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Area of the Central Valley in California
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The San Joaquin Valley of California stretches from the Tehachapi Mountains north of Los Angeles up to Sacramento. Largely agricultural, the area is some of the most fertile and important farmland in the world.
By car
Interstate 5 and State Route (SR) 99 are the main routes through the region; they go from north to south.
By bus
Intercity bus lines and shuttles typically pass through the San Joaquin Valley on their way between Tijuana/Tijuana Airport, Los Angeles/Huntington Beach and Sacramento along SR-99.
By train
This is a car-based area. Some public transit is available in the form of buses, but they are highly inefficient. Taxi and ride share services are available by reservation and can get expensive.
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Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California.
The largest city in the Central Valley and home to many major farm corporations and food corporations.
Home to the University of California, Merced. Built in 2005, it is the newest and "greenest" UC. The midsize city also boasts an up and coming downtown. There is a small winery scene in the area including Gallo farms and Vista Cellars.
Modesto is a city in California's San Joaquin Valley.
Home to the University of the Pacific and one of America's most diverse cities.
Considered a bedroom community for Bay Area commuters and a crossroads for people traveling between Central Valley, Bay Area, and Los Angeles.
Visalia is a city of 141,384 (2020) in Tulare County in California's San Joaquin Valley.
The Sierra Nevada region of California is its alpine region, covering a large portion of the state's inland territory. Rugged mountains and awe-inspiring canyons in the area's national parks and forests are truly part of the United States' national wilderness treasures.
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