By rail or by air, plan ahead for best trip possible

Considering a trip to the Lodi area? A little planning always helps, and here’s the lowdown on how to get here and what else one may need to know upon arrival.

Sacramento International Airport: Located on Interstate 5 about 12 miles northwest of downtown Sacramento, the airport, or SMF, is served by several major airlines. Frequent non-stop flights to major U.S. cities leave and arrive daily, as well as connecting flights to other U.S. and international cities. For more information on Sacramento’s international airport, and other regional airports, go to www.sacairports.org.

San Francisco International Airport: The Bay Area’s largest airport, SFO is served by nearly 30 airlines and is located in South San Francisco. The airport can be reached by several mass transit systems. For more information call (650) 821-8211, or go to www.flysfo.com.

Oakland International Airport: Although smaller than SFO, Oakland’s airport, OAK, is served by 14 airlines and can be reached through several major U.S. cities. The airport is located off Interstate 880 and is served by mass transit. It can be reached at (510) 563-3300, www.oaklandairport.com.

Modesto City-County Airport: Serving Modesto and the rest of the Central Valley, this airport can be reached via regular connector flights from San Francisco offered by SkyWest Airlines. The airport is located off Highway 99 and Passenger Service can be reached at (800) 241-6522, www.modairport.com.

Train and bus service: Amtrak trains stop at cities throughout the Central Valley, and the rail service also has bus connections to the Bay Area and other destinations. Trains make four stops a day (two going south, two going north) at the Lodi Station. Call Amtrak at (800) USA-RAIL or go online at www.amtrak.com for fare and schedule information. Greyhound offers bus service for Lodi to and from cities throughout the state. For more information call (800) 231-2222 or go to www.greyhound.com.

Local bus service: GrapeLine

Lodi’s local bus service offers routes throughout Lodi and connections to regional transit lines serving, Stockton, Manteca and Tracy. Lodi’s transit system also features a Dial-A-Ride service, a door-to-door pick up service for riders with disabilities. Call (209) 333-6806.

Stockton Metropolitan Area Transportation (SMART): This bus service provides routes throughout Stockton and four fixed, intercity routes serving Lodi, Tracy, Manteca, Ripon and Lathrop. For more information call (209) 943-1111 or go to http://sj-smart.com.

Car Rental Agencies

Alamo Rent A Car: (888)-426-3296
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: (800)-736-8222
Hertz: (800)-704-4473
Plummer Cadillac: (209) 369-3573
Silver Dollar Rent-A-Car: (209) 339-9586
Stellar Limousines: (202) 327-4677
U Save Auto Rental, Stockton: (209) 952-0870

For all emergencies call 911.

Non-emergency numbers:
Lodi Police Department: (209) 333-6727
Lodi Fire Department: (209) 333-6735
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department: (209) 468-4400
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department: (800) 537-7273
California Highway Patrol: (209) 943-8600

Location

Located in the northern region of California’s Central Valley, Lodi is 35 miles south of Sacramento and six miles north of Stockton. It is about 2 and half hours away southwest of Reno and two hours east of San Francisco.

Geography

Lodi is situated between Interstate 5 to the west and Highway 99 to the east. Highway 12 runs through the town connecting both highways. Highway 88 is intersected by Highway 12 about five miles east of Lodi in the community of Lockeford. Galt, a town of 22,000 people, is about 8 miles to the north. The Mokelumne River is the town’s natural northern border and flows into the Sacramento River Delta near the community of Terminous, which lies about nine miles west of Lodi.

Weather

Summer days can be hot in Lodi, but summer evenings usually cool down as breezes coming in off the Delta. Winters are cool and rainy. The average high in July is 91 degrees and the average low in December is 37 degrees. Average yearly rainfall is 18.8 inches.

What to wear

Shorts, skirts, light shirts and tank tops are the norm from March to October. During the winter, from November to February, dress for rain and cold temperatures. Expect the unexpected during spring and fall as the weather can vary between hot and sunny to cold and foggy.

Lodi Wine and Visitor Center: 2545 W. Turner Road, west of Lower Sacramento Road and north of U.S. Highway 12; (209) 365-0621, www.lodiwine.com.

California Travel and Tourism Commission: Web site with information on visiting California with links to regional information, www.visitcalifornia.com.

California Delta Chambers and Visitors Bureau: Located at 14900 W. Highway 12, Suite C-2, Lodi; (209) 367-9840; www.californiadelta.org.

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