Page 166 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

CENTRAL VALLEY
California’s grand garden
B Y J I L L K . R O B I N S O N
TOP CITIES
Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Davis, Stockton, Fairfield,
Merced, Visalia, Madera, Vacaville, Manteca, Lodi
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS
Sacramento International Airport (SMF), 80 miles
(129 km) from Modesto, 172 miles (277 km) from Fresno
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 94 miles
(151 km) from Modesto, 186 miles (299 km) from Fresno
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 118 miles
(190 km) from Bakersfield
TOURISM WEBSITE
visitcentralvalley.com
POPULATION
4,858,000
CENTRAL
VALLEY
This fertile green strip in the center of California is considered by
many to be the greatest garden in the world. The 400-mile-long
Central Valley, wedged between the Sierra Nevada range and the
coastal mountains, is filled with farms, orchards and vineyards growing
everything from almonds to peaches to grapes. You’ve likely benefited
from the region even if you haven’t visited before, as it supplies as much
as 45 percent of the food eaten in the United States. California’s Central
Valley contains thousands of acres of land under cultivation and small
farming communities that seem to have been frozen in time.
The larger cities of the Central Valley (Modesto, Fresno and Bakers-
field), still have a small-town friendliness that encourages visitors to
slow down and find out that there’s more going on beyond the farmland.
From the quiet, northernmost towns of Orland, Yuba City and Davis to
Visalia, Tulare and Maricopa at the southern end of the valley, it’s easy
to feel at home and see what some call “the Other California.”
Travelers using Interstate 5 to get through the Central Valley may
believe the agricultural region is nothing more than a sleepy little
farming area, but don’t speed by and discount the wealth of spectacular
scenery, opportunities for outdoor recreation, highlights of California
history and funky roadside diners. The best way to discover the area on
a leisurely itinerary is by taking Highway 99, which feels more like a back
road. Cities and towns are clustered along the route, giving you a chance
to pull off and explore any time you want.
164 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
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