July 2026

Before my first visit to Lodi, the only connection I had with this Central Valley city is that I had a college roommate who grew up there.

I was surprised to learn that Lodi has an established wine scene. That’s what Visit Lodi told me when they invited me out in January to check things out first-hand. They also raved about their up-and-coming food scene. I was skeptical at first, until I was gladly proven wrong. So much so that I pitched a story to Travel + Leisure about it, which you can read here.

If we had more time and better visibility in its vineyards, I would have loved to extend our bike ride around Lodi Lake to include a spin through its country roads. That was the original plan before the weather rerouted us. Maybe next time we’ll also get to ride past the sheep we saw grazing in the vineyards on our way to the next winery or restaurant. Their presence is supposed to be a more environmentally-friendly alternative to weed management. 

I would have also loved more time to join in on a group winery tour aboard Lodi’s wine trolley. And to have enjoyed a glass of zinfandel on the lush patio of Harney Lane. My friend Shannon joined me for the long weekend, and it was here (our first winery stop of the trip), where she accidentally sent our block of cheese flying from the charcuterie board to the tasting room floor. I asked her to cut the cheese, not drop it 😀 

Still Thinking About:

Wine, like museums, can come with a built-in intimidation factor. What struck me about Lodi, like other wine regions I’d visited (like San Luis Obispo), is how approachable these regions are for first-timers.

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