When someone walks along a street, they’re gone in a moment. But when they sit down to a meal, they might be there for an hour or more. Because of this, the sidewalk cafe is the most powerful tool to enhance people’s desire to walk in a place.

Even in the vast American drivable urban landscape, families can figure out how to do without a car—walking and biking to meet every personal need. Here’s how it’s done and you can do it, too.