Lodi

In Downtown Lodi, people love their wine. This lively neighborhood, filled with homes predating the 1950s, is close to small businesses, neighborhood parks and nearly 80 wineries. “Lodi has always probably sold more wine grapes than Napa Valley,” says Margo Cook, co-owner at Schaffer and Company Realtors and lifelong resident. “Our sandy loam soil has good drainage for an industry like grape-growing.” Downtown has several wine-tasting venues pouring zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon to customers. Historic buildings are here, like the white mission revival-style Lodi Arch and the Italian Renaissance Revival-style Lodi Opera House, both listed on the national historic register. Downtown had the first A&W Root Beer Shop, which exists today as only a historical marker. Cook says people enjoy walking down the street and catching up with neighbors, and the community comes together for annual events like the Lodi Street Faire and seasonal farmers market. Single-family homes sit within walking distance of locally owned eateries and neighborhood parks. Paved, residential streets are laid out in a grid, and properties sit side-by-side near wide sidewalks. “I call it, ‘romantically overgrown, with drooping things here and there,’” Cook says. Remodeled early 20th-century bungalows and ranch-style homes scattered throughout the community have stucco exteriors, short cement driveways and fenced-in backyards. Some homes include back patios and small sheds. These bungalows and ranch-style home prices range from $200,000 to $450,000. Vintage Colonial-Revival and Craftsman homes built between the 1920s and ‘30s sit along Oak and Walnut Street on the northwestern side of the neighborhood; these three to four-bedroom renovated properties feature large, open porches, tall, vine-covered fences and fruit trees near walk-up entrances. Prices range from $750,000 to $1 million. Owners of the neighborhood’s designated historic homes tend to hold onto them for years. Wine tasting is a beloved pastime in Downtown Lodi. The family-owned Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery operates out of a brick icehouse building, pouring wines made from its vineyard grapes. Jeremy Wine Company is a laid-back spot with an outdoor patio serving red and white varietals. For more dinner options, locals can visit Oxford Kitchen, known for its beef Wellington, or stop by M Sushi for ramen and sake. Folks can grocery shop at the regional Smart & Final and pick up meat and fresh bread at Dos Hermanos Market. The nearby locally owned Cheese Central has curated cheeses from around the world and an olive oil station, and locals can take cooking classes in its Grand Central Kitchen. Secondhand Rose sells antique furniture and kitchenware, and Lodi Junction is a massive thrift store selling gently used shoes and clothing. The Lodi Street Faire is one of the area’s most attended bi-annual events. In May and October, vendors fill a 14-block area and sell snacks, crafts and handmade artwork. Attendees can munch on sweet treats while watching dance and musical performances. In February, the Downtown Lodi community celebrates Wine and Chocolate Weekend, where people hop between 30 different wineries to sample local wines and decadent chocolates. On Thursday evenings from May to September, people browse through canned goods and organic vegetables at the Lodi Certified Farmers Market. Lodi Unified School District serves the area. Kids can start at Heritage Elementary, which scores a C from Niche. Lodi Middle earns a C-plus, and the B-plus-rated Lodi High offers over 20 men’s and women’s sports as well as student organizations like Bass Fishing and A Literary Adoration Society Club. The private University of the Pacific is a 15-mile drive south in Stockton. Downtown Lodi has a handful of small city parks. The tree-lined American Legion Park features swings and a basketball court, and a mile further north, the 2-acre Emerson Park includes a playground and horseshoe pit. People kayak and paddleboard at Lodi Lake, a 114-acre waterway with its own nature center. Movies are screened at Lodi Stadium 12 Cinemas and theater performances are staged in the Charlene Powers Lange Theatre in Hutchins Street Square’s neoclassical-styled building. State Route 99—also known as Highway 99—is less than a mile east of the area. The road connects to Stockton 16 miles south and Sacramento 35 miles north. School Street is dotted with local restaurants and shops, and East Lodi Avenue is a major thoroughfare that travels east-west through the neighborhood. Downtown Lodi is a highly walkable area with several brick and cement sidewalks. Streets like East Lodi and Hutchins have bike lanes. People drive to get around, and traffic is usually light. Grape Line Express buses make regular stops in and around the community. Adventist Health Memorial Hospital is 2 miles south, and Sacramento International Airport is the closest international airport, 50 miles north.

Western Lodi neighborhood close to vineyards and local shopping The small western Lodi community of Sunwest features popular restaurants, sought-after schools and proximity to vineyards and farmland. “I enjoy it because it’s very community-oriented,” says Gene Reno, longtime area resident and Realtor for Keller Williams Realty. Residents are mostly families who move here for the well-rated schools, access to outdoor recreation and spacious lots. Narrow, asphalt neighborhood streets with the occasional “slow down” turtle sign connect to wider, two-lane roads like West Lodi Avenue, and crosswalks are scattered throughout. Along with attending Lodi’s farmers market and holiday celebrations downtown, Reno says Sunwest residents work together to keep the area safe. “We hear things, we see things, and the police are on top of everything. People look out for each other here,” he says. Walkable streets with ranch-style properties Tall oak and palm trees dot the well-paved neighborhood streets in Sunwest. Single-family homes sit side-by-side in sidewalk-lined streets ending in cul-de-sacs. Some houses are within walking distance of parks like Vinewood and Thomas A. Peterson. Set throughout the community, midcentury ranch-style homes with brick and vinyl exteriors have two-car garages, covered back patios and well-kept lawns. These properties range between $450,000 and $600,000. Late 20th-century Spanish ranch-style homes and 2010s two-story Spanish-inspired new traditional properties sit near the western border of Sunwest. These houses have tan stucco facades, wooden fenced-in backyards and views of grape orchards in the west. Prices range from about $700,000 to $1 million. Sipping on drinks at Wine and Roses Residents pick up freshly baked pastries and artisanal merchandise at Towne Corner Café and Market in the highly visited Wine and Roses Hotel. The hotel’s onsite upscale restaurant, Towne House, serves wagyu steak dinners with red wine pairings. While the hotel is a popular spot for visitors and tourists, Sunwest locals frequent it for anniversaries, date nights and weekend getaways. Wine and Roses also hosts weddings and corporate events in an intimate barn-style reception area. Folks can pick up groceries at Safeway on the south side of the neighborhood or browse through Burlington and Hobby Lobby in the next-door Sunwest Plaza. Wine tastings are close by in Downtown Lodi, 3 miles northeast. Family-owned Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery pours wines from its vineyards, and Jeremy Wine Company serves flights of red and white wine. Picking up fresh vegetables at the Lodi Farmers Market On Thursday evenings from May to September, Sunwest residents can browse through canned goods and organic vegetables at the Lodi Certified Farmers Market downtown. At the end of November, folks congregate downtown for the annual Lodi Parade of Lights. About 80 floats decorated with twinkling lights and local dance groups stroll along School and West Pine Street while onlookers cheer. After school tutoring through Lodi High programs The area is served by the Lodi Unified School District. Kids start at Vinewood Elementary, which serves kindergarten through sixth grade and is rated B-plus by Niche. Millswood Middle contains seventh and eighth grades and earns a B-minus. The B-plus-rated Lodi High offers the After School Tutoring and Enrichment Program (ASTEPS) for students who need extra help with schoolwork. Basketball and tennis matches at Peterson Park Within the neighborhood, residents can shoot hoops and play tennis at Thomas A. Peterson Park. A mile south, Vinewood Park includes a fenced-in dog area, and nearby 11-acre Kofu Park has a skate park and baseball diamond where youth sports leagues play. Locals can venture north to kayak and paddleboard at 114-acre Lodi Lake, which has a boathouse and nature center. The World of Wonders Science Museum is 3 miles northeast. Visitors can learn about convection currents and look through microscopes in the museum’s 70 exhibits. Car and bike-dependent community North Lower Sacramento Road runs through the neighborhood, giving access to surrounding communities like Woodbridge and Central Lodi. People drive or bike to get around, and traffic is usually light. Grape Line Express buses make regular stops along West Turner and Sacramento roads and travel around the city. Downtown Lodi is 2 miles east via West Lodi Avenue, and Interstate 5 is a 6-mile drive west. Adventist Health Memorial Hospital is 2 miles east, and Sacramento International Airport is just under 50 miles north. Staying cool in Sunwest In the summer months, San Joaquin County can experience significant hot weather, with daily temperatures reaching over 100 degrees in certain areas. The Lodi Library and Lodi Community Center act as cooling centers, and residents can catch free rides via Grape Line buses. For homeowners, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services suggests covering windows with shades, adding insulation to keep heat out and preparing for any power outages in hot weather by keeping backup generators and enough nonperishable food in stock.

A few miles from downtown, East Lodi is an established neighborhood known for its religious and cultural diversity. Its Christian Gravity Church, Buddhist Church of Lodi and Lodi Muslim Mosque provide people with places to worship and meditate. The nearby Tokay High offers culturally focused student organizations like the Muslim Student Association and National Honor Hispanic Society. Mexican and Mediterranean restaurants line Cherokee Lane, serving tacos and gyros. “It’s an older, original Lodi homestead. It’s very community-oriented,” says Gene Reno, Realtor for Keller Williams Realty and longtime area resident. People here also enjoy coming together for National Night Out at Blakely Park near the area’s western border. Single-family homes here sit close together in oak and pine-tree-lined streets ending in cul-de-sacs. The dark asphalt roadways here are narrow and dotted with old lampposts. Most areas have sidewalks, and many folks park their vehicles in the street. Remodeled early 20th-century bungalows with stucco exteriors are near the neighborhood’s center, while brick and vinyl ranch-style properties built between the 1970s and ‘90s are found further south. These two to three-bedroom houses have short driveways touching small fenced-in backyards; homes are priced from around $300,000 to $500,000. Two-story modern Spanish-Revival homes built in the early 2000s and 2020s and new traditional houses all sit in the southern pocket of East Lodi. Some homes feature tree-shaded back decks and sit in well-kept subdivisions like Villas and Sonterra. Prices range between $550,000 and $750,000. Within the neighborhood, locals pick up freshly sliced meat and imported spices from Mexico at Rancho San Miguel. Residents can also walk next door to Lodi Halal Meat for lamb, goat and other goods. Costco Wholesale is another grocer option near the southern border. Tin Roof BBQ serves smoked ribs with tri-tip chili, and locally owned Habanero Hots cooks traditional Mexican plates. Wine tasting is also a popular activity for East Lodi neighbors. In an unassuming, plain stucco building, St. Amant Winery pours zinfandels and red blends made from its vineyard grapes. In the neighboring Downtown Lodi, Jeremy Wine Company has wine flights with charcuterie boards. For shopping, folks can browse used home décor at Lodi House Thrift Boutique or venture to Lodi Junction for gently used clothes and shoes. Since 2014, the neighborhood has participated in the city’s National Night Out event. East Lodi neighbors gather at nearby Blakely Park with local police officers to play games, eat food and mingle. For 2024’s National Night Out, Reno says the city non-profit, Love Lodi, is donating around 1,500 backpacks to students in need at the event. In October, East Lodi neighbors head a few miles west to Downtown Lodi for the annual Wicked Wine Stroll. Visitors dressed in black witch hats and spooky costumes taste wines from more than 20 local wineries while browsing downtown shops. On Thursday nights from May to September, people can check out canned goods and organic vegetables at the Lodi Certified Farmers Market downtown. The area is zoned for the Lodi Unified School District. Kids can start at Lois E. Borchardt Elementary, which offers kindergarten through sixth grade, and continue to Lodi Middle for grades seven and eight. Both schools score a C-plus from Niche. The B-rated Tokay High is known for its Before and After School Program where students can get Biology and Spanish tutoring and opportunities to play board games like Dungeons and Dragons. Within the community, residents can head to Salas Park to practice their throws in the baseball fields, hang out on the playground or take a walk in the open, grassy spaces. Some homeowners can walk to Blakely Park, which features a basketball court, outdoor pool and the Lodi Boys and Girls Club, where kids can attend summer camp and fundraising events. Folks can access the 114-acre Lodi Lake at the northern border for swimming, boating and other water activities. Visitors can rent kayaks from the Lodi Boathouse, and anglers set up lakeside to fish. Locals can travel a mile west to the World of Wonders Science Museum downtown for a break from the outdoors. State Route 99—also known as Highway 99—travels through the neighborhood, giving access to Sacramento 37 miles north and Stockton 15 miles south. The major thoroughfare, Kettleman Lane, runs east-west through the area and connects residents to nearby neighborhoods like Central Lodi. Traffic is usually light in East Lodi, except when folks are commuting to and from work and school via Highway 99. The community is fairly walkable, and streets like Beckman and Stockton have bike lanes. Grape Line Express buses also stop in and around the neighborhood. Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital is 2 miles northwest of the area, and Sacramento International Airport is a 50-mile drive north. East Lodi has an overall CAP Crime Index Score of 4, higher than neighboring areas like Central Lodi which scores an overall 3. Reno says there’s generally more crime, like car break-ins and some gang activity, in East Lodi compared to other parts of the city. He says there can be a disconnect between the communities in the west and east sides of town. To reduce crime and strengthen community bonds, the police department holds events like National Night Out. “We want to meld both sides together to show support and that we’re there to help,” Reno says. Since 2012, the One-Eighty Teen Center has provided kids in Lodi with a safe place to play games, learn new skills and seek counseling. Reno says three counselors have exclusively moved to East Lodi to serve residents there. Extremely hot temperatures can hit San Joaquin County in the summer, which can be especially hard for some East Lodi residents because of outdated home AC systems. Locals can escape the heat at nearby designated cooling centers, Lodi Public Library and Lodi Community Center. Free transportation to the cooling centers is provided by Grape Line buses. For homeowners, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services suggests using attic fans to clear hot air, and to cover windows with drapes.

Located a mile north of downtown, North Lodi is a well-established community close to shopping, schools and nearly 80 different wineries. The area mostly consists of single-family residences lining asphalt-paved streets, and locals aren’t far from waterside activities at Lodi Lake and nearby parks. “People seem to stay,” says Kristina Heisler, Realtor for Peterson Adams Real Estate and Lodi local for 13 years. “It’s a family-friendly environment and centrally located—hour and half to Lake Tahoe and the beach. People tend to leave for school, come back and raise their kids here.” Neighbors enjoy mingling at the highly attended Lodi Certified Farmers Market downtown or clinking glasses over dinner at Wine and Roses a few miles west. Within the neighborhood, residents can order classic burgers and shakes at Snowhite Drive-In’s old-school-style counter right next to Lodi Lake’s entrance. The family owned California Al’s serves up savory breakfast plates, and for lunch, Rick’s New York Style Pizza has meat and vegetarian options. Since the city is surrounded by more than 80 vineyards, several wine-tasting spots are close by. Two miles south in downtown, the family-owned Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery offers red and white wines in a historic 1800s brick icehouse building. Folks can also check out Jessie’s Grove Winery 3 miles west for handcrafted zinfandel and pinot noir wines. Jessie’s Grove hosts concerts throughout the summer, like regional Bee Gees and Eagles cover bands. Shoppers can head to Lodi Junction for gently used clothes and furniture, and the Vineyard Shopping Center 3 miles south houses several small businesses like Salon Pure and Wildwood Skate Shop. Folks travel 3 miles southwest for groceries at Raley’s 3 miles southwest or Ranchos San Miquel 2 miles southeast. The Lodi Certified Farmers Market is a popular attraction on Thursday evenings from May to September. Folks can browse through canned goods, grab a snack and pick up organic vegetables in Downtown Lodi a mile southeast. Towards the end of November, folks also gather downtown for the annual Parade of Lights. Nearly 80 light-decorated floats parade down School and West Pine streets and local marching bands perform while onlookers cheer from the sides. Single-family homes in North Lodi line gridded residential streets. Palm and pine trees dot narrow sidewalks, and a few Little Free Libraries are dispersed throughout. Most homes were built in the 1950s or ‘60s, and Heisler says young buyers usually renovate their homes by updating their electrical and HVAC systems and roofs. “You’ll come across a gem that needs all new love,” she says. Midcentury ranch-style homes and bungalows with A-frame exteriors have short, cement driveways and well-manicured backyards. These properties sit on small lots on the west side of the neighborhood and range between $300,000 and $500,000. Further north, closer to Lodi Lake, Spanish-inspired new traditional homes built in the late 20th century sit on quarter-acre lots with lush, well-kept yards and in-ground pools. Some sit in subdivisions like Rivergate, which has crystal clear lake views. Rivergate homeowners can expect to pay around $87 in monthly HOA fees, and homes there cost between $750,000 and $1.5 million. The area is zoned for the Lodi Unified School District. Kids can start at Lakewood Elementary, which earns a C-plus from Niche, and continue to Millswood Middle, which scores a B-minus. The B-plus-rated Lodi High has over 20 men’s and women’s sports, plus student organizations like Bass Fishing and A Literary Adoration Society Club. After graduating, students can attend the private University of the Pacific 17 miles south in Stockton. The 114-acre Lodi Lake touches the neighborhood’s northern border. Locals can rent or bring kayaks and paddleboards for a day on the water or opt for a chartered boat tour, which covers 5 miles of the waterway. Visitors can also hike the dirt-packed Lodi Lake Wilderness Trail, a 3-mile route passing canopied trees and scenic water views. The nearby Candy Cane Park features a colorful playground, and the 11-acre Kofu Park includes a skate park and baseball diamond where local youth sport leagues play. The massive Micke Grove Regional Park is an 8-mile drive south where residents can visit the zoo, practice their swing at the golf course and cool off in the splash pad. U.S. Route 99—also known as the Golden State Highway—connects to North Lodi’s eastern border, giving access to Stockton 18 miles south and Sacramento about 37 miles north. The area is somewhat walkable with most streets featuring sidewalks, and roads like Holly Drive have bike lanes. Grape Line Express buses make regular stops in and around the neighborhood’s southern border. Adventist Health Memorial Hospital is a 2-mile drive south, and Sacramento International Airport is 50 miles north.