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San Leandro

Ideally Located San Leandro, California

San Leandro’s biggest draw is its central location - right next door to Oakland and just across the bay from glittering San Francisco. Better yet, it’s well connected to the entire Bay Area Metropolitan Region by train, plane and automobile. San Leandro is a home base for exploring the Bay Area, both in terms of saving money and for getting a bit of a break from the big city bustle.

Regardless of the reason for going to San Leandro, it is a city full of outdoor recreation opportunities, classic restaurants, intriguing museums, top-notch shopping, and eccentric community festivals. With a doorstep that looks out across the bay with the silhouette of San Francisco hovering on the horizon, San Leandro has the perfect backdrop for your Bay Area adventures.

Points of Interest

Dining

San Leandro’s dining scene can be a bit overwhelming - with the problem being that there are just too many stellar choices to pick from. San Leandro’s table has a place set for every type of taste. For classic American fare, try Pelton Café, Ploughman’s Restaurant, or Vila Cereja. And one simply cannot skip out on a gourmet hot dog from the Mutt Hut. Taqueria Guadalajara and El Torito on the Waterfront are the places for Mexican, while Hidden Wok specializes in Asian-based creations. Even Europe is represented with Joaquin Deli favoring the French and Bavarian Bread Company catering towards the German.

Shopping

San Leandro’s shopping spans the entire retail spectrum and is considered by many the shopping hub of the East Bay. Its retail is based primarily out of several malls and retail plazas. Bayfair Center has Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s, Old Navy and Pier 1. Westgate Center has the Home Depot and Wal-Mart while the waterfront Marina Square Center is host to Ann Taylor, Gap, Nordstrom and Marshalls. San Leandro also has numerous gift and souvenir shops scattered throughout the city. The downtown area is home to a collection of independent bookstores, art galleries, and unique boutiques.

Entertainment

Since San Leandro is such an ethically diverse city, it boasts an international lineup of annual festivals. Starting off the year is the Chinese New Year and Tet Festival followed by the late April San Leandro Watershed Festival. The Mexican side of the city comes out strong for Cinco de Mayo, and the entire city celebrates its collective history during the early summer Cherry Festival.

San Leandro also has a diverse park system with such local favorites as Bonaire Park for horseshoes and barbeques and Heath Park for tennis. There are also several public pools including Boys and Girls Club Pool and Farrelly Pool. The city is home to two museums. The Casa Peralta is an old Spanish mansion dating back to colonial times. San Leandro History Museum covers the city’s always evolving history. Other not-to-miss sites are chocolate tasting at Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory and Headquarters and Mulford Point for the Bay Area’s best view of the San Francisco skyline.

Did You Know?

Many major corporations are based out of San Leandro including the North Face, JanSport and Ghirardelli.
The first residents of what was to become San Leandro arrived sometime around 3500 and 2500 B.C.
The total population of the city is roughly 81,500.
San Leandro was the capital of the county until Oakland took the county seat in 1868 following an earthquake that destroyed the courthouse.
Historically, San Leandro is known for its cherries, a tradition that has been celebrated since with the city’s annual Cherry Festival.

Getting There and All Around

Due to its central Bay Area location, San Leandro is easy to get to and from either by public or private means of transportation. The city is only a five to 20 minute trip from Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport is also only a short distance away. However, due to San Leandro’s easy access by car, an ideal way to get to and from San Leandro and the rest of the Bay Area is in the comfort of a limousine from Nationwide Limousine Service. Call NLS at 800-339-8936 to reserve your limo today!