Manteca, CA Travel, Photos Information and News

If you know beans about tomatoes, then you should know the popular names in California tomato growing such Sun Pacific and Manteca-based Lagorio Family of Companies with Ace Tomatoes, Specialty Products, Delta Pre-Pac, Inc., and Lagorio Farming.

Manteca, it seems, offers one of the best tomato growing regions in California, thanks to the San Joaquin Valley region featuring deep, rich soil and an excellent underground water table. In fact, Lagorio considers this one of the best places in the world to grow tomatoes commercially! Tomatoes in this region are grown from around June to October annually.

Described as a friendly city located in the crossroads or in the Conference and Visitors Bureau way of thinking, "Family City," offers a fantastic climate for travelers. We checked out the climate on a typical October night around midnight and discovered the temperature was around 75 degrees.

From the Interstate 99 Freeway, Manteca looks like so many farms & fields you pass on a journey to wherever you are heading. But on closer look, you need only take one of those road sign exits to discover there is an incredible hospitality and charm just waiting off that busy highway.

The Family City in the Heart of California is surrounded by over 1 million people within a 30-minute drive. Manteca is located on two major California highways (99 & 120)

It has the usual chain stores--Home Depot, Starbuck's Coffee, Target, Staples, TJ Maxx, Pier 1 Imports, Kohl's, PetSmart and Circuit City, serving a population of around 68,000, according to some estimates. Recognized as a fast-growing city, redevelopment is the buzz word of the city website. Providing some of the most affordable housing in the region and in California, the opportunity for growth is strong and it looks like Manteca will stay on its path to increased population in the future.

Things to do:

The Walking Tour of Murals. Visit the murals scattered around town on foot, beginning in the center of Manteca at the corner of Yosemite & Main Streets. Murals include titles: Crossroads, Sierra's Crown, Pumpkin Harvest, Golden Gateway to Manteca, Summer Vision and Cruising Manteca, plus several more. The themes of the painted building scenes depict history, agriculture, commerce, people and lifestyles.

Historical Museum. The history of Manteca and the Central Valley dates back to the early 1800's. Location: 600 West Yosemite Ave. (209) 825-3021.

Dell'Osso Family Farms in Lathrop is one of the biggest and brightest Halloween attractions in the area featuring pumpkin patches and the pumpkin maze open each October. If you want to be amazed, this place is it!