Saginaw is a city in Central Michigan; it is the largest of the "Tri-Cities" of the Saginaw Bay area with Bay City and Midland. It's a town with very high rates of violent crime and gang activity.About 60,000people live in this town that survived an economic downturn when the logging industry ended at the turn of the 20th century. As with many Michigan cities, it is currently struggling to adapt to the challenges of having an economy based on the automotive industry.

Over the past 15 years, Saginaw has built an impressive network of health care facilities - hospitals, specialists, cancer treatment centers - that serves residents from many of the surrounding counties.

Get in

You can easily reach Saginaw via the I-75 freeway that runs north and south through Michigan. You can fly into the MBS (Midland/Bay City/Saginaw) international airport.

Get around

You'll need a car. Public transportation is extremely limited. The city has sprawling suburbs and much of the city has dissipated. Old Town Saginaw is interesting, with fun pubs, boutiques and small eateries.

Washington Ave., across the river and downtown, is currently being redeveloped, with the Japanese Tea Garden, the Rose Garden, the Children's Zoo, and the addition of the recently renovated Temple Theatre.

See

• Temple Theatre] [1]. Beautiful historic theatre in downtown, located on Washington. Concerts, films, plays, and more are shown here. It's recently been redone and the interior is absolutely breathtaking.

• Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra [2]. See and hear some of the best musicians in the area; recently re-organized and performing in the Temple Theatre often, too!

Do

• Lawn Chair Film Festival [3]. Easily one of the coolest things to happen to this post-industrial town in quite some time. Weekly free showings of excellent domestic, independent, and foreign films during the summer months. Shows start at dusk; all that's required is your own lawn chair (hence the name of the festival!).

• Many large and small antique shops to explore. The Antique Warehouse has more than a hundred stalls featuring uncommon treasures.

Buy

A gun before coming for personal protection. You may need it on the Eastside.

Eat

• Frália's, 422 Hancock St, (989) 799-0111. Newer sandwich shop located in Old Town Saginaw. Absolutely fantastic sandwiches, utilizing fresh and quality ingredients.
• Panda House, 1010 N Niagara St, (989) 755-5394. Excellent Chinese cuisine. The sesame tofu is absolutely outstanding. Highly recommended. Locally owned and operated.

• Tonys Original Restaurants, 2525 E Genesee Ave, (989) 753-4321. Legendary steak sandwiches - here's what you order: Tony's Steak Sandwich, with pizza cheese and green olives, grilled and with extra sauce on the side. Yum. Breakfasts are also amazing.

• Bringer Inn, 516 W Genesee Ave, (989) 753-1462. Looking for a good old diner with home cooked meals - all fresh, not frozen? Bringers is not fancy but there's a reason it's always packed. Good food and low prices. Order the Big Mike (with mayo and green olives). Also have great steak sandwiches (see above). Many homemade pies made daily.

• Intermission Deli, 2128 Bay St, (989) 790-6777. The best delis in Michigan (also in Bay City).

Drink

• Glen Rowan Estate Coffee Roasters, 212 S. Washington Ave, (989) 921-0340 or (866) 753-7417. Absolutely excellent coffee (roasted before your eyes!), amazing tea, and all kinds of other coffee-ish drinks. Friendly staff, great service, nice environment.

Sleep

Check out the Montague Inn, a restored lumber baron's mansion. A very popular place for summer weddings, with beautiful grounds and a lovely honeymoon suite and guest cottage.

Most of the hotels lie outside the city limits.

Get out

As soon as possible. Don't look back. High rates of murder/gang activity in many parts of the city. Plus this isn't exactly a great place to visit. Hope you don't have to come here in the first place!