贝克斯菲尔德 充满了惊喜. 曾经以石油和农业闻名, this Central Valley town is morphing into an arts, 文化, 和体育中心, while still offering a glimpse of the past. Visit 艾伦斯沃斯上校国家历史公园, 45 miles/72 kilometers north. This early 1900s settlement—an attempt by a group of African Americans to create a utopian society far from negative influences from the outside world—offers a remarkable look at an unusual event in California history.

贝克斯菲尔德’s newer attractions include the gallery-filled Arts District, where the 1930 Fox Theater showcases everything from pop music to ballet. 不要错过 巴克·欧文斯的水晶宫, home to the region’s signature 贝克斯菲尔德 Sound, a twangy type of Country music. The country’s largest concentration of Basque restaurants, including the 诺列加酒店, is a reminder of the region’s rich Basque history (immigrants from the Spanish and French Pyrenees settled sheep ranches here in the late 1800s). In spring, wildflowers blanket the nearby Tehachapi Range.

Forty-five miles northwest of 贝克斯菲尔德, 艾伦斯沃斯上校国家历史公园 offers a remarkable look at one of the most unique episodes in California history. In a remote area of the southern San Joaquin Valley, it’s the site of an early 1900s settlement founded by Allensworth, 前奴隶, 和其他四名非裔美国人. These pioneers were hoping to create a farming community where they and other African Americans could live free of discrimination. The settlement quickly grew and by 1914 had a population of more than 200. But a shortage of water and other challenges ultimately doomed the town, and by the 1970s it was completely abandoned. Come out to the park and you can get a sense of the town’s history as you visit Allensworth’s home and other surviving buildings.

If you’re looking for snacks or a meal along 99号公路, tiny Traver (population barely over 700) is home to the old-fashioned 布拉沃农场特拉弗, which offers everything from 酒 tasting to animal feeding. Enjoy Tex-Mex cuisine at Wild Jack’s restaurant and for a perfect dessert on a hot Central Valley afternoon, go for a scoop at Rosa Brothers Ice Cream. The kids can frolic in a seven-story treehouse (listed in the Guinness Book of World Records), 打迷你高尔夫, 看到各种各样的动物, 包括骆驼. 同时，布拉沃农场特拉弗 's 经典芝士公司 更多的是成年人的乐趣, thanks to tastings of handcrafted artisanal cheeses and California 酒s.

夫勒斯诺市 makes for a surprisingly lively getaway. Seven stadiums and a pair of arenas satisfy sporty types, and an annual Woodward Shakespeare Festival in lush Woodward Park reveals 夫勒斯诺市’s cultural bent.

但农业是这里的王者. 检出的 葡萄园农贸市场, Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. 在早春, drive or bike along the 62-mile Blossom Trail, when the route lined with fruit and nut trees is in full bloom. 在夏天, it morphs into the 夫勒斯诺市 County Fruit Trail, and fruit stands overflow with seasonal produce.

在小镇, explore subterranean Forestiere Underground Gardens, hand-dug by an Italian immigrant who saw going underground was a great way to keep cool and comfortable during Central Valley summers. 孩子们喜欢 查菲堡动物园, especially the frolicking pinnipeds in Sea Lion Cove. 每月 艺术啤酒花 are a great way to explore the Mural District, a hotbed of artists’ studios and galleries. After dark, restaurants and clubs light up the neon-bright Tower District.

Best known for big red 酒s, particularly old-vine Zinfandels, 洛迪, 83 miles/133 kilometers east of San Francisco is also a leader when it comes to going green. Upwards of 25,000 vineyard acres are certified sustainable, and this is the birthplace of 洛迪规则, California’s first third-party certified sustainable 酒growing program. A variety of tasting rooms have sprouted up in recent years, with most of the action located within a 15-minute drive from downtown. 一个很好的开始是 洛迪酒 & 游客中心, offering a rotating selection of varietals from nearly 80 local vintners.

尽管葡萄酒的种类也在增加, 富人, concentrated New World varietals are still the region’s hallmark, and more than 40 percent of the state’s Zinfandels are produced here. ZinFest, an annual three-day tasting party each May, offers a chance to sample some 250 酒s from 洛迪’s best producers.