A first-time guide to California’s Central Valley

From soaring mist-shrouded redwood forests to searingly hot desert scenes, California’s diverse landscapes are a key part of its allure. Most visitors to the Golden State make a quick beeline for its iconic coast, but for those looking to buck the trend, there are some fascinating experiences waiting inland within the Central Valley. 

Stretching north of Sacramento down to Bakersfield and hemmed in by the Sierra Nevada and California Coast mountains, this heartland has become something of a foodie nirvana thanks to its outstanding produce-growing conditions. But there’s plenty to explore beyond exceptional eating. Dramatic frontier history, quirky street art and breezy road trips to some of America’s most spectacular corners are all part of the charm. 

Here’s a first-time guide to California’s Central Valley.

When should I go to the Central Valley?

Like much of California, the Central Valley enjoys a Mediterranean climate so there’s never a truly bad time to visit, though there are fluctuations throughout the seasons. Summer here is hot and dry, while things get milder and cooler from fall to spring, with low-lying tule fog bringing hazardous driving conditions on occasion, thanks to the fog's density. The valley’s considerable length of 450 miles also means that the north tends to receive more rain than the semi-desert south.  

Summer is a great time to visit if you can deal with the heat, since the valley’s visitor numbers are lower than those of the coast. Fall is a lovely time, too, as cooler temperatures coincide with the wine harvest. February is best for catching almond blossoms.

How much time should I spend in the Central Valley?

One week is ideal for exploring Sacramento and the smaller surrounding towns. Consider a couple of nights in the state capital before spending a night or two experiencing small-town life or staying at a winery or a ranch. 

If you’d like to take a road trip to somewhere like Lake Tahoe or Yosemite National Park, then plan for 10 days – those aren’t places to make fleeting stops.

Is it easy to get in and around the Central Valley?

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) sits around 10.5 miles northwest of downtown Sacramento and has connections to all major West Coast cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, Seattle and Salt Lake City. Flying directly into San Francisco (SFO) and driving into the Central Valley is also an option, but the traffic in downtown San Francisco can be dreadful when trying to cross the Bay Bridge and often isn’t worth the hassle. 

Once you've arrived, traveling by car is the most efficient way to see the best of the region, especially if towns like Winters and Auburn are on your itinerary or if you want a road trip. Driving through the Central Valley isn’t the feast for the eyes like certain other parts of California, though it has its moments, and the terrain is rarely challenging. Interstate 5 and Highway 99 are easy north–south arteries to navigate from, as well. 

The train is an option if you’re sticking to a linear trip that stops only at the largest cities (though this limits your scope and experience somewhat). Amtrak’s San Joaquins line stops at Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield, as well as Sacramento and San Francisco.

Top things to do in the Central Valley

Explore an underrated wine region

The neighboring Napa Valley invariably brings in the majority of California’s wine tourists, but the Central Valley is home to some special viticulture experiences, too. 

Fanning out around Sacramento, there’s quality in almost every direction. With the sugar-white peaks of the Sierra Mountains visible, the idyllic Viña Castellano winery in Placer County specializes in fruit-forward Spanish varietals, while further south Lodi's downtown is stuffed with charming wine bars. Stop in at the airy Calivines Winery and Olive Mill on the way west, where Caymus-Suisun’s hanging chairs are a wonderfully languid spot to sip a grenache. 

Drop by the Matchbook Wine Company nestled within the rolling Dunnigan Hills before finishing in charming Winters, where Turkovich Family Wines, Berryessa Gap and L’Apero les Trois are a fine syrah-soaked triumvirate. 

Learn about the Gold Rush

Gold was discovered in January 1848 at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma on the Central Valley’s eastern fringes, but it was in 1849 when the world went wild for the stuff and optimistic fortune-seekers trekked here from Europe, China and the East Coast. 

Head to Auburn, where the whimsical streets of Old Town Auburn are lined by alehouses, boutiques, museums and restaurants, which sit alongside relics like the 19th-century courthouse and the oldest operating post office west of the Mississippi. Find out more about the event that changed California forever at Auburn’s delightfully old-fashioned Gold Rush Museum, where you can even pan for gold fragments and keep your find (with the help of some enthusiastic volunteers).

Tour California’s bright white almond blossoms

Cherry blossom season is a photographer’s dream every spring, but the Central Valley has its own distinct blossom – in the form of almonds. 

For a short period between mid-February and mid-March, 120,000 acres of almond groves burst into brilliant white blooms, and Modesto’s Almond Blossom Cruise map is the best way to traverse the best roads to see them. The map offers three routes that dance through exquisite white groves, though the drive between Roberts Ferry and Knights Ferry is a particular delight. Several alluring farm stands are must-stops too, so don’t miss Rodin Farms' honey-glazed almonds or the deliriously good almond butter milkshake from Roberts Ferry Gourmet.

Discover a lost time period in American transport

The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 was another seismic moment in American history, and at Sacramento’s California State Railroad Museum, several gleaming locomotives from that time period and beyond (like the majestic Gov. Stanford) are proudly restored and displayed. There are also six-mile vintage rides along the Sacramento River and poignant exhibitions on the Chinese railroad workers’ experiences, which are often marginalized in Californian history.

Though the car is now king in the US, the country's rail heritage shouldn’t be forgotten, and this museum has one of the finest collections of those pioneering machines.

Check out Modesto’s vivid murals and neon evenings

White is the primary color of the landscape around Modesto during the almond blossom season, but the city itself bursts with color courtesy of over 100 murals. Take Wayfarer’s one-hour audio walking tour to uncover the most prominent works and hear more about the artists who created them. 

When night falls, the shimmering neon from the State Theatre and Galletto Ristorante lights up Modesto’s compact downtown, while entering Brenden Theatres’ luminous, neon-decked foyer in the evening is like walking onto the set of Stranger Things.

Find calm in the valley’s wildlife refuges

The Central Valley is home to an eclectic array of flora and fauna, and its peaceful wildlife refuges are some of the best places to witness the valley’s natural side. 

Covering around 6200 acres of wetland habitat, Los Banos Wildlife Area was established in 1929 and supports over 200 bird species. Located around 60 miles northwest of Fresno, Merced National Wildlife Refuge is particularly flush with birdlife, so keep an eye out for sandhill cranes, pintails, mallards, gadwalls, teals and great blue herons. Raccoons, deer and river otters may make sporadic appearances, too. 

Further south toward Bakersfield, the green marshes and alkaline grasslands of Kern National Wildlife Refuge are much larger at 11,249 acres and are home to the endangered San Joaquin kit fox.

Drive to an iconic national park

With its immense granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves and crystalline lakes, Yosemite National Park is one of America’s most cinematic corners and is accessible along Highway 140, just off Highway 99 (one of the valley’s main north–south arteries). 

Yosemite is home to 800 miles of hiking trails, and few landscapes offer walks quite as widescreen as these. Keep an eye out for road closures during the winter and be wary of visiting during the peak summer months – despite its mammoth size (759,620 acres), the park still gets crowded as visitor numbers climb into the millions.

My favorite thing to do in the Central Valley 

Driving to enjoy the scenery is my go-to for enjoying the Central Valley, and a recent breezy road trip from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe along US Route 50 gave me a perfect view of just how abruptly California’s scenery can change. This serpentine highway is paved over the original tracks of the gold-hunting forty-niners, and not long after passing by the rustic mining town of Placerville, the Central Valley’s skinny palms give way to lush forests of high ponderosa pine trees. There’s a serious shift in elevation, too, so forgive yourself if you feel a tad light-headed as cruising above 7000ft. 

Sugar-white snow splashes across the rocky Alpine mountains of Echo Summit, and soon you'll approach South Lake Tahoe’s wood cabins and lodges. A quick veer west gets you to the glorious expanse of Emerald Bay State Park, a wonderful reward after an enchanting drive.

Where should I stay in the Central Valley?

Sacramento is a vibrant place to base yourself in the Central Valley. With its infinity pool and rooftop bar, the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in downtown is a luxurious option, though you’ll need deep pockets. Over in midtown, Hyatt House Midtown’s Romanesque Revival style architecture is curious and a unique property that faces Sutter's Fort State Historic Park.

Where should I eat?

Farm-to-fork has become something of an overused term in recent years, especially in this region. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Central Valley’s superb, year-round produce gives local restaurants access to ingredients of the utmost freshness. 

In Winters, Preserve’s horseshoe bar crafted from bourbon barrel staves catches the eye, but beautifully crafted dishes like blackened pork chop and mashed yams are the stars. Over in wine haven Lodi, Towne House, a fine restaurant in a leafy neighborhood with a seasonally rotating menu, will make its debut as Americana House, which opens in June 2025.

Unsurprisingly, state capital Sacramento is saturated with great restaurants, like the classy Prelude Kitchen & Bar, all-vegetarian Mother and sushi institution Kru. And small, family-owned cafes across the Central Valley can be counted on for excellent experiences, with slow-food savant Jose Barajas’s Savory Cafe in Woodland serving up perfectly executed twists on classic American brunch plates.

How much money do I need for the Central Valley? 

• Hostel room: $40

• Basic hotel room for two: $200

• Coffee: $4

• Sandwich: $6

• Dinner for two: $80

• Beer or pint at the bar: $7

• Glass of local wine: $9

• Gas per gallon: $4.60-4.80