Salida, CA

Salida lies on the north side of the Modesto urban area along Highway 99, with the Stanislaus River not far to the north and orchards still wrapped around the built-up part. It began as a railroad stop around 1870 and took its Spanish name, meaning exit, when the post office opened in 1875. Not much of that early town is visible now, but the street plan is a legacy. A planner laid out the modern grid in 1908, and trees went into the Broadway median in the early 1900s, which is why the avenue still has shade and a walking strip. The community covers a little over two square miles, small enough to cross in a few minutes by car, and the county runs a string of neighborhood parks among the subdivisions. Shopping leans on the neighbor. The Pelandale retail area, across the boundary in Modesto, has Target, Save Mart, In-N-Out and Mike's Grillhouse, and larger errands go there. Closer to home, the public library serves the area and small markets cover quick stops. For going out, Solid Beer Works is the tasting room for a local brewery's small test batches. Breakfast is well covered, with Huckleberry's offering Southern-style plates and Salida's Country Kitchen serving as the Broadway diner, while Del Taco on Salida Boulevard covers the quick option. Tequileros Taqueria, out on Sisk Road, rounds out the taco choices. Getting around is by car. Highway 99 links to the rest of Modesto, and Kiernan Avenue, Sisk Road and Salida Boulevard are the local streets that appear in most addresses. Salida Union schools and Gregori High School serve the area. The honest catch is that the community has no shopping district of its own, so errands mean driving. The tree-lined median on Broadway is the one feature no neighboring subdivision can copy.