EPISODE · Jun 17, 2019 · 35 MIN
Road Trip: Music to Wine on 99
from California Now Podcast · host Visit California
Join California Now Podcast host Soterios Johnson on this special road trip edition as he drives along Highway 99 through the heart of the Central Valley. His journey begins in Bakersfield, located on the Kern River two hours north of Los Angeles. Bakersfield is the home of a true country music mecca—Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace—and has the highest concentration of Basque restaurants in the United States. Johnson samples both during his time there. His next stop is Fresno, where he tours a one-of-a-kind garden where citrus trees grow 25 feet underground. After an award-winning Fresno taco or two, Johnson continues north to Stockton, where he enjoys just-picked cherries and peach pie from a family-owned farm stand. Johnson then drives to Lodi, a historic wine region and home of Jessie’s Grove Winery, founded in 1889. After sampling some Zinfandel and Cinsault, Johnson settles in for the evening at Wine & Roses, a scenic hotel located just down the road. To order a copy of California Road Trips: 50 Life-Changing Adventures, a high-end publication that includes more about this itinerary (and 49 others), please visit Amazon.com.
What this episode covers
Join California Now Podcast host Soterios Johnson on this special road trip edition as he drives along Highway 99 through the heart of the Central Valley. His journey begins in Bakersfield, located on the Kern River two hours north of Los Angeles. Bakersfield is the home of a true country music mecca—Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace—and has the highest concentration of Basque restaurants in the United States. Johnson samples both during his time there. His next stop is Fresno, where he tours a one-of-a-kind garden where citrus trees grow 25 feet underground. After an award-winning Fresno taco or two, Johnson continues north to Stockton, where he enjoys just-picked cherries and peach pie from a family-owned farm stand. Johnson then drives to Lodi, a historic wine region and home of Jessie’s Grove Winery, founded in 1889. After sampling some Zinfandel and Cinsault, Johnson settles in for the evening at Wine & Roses, a scenic hotel located just down the road. To order a copy of California Road Trips: 50 Life-Changing Adventures, a high-end publication that includes more about this itinerary (and 49 others), please visit Amazon.com.
NOW PLAYING
Road Trip: Music to Wine on 99
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Jan 2, 2026 ·47m
Dec 21, 2025 ·46m