Freeway.
 * The Westside - The Westside is home to the Getty Center and can be reached by taking the 405 Freeway south and exiting at Getty Center Drive (the Getty is also accessible by Metro Rapid 761, with bus stops in front).

title: San Fernando Valley


text:
Sanford

There is more than one place called Sanford:

United States of America

 * Sanford (Florida) - A town in Florida.
 * Sanford (Maine) - A town in Maine.
 * Sanford (Michigan) - A town in Michigan.
 * Sanford (New York) - A town in New York.
 * Sanford (North Carolina) - A town in North Carolina.

title: Sanford


text:
Sanford (Florida)

Sanford is a city of 61,000 people (2020) in Seminole County on the northern side of Greater Orlando, known as the "Historic Waterfront Gateway City". Sanford is home to Seminole State College of Florida and the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Its downtown attracts tourists with shops, restaurants, a marina, and a lakefront walking trail.

Understand
Sanford sits on the southern shore of Lake Monroe at the head of navigation on the St. Johns River.

History
Native Americans first settled the area thousands of years before the city was formed.[citation needed] The Seminoles arrived in the area in the 18th century. During the Second Seminole War in 1836, the United States Army established Camp Monroe and built a road now known as Mellonville Avenue. Sanford is about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Orlando.

Climate
Sanford has a humid subtropical climate, with mild weather during winters and hot weather during summers. High temperatures average 64 to 91 °F (18-33 °C) throughout the year. High heat indices are not uncommon for the summer months in the Sanford area. High temperatures can reach mid to high 90s with heat index ranges of 105-115 °F. The highest recorded temperature in Sanford was 103°F in July 1998. It is common for daily thunderstorms to erupt during a standard summer afternoon. These are caused by the heating of the land and water, combined with extremely high humidity.

During winter, the area can experience hard freezes during the night. Such cold weather is usually short lived, as the city averages only 15 nights below freezing. The coldest temperature recorded in Sanford was 19 °F on January 21, 1985, a day that still holds the record cold for many locations in the eastern half of the US. Even rarer in Sanford than freezing temperatures is snow. When snow does fall, it usually melts before touching the ground, or upon making contact with the ground.

Sanford has suffered less damage from hurricanes than most East Coast cities. Sanford has experienced hurricane or near-hurricane conditions more than a dozen times due to storms passing through the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, or passing to the north or south in the Atlantic and brushing the area. Rainfall averages around 50 inches a year, with the wettest months being June through September.

By car

 * I-4.svg I-4 serves as the main (toll-free) interstate to connect Sanford to Daytona Beach to the east/northeast and Orlando  west/southwest. From I-4 there are 3 exits into Sanford (exit 101 - 104). I-4 goes along the western shores of Lake Monroe which divides Sanford (southshore) from Deltona (northshore).
 * US 17.svg US 92.svg US 17 connects Sanford to DeLand at north and to E Colonial Dr (SR-50) east of Orlando  soutgh of town.
 * Toll_Florida_417.svg Central Florida Greenway goes from I-4 along the southside of Sanford (exit 101A), around the Greater Orlando Metropolitan Area as an eastern loop/beltway, and rejoins I-4 south of Celebration (exit 62).
 * Toll_Florida 429.svg Florida 46.svg SR-46 goes west to Sorrento. SR-46 ends at the toll booths of SR-429. Going east it follows US 17-92 and then on E 25th St out towards US 1 north of Titusville.

By train
Sanford is the southern terminus of the which carries passengers and automobiles directly between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Florida to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. The train does not make intermediary stops between Lorton and Sanford. The Sanford station is not as elaborate as its Lorton counterpart: passengers board the train on two tracks in Sanford. However, Amtrak and the State of Florida are working to replace the older station with a new terminal that can accommodate a larger numbers of passengers more comfortably.

By bus
for a list of intercity bus companies serving the Orlando Metropolitan area from all parts of the state.

The and the  serve as bus stations for Lynx with the following serving as intercity routes:
 * Link 45 International Pkwy/H.E. Thomas Jr Pkwy in Lake Mary - Lake Mary Sunrail Station - Seminole Centre south of town. Lake Mary is the next city/town south of Sanford.
 * Link 103 Seminole Centre - Seminole State College - Fern Park Super Stop on Orlando Ave (US Hwy 17/92). From the Fern Park SuperStop passengers can transfer to the 102 bus which continues towards Orlando on US Hwy 17/92 via Winter Park. Bus 436S towards Orlando International Airport or 436N towards Apopka.

Greyhound/Flixbus no longer stop into Sanford. See 'By bus' under get around for an additional list of local bus routes in Sanford. Lynx does not operate cross-county services to Deltona in Volusia County to the north.

 * 31 Debary Sunrail - Orange City - DeLand on Volusia Ave (US Hwy 17-92). Passengers transfer to the #60 bus in DeLand to continue towards Daytona Beach.
 * 32 Debary Sunrail - Deltona Plaza in Deltona
 * 33 Debary Sunrail - Dupont Lakes in Deltona
 * 33 Debary Sunrail - Dupont Lakes in Deltona

Votrans does not operate cross-county services into Seminole County to the south.

By car
Locally Park Ave goes north-south and it divides east from west. SR-46/1st Ave goes east-west and it divides north from south. Lake Monroe separates Sanford from Deltona.
 * US 17.svg US 92.svg Seminole_County_15.svg US 17/92 comes into town at its junction with I-4 at exit 104. It goes goes south on Monroe Blvd (County Road 15) to W SR-46. It then follows concurrently on SR-46 into downtown as W 1st St. From 1st Ave in downtown, US 17 goes north-south along French Ave/US 17-92 which is concurrent with SR-46 (see below).
 * Florida 15.svg W Seminole Blvd comes in from its junction with US 17, N/NW of town, along the southern shores of Lake Monroe and into town as N French Ave.
 * Florida 46.svg W SR-46 goes east-west between its junction with I-4 and Monroe St. East of Monroe St it goes concurrently on US 17 (but road is named 'W SR-46') into downtown. Going east, SR-46 follows US 17 on French Ave/US 17-92 to E 25th St where it turn east towards Titusville

By bus

 * Lynx offers public transportation for Sanford and the Greater Orlando Metropolitan Area with the following local routes:
 * Link 34 Seminole Center - Downtown - Sanford Sunrail Station
 * Link 45 International Pkwy/H.E. Thomas Jr Pkwy in Lake Mary - Lake Mary Sunrail Station - Seminole Centre south of town
 * Link 46E Sanford Sunrail - Downtown - True Health
 * Link 46W Seminole Towne Center - Sanford Sunrail on W SR-46
 * Link 851 NeighborLink (shuttle). Door to door service, appointment required.

 * Sanford 'Trolley' is operated by City of Sanford to shuttle visitors and locals between the Sanford Sunrail Station to Downtown and around downtown. Free.

By taxi

 * 24 Hr Taxi of Sanford offers taxi service in Sanford.

Buy
ATMs can be found throughout Sanford. Usually larger hotels and convenience stores will have a "generic" ATM available; however, be forewarned about hidden service fees and the possibly of illegal card skimming devices installed to clone the user's card information & pin number.

Connect
Ten digit dialing is in effect for local calls in Sanford. The local area codes are 407 and 321. For calls within the US or Canada, dial 1+area code+number. There are some public pay phones scattered around the city, but they are becoming increasingly rare with the predominance of cell phones. It is not safe to assume you will be able to find a pay phone at any given time.

All ZIP codes in Sanford begin with 327.

Go next

 * Altamonte Springs
 * Lake Mary
 * Orlando

title: Sanford (Florida)


text:
Sanford (Maine)

Sanford is a small town is southern Maine. It includes the village of Springvale.

title: Sanford (Maine)


text:
Sanford (North Carolina)

Sanford is a city of about 30,000 people (2018) in the North Carolina countryside, in between the Piedmont Triad, Research Triangle, and Fayetteville. Sanford is known for its large brick production as well as local pottery, and offers outdoor activities and historic districts. Sanford also produces textiles, and has since seen the influx of the biotech industry with the Wyeth Vaccines, aka Pfizer, facility becoming the area's largest employer in 2006.

History
Sanford was named for C.O. Sanford, a railroad civil engineer instrumental in the building of the rail lines through the area that formed the foundation of what became the city of Sanford.

The Sanford area played key roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, specifically regarding sites like the House in the Horseshoe and Endor Iron Furnace. Over the following decades, the Sanford area became an important source of coal, brownstone, and brick. In particular brownstone and subsequent brick production made Sanford a key provider of these building materials for areas throughout the United States. Because Sanford sits where white beach sand from the coast meets the Piedmont clay, the city has the right ingredients to be a large producer of clay bricks. In 1959, Sanford produced 10% of the bricks in the United States and was named "Brick Capital of the USA".

On April 16, 2011 a large tornado ripped through Sanford, demolishing a Lowe's hardware store, and a warehouse, and destroying multiple homes and buildings before moving into Wake County.

The Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemeteries, Downtown Sanford Historic District, East Sanford Historic District, Euphronia Presbyterian Church, Farish-Lambeth House, Hawkins Avenue Historic District, Lee Avenue Historic District, Lee County Courthouse, Lee County Training School, John D. McIver Farm, Railroad House, Rosemount-McIver Park Historic District, Sanford High School, Former, Seaboard Milling Company, and Temple Theatre are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visitor information

 * City of Sanford
 * Visit Sanford

By car
Driving is the only feasible way to get to Sanford, which is at the intersection of U.S. Routes 1, 421, and 15-501. It's about a one-hour drive from Fayetteville and a similar distance from Raleigh.

By plane
The nearest commercial airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport, where you can rent a car to drive to Sanford.

If you're taking a chartered flight, you can fly into Raleigh Executive Jetport (FAA: TTA) approximately 7 miles northeast of Sanford via U.S. 1.

By bike
The Maine-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route 1 passes through downtown Sanford and Lee County.

By bus
The County of Lee Transit System (COLTS) is a coordinated transit system that provides transportation services in Sanford and Lee County.

Do

 * There is a half-mile greenway trail in the Kiwanis Family Park with additional mileage under development.
 * There is a half-mile greenway trail in the Kiwanis Family Park with additional mileage under development.

title: Sanford (North Carolina)


text:
San Francisco/Bernal Heights

Bernal Heights, just south of the Mission District of San Francisco, is a cute, eclectic neighborhood that was once very working class, but is becoming quickly gentrified. Sister to the Castro, this neighborhood is very popular with the lesbian community. The main commercial drag of the neighborhood is along Cortland Avenue.

Get in
The MUNI Metro -Church line runs along the western boundary of the area from downtown. From the J line you can just walk into the area or easily transfer to one of the following MUNI bus lines:
 * 24-Divisadero from the Church and 30th Metro station. From the station, you can take the #24 east down 30th Street and Cortland Avenue through Bernal Heights before continuing onto Bayview-Hunters Point.
 * 23-Monterey from the Glen Park station. From the station, the #23 heads up Bosworth and Mission Streets before turning right onto Crescent Avenue, running along the southern end of the district and into Bayview-Hunters Point.

Other bus routes which serve the area include the 14-Mission and the 49-Mission/Van Ness, which run right down Mission Street from the north and south, and the 67-Bernal Heights, which runs through much of Bernal Heights from the 24th Street BART station.

Eat
Restaurants of every price and cuisine are found on Mission St between Cesar Chavez and Brook St – too many to list here. Cortland Ave is also a popular corridor.

title: San Francisco/Bernal Heights


text:
San Francisco/Castro-Noe Valley

The colorful Castro is the famous gay center of San Francisco, a vibrant and historic neighborhood full of businesses geared towards the city's LGBT community. Adjacent to the Castro and sitting beneath Twin Peaks to the west is Noe Valley, a pleasant neighborhood with lots of lovely restaurants and boutiques to explore. The area is bounded roughly by the Twin Peaks on the west, Dolores/Church Streets on the east, Duboce Avenue on the north and San Jose Avenue on the south.

Understand
Originally an Irish working-class neighborhood of San Francisco, the Castro has been transformed for the past 35 years and recognized by many as the gay mecca of the world. Filled with bookstores, clothing outlets, video stores and bars (and practically anything else you can think of) that cater towards the LGBT community, the Castro is a required visit for anyone even slightly interested in gay lifestyle and culture, and is truly a local authentic gem of San Francisco.

Noe Valley is a long gentrified neighborhood in San Francisco with many hip and trendy restaurants and boutique shops. The main commercial corridor is on 24th Street between Church Street and Diamond Street. Walking along 24th Street during the day you will see well-attended coffee shops, chic boutiques and several baby strollers. You can learn more about the goings-on in Noe Valley by reading either the print or online edition of the Noe Valley Voice.

By Muni
This is the best way to get to the Castro. The, , or MUNI Metro underground lines are the quickest way from Downtown, stopping at the Church Street station at Market and Church and the Castro Street station at Market and Castro, with the  line also serving trips inbound to Downtown. The Church line can also get you to the Castro, although it comes above ground and turns south on Church Street, which runs along the eastern edge of the district. For a more scenic ride, take the historic Market streetcar line from Fisherman's Wharf, the Embarcadero and Downtown down Market to Castro Street.

MUNI bus lines which serve the area include 24-Divisadero, which runs along Castro Street through most of the district, heading north to Pacific Heights and southeast to Bayview-Hunters Point, the 33-Ashbury/18th, which runs east-west along 18th Street, the 48-Quintara/24th Street, which runs east-west along 24th Street, continuing east to Potrero Hill and west past Twin Peaks, West Portal and into Sunset, and the 35-Eureka and 37-Corbett neighborhood lines.

The BART system runs through the nearby Mission neighborhood, where you can either get off at the 16th Street station and transfer to the 33 bus line, or get off at the 24th Street station and transfer to the 48 bus line.

By car
Don't drive into the area. Use public transit instead. There is a public parking garage on Noe just north of Market, but it is small. Street parking is very hard to find, especially on the weekends. If you park at the Safeway on Market and you don't go exclusively there, you will be towed. There are some metered spots along 18th between Sanchez and Eureka, but these are hard to come by. On weekends, parking is better as the 2-hour neighborhood permits don't apply. Noe Valley has one small public lot, but you will likely need to find street parking, and this can be particularly scarce on weekends during brunch and dinner times.

Do
There are several major cultural festivals and events in the Castro annually.

Coffee

 * Noe Valley also has the nickname "coffee gulch". While Starbucks is popular, the locals prefer (24th Street between Church and Sanchez) and  (24th between Noe and Sanchez).
 * Noe Valley also has the nickname "coffee gulch". While Starbucks is popular, the locals prefer (24th Street between Church and Sanchez) and  (24th between Noe and Sanchez).

title: San Francisco/Castro-Noe Valley


text:
San Francisco/Chinatown-North Beach

Chinatown-North Beach in San Francisco combines two adjoining neighbors, both of which are among the city's most popular immigrant neighborhoods. Culturally and aesthetically, they could not be more different yet their streets mesh seamlessly together. Chinatown is the oldest and largest Chinese community outside of Asia. More than just a tourist destination, it is a functioning, living, and breathing Chinese community that can offer intriguing cultural experiences even to the most jaded old China hand. Its tiny and crowded streets bustle with activity and energy. North Beach, on the other hand, is much more laid back. This "Little Italy," with its cafes and alfresco dining, has a real European charm and flavor reminiscent of the romance of Europe and Italy. The area runs from roughly Bay Street to the north, Powell Street south of Filbert Street and Columbus Avenue north of Filbert on the west, the Embarcadero on the east, and Washington Street on the south with an extension to Bush Street between Kearny and Powell Streets to encompass the rest of Chinatown.

Chinatown
With pagoda-tiled roofs, Cantonese conversations, busy live-produce markets, mahjong players, and little old Chinese ladies confidently spitting on the pavement — Chinatown is a unique part of San Francisco. Established in 1850, in the area around Portsmouth Plaza, San Francisco's Chinatown is reputed to be the oldest and one of the largest and most famous of all Chinatowns outside of Asia. Many of the Chinese who settled here were merchants or immigrant workers, working on either the transcontinental railroad or as mine workers during the Gold Rush. Today, it is home for more than 100,000 Chinese and Chinese-Americans, many of whom are low-income, elderly, and foreign born, living in dense tenements. It is also a cultural link for the hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Chinese-Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chinatown holds a prominent position in the history of Chinese and Chinese-Americans in the United States, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the present day. The residual "bachelor" society one finds in San Francisco's Chinatown today cannot be understood without some knowledge of these hostile decades. The tourist section of Chinatown is mainly along Grant Avenue, from Bush to Broadway. Grant Avenue was made famous by Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song. The Chinatown market area is mainly along Stockton Street, one block above (west of) Grant Avenue, and the east-west streets crossing Stockton. Other San Francisco concentrations of Chinese shops and restaurants are located in the Inner Richmond District, mainly along Clement Street, and the Outer Sunset District, mainly along Irving Street.

North Beach
Forming part of the old Barbary Coast (an extinct neighborhood infamous for its crime, prostitution, and general unruliness), and popular with both locals and tourists alike, North Beach remains one of the most popular and beloved neighborhoods in San Francisco. Nestled between Chinatown to the south and Fisherman's Wharf to the north, North Beach is the Italian part of town and is known by the moniker "Little Italy." Telegraph poles, painted in the colors of the Italian flag (green, white, and red), delineate the boundaries between these two neighbors. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and is rich in both history and culture. The neighborhood derived its name as the bay shoreline originally reached as far as Taylor and Francisco streets, and the area was indeed a real beach until the city subsequently filled it in. The portion of Grant Avenue that runs straight through North Beach is the oldest street in San Francisco. Authentic old-world Italian cafes, restaurants, delicatessens and bakeries line the steep streets. North Beach was also the West Coast's capital for the Beatnik movement in the 1950s — you can still see many of the places where Jack Kerouac and the "Dharma Bums" hung out and wrote their dark poetry. Other literati celebrities that hung out there were; Alan Ginsberg, Neal Cassidy (Dean Moriarity in Kerouac's On The Road), and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Alan Ginsberg wrote his most famous poem 'Howl' while living at 1010 Montgomery Street. Today, the neighborhood is also very well known for its happening nightlife scene. Nightclubs and bars abound — particularly at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Grant Avenue. At its base, Broadway is a mini red-light district, made famous in the 1960s by Carol Doda with her "twin 44s." The area is still full of adult bookstores and strip clubs; despite this, strangely, like everything in San Francisco, it retains a certain charm. Washington Square (another old Beat hangout), in front of the Saints Peter and Paul Church, is a very popular hangout with locals, and a great place to relax. North Beach has also some famous residents past and present, like baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and movie director Francis Ford Coppola.

By rail
MUNI's T-Third rail line terminates at the Chinatown-Rose Pak station, located (as the name suggests) in Chinatown on the southeast corner of Stockton and Washington Streets. The T-Third connects to BART rail at the Powell Street station, where a rather long concourse connects to the T-Third's Union Square/Market Street station, and to Caltrain at the 4th and King station.

By car
Driving into the area is not recommended, but if you must, the closest parking garage to Chinatown is underneath Portsmouth Plaza, on Kearny Street (which is a one-way street north) between Clay and Washington. Other Chinatown garages are the Golden Gateway at 250 Clay Street, North Beach at 755 Vallejo Street, and St. Mary's Square at 433 Kearny Street. All garages are open 24 hours a day, except for Golden Gateway. There are also a few small parking garages scattered throughout North Beach, including Imperial Parking at 425 Broadway Street. Driving to the base of Coit Tower is definitely not recommended, as there is a very limited amount of parking at the top of the hill.

By cable car
Each of the three Cable Car lines pass through Chinatown. If you exit BART or the MUNI Metro at the Powell St. Station you can catch the Powell-Mason or the Powell-Hyde cable car line at Powell and Market. Both routes will take you into Chinatown, but the Powell-Mason line is a better bet for getting to North Beach as the Powell-Hyde line turns west at Jackson and proceeds into Russian Hill. To reach Chinatown's famous Grant Avenue via the cable car, exit BART or the MUNI Metro at the Embarcadero Station and catch the California cable car line at California and Market.

By bus
Of course, if you'd rather avoid the long lines and crowded trip that a cable car ride entails, there are several good MUNI bus lines that serve the area. To get to Chinatown from the BART/MUNI Metro, exit at the Montgomery Street Station, walk one block up Post Street, and catch the 30-Stockton or 45-Union bus line on Kearny near Post. The 30 or 45 bus will turn left onto Sutter and then right onto Stockton; after passing through the Stockton Tunnel, the bus will stop twice in Chinatown, on Stockton near Clay and on Stockton near Pacific. To get to North Beach from Market Street, the 10-Townsend, 12-Folsom/Pacific, 30, or 45 lines will do nicely. From the east, the 1-California line passes through Chinatown. The 39-Coit goes from Fisherman's Wharf up to the Coit Tower, but can be obstructed by traffic that clogs the parking lot there, but there are plans to change this.

On foot
Chinatown is also an easy walk from Union Square (walk north on Stockton through the tunnel or north on Grant through the Chinatown Gate at Grant and Bush). Similarly, North Beach can be easily accessed by walking northbound from Market Street, straight through the Financial District. Both neighborhoods can also be easily reached from Market Street by simply walking northbound on Grant Avenue. To get to the area from Fisherman's Wharf, walk southbound straight down Columbus Avenue.

Get around
There can be little doubt that once you have arrived in the Chinatown-North Beach area, by far the best way to get around is on foot. Due to the busy and cluttered nature of both neighborhoods, and also because of the lack of parking options, driving around is certainly not recommended — especially in Chinatown. Buses can also be a help, particularly when you are going in a north-south direction (or vice versa). Pedicabs also operate a route along the Embarcadero and through Chinatown and then North Beach. Stop one of them if they're empty and negotiate a price. For a bit extra many of them do walking tours of Chinatown.

There are many more parks, public seating, and cafes with curbside tables in North Beach, so why not see Chinatown first. That way, by the time you'd made it through its bustling streets you'll be ready for a coffee and a sit down in North Beach.

See
The listings in this article are geographically organized in roughly a south-to-north direction; meaning that they start with Chinatown first — then North Beach.

Architecture
Much of the architecture in Chinatown and North Beach was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire. However, there are still some structures that are worth seeing including the Saints Peter and Paul Church and Old Saint Mary's Church, listed under Temples and Churches above. Chinatown is a mix of Edwardian and Chinoiserie architecture that was built after the fire and it has some interesting pagoda buildings. It may not be authentic Chinese architecture, but it retains a certain charm. The Chinese here also eschewed the traditional grid system of American cities, and a whole series of interesting alleys permeate through Chinatown. Other architectural points of interest include:

Walking tours
Walking is not only the most environmentally friendly way to see this area, it is also undoubtedly the best way, as it allows one to experience its rich ambiance and charms first hand. A knowledgeable guide can be a big help in this regard, and several companies offer different kinds of walking tours through both Chinatown and North Beach:

Buy
Chinatown and North Beach are unique immigrant neighborhoods, and consequently there are almost no large chain stores to be found. In Chinatown, Grant Avenue is the main shopping thoroughfare for tourists. Here you will find East Asian handicrafts of all descriptions, from jade statues to second-hand kimono. It also has many souvenir stores and small market stalls that sell typical tourist knickknacks. Stockton Street runs parallel to Grant on its west, and has many fresh produce and household ware stores that are popular with locals. North Beach has predominantly small boutique stores selling mostly clothing and jewelry, arts and handicrafts, furniture and Italian wares. Here is a selection of the stores available:

Eat
The area is a veritable smörgåsbord of dining opportunities, enough for even the most discerning palette. Chinatown is famous for its cheap eats (like Dim Sum) and "family style" eating in restaurants. You can fill up for as little as $3, but there are more expensive full service restaurants here as well. North Beach is generally pricier and the focus is mainly on Italian favorites like pizza, pasta, and risotto accompanied by a nice bottle of wine. With many of its restaurants situated directly on Columbus Avenue, it's a great place for alfresco style dining. There are however more affordable options in North Beach, including several great cafes, delis, and American diner style restaurants, where you can get a good quality meal at a more reasonable price.

The localized Chinese cuisine has its feet in Hong Kong and America, and is different from what many visitors are accustomed to — it is common to hear complaints from Chinese visitors that Chinese food here is not like the food back home. There are several main types of Chinese restaurants in San Francisco: those primarily serving immigrants from Hong Kong ("Hong Kong style") which commonly have signs on the wall in Chinese characters, live fish and shellfish tanks and some exotic main ingredients, such as pig's blood or sea cucumber; those primarily serving San Franciscans who are not Asian immigrants ("California Chinese") which commonly have Westernized table service, low fat content and more emphasis on fresh vegetables; those primarily serving tourists or other people accustomed to Chinese food as it is commonly served in the United States ("Americanized Chinese"); and those primarily serving immigrants from other areas or a particular dietary need or interest (regional cuisines, vegetarian, Muslim). There may be some mixing between these various classifications and each category may influence the others, for instance, the Americanized dish known as Chop Suey is often not served even at Americanized Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, while Chinese vegetables such as bok choy and pea sprouts may turn up on your plate at California Cuisine style restaurants.

Chinese
The cheapest meal you can have on the go is to partake of the numerous take-out places along Stockton Street in Chinatown. The most dense parts of the Stockton Street Market stretch from Washington Street north to Broadway Street, filled with BBQ shops, dim sum shops, and other stores. Consider the Stockton Street Market as a progressive meal. Be patient, it is very crowded during the lunch hour. If you don't like crowds, try some of the restaurants off Stockton Street.

Although the many restaurants in Chinatown advertise themselves as Hong Kong or Guangzhou style, their offerings are by chefs from provincial towns in Guangdong, the quality of which is generally considered by Hong Kong or Guangzhou diners to be subpar to authentic Hong Kong or Guangzhou food.

Drink
Chinatown has less drinking establishments, but North Beach with its abundance of bars and clubs is one of the major nightlife hotspots in the San Francisco. It attracts revelers from all over the city who are looking for a good time and somewhere to party into the wee hours of the morning... so put your drinking cap on!

Entertainment
Back in the days of the Gold Rush, Osgood Street (O-So-Good Street!) in North Beach used to be considered the red-light district. Today, the section on Broadway Street between Columbus and Samsome Street is an area that many consider to be the city's red-light district. It has many exotic-dance clubs like Larry Flynt's Hustler Club, Roaring 20s, and the more famous Condor. Carol Doda made this place famous in 1964 by injecting silicone into her chest and creating what would become known as "the new Twin Peaks of San Francisco." A plaque on the outside commemorates the venue; The Condor; Where it all began; The birthplace of the world's first topless & bottomless entertainment; Topless — June 19, 1964 Bottomless — September 3, 1969 Starring Ms. Carol Doda; San Francisco, California

The undiscriminating heckles from over-zealous doormen enticing customers into the shows can be a bit tacky and off-putting, especially for those who enter the area to go to the other non-strip clubs. Consequently, many people are put off from even entering the area.

Coffee
North Beach in particular is famous its "caffe culture." It has an excellent variety of cafes, many of which serve award winning coffee, sometimes imported all the way from Italy. Here is a selection of the more popular ones;

Sleep
Many of the hotel accommodations in the area are of the S.R.O (Single Room Occupancy) variety, especially in Chinatown. These are of less interest to tourists as they usually rent them out by the month ($600-800 p.m.). There are more traditional hotels however including:

Connect
There are an abundance of coffee shops in North Beach that offer free wi-fi facilities upon purchasing a beverage. There are also two library branches that have internet computers.

Stay safe
North Beach remains busy with revelers and party-goers well into the early hours of the morning, but Chinatown, despite its crowds during the day, becomes eerily quiet after around 6-7PM. Chinatown has also had a somewhat of a poor reputation for pugnacious youngsters (as young as 12) that tend to hang around in groups, and also for bona-fide gangs. Therefore, a sensible amount of care should be taken when enjoying the sights and sounds of Chinatown.

Go next
On the road again? Well, if you are following in the footsteps of the Beat literati that loved this area so much, why not continue your tour into other areas of the city?

 * 29 Russell Street, at the bottom of Nob Hill, is where Jack Kerouac lived and wrote during the 50s.
 * The Six Gallery, 3119 Fillmore Street in the Cow Hollow area, hosted a seminal moment in the history of the Beat movement — The Six Gallery reading. The gallery is of course long closed, but you can still visit this historic site.

title: San Francisco/Chinatown-North Beach


text:
San Francisco/Civic Center-Tenderloin

As the name implies, the Civic Center is the primary center of government within San Francisco, housing many important civic institutions. Aside from its official duties, it also moonlights as a cultural center with many fine museums, theaters, opera houses, and symphony halls located here. Over the years however, it has developed a reputation for attracting many of the city's drug-addicted and homeless to its open plazas. Next door is the Tenderloin, one of San Francisco's lowest income neighborhoods with an unfortunate reputation for poverty, drugs, and crime, particularly violent street crime. However, it also has a rich history and an eclectic community, with treasures for those who know where to look. The Civic Center-Tenderloin area is bounded roughly by Market St to the southeast, Taylor St to the east, Franklin St to the west, and Sutter St to the north.

Civic Center
The Civic Center is on Van Ness Ave, north of its intersection with Market St. The city began developing the area in 1913, and most of the buildings there are of a "Classical Style", with their development being heavily influenced by the "City Beautiful Movement". Most of the city's integral governmental institutions are located here; like City Hall which dominates the Civic Center with its impressive "Beaux-Arts" style dome. There are two main plazas in the area; Civic Center Plaza and United Nations Plaza. The Civic Center Plaza (in front of City Hall) has been a popular place for holding rallies, protests, and festivals. As well as being a hub for city government, the area is also a serious cultural center. "Culture vultures" flock here at night to see performances of the San Francsico opera, symphony, and ballet, as well as to attend theater, galas, concerts, plays, and special events. During the day you can get your "culture fix" by visiting one of the many excellent museums and galleries such as the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, and the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery. There are also several other smaller private galleries in the area.

Architecture aficionados will be happy to know that some of the most beautiful buildings in the city are cloistered within a few square blocks here. Examples include the War Memorial Opera House, the Asian Art Museum, the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, and the War Memorial Veterans building with the Herbst Theater (where the United Nations charter was signed in 1945).

There is also a popular farmers market held twice weekly in United Nations Plaza.

Tenderloin
Many guidebooks will tell you to avoid a large part of downtown — the Tenderloin. It's true that this "bad neighborhood" is rife with panhandlers, adult bookstores, and massage parlors, but it's also full of good, cheap ethnic restaurants and colorful dive bars. The 'Loin is probably the last area of downtown to experience real gentrification, a process that seems to be taking its time, but the early signs are already here. Culture vultures will find several cutting edge, alternative/experimental theaters and high-culture galleries, which are attracted by the neighborhood's low rents and proximity to downtown. Sleek lounges and trendy clubs are also increasingly making a home in this eclectic neighborhood, side by side with the traditional dive bars it has always been known for.

The name "Tenderloin" comes from the overall shape of the area's boundaries: triangular, like the cross-section of a tenderloin steak. According to a different explanation the area was originally called "The Tenderloin" by the police officers, since they were paid more to work there — the most notorious part of the town. There are many different ways to define its boundaries; the official and original three corners (making a Tenderloin shape) may be delineated by Market St and Larkin St to the south, Geary St and Larkin St to the northwest, and Market St by Geary St to the northeast. Today the area would be more better defined between Polk St, Sutter St, Mason St, Market St, and Golden Gate Ave.

Although it has a reputation as one of the tougher parts of town, in reality the Tenderloin is quite variegated and can change drastically from block to block. There are many different sub-neighborhoods within the 'Loin. Much of the area on the east side of Mason St (above O'Farrell St) is high-rent and more properly considered part of downtown Union Square. The western area around Hyde and Larkin Sts, from Turk St to O'Farrell St, is a colorful Vietnamese neighborhood known as "Little Saigon".

Geary St, Post St, and Sutter St, especially the blocks west of Jones St, are part of the so-called "Tendernob", "Lower Nob Hill", or "Tenderloin Heights" bordering Nob Hill; sometimes this definition also includes southern Nob Hill as far north as California St or Sacramento St (especially the western blocks around Polk St). The Tendernob (at least on the 'Loin side) is considered a nightlife hotspot by some folks who like their drinking milieu a bit rough around the edges. It connects with Polk St on the western edge of the Tenderloin. Known variously as "Polk Gulch", "Polk Village", or the "Outer Tenderloin", this very lively area of Polk St, from Geary St to Union St, is populated with all types of restaurants, cafes, bars, venues, bookstores, and other shops. Finally, an area bordered by O'Farrell, Geary, Leavenworth, and Taylor Sts, is sometimes called the "Tandoor-loin" because of the high concentration of excellent and affordable Indian restaurants.

Dashiell Hammett's novel, "The Maltese Falcon," was set in the Tenderloin, and the 1941 movie adaptation for the Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade, was also set in the Tenderloin.

By car
Directions for driving to the Civic Center are marked on the freeways. Once inside the City limits, two main arteries serve the area — Van Ness Ave and Market St.

There are several garages, such as the Performing Arts Garage at Grove St and Gough St, an underground garage under the Civic Center Plaza (entrance on McAllister St), open from 6AM to midnight, or 24-hour valet parking at Opera Plaza on Turk St just off Van Ness Ave. Where the freeway was prior to 1989 earthquake (between Grove St at Gough St and Turk St at Franklin St) there are several smaller open air lots, which will charge about $10 for all day or $6 for an evening. Those lots are gradually being displaced by new construction. Street parking in the Tenderloin is extremely difficult to find, but parking garages are plentiful.

By MUNI
The neighborhood is well-served by public transit, provided by MUNI in the form of the Metro system, the F-Line streetcar and various bus lines. All of the MUNI Metro lines serve the Powell/Market and Civic Center/United Nations Plaza stations under Market St along with the BART line. The MUNI Metro also serves the Van Ness/Market station, which is part of the same subway tunnel but is not shared with BART.

The historic streetcar line runs on Market St between Castro St and the Ferry Building (where it turns north on The Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf), passing by both the Civic Center and the Tenderloin.

From the Caltrain station the 47-Van Ness bus takes you to along the western border of the area (Van Ness Ave) to City Hall. Other frequent MUNI bus lines serving the area are: 49-Mission/Van Ness, 9-San Bruno, 31-Balboa, 5-Fulton, 19-Polk, 21-Hayes and 38-Geary.

By BART
BART runs under Market St with two stops in the area; both the Powell/Market and Civic Center/United Nations Plaza. Both BART stations will put you well within walking distance of any Tenderloin attraction; the latter is the most convenient BART stop for the Civic Center.

By cable car
One or other of two cable car lines — either the Powell/Mason cable car line or the Powell/Hyde cable car line — can take you from Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Nob Hill, or Russian Hill to the intersection of Market St and Powell St in Union Square — near the Powell/Market BART and Muni station. From here it's just one block to the Tenderloin.

On foot
Given that the area is centrally located downtown, it is extremely accessible on foot. From the SoMa area walk northbound on anywhere from Fifth St to 11th St. Market St forms its broad southern boundary and makes the area easily accessible from either the east (Union Square-Financial District) or west (The Castro), and from the north (Nob Hill-Russian Hill) it's just a 10-20 minute walk directly due south.

Get around
As this is a relatively small area, the best way to get around is on foot.

Architecture
The Civic Center with its "classical" architecture was declared a national landmark in 1978. It has several buildings that are of architectural interest including the Asian Art Museum, listed under Museums and galleries above, as well as the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the buildings that comprise the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center (SFWMPAC), the Orpheum Theater, Golden Gate Theater, the Curran Theater, and the interior of the Great American Music Hall, which are all listed under Performing arts below. Other architectural points of interest include:

Performing arts
The Civic Center is the center of opera, ballet, symphony, and theater in the city. Even if one hasn't bought a ticket in advance, there are often returned tickets available at the box offices before a performance. Make a night of it when you are here; take a walk around the Civic Center, enjoy the architecture, sit for dinner, or just have a cappuccino in one of the cafes before the overture.

Buy
There are very few chain stores here and limited shopping opportunities. This has probably got more to do with socio-economic reasons than anything else. If you are looking for your more recognizable stores try its glamorous neighbor Union Square, and on the other side of Market St in the SoMa neighborhood, you'll find plenty of large shopping malls. What this area does have however, is a varied collection of smaller esoteric stores.

Eat
Given the grittiness of the area, much of the food is very affordable. Vietnamese, Thai, and Indian restaurants are well represented in the Tenderloin. One of the best options for a cheap lunch is picking up a "Vietnamese sandwich" from any of a number of corner delis in the area (they're packed especially thick along Larkin St). For about $2.50 you can expect to get a generous helping of your choice of meat and shredded vegetables sandwiched into a quarter of a baguette and dressed with a thin, tangy sweet and sour sauce. Be sure to bring cash, as these places don't take any credit cards. There is actually a decent selection of restaurants in the area, but if you are not satisfied, there are many other excellent eateries just west of the Civic Center, around Hayes St, and northeast of the Tenderloin around Chinatown and North Beach. Generally speaking, for mid-range to high-end restaurants in the area, seating is easier around 8PM, when opera and symphony patrons depart.

Drink
These days the Tenderloin is on the "up-and-up," and with this urban gentrification has come a surprisingly eclectic and artistic nightlife scene. It now has a decent selection of trendy lounges and hip clubs, as well the musical venues (many of which are listed under Performing arts above), strip-clubs, and "dive bars" that were the more traditional staples of the area. In fact, many of the modern "faux-dive" and "dive bars" used to be illegal speakeasies during the prohibition era of the 1920s. Given the area's long and storied association with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender community (the "Polk Gulch" was the city's first openly gay neighborhood, before the emergence of the Castro in the 1970s), many of the bars, clubs, and entertainment are geared toward this crowd, although typically everyone is welcome.

Coffee
Due to the lower rents and what was a general lack of options, there has been a recent revival of the coffee shops in the Tenderloin. The new, charming cafes provide relaxing shelter from the general hustle and bustle of the neighborhood.

Sleep
Many "hotels" in the Tenderloin do their major business as single-room occupancy (S.R.O.) lodgings for permanent residents, many of whom live from welfare check to welfare check. These hotels also rent rooms to frightened-looking tourists lured by bargain rates "just off Union Square." Both the rates and the location are true: the management merely neglected to mention the urine-stained mattresses or the drunk lurching in the lobby. Use caution: if a rate seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are more normal hotels in the area as well, ranging from large chains to tiny boutique hotels with fashionable decor and chi-chi prices. If you plan to park a car, scrutinize the hotel listing for parking information. Free parking is not a given, and at peak times, even paid garages overflow onto the sidewalks. There are also several backpacker's hostels in this area, particularly on Taylor St., that attract both backpackers and those traveling on a budget.

Connect
Joey's Laundry listed under the Eat section above has internet for a fee, and the Main Library listed under the Architecture section above has free internet facilities.

Stay safe
The Tenderloin is one of San Francisco's lowest income neighborhoods and has all the socio-economic problems that stem from this including crime, homelessness, and drug addiction. In particular there is a lot of violent street crime like assault and theft. Parts of the Tenderloin are considered the most dangerous areas in San Francisco, with the exception of Hunter's Point and possibly a few areas in the Mission (such as Mission between 16th and 17th Sts). Turk St and Taylor St might be considered the heart of the "true" Tenderloin; the sidewalks teem at all hours with the homeless, people openly selling crack or heroin, derelicts, hustlers, and the mentally ill. This area spills directly into Mission St on the other side of Market St; Mission St between 8th and 5th St may be considered part of this truly seedy "core Tenderloin" area. Travelers should be aware of their environment and take an appropriate amount of care. The area is lively and safe until about 2AM (when the bars close); after that, it does get sketchy, and is best avoided by travelers walking alone.

Go next
Hayes Valley — If you are an art lover and liked the formal galleries in this area, then why not continue into neighboring Hayes Valley where you will find many smaller urban chic galleries.

Union Square — There are also many other smaller and more exclusive art galleries in Union Square that focus on selling the artwork of high profile artists like Renoir and Chagall. Union Square also has a good selection of galleries that exhibit the work of local and up-and-coming artists.

title: San Francisco/Civic Center-Tenderloin