Northeast District - Visalia, CA

Sparse settlement occurred in Visalia until the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, when the city became a way point for miners headed between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and larger cities, as well as a final home for unsuccessful miners. As with much of the San Joaquin Valley, Visalia grew as agriculture and livestock business expanded, drawing workers to the area. More recently, the establishment of numerous manufacturing and industrial businesses has shifted the local economy and employment base.

While only one museum, the ImagineU Interactive Children's Museum, exists in Visalia, a number of art galleries and the Arts Visalia Community Art Center present permanent and rotating fine art exhibits. The century-old Visalia Fox Theatre hosts music performances throughout the year, including performances by the Tulare County Symphony.

Few dining establishments exist in the Northeast District, with a handful of fast-food joints and diners along Ben Maddox Way and Main Street. A wider and more concentrated selection of restaurants exists a few minutes away in downtown Visalia, with a mix of fast food, pubs, local eateries and ethnic cuisine.

The Planing Mill serves artisan pizza, sandwiches, calzones and salads. House specials include the five-meat yeti pizza and a chicken in wing sauce sandwich. For large parties, consider the giganteum pizza, which consists of over 9 pounds of dough and 6 pounds of cheese, enough to feed 15 to 20 people.

Dimples Diner on Main Street serves up classic diner fare with an authentic 1950s vibe and memorabilia-lined walls. While the menu sticks to traditional favorites like steak and eggs, pancakes, and hamburgers, Dimples features large portions to start your day off right. Show up early on the weekends, as patrons often line up at the door.

As with restaurants, limited nightlife options exist in the Northeast District, with nearby downtown Visalia providing a range of pubs, music venues and restaurants with full bars.

Among the downtown establishments, Brewbakers Brewing Company serves a full line of beer brewed on-site, as well as pub food, pizzas and sandwiches. The tap house features regular live music and sells a selection of cigars.

Driving dominates travel in the Northeast District, with most drivers opting for personal vehicles, although Uber and cab companies operate in the neighborhood. Ben Maddox Way and North Lovers Lane connect drivers with Highway 198, the center of town and the Highway 99 freeway, which then connects the area with Fresno and Bakersfield. Visalia Transit route 8B provides service to the Northeast District. Residents and visitors park for free along neighborhood streets.

Due to a lack of concentrated destinations, the Northeast District is not particularly walkable, and bicyclists must share the road with local traffic. Still, most streets remain safe for walkers and bikers, and a biking and walking trail exists along the St. John's River. During the summer, the city provides shuttle service to Sequoia National Park, while travelers to Los Angeles, Burbank and Sacramento can catch a flight at Visalia Municipal Airport on the west end of town.

Several parks exist in the Northeast District, with many more only a short drive away. Cutler Park features a large valley-oak woodland with open spaces and picnic shelters. Mill Creek and Ruiz Parks feature multipurpose fields, paths, barbecues, picnic areas and playgrounds, with a soccer field at Mill Creek Park. Trails link parks throughout Visalia, while the paved St. John's River Trail runs 4 miles along the river, entertaining a mix of bikers, walkers and joggers.

For sports-minded park goers, Riverway Sports Park in northwest Visalia contains 10 soccer fields, four baseball fields and a bicycle and motocross track. The park also houses a playground that includes seasonal water features.

Within 30 to 50 miles east of Visalia, several national forests and Sequoia National Park provide nearly unlimited mountain recreation opportunities, such as hiking, camping, hunting and backpacking. The national park features numerous groves of the giant redwoods from which it takes its name. Kings Canyon National Park, also home to sweeping views and giant sequoias, lies just across the northern border of Sequoia National Park.

Visalia hosts a number of annual events, such as the Taste of Downtown Visalia and Oktoberfest and Mardi Gras celebrations.

Life in Northeast Visalia stays in line with the average for the Visalia area, with rental rates for a one-bedroom residence averaging around $900 per month. Transit users pay $1.50 per bus ride, and at the pump, drivers pay around 20 percent more per gallon than the national average. A pint of beer at a local pub sets patrons back about $3.75.

Clusters of shopping establishments line Ben Maddox Way and Main Street, with a mix of large chain stores and local service and goods providers. Limited high-end shopping exists in midtown Visalia. Boutique and specialty stores scatter in midtown and along Main Street, which houses many stores geared to automobile sales, repair and accessorizing.

Chelsea Street Boutique carries reasonably priced designer and unique contemporary women's and men's clothing. Featuring a rotating selection of hard-to-find apparel, as well as in-house alterations, the store stocks a varied selection bound to include something that suits almost every taste. If you can't find something you like, three other boutique clothing stores occupy the same block.

If you enjoy finding treasures at neighborhood used book stores, Linda's Used Books may satisfy your treasure-hunting craving. With shelves overflowing with books and a friendly staff, Linda's carries a little of every genre.

Walmart and FoodMaxx provide the most convenient grocery shopping in the Northeast District, with Vallarta Supermarket, Smart & Final and Grocery Outlet only slightly more of a drive. The year-round Visalia Farmers Market occurs each Saturday in southern Visalia, while seasonal markets take place downtown and in the nearby town of Tulare.