Contents
•
Bicycle Tours
• Business Traveler
• Downtown Lodi
• Downtown Lodi Dining
• Downtown Lodi Shopping
• Family Activities
• Farmers Market
• Galt Market
• Golf
• Hill House
• Hutchins Street Square
• Lodi Arch
• Lodi-area Events
• Lodi Facts
• Lodi Street Faire
• Museums
• Rae House
• Sacramento Street
• Sandhill Crane Festival
• Wineries
• Wines
• Younger Generation
Lodi for the younger generation
So, you’re stuck in Lodi.
For travelers in their 20s or 30s, this small town might not carry the exciting aura of, say, San Francisco.
But venturing off the beaten path, and a careful look around, can be a rewarding experience.
There are, for example, a number of fun taverns and good restaurants, plus oodles of recreational activities out there to tackle.
Here is a sample of some.
You can make a day of it by using them as guideposts for an itinerary.
During the day, nature lovers can picnic at Lodi Lake. Glide across the lake in a rented canoe or kayak. Boats are available just before Memorial Day. Call 333-6890 for days and times.
Or, rent a boat for a Mokelumne river cruise.
Tours run an hour, May through October.
Prices range from $10 to $15 per person, depending on the size of the group.
An extra fee provides a box lunch, or wine and cheese. Tours must be booked in advance, 333-6890.
For lunch, try Tillie’s, 21 W. Pine St., for sandwiches. It’s a bright yellow place with trompe l’oeil paintings, a red airplane flying across the wall.
There are chess and checker tables if you’d rather stay than picnic.
Or, try Bella Mozzarella, 1021 W. Lodi Ave., or the Butcher Shoppe, 400 W. Lodi Ave., for sandwiches. Bella provides extra bread you can take to feed the ducks at Lodi Lake.
For nightlife, shoot pool under a grizzly bear ready to pounce (don’t worry, he’s stuffed) at Legends, 27 W. Elm St. Legends serves American fare for lunch or dinner.
Families are welcome during the day and on Saturdays. At night, the bar heats up.
There’s a DJ and a band on weekends.
Legends is Lodi’s version of the Hard Rock Cafe: A tribute to movie memorabilia with a Wild West theme.
Also worthwhile, the Pine Street Pub, 105 W. Pine St., is cozy and has a variety of games, including foosball and billiards.
For dinner, try Habanero Hots, 1024 E. Victor Road.
If you can eat a habanero pepper, reputedly the world’s hottest, you get a free T-shirt. Matsuyama Sushi, 235 Lakewood Mall, has good Japanese food.King Yin Cafe is Lodi’s oldest Chinese restaurant, said owner John Zhu.
It opened in 1921, when Main Street was in its heyday. You likely won’t find King Yin on first glance. Zhu doesn’t advertise.
The restaurant is up a narrow staircase in what looks like an abandoned building, next to a “Yes, We’re Open” sign.
King Yin Cafe, 10 N. Main St., is open Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; 4-9 p.m.
After dinner, stop next door to Matsuyama at the House of Coffees.
House of Coffees has live outdoor bands, June through September.
If you have any energy left, cut a rug at Antonio’s Latin Club, 710 S. Beckman Road.
The restaurant becomes a club Friday and Saturday nights, 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Fridays are Spanish and American rock nights.
Salsa, merengue and cumbia play on Saturdays.
The club can pack in about 650 people. Mexican fare is served for lunch and dinner, Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.