TourForLess: Modesto, California

Modesto, California United States of America

Modesto, officially known as the City of Modesto, is a city in California, USA. It is the largest city and county seat of Stanislaus County. As per the 2010 census, the city had a population of around 201,165, making it the 18th largest city in California. It is part of the Modesto–Merced combined statistical area. The Modesto Census County Division, which includes the cities of Ceres and Riverbank, had a population of 312,842 in 2010. Located in the Central Valley, Modesto is 90 miles north of Fresno, 40 miles north of Merced, 92 miles east of San Francisco, 68 miles south of Sacramento, 66 miles west of Yosemite National Park, and 24 miles south of Stockton. The city has been recognized as a Tree City USA multiple times. It is surrounded by fertile farmland, with Stanislaus County ranking sixth among California counties in farm production. The county's main agricultural products include milk, almonds, chickens, walnuts, and corn silage, generating nearly $3.1 billion in 2011. The farm-to-table movement is a significant part of life in Modesto and the Central Valley. George Lucas, a filmmaker born in Modesto, highlighted the city in his 1973 film American Graffiti. The film, although not shot in Modesto, depicted the city's cruising culture and friendship in the 1960s, sparking a renewed interest in 1950s pop culture. Modesto's annual Architectural Festival celebrates the city's history as a testing site for mid-century modern architecture during the 1940s and '50s. The city's mid-century buildings have been featured in Museum of Modern Art publications four times. In the 2011 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which surveys participants about various aspects of their lives, Modesto ranked 126 out of 190 cities. In 2009, Forbes ranked Modesto 48th out of 100 in its "Best Bang-for-the-Buck Cities" list. The city ranked high in housing affordability and travel time, but low in job forecast growth and foreclosures. Modesto is also home to the Gallo Family Winery, the world's largest privately-owned winery.

Recommended airport

Stockton Metropolitan (SCK)

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Icons of the American West

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From US$2,630 Total Price

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Destinations: San Francisco, California, Modesto, California, Yosemite National Park, CA, Stevenson Ranch CA, Death Valley National Park, CA, Barstow, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Grand Canyon, AZ, Page AZ, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Kanab, Utah, Zion National Park, Utah, Las Vegas, NV, Los Angeles, CA

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Destinations: Los Angeles, CA, Santa Barbara CA, Solvang, CA, Oakland, CA, San Francisco, California, Modesto, California, Yosemite National Park, CA, Stevenson Ranch CA, Death Valley National Park, CA, Barstow, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Grand Canyon, AZ, Page AZ, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Kanab, Utah, Zion National Park, Utah, Las Vegas, NV

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Classic West Budget

10 Destinations 13 Nights

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West & Beyond 13 Notti Allargato Italian

13 Destinations 13 Nights

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Destinations: Los Angeles, CA, Laughlin NV, Cameron AZ, Moab, Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Las Vegas, NV, Bakersfield CA, Modesto, California, San Francisco, California

Modesto, California, United States of America

Modesto, California United States of America

Our ideas

Icons of the American West

The Best of the American West: San Francisco and the Great Parks

Classic West Budget FR

Classic West Budget

West & Beyond 13 Notti Allargato Italian

West & Beyond 15 Notti Allargato Italian

Forever West Italian

For Ever West