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Laura Flippen
Central California
Central California
Discover the Central Valley
California’s heartland offers up one of the state’s most authentic and sensory-rich experiences, a chance to see—and taste—the state’s bounty at every turn. Follow oak-shaded country roads to farm stands overflowing with fresh produce, and meander along wine trails to some of the state’s most productive vineyards and low-key tasting rooms.
Peaches, plums, apricots, and tomatoes—just some of the ultra-fresh produce you will find at farm stands throughout the valley.
Throughout the broad valley, stretching for over 400 miles/644 kilometers down the middle of the state, are cities and towns rich with history, international culture, and “everyone’s welcome” charm.
Courtesy of the Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant
Harris Ranch
This Central Valley oasis is a perfect place for a quick pit stop or even a relaxed meal and overnight stay
Making the trip on Highway 5 between Los Angeles and San Francisco? Look no further for a worthy stop:...
Kit Leong/Getty Images
Spotlight: Fresno
From blooming fruit trees to an acclaimed art museum, discover the diversity of Fresno
Although it’s in the heart of California’s most productive agricultural region, Fresno is...
Timothy Archibald
California Questionnaire: Soterios Johnson
The New York City radio veteran and podcast host reveals why he loves living in the Golden State
Soterios Johnson is not exactly a California expert—not yet, anyway. And that is one big reason why he is the ideal host for the brand-new...
Jen Siska
Road Trip: The Central Valley's Highway 99
Take a drive along Highway 99 to experience honky-tonk culture, culinary delights, urban adventures, and more
Famous for its bountiful produce, quality wine, and country music, the Central Valley is California’s heartland. It’s also a place of...
Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Spotlight: Bakersfield
Experience California’s oil-rich history, with Basque food and country and western music on the side
The rapidly growing city of Bakersfield...
Courtesy of Hilmar Cheese Company
Hilmar Cheese Company
Learn how to make cheese at this “little secret” in the Central Valley
Most people are surprised to discover that California is the country’s second largest cheese...
Zuma Press, Inc./Alamy
Stockton
Explore the Central Valley’s port city, on the Sacramento Delta
The ocean-bound freighters dotting Stockton...
Sacramento River Train
Ride along a stretch of Gold Country landscape while dining, wine-tasting, or watching a show
Get a feel for the golden era of California railroad travel on this West...
Mark Crosse/Getty Images
Fresno County Blossom Trail
Explore this driving loop that bursts with flowers in the spring and fruit during summer
Spring tends to kick off early in Fresno County with a fast-and-frenzied spectacle of blooming fruit and nut trees. Starting in mid-...
Derrell McCain/Alamy
Best Kept Secret: Solano County
See why this Central Valley region holds its own in terms of good wine, pretty countryside, and cool activities
A treasure awaits about 20 miles east of Napa, in a lovely but largely “secret” area of sprawling countryside and bayfront beauty. This is...
Zuma Press Inc./Alamy
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
This birder’s paradise sits quietly off the road into California’s capital city
The corridor along I-80, heading from the Bay Area into Sacramento, is home to...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Find whitewater rafting fun for all—from newbies to nerves-of-steel experts
Think of a river, and chances are you’ve got your own daydream. Maybe you want to float on inner tubes, or maybe your style is to careen through raucous rapids in an eight-person inflatable raft....
Groveb/Getty Images
Lake Berryessa, located just outside of Winters, has a sunken city underneath it called Monticello.
Laura Flippen
9 Great Central Valley Farm Stands
Sample fresh, seasonal produce and artisanal foods, and chat with local farmers
The fertile Central Valley stretches some 450 miles from roughly Orland south to...
Alex Farnum
Davis
You don’t have to be a student to enjoy the perks of this ag-oriented college town
Eco-friendly, liberal leaning, progressive, impressive professor’s homes and fraternity houses—Davis has the hallmarks of a classic college...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sample Yolo County’s bounty of local food and drink
Smack-dab in the middle of some of California’s finest farm country, Yolo County is a natural fit for all things edible. There are even novel ways to experience them, like a self-guided visit—...
Jack Andersen/Getty Images
SPECIAL FEATURE
Farm-fresh produce, culinary adventures
Juicy heirloom tomatoes and just-picked strawberries. Super-sweet peaches shaped like mini UFOs. Artisanal cheeses, golden-green olive oils, local wildflower honey—California’s farmers markets are...
Laura Flippen
Laura Flippen
Haggin Museum
Local history merges with world-renowned art at this must-see museum in Stockton’s Victory Park
Housed in an early-19th-century brick building, this handsome art and history museum is the centerpiece of Stockton’s stately Victory Park. The 34...
The Tehama Trail is a surprisingly fertile area—a prime place for farms and ranches. Many invite visitors to stop in and buy fresh produce, artisanal olive oils, and other local food products.
The trail links together nearly two dozen vineyards, orchards, and grass-fed beef ranchers and...
Bakersfield is full of surprises. Once known for oil and agriculture, this Central Valley town is morphing into an arts, culture, and sports hub, while still offering a glimpse of the past. Visit Colonel Allensworth State Historic...
April
Each April, the University of California, Davis, invites the public to its annual and unabashedly friendly ...
Courtesy of U.C. Davis College of Engineering
Kodiak Greenwood
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Witness one of California’s greatest wildlife displays in Butte County
Each year more than a billion birds follow the Pacific Flyway, one of the four primary migratory routes in the Western Hemisphere which, according...
Harriot Manley/ Sunset Publishing
Houseboating
Take to the water on a deluxe floating home
In California, it’s hard to talk about houseboating without talking about the Central Valley. One of the state’s premier places for vacationing in...
October
Honor the harvest season this October at the Hoes Down Harvest Festival, a family-friendly event hosted at the beautiful...
Harriot Manley/Sunset Publishing
California Delta
A boater’s and fisherman’s paradise awaits
Located northeast of the San Francisco Bay, this 1,000-mile network of inland waterways—the major drainage from the snow-capped Sierra Nevada to...
Dale Goff Photography
Lodi Wine Country
Sample the city’s famous Zinfandels after a day of outdoor fun
Best known for big red wines, particularly old-vine Zinfandels, the American Viticultural Area of...
The 10 acres of rooms, passages and gardens at Fresno's Forestiere Underground Gardens were excavated by hand using only farming tools.
Ian Dagnall/Alamy
Bakersfield's Noriega Hotel
This classic Basque restaurant is a must-try in Bakersfield
When Spaniards began descending on Bakersfield in the 1800s, searching for gold and herding sheep, they brought with them an...
California Welcome Centers in the Central Valley
Local farmstands, abundant agriculture, tasty produce
Drive through the Central Valley, and you’ll see evidence of how life here has historically revolved around agriculture. You’ll find incredible...
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California
Romance finds a home in this idyllic coastal land, where ocean fog rolls in from the ocean to blanket hushed redwood forests. Along more than 100 miles of coast, artists...
California
Whether it’s manicured beach towns or celebrated theme parks, all framed by oceanfront towns and luxury yachts, “The OC” stands out as one of the state’s most iconic...
CALIFORNIA
California excels at exclusive (and discreet) retreats fit for movie stars—and anyone else who wants 5-star luxury in ultra-romantic settings. These destinations are known...