Page 91 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

CENTRAL VALLEY
California’s vast and fertile heartland
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, Tulare
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 WEBSITES
visitcentralvalley.com
visitfairfieldca.com
visitvisalia.com
discovertularecounty.com
visityolo.com
visitbakersfield.com
POPULATION
7,200,000
The rich green strip wedged between the Sierra Nevada Range and the
coastal mountains in the center of California is considered by many
to be the greatest garden in the world. The Central Valley, which runs
450 miles north to south, is filled with farms, orchards and vineyards. It
supplies 25% of the nation’s food, including 40 percent of the nation’s
fruits, nuts and other table foods.
The larger cities here (Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield) still have a
small-town friendliness that encourages visitors to discover 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, it’s easy to see what some call “The Other California.”
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 clus-
tered along the route, giving you a chance to pull off any time you want.
Two river valleys—the Sacramento and San Joaquin—dominate much of
the region, and the waterways provide opportunities for sport (fishing,
rafting, waterskiing) and bird migration rest stops, as well as an essential
element of farming. In the hot summer months, the area’s rivers and lakes
help residents and tourists alike to cool off, and a shady swimming hole is
an ideal spot to spend a weekend.
CENTRAL
VALLEY
City & Town
College-town Davis has been ranked the number one most bike-friendly city
in the U.S. Modesto and its hot rods were the stars of American Graffiti—and
2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 89