Travel Guide to California

2013 Travel Guide to California

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CENTRAL VALLEY California's agricultural heartland TOP CITIES Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Davis, Stockton, Fairfield, Merced, Visalia, Madera, Vacaville INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY 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 playfresno.org visitbakersfield.com fairfield4fun.com POPULATION 4,858,000 168 2013 travel guid e to c al ifo r n i a THE BROAD GREEN STRIP in the center of California is considered by some to be the greatest garden in the world. The 400-mile-long fertile pocket of land wedged between the Sierra Nevada range and the coastal mountains is filled with farms, orchards and vineyards, and supplies as much as 45 percent of the food eaten in the United States. The valley contains thousands of acres of land under cultivation and tiny farming communities that seem to have been frozen in time. In even the larger Central Valley cities (Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield) there's a smalltown friendliness that encourages visitors to slow down and look beyond the vast 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 it also has a wealth of spectacular scenery, opportunities for outdoor recreation, highlights of California history and funky roadside diners. The best way to discover the area is by slowing down and taking Highway 99, which feels more like a back road. Cities and towns cluster along the route, giving you a chance to pull off and explore at your leisure. Two river valleys—the Sacramento and San Joaquin—dominate the majority of the region, and the area waterways serve as opportunities for sport (fishing, rafting, waterskiing) and bird migration rest stops, as well as a necessary element of farming. In the hot summer months, the area's rivers and lakes help resident and tourist alike to cool off, and a shady swimming hole is an ideal spot to spend an afternoon. RICHAR THORNTON; MIKE BRAKE; JIM FELICIANO by jill k. robinson

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