Sacramento

Introduction

Sacramento is the capital of California and has about 500,000 inhabitants living in the city, over 2 million in the metropolitan area. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. It was founded in 1849, and there are many reminders of the history of the city including Sutter's Fort, Old Sacramento, and remnants of the original ground level of Sacramento. It experienced explosive growth when gold was discovered in 1848 in nearby Coloma, and the gold rush that followed was one of the largest human migrations in history.

The pace of life is somewhat slower than in other large Californian cities, and the people are generally warm and friendly. According to Time magazine, Sacramento is the most diverse city in the USA. The city used to be an affordable place, but it suffered from the San Francisco Bay Area's dot com rise and fall, and real estate went from undervalued to overvalued. The market is correcting itself, so property values in most neighborhoods have leveled off while others are dropping to more reasonable valuations.

Sights and Activities

• California State Capitol, 10th and L Streets, ☎ +1 916 324-0333. M–F 8AM–5PM, Sa Su 9AM–5PM. The California State Capitol Museum includes the historical state capitol building and the surrounding 16 square city blocks, known as Capitol Park. Inside, tours of the capitol, its legislative chambers, and its restored historic offices are available daily. Outside, the public is free to visit the many gardens, memorials, and monuments located throughout the 40-acre park's grounds. You can get a view up to the Capitol from the Tower Bridge at the southern end of Old Sacramento. Despite what the official website says, as of 2017 it is possible to enter the building carrying large bags (they must go through airport-style security though). Free.
• Sutter's Fort, 2701 L St, ☎ +1 916 445-4422. Tu–Su 10AM–5PM. Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is the oldest restored fort in the United States. Built by John Sutter in 1840s, the fort now hosts a collection of pioneer and early California artifacts. Self-guided audio tours are available. Adults: $5. Youth: $3. Children 5 & under: free.
• State Indian Museum, 2618 K St (next to Sutter's Fort), ☎ +1 916 324-0971. 10AM–5PM. Contains displays of Native Californian basketry, beadwork, clothing and exhibits about the ongoing traditions of various California Indian tribes. Adults: $3. Youth: $2. Children 5 & under: free.
• Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. (An easy 20-minute walk west from the Capitol building or 15-minute walk south from Old Sacramento), ☎ +1 916 808-7000, e-mail: [email protected]. Tu–Sun 10AM–5PM, Th 10AM–9PM. The oldest continuously operating museum in the West, home to a premier collection of California art. $10.
• Cesar Chavez Park. Formerly known as Plaza Park, Cesar Chavez Park is a scenic park in the middle of downtown Sacramento that adjoins historic City Hall, the Public Library and Sacramento's Citizen Hotel. Great place to take photos of the Sacramento skyline. During the summer on Fridays, it is used as an outdoor concert venue known as Concerts in the Park.
• Sacramento Zoo. A mid-size zoo located in William Land Park. A combination ticket with Fairy Tale Town makes for a fun day for families with young children.

Old Sacramento

Once the original, thriving riverfront pioneer town, Old Sacramento is now primarily a living historic district and tourist destination. The boardwalk style sidewalks and horse-drawn stagecoaches give this small section of town a unique Western flavor. Old Sacramento contains several museums, restaurants, and the usual assortment of souvenir shops and ice cream parlors, all within walking distance of each other. Attractions in the Old Town area also include the Delta King Riverboat, a working hotel with restaurant. The California State Railroad Museum's Sacramento Southern Railroad is a private line extension providing riverside rides on a steam locomotive that departs from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot, carriage rides as well as annual city event and functions. Best of all, it's a five-minute walk from the Amtrak station. It's best visited in the morning and early evenings, especially during the hot summers. Parking can be scarce, so be sure to utilize the reasonably priced parking structures in the K Street Mall. There's a nice, short, safe walkway between K Street Mall and Old Sacramento.

• California State Railroad Museum, 111 I St., ☎ +1 916 323-9280. A huge museum of railroad history with a large collection of old yet well-preserved trains and equipment. If possible, take Amtrak to the Sacramento station to get into a trainy mood for it. $8 adults, $3 ages 6–17, 5 and under free.
• Steam train rides, Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot (just south of the Railroad Museum). Hourly, on weekends April through September. Operated by the Railroad Museum, these forty-minute excursions are pulled by a historic steam locomotive along the nearby river levees. $8 adults, $3 ages 6–17, 5 and under free.
• Sacramento History Museum, 101 I St, ☎ +1 916 808-7059. 10AM–5PM. The Sacramento History Museum explores the region's history from the days before the Gold Rush to the present throughout the museum's two stories of interactive galleries. The museum also offers the perfect starting point for exploring the Old Sacramento State Historic Park! $8/adult, $5/child, 5 and under free.

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
• St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
• Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
• Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
• Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
• Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
• Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
• Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

• Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
• The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.

Weather

Sacramento has a Mediterranean-type climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Being further inland than most of the other major California cities, Sacramento is subject to more temperature variation. Winter high temperatures are commonly in the 40s and 50s Fahrenheit (10-20 °C), and at night the temperature drops below freezing every so often. The summer heat can be intense, with temperatures exceeding 100 °F (37.7 °C) not unusual. Generally speaking, the warmer it gets, the drier it gets, so even the most intense Sacramento heat is easily alleviated by a quick dip in the swimming pool.

Sacramento's hot, dry summers are mitigated by a phenomenon locals call "the delta breeze." Heat waves rarely last more than three to five days, because as hot air builds over California's interior valleys, cold ocean air is sucked inland through the Sacramento river delta, acting as natural air conditioning and dropping the temperature sharply. The delta breeze tends to hit the westernmost areas of Sacramento late in the afternoon and travel east–northeast at ten to fifteen miles per hour, so the hour at which your neighborhood cools depends on your proximity to the river delta or how far west or south you reside.

Most rain falls from around fall to mid-spring and occasionally early summer. Generally speaking, however, you can count on dry and sunny days from the middle of April until at least the middle of October. Winter is known not only for its rain but also for its dense fog, which can hamper driving conditions and reduce visibility to 100 feet (30 m) at times. Snow is rare, but once every 5 or 10 years a light dusting occurs, and even some light accumulation away from the city. In the foothills not far east of the city, snow is much more common, and the Tahoe-area ski resorts are within easy reach of the Sacramento metropolitan area. Sacramento's location in the heart of California's agricultural interior gives it a blossom-laden spring as a profusion of fruit trees bloom and flowers fill the grassland. It also experiences a "foliage fall": autumn color without the severe weather that accompanies brilliant color in other parts of the nation.

Severe weather is rare in Sacramento, with the primary concern being heat in summer and local flooding in winter. Occasional summer thunderstorms and even tornadoes can occur, but they are extremely rare. Sacramento is not in a known earthquake zone.

Getting There

By Plane

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is located about 10 miles (16 kilometres) from the central business district of Sacramento. It mainly has domestic flights, though there are international connections with a few cities in Mexico, mainly Guadalajara.
Yolobus bus #42B connects the airport to downtown Sacramento and the nearby communities of Woodland and Davis. SCART is the only transit service to the airport but is limited to once an hour and only during daylight and mid evening hours.

By Train

A number of Amtrak trains travel to and from Sacramento:

• The California Zephyr between Emeryville (San Francisco) and Chicago. The Amtrak train depot saw a significant rehabilitation that was completed in early 2017.
• The Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Seattle.
• The Capitol Corridor between Auburn and San Jose.
• The Sao Joaquins between the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California.

By Car

Sacramento is conveniently located at the intersection of Interstate 5 (a north-south route) and Interstate 80 (an east-west route). It is also located at the western terminus of US Route 50.

• From the San Francisco Bay Area, take Interstate 80 east. (2 hours from San Francisco)
• From Reno and North Lake Tahoe, take Interstate 80 west. (2 hours from Reno)
• From South Lake Tahoe, take US Route 50 west. (2 hours)
• From Redding and the Pacific Northwest, take Interstate 5 south. (2hr 30min from Redding & 4hr 30m from the Oregon/California border)
• From the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California, take Interstate 5 north or State Route 99 north. (6 hours from downtown Los Angeles)

By Bus

There are two regional and interstate bus services serving the area. Greyhound Bus provides frequent services to San Francisco, Central Valley, Los Angeles and several out of state locations from its bus depot which is located approximately four miles north of the city. Mega -Bus is a low cost bus carrier that offers daily service to San Francisco and Reno Nevada. The company uses the location off of 59th Street by the Light Rail Station in East Sacramento.

Getting Around

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

Regional Transit is the major provider of bus and light-rail service in Sacramento with connections to other inter-urban buses and the surrounding area.

By Foot

Historic Old Sacramento, the Riverfront, and the California State Railroad Museum are all within an easy five-minute walk of the train station. The Capitol building is a pleasant 15-minute walk from Old Sacramento.

By Bike

The wide, flat, tree-lined streets make cycling a relaxing way to get around Downtown and Midtown Sacramento. Most streets in the grid have bike lanes, and bike routes through the city are clearly marked. Traveling by bike also means avoiding expensive and hard-to-find parking.

Eat

The diversity of Sacramento is not only reflected in its various neighborhoods but also in the food choices you can find here. The places in the central district tend to be more trendy and hip while food establishments in their respective neighborhoods reflect the tastes of their residents. Finding unique fare in suburban Sacramento, northeast of the city limits, can be difficult as many of the establishments are dominated by national or large regional chains.

• Jack's Urban Eats, 1230 20th St (Midtown at 20th Street and Capitol Avenue), ☎ +1 916 444-0307. A modern-day diner with a retro feel, Jack's grills and roasts meats for sandwiches and salads and offers comfort food side dishes like mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and garlic fries. Additional locations in the greater metropolitan area.
• Shoki Ramen House, 1201 R St, ☎ +1 916 441-0011. A very popular and excellent ramen house serving up delicious Japanese ramen as well as sets and other entrees. $5-10.
• Luigi's Pizza Parlor, 3800 Stockton Blvd, Oak Park, ☎ +1 916 456-0641. A long-time Sac institution, still churning out tasty pizzas. Pizzas $12-20.
• Crepeville, 1730 L St, ☎ +1 916 444-1100. Serves a unique menu of fresh, delicious, and healthy alternatives to fast-food. Other locations also exists in the Curtis Park neighborhood and outlaying Davis.
• Pieces Pizza by the Slice, 1309 21st St (near the corner of 21st and Capitol), ☎ +1 916 441-1949. A tiny little place with extraordinary stuffed-crust pizza. Open until 2:30AM on weekends, Pieces is a very popular spot to load up on carbs after a late-night weekend pub crawl. Several different combinations are offered, and the staff is also happy to build your pizza to order. The vegetarian pesto pizza, with sundried tomato and feta cheese, is especially good. They also offer several excellent beers on tap, including (usually) Arrogant Bastard. The decor isn't much, but the people are friendly and the food is delicious. $5-10.
• Rick's Dessert Diner, 2401 J St, ☎ +1 916 444-0969. Tue-Thu: 10AM–12AM; Fri & Sat: 10AM-1AM; Sun: 12PM-11PM; Mon: 10AM-11PM. Designed as a retro 1950s style diner, Rick's is a popular and award-winning Midtown destination for dessert lovers. Open late for post-dinner date sugar cravings.
• Andy Nguyen's, 2007 Broadway, ☎ +1 916 736-1157. Quality vegan and vegetarian Southeast Asian dishes. edit
• Cafe Marika, 2011 J St. M-W Lunch, Th-Sat Lunch/Dinner. A great Hungarian restaurant in the heart of Midtown. The husband and wife offer great meals like cabbage rolls and schnitzel. Be aware they accept only cash. $10-$15 per person.
• Centro Cocina Mexicana, 2730 J St, ☎ +1 916 442-2552. M-F Lunch, Dinner Sat-Sun Dinner. A staple in the Sacramento dining scene for over 15 years, Centro Cocina Mexicana offers the finest regional Mexican cuisine in a festive and colorful atmosphere.
• Kathmandu Kitchen, 1728 Broadway, ☎ +1 916 441-2172. Serves excellent Indian and Nepalese food—the Mismas Tarkari thali is delicious. Most dishes hover around $10-12.
• Tapa the World, 2115 J St, ☎ +1 916 442-4353. 11:30AM-midnite daily. An old favorite serving up tasty Spanish tapas and delicious sangria. Live music on most nights, and open late.
• Tower Cafe, 1518 Broadway, ☎ +1 916 441-0222. Su-Th 8AM-11PM, F-Sa 8AM-midnite. A great breakfast spot, busy at any time of day. There's sometimes a line, but absolutely worth it. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Breakfast served 8-11AM, Monday through Friday. Brunch served 8AM-2PM, Satuday and Sunday. Voted Best Breakfast and Best Sunday Brunch in the 2009 Sacramento magazine readers poll. Voted Best Outdoor Dining and Best Breakfast in the 2008 Sacramento News & Review readers poll. Located in a historic and very interesting building, with lots of art from around the world. International, eclectic menu.
• Zócalo, 1801 Capitol Ave, ☎ +1 916 441-0303. M-W 11AM-10PM, Th 11AM-11PM, F 11AM-midnite, Sa 9AM-midnite, Su 9AM-10PM. A newer Mexican restaurant affiliated with the legendary Ernesto's, the food is great and the place is usually busy.
• Asian Pearl 2009, 6821 Stockton Blvd, Ste 165, ☎ +1 916 391-8881. S-Su 10AM-10PM, M-F 11AM-10PM. Fast becoming the place to go for dim sum bypassing stalwarts New Canton and Rice Bowl. They also serve authentic Hong Kong and new style Cantonese food.
• Courtyard D'Oro, 1107 Front St., ☎ +1 916 552-2940.
• Biba Ristorante Italiano, 2801 Capitol Ave, ☎ +1 916 455-2422. Started by Biba Caggiano, the famous chef, author, and television host. It has been selected as the best restaurant in Sacramento on multiple occasions. Reservations are strongly recommended.
• Morton's Steakhouse, 521 L St., ☎ +1 916 442-5091. High-scale restaurant that is perfect for taking that special someone or take the whole family to celebrate any occasion. They pride themselves on cooking the most tender steak, but don't count out their seafood portion of the menu as this place has delicious food with excellent dessert! Fun fact: instead of menus, the waiter brings out a tray of all the raw meat and fish (even crab that is still alive) and explains in detail what the meat or fish is and what the dish comes with.
• Ella Dining Room & Bar, 1131 K St., ☎ +1 916 443-3772. Ella serves its fabulous food, family-style and encourages diners to share. Their great bar serves fantastic concoctions like home made gin and tonics and "limeade," making for a perfect place for friends and family alike. The fabulous interior was created by award winning design firm, UXUS.

Drink

Nightlife in Sacramento is vibrant if you know where to look. Stay in Downtown or Midtown. This is where most tourists are anyway. The upscale clubs and lounges tend to be on or near J Street. Directly across from the Capitol grounds is the Park which is the premiere Sacramento nightclub. The dress code and cover charges tend to be stiff.

Just around the corner is the Capitol Garage which typically has guest DJ's on Saturday and a $5 cover in a laid back atmosphere. On K Street, you'll find Marilyn's, a really cool underground bar in the heart of downtown which showcases local live music talent.

Nearby is the Crest Theater, an independent historic movie theater that boasts art deco design. In the summer you can catch the French Film Festival here as well as the Trash Film Orgy, an all-night spectacle of old B movie flicks where locals gather in their cheesiest costumes.

On most days of the year, however, the Crest is the place to catch foreign and independent films as well as traveling stand-up comedy and music acts. On 16th and R Street. you'll find the popular bar R15. This is a trendy bar/restaurant (Cafe Bernardo is attached) that has an urban industrial feel. Despite being trendy the prices are very affordable with $2 Pabst on tap and $1 pool tables. They also boast couches and big screens where you can play Xbox for free with a couple of friends.

R Street corridor offers Shady Lady Saloon, R15 Bar, and restaurants.

Another popular club is Mix Downtown with stiff cover charges and dress code as well, but Mix attracts an older crowd than District 30 and less pretentious crowd than the Park. On 10th and S Street, you'll find the popular indie-rock venue Old Ironsides. Local and traveling indie-rock talent showcase their music here. Every Tuesday you can catch Lipstick, a popular indie-rock dance party where you'll find mostly hip Midtown locals. Every first Saturday of the month you can catch After Dark which is like Lipstick only on a Saturday so it attracts a more varied metropolitan crowd.

The Press Club on 21st and P Street is popular with the college crowd with its $5 cover charges and cheap $3 24oz. of Pabst. It's known for playing 80s dance music and the best nights to go are Wednesdays or Thursdays as it is a small club and, on weekends, gets unbearably overcrowded.

Sleep

Visitors to Sacramento should be aware that hotels in the downtown area charge more on weekday and major event stays than weekends as a lot of business travelers come during the weekdays close to the central business district.

• Greens Hotel, 1700 Del Paso Blvd. Eco-conscious and environmentally-friendly green products and housekeeping practices, and event meeting space.
• Sacramento Hostel (HI), 925 H St (at 10th St), ☎ +1 916 443-1691. Dormitory beds start at $28 for adults, $10 for children under 18. Private rooms start at $57.
• Holiday Inn Express, 728 16th St, ☎ +1 916 444-4436. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12PM. $125 - $175 (rates from HI.com site 5/15/11).
• Homewood Suites by Hilton, 3001 Advantage Way, ☎ +1 916 263-9510. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. An all-suite hotel with fully-equipped kitchens. Complimentary hot breakfast daily, dinner with beer and wine Monday-Thursday, and high-speed Internet.
• TownePlace Suites (Sacramento Suites), 1784 Tribute Rd, ☎ +1 916 920-5400.
• Vagabond Inn Executive Sacramento (Old Town), 909 Third St. (Right across I street from the train station.), ☎ +1 916 446-1481, fax: +1 916 448-0364. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12PM. Architecture is a bit institutional, but rooms are comfortable with microwaves and refrigerators throughout. Complimentary Continental breakfast is quite extensive (self-service waffle irons), and the people are nice. Ideal location for rail travelers and those interested in Old Sac. Complimentary WiFi and lobby business center (limited hours) with two Internet-connected computers. Prices somewhat higher (and availability very limited) during annual jazz festival. $79 and up.
• Larkspur Landing Sacramento, 555 Howe Avenue, ☎ +1 916 646-1212, toll-free: +1-877-527-5778, fax: +1 916 646-1216, e-mail: [email protected]. Close proximity to the Cal Expo and the Sacramento County Fairgrounds. Includes breakfast, fitness center, outdoor whirlpool spa, complimentary self-laundry facility and 24-hour business center. from $95.
• The Citizen Hotel, Autograph Collection, 926 J St (J & 10th Sts), ☎ +1 916-447-2700. No two rooms are exactly alike. Pets are welcome at no additional cost. $200.
• Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, 1230 J St (Corner of J & 13th Sts), ☎ +1 916 447-1700.
• The Westin Sacramento, 4350 Riverside Blvd, ☎ +1 916-443-8400, toll-free: +1-800-323-7500.

Work

As the capital of California, many state agencies are located in Sacramento. The State of California continues to be the largest employer in the Sacramento region.

Learn

• California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), This is a major, four-year public university in the Sacramento area with 28,000 students.
• University of California, Davis (UCD), The nearest University of California campus to Sacramento. It is located 16 miles (23 kilometres) west from Sacramento with a satellite campus (UC Davis Extension)in midtown Sacramento.
• Los Rios Community College District is the regions major two-year public college system enrolling 73,000 students with four campuses in the surrounding area. Its campuses include Sacramento City College, American River College, Cosumnes River College, and Folsom Lake College along with five satellite centers.
• Drexel University is a private graduate university with its campus in downtown Sacramento.

Keep Connected

Internet

There is a very small internet bar/cafe culture in the USA. Even then most of the internet bars/cafes tend be located in major urban centers. Accessible WiFi networks, however, are common. The most generally useful WiFi spots are in coffee shops, fast-food chains, and bookshops, but also restaurants and hotels more and more have a network to connect on. Some of them might require you to buy something and you might need a password too, especially in hotels.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The general emergency phone number is 911. The USA has a great landline phone system that is easy to use. The country code for the U.S. is +1. The rest of the telephone number consists of 10 digits: a 3-digit area code, and a 7-digit number. Any small grocery store or pharmacy has pre paid domestic or international phone cards. These phone cards are very cheap and offer good rates. The once ubiquitous pay phone is now much harder to find. Likely locations include in or near stores and restaurants, and near bus stops. The cellphone network in the states is slowly getting better but is still not as good when compared to other western countries. Cell phones tend to operate using different frequencies (850 MHz and 1900 MHz) from those used elsewhere in the world (2100 MHz). This used to prevent most foreign phones from working in America. Phones must be tri- or quad-band to work in the U.S. Fortunately, technology has meant that most phones should now be able to pick up one of the U.S. networks. Prepaid phones and top-up cards can be purchased at mobile phone boutiques and at many discount, electronics, office supply and convenience stores. A very basic handset with some credit can be had for under $40.

Post

The US Postal Service is a very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. Although some might keep longer hours, most are open at least between 9:00am and 5:00pm. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. First-class international airmail postcards and letters (up 28.5 grams) cost $1.10. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS, TNT and DHL, which might be better value sometimes and are generally very quick and reliable too.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website