Page 130 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

DRIVE
»
TOUR
It may be tempting to cover
the Central Valley by zooming
along on Interstate 5, but
instead, take the slower
HIGHWAY 99—often referred
to as “California’s Main
Street,” and the very same
road the fictional Joad family
traveled in The Grapes of
Wrath. Start in oil-town
BAKERSFIELD and head north
toward FRESNO, MERCED and
MODESTO. As you pass from
the San Joaquin Valley into
the Sacramento River Delta,
take a jog over to Interstate 5 to pass to the west of Sacramento and
into Yolo, Colusa and Glenn counties at the north end of the great
Central Valley.
DAVIS TRAIN STATION, below.
128 2014 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
City & Town
Bicycles outnumber cars in college-town
Davis, with more bikes per capita than any
U.S. city. Hotrods and Modesto were the
stars of American Graffiti—and auto fans
still flock to the valley city. Fresno’s archi-
tectural history includes brick warehouses
along the Santa Fe railroad tracks and the
1928 Pantages Theatre.
The Great Outdoors
A sprawling web of rivers twists through the
Central Valley—from the Sacramento to the
San Joaquin to the Feather. The best place to
enjoy river life is in the Sacramento Delta,
with lush wetlands and vast orchards. The
Sutter Buttes—considered the world’s
smallest mountain range—rise above the
flat valley at its northernmost point.
Heritage & Culture
Agriculture has drawn a diverse group of
people to the Central Valley over the years,
including migrant workers from Latin
America, Dust Bowl-era farmers and enter-
taining country music masters. Visitors
are always welcome to join regional cele-
brations, from Basque festivals to harvest
days to Portuguese festas—which include
bloodless bullfights.
Family Fun
Families who love wide-open spaces will
find plenty to do in the Central Valley.
Escape the summer heat by tubing down
the Sacramento River, discover the
amazing Forestiere Underground Gardens
in Fresno, wander through the delta town
of Locke, or gawk at restored military air-
craft at the Castle Air Museum.
YOLO COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU.