Honestly, most people flying into the Orlando Sanford International Airport just hop in a rental car and blast down I-4 toward the theme parks without ever looking back. They’re missing out. Big time. Sanford isn't just a suburban sprawl or a place to park a plane; it's a gritty, beautiful, brick-lined town that feels more like "Real Florida" than anything you'll find near a mouse-eared water tower.
It’s got this weird, wonderful mix of 19th-century history and a modern, booze-heavy social scene. You’ve got the St. Johns River right there, massive oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, and a downtown area where you can literally walk from a high-end bourbon bar to a German biergarten in three minutes.
The "Celery City" Backstory is Weirder Than You Think
Before Sanford was a weekend drinking destination, it was a literal powerhouse of agriculture. People call it "Celery City." That sounds kinda boring until you realize that in the late 1800s, this place was basically the silicon valley of vegetables. Henry Shelton Sanford, the guy who bought up over 12,000 acres here back in 1870, was a diplomat and a businessman with some pretty intense ambitions.
He wanted a transportation hub. He got it.
Because Sanford sits at the head of the navigable St. Johns River, it became the gateway for everything moving into South Florida. Steamships would pull up to the docks, unloading people and goods that would then head out on the South Florida Railroad. But then the "Great Freeze" of 1894 and 1895 hit. It absolutely nuked the citrus industry. Instead of giving up, the farmers here pivoted to celery. They built a sub-irrigation system that was way ahead of its time, turning the town into one of the top vegetable shipping centers in the entire country.
There's a darker side too. History isn't always pretty. Sanford was the site of the town of Goldsboro, one of the first self-governing African American municipalities in the U.S., which was eventually forcefully annexed by Sanford in 1911. You can’t really understand the city today without acknowledging those layers of tension and resilience.
Why the Sanford RiverWalk is the Local Obsession
If you ask a local where to go, they’re going to tell you to hit the RiverWalk. It’s a 4.5-mile multi-use trail that hugs the edge of Lake Monroe.
It’s stunning. Seriously.
You’ve got the marina on one side—full of sailboats and the big Barbara-Lee paddle-wheeler—and a massive expanse of water on the other. It’s part of the much larger Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail, so you’ll see serious cyclists in spandex zooming past grandmas pushing strollers.
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- The View: You're looking at Lake Monroe, which is basically a giant widening of the St. Johns River.
- The Wildlife: Keep your eyes peeled for gators near the shoreline (don't touch them, obviously) and manatees if the water temperature is right.
- The Connection: It leads right into Fort Mellon Park, which is where everyone takes their kids for the splash pad.
Drinking and Dining in Sanford Florida
If the RiverWalk is the soul of the city, First Street is the stomach. And the liver.
Sanford has become a craft beer mecca. It’s not just a few bars; it’s a culture. You’ve got Wop’s Hops Brewing, which lives in the old Stokes Fish Market building (the murals alone are worth the visit), and Sanford Brewing Company, which is usually packed with people eating giant pretzels and drinking local ales.
Then there’s Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café. You haven’t actually been to Sanford until you’ve sat in this German restaurant, watched a guy play the accordion, and seen someone try to finish a "boot" of beer. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and it’s arguably the most famous spot in the city.
If you want something a bit more "refined," The Old Jailhouse is a restaurant literally built inside the city’s former jail. They kept the bars. The food is high-end American, and the atmosphere is moody in the best way possible. For a quick lunch, Henry’s Depot is a food hall inside an old train station—get the lobster roll or the ramen.
Beyond the Bar Scene: Animals and Lanterns
If you aren't here for the booze, go to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. It’s located just a few minutes from downtown. It’s smaller than the big zoos in other states, which makes it way more manageable if you have small kids.
Right now, if you're visiting in early 2026, you might catch the tail end of the Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild. It runs through mid-January and it’s basically 50+ massive, hand-crafted light displays shaped like animals and plants. It turns the zoo into a neon wonderland after dark. It’s one of those things that sounds a bit cheesy until you’re actually standing there looking at a glowing ice dragon.
What Most People Get Wrong About Sanford
A lot of people think Sanford is just a sleepy bedroom community for Orlando. It’s not. It has its own economy, its own identity, and—honestly—a much more authentic vibe than the tourist traps further south.
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The city is currently in the middle of a massive face-lift. The "Heritage Park" development is bringing hundreds of new apartments and retail spaces to the waterfront, and the city just finished major streetscape improvements on Second Street. They’re resetting old bricks and adding new light poles to keep that historic feel while making it walkable.
Quick Facts for Your Trip:
- Distance to Orlando: About 30-40 minutes depending on I-4 traffic (which is always a gamble).
- Best Way to Get Around: Downtown is very walkable, but many locals use golf carts. You can actually rent one for the day.
- The Airport (SFB): It’s way easier to navigate than MCO. If you can fly Allegiant, do it just to avoid the Orlando airport madness.
How to Spend a Perfect Saturday in Sanford
Don't overcomplicate it. Start with coffee at Palate Coffee Brewery—it’s a non-profit that helps fight human trafficking, so your caffeine fix does some good.
Walk the RiverWalk for about an hour to justify the calories you’re about to consume. Then, head to the Sanford Farmers Market (usually on Saturdays near Magnolia Square) to grab some local honey or weird succulents.
Lunch has to be at Hollerbach’s. Just do it. Order the schnitzel.
Spend the afternoon browsing Maya Books and Music. It’s one of those old-school shops where you can lose track of time in the vinyl section. As the sun goes down, grab a "Peanut Butter Jelly w/ a Baseball Bat" beer at Celery City Craft and sit in their outdoor courtyard.
Finish the night at The Yardery, which is basically a giant backyard with lawn games, fire pits, and decent food. It’s the quintessential Sanford experience: relaxed, slightly humid, and deeply local.
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Next Steps for Your Visit:
Check the local event calendar before you go. Sanford loves a festival—whether it’s the Get Hook’d Seafood Festival or the monthly Sanford Art Walk, there is almost always something happening in the streets. If you're looking for a place to stay, skip the chain hotels by the highway and look for a historic Bed & Breakfast in the residential district to get the full experience.