Lodi Conference & Visitors Bureau

General information

Pass the afternoon sipping wine with a local winemaker at one of our wineries. Shop for that perfect antique or gift in our historic downtown. Stroll barefoot along the beach at Lodi Lake. Tour a museum or visit the zoo. Catch a concert or play at our performing arts theater. Dine in casual or upscale surroundings. Whether you are in Lodi for business or pleasure, for relaxation or rejuvenation, Lodi will surprise and delight.

Find out why wine experts and visitors alike are referring to Lodi as Northern California’s hottest new wine country destination! Lodi is located just 35 miles south of Sacramento and 90 miles east of San Francisco.

The City of Lodi was originally founded in 1869 and on March 21, 1874 Assembly Bill 639 changed town’s name from Mokelumne to Lodi. Being agriculturally minded, the first major crop in Lodi was watermelon and in 1886 Lodi shipped 3,000 rail carloads across the country. Watermelons were not the only crop as this new agricultural powerhouse plucked fruits from the fertile sandy loam soils in Lodi. By 1900, Lodi is said to have nearly 2.5 million grapevines planted. These grapevines are just the beginning of what will become today California's largest appellation.

Lodi's now famous mission-style arch stretching across Pine Street in what is now Downtown Lodi, was completed in 1907, welcoming visitors and residents alike. Also now famous, A&W Root Beer's humble beginnings were on Pine Street near the Lodi arch in 1919 - that's right, Lodi is the birthplace of A&W!

By 1920, Prohibition caused many farmers to pull out their vineyards. Despite this, the wine industry continued to thrive due to a loophole in the law gave people the opportunity to make their own wine. In 1956, the Federal Government officially recognized Lodi as a wine grape growing district, allowing vintners to label their wine as from Lodi. In 1979, Robert Mondavi returned to his hometown to buy the land and historic buildings on Woodbridge Road, which he turned into Woodbridge Winery – one of the largest table wine labels in the nation. Then in 1986, Lodi viticulture area received official recognition as an appellation, accelerating the push toward the quality table wine market among Lodi winemakers. Today Lodi is home to over 90 wineries and approximately 100,000 acres of wine grapes (growing more than some California areas COMBINED). Lodi is also the first to be certified for its sustainable wine grape growing practices and now one-fourth of all grapes are grown using long-term sustainable practices.