McHenry Village Castle Air Museum  Stanislaus County Fairgrounds Stanislaus County Parks McHenry Mansion and Museum Big Bear Mountain Resorts

Apricot Fiesta. The Apricot Fiesta, held annually in June, was launched in 1970 to celebrate Patterson's biggest crop. Apricot trees thrive in area's warm climate and rich soils. Patterson apricots are well known because of their yield, flavor, and durability. Late spring and early summer marks the time when apricots come from California farms to markets across America. Apricot Fiesta events include the Queen Pageant, the Craft Faire on the downtown streets of Patterson, "Breakfast in the Park, "Firemen's Muster, the children's Petting Zoo, free entertainment, historical exhibits at the Patterson Historical Museum, and many exciting community events and tournaments. During the Fiesta a wide range of apricot products are available.

McHenry Village. Shop and enjoy 65 specialty stores, entertainment, restaurants, a bakery and an art gallery all in a beautiful garden setting in Modesto. Visit www.mchenryvillage.com.

Big Bear Park. Big Bear Park features a lake with swimming area, a waterpark with 11 thrilling waterslides, mini-train rides, a playground, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, golfing, group activities, camping, horseback riding, entertainment, and much more. Meadow Park offers ideal swimming on Big Bear Lake, play areas for sand volleyball, tennis courts, softball fields, horseshoe pits and picnic areas. Swim Beach, which is fully fenced, has lifeguards on duty, a snack bar and shade trees. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visit www.bigbearcampgrounds.com.  [Top]

Castle Air Museum. Located in nearby Atwater offers public tours of the Museum, a gift shop and the Castle Cafe. Stop by for a delicious snacks and souvenirs. The Museum is open daily, 9:00 am - 5 pm. Admission is $10.00 for Adults $8.00 for Seniors and $8.00 for youths from 6-17 (with a paid adult) Children unfer 5 and Active Duty Military personal free. Castle Air Museum represents histor in a way the whole family can share with our awe-inspiring majestic warbirds. To stand under the wing of the Convair RB-36H Peacemaker or the Boeing B-52, you can imagine the sky around the bombers filled with enemy fighters! For more information visit www.castleairmuseum.org or call (209) 723 2178.
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Sierra Railroad Dinner Train Rides. The Sierra Railroad Dinner Train provides an opportunity to travel on the historic Sierra Railroad while enjoying a delicious meal, beautiful countryside, and entertainment. See unspoiled countryside while enjoying superb cuisine in the luxuriously restored railroad dining and lounge cars. The Dinner Train offers romantic dinners, fun murder mysteries, lunches, Sunday brunches, Wild West shows, wine tasting, and special events throughout the year. Sample the area's fine wines and drinks while savoring a freshly prepared meal. Passing Oakdale, the "Cowboy Capital of the World,"the train winds past orchards and climbs Sand Hill to the cattle country of eastern Stanislaus County. Enjoy your entrée as you pass the lost town of Occidental, and a delectable dessert as the train journeys westward to Sierra Station in Oakdale. Experience a delightful evening of romance and intimacy dancing the night away or hearing live musical entertainment on the Lounge Car, The Mirror Lake. Choose from day or evening trips, seasonal rides around holidays, as well as special warm weather trips such as the Wildflower or Raft & Rail Trip. For information, visit www.sierrarailroad.com.  [Top]

Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. From a summer weekend in 1911 to a 10-day run, the Stanislaus County Fair has been a source of fun, entertainment and education for people of all ages. Held annually at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock, California, the fair features hundreds of exhibits, motorsport and rodeo events, top musical entertainment, a broadcast horseracing at the Turlock Turf Club and wonderful food and beverages. The Stanislaus County Fair Arch Gate has been recognized as a California State Point of Historical Interest. A marker was unveiled during an opening night ceremony during the 1999 Fair and is on public view just inside the historic Arch Gate. Visit www.stancofair.com.

Stanislaus River Parks. The Stanislaus River offers as its centerpiece a 330-foot long historic covered bridge built in 1863. Additionally, nine beautifully developed parks are located along the river as it stretches from the Sierra Nevada foothills to the San Joaquin River. The parks, developed after the completion of New Melones Dam, provide access to the river for white-water rafting, canoeing, hiking, and camping.  [Top]

Stanislaus County Parks. With over 10,000 acres of land and 6,000 acres of water, the Stanislaus County Parks feature fishing, an archery range, duck hunting, swimming and river activities.

Altamont Raceway Park. Altamont Raceway Park, located in nearby Tracy features ½-mile and ¼- mile paved oval tracks for competitive racing. Fans can enjoy world-class racing on Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons. For night racing, the gate opens at 5:30 pm, and racing starts at 7:30 pm. For afternoon racing, the gate opens at 10:00 am and racing starts at 1pm. Altamont runs a variety of series, including Super Stock, Modifieds, Midgets and Sprints. Altamont opened in the 1930s, and was brought into its current configuration in 1963. For information, visit www.altamontraceway.com.  [Top]

McHenry Mansion and Museum. Built in 1883, McHenry Mansion in Modesto is on the National Register of Historic Places and a beautiful example of Victorian Italianate architecture. In 1976, the Julio R. Gallo Foundation purchased it and donated it to the City of Modesto for restoration and community use. The Mansion is decorated and furnished with period antiques. The Mansion and gift shop is open Tuesday - Thursday, Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays, Noon to 3 p.m. Located a block away, McHenry Museum is dedicated to preserving a picture of the early life and culture of Modesto and Stanislaus County from pioneer days through the mid-20th century. Built as a library in 1912, the building was restored and reopened as the McHenry Museum in 1972. The Central California Art League Gallery housed downstairs features paintings, sculpture, graphics and selected crafts of local artists.

San Luis Reservoir. Nestled in the grassy hills of the western San Joaquin Valley near historic Pacheco Pass, San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area is a beautiful, multi-use recreation area for boating, board sailing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking and fishing on three lakes. Check out the Medeiros boat ramp and the South Beach picnic area at San Luis Creek. Summer temperatures average in the mid-90s and occasionally exceed 100° but evenings are cool and pleasant. In the spring, the golden-brown hills are coated with a fleeting green, highlighted by bursts of wildflowers colors. A visitor center at the Romero Overlook provides information on the reservoirs through audio-visual and printed materials, and telescopes are available for viewing the area. Visit www.parks.ca.gov.  [Top]

Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest in the town of Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Mountain Resorts is Southern California's top ski and snowboard destination. Big Bear Mountain Resorts includes Southern California's premier mountain resort, Snow Summit, and the nation's only all-mountain freestyle park, Bear Mountain. Together, one lift ticket is good for both resorts presenting guests with 24 lifts serving over 400 acres of developed terrain, 60+ runs, a 1,700-foot vertical drop and a complimentary shuttle service between resorts. Snow Summit and Bear Mountain offer excellent ski terrain for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. Snow Summit offers fantastic beginner to advanced terrain, a wide variety of interconnecting runs, the world-famous Westridge Park, and the Family Fun Park. A world-class terrain park, Big Bear Mountain features over 150 jumps and 80 jibs, Southern California's only Superpipe, a revolving setup of signature jibs, a 13,000 sq. foot sundeck overlooking all the action, and Southern California's highest peak served by a lift. Visit www.bigbearmountainresorts.com.

Yosemite National Park. One of most beautiful places on earth, Yosemite National Park embraces 1,200 square miles of scenic wild lands set aside to preserve a portion of the central Sierra Nevada along eastern California. Ranging from 2,000 feet above sea level to more than 13,000 feet, Yosemite offers an alpine wilderness, three groves of Giant Sequoias and the glacially carved Yosemite Valley with impressive waterfalls, high cliffs and unusual rock formations. Walk, hike or wander through mountain-and-valley scenery, wildlands, meadows, and forests. The 196 miles of roads and 840 miles of trails give access to natural treasures. Highlights of the park include: Yosemite Valley; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; Mariposa Grove's hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point's spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows, a large sub-alpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Towering rock walls line the narrow, forested, U-shaped Yosemite canyon and tall waterfalls cascade from the heights. The perpendicular face of Half Dome - a gigantic, granite monolith sculptured by aeons of glacier erosion and one of America's "Big Walls"- is an extreme challenge for technical climbers.  [Top]