Central California Travel Packages

Drive an hour or two east of San Francisco to Central California, where the farmlands and excellent weather of the Central Valley create an agricultural wonderland. Visit farm stands with produce freshly picked from the fields and wineries with old-vine red zinfandels. Travel to higher elevations and cooler weather in the mountains of this central part of the state.

In the fertile valleys stretching from Bakersfield to Lodi, view millions of acres of more than 200 varieties of produce, from tomatoes, asparagus and strawberries to fruit and nut trees and wine grapes. As much as 45 percent of the food reaching U.S. tables is grown here. Stop at roadside stands near Stockton, Modesto, Turlock, Merced, Fresno, all in the San Joaquin Valley to experience the exceptional taste of these fresh fruits and vegetables.

John Steinbeck grew up in Salinas and later wrote about the plight of farmers after World War I in The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men and other works. Visit the Steinbeck House and the National Steinbeck Center to see artifacts describing Steinbeck’s life and the history of workers in Central California. Explore the talus caves and high peaks of Pinnacles National Park in nearby San Benito.

In Fresno, experience a subsurface microclimate at Forestiere Underground Gardens, built nearly 100 years ago by a Sicilian immigrant to provide a cooler growing space than the lands aboveground. In the relatively flat valley regions, bicycling is popular for all skill levels. Stop to see the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis.

Drive from valleys to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada Range. Photograph granite peaks in Yosemite National Park in black-and-white Ansel Adams style. View the tall Yosemite Falls and other impressive waterfalls from Yosemite Valley. Hike up Half Dome or relax in the Tuolumne Meadows. Bike and fish during summer in Mammoth Lakes. Ski and snowshoe on the majestic mountains in winter.

Whatever the season, enjoy Central California’s natural bounty.