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The Amtrak passenger train pulls into Lodi Station. (News-Sentinel file photo)

Getting to Lodi

Whether by train, plane or automobile, getting here is a snap

By Layla Bohm
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Once upon a time, Credence Clearwater Revival's tour bus got stuck in Lodi and the band composed a song about it.

That's one version of the song's origin, anyway.

Even if you're not a well-known recording group, there are still plenty of ways to travel to Lodi — and not get stuck.

Not sure what to expect once you arrive? Read on.

Train

No, not everyone uses personal vehicles for transportation, and trains offer a trip in which nobody has to drive. Lodi's downtown train station, located just south of the Lodi Arch at Sacramento and Pine streets, serves Amtrak trains that go through the city several times a day and connect to such cities as Sacramento and Bakersfield.

For detailed train schedules, go to http://www.amtrak.com or call (800) USA-RAIL.

Buses from the station can take you to ACE in Stockton, which goes to the Bay Area.

And, from Bay Area Rapid Transit's Pittsburg/Bay Point station, Lodi is about an hour's drive away.

Bus

The downtown station also serves as a Greyhound and local bus hub. For more information on Greyhound, go to http://www.greyhound.com or call (800) 231-2222.

Lodi's GrapeLine buses have stops throughout the city and always have room for an extra passenger or three.

Additionally, the city offers Dial-A-Ride, which will pick up passengers at their door and drop them off anywhere in the city for a nominal fee. For GrapeLine information or to schedule a Dial-A-Ride pick-up, call (209) 333-6806.

Car

Of course, cars are always a means of transportation. To travel by cab in Lodi, Galt and the Lockeford area, contact City Cab at (209) 327-2963, or online at http://www.citycablodi.com.

To rent a car locally, try these agencies:

Alamo Rent A Car: (888) 426-3296.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car: (800) 736-8222. To reach Lodi's Kettleman Lane office, call 369-2000.

Hertz: (800) 704-4473. For Lodi's Cherokee Lane office, call 333-3361, or for Galt's Fairway Drive location, call (209) 745-0391.

Thrifty: (800) 847-4389

Air

Lodi is home to Lodi Airport, off Highway 99 near Jahant Road, as well as Kingdon Airpark, located on DeVries Road south of Highway 12, both of which allow chartered planes to land.

Stockton Metropolitan Airport, just west of Highway 99 at Arch Road, has five flights per week to Las Vegas on Allegiant Air.

Of course, not everyone has a chartered plane available at moment's notice, and some aren't coming to Lodi from Las Vegas. In that case, three international airports are less than two hours away.

Sacramento International Airport is about an hour's drive north of Lodi on Interstate 5. It has two terminals, but construction is beginning on a third. It serves major airlines including Southwest and United and has more than 150 departures each day. For more information, go to http://www.sacairports.org.

San Francisco International Airport is the largest airport in Northern California and offers direct transit service including BART. It currently serves 55 airlines and in 2006 handled more than 33 million passengers, according to the airport's Web site. For more information, go to http://www.flysfo.com.

Oakland International Airport has two terminals and has 282 daily departures on most major airlines. Depending on air and road traffic, tickets vary in price between Sacramento and San Francisco international airports. For more information, go to http://www.oaklandairport.com.

A few tips for your visit

Lodi, with a population of about 62,000, is located between Interstate 5 and Highway 99. Highway 12, called Kettleman Lane within the city, heads to the Bay Area to the west and meets up with Highway 88 to the east. About five miles past Lodi, Highway 88 heads through Lockeford, and then further up toward the Sierra Nevada. Ten minutes north of Lodi is Galt, with a population of about 22,000. It straddles Highway 99 south of Elk Grove. West of Lodi, past Interstate 5, is Tower Park Marina, in Terminous. It sits on the banks of Sacramento River Delta.
The area does have seasons, though winter means clouds and rain, rather than snow. The average low in December is 37 degrees, while the average high in July is 91 degrees. Summer days reach into the triple-digits and require sunscreen and air conditioning, but Delta breezes sometimes cool things down a bit in the evenings.
As for what to wear, T-shirts and open-toed shoes are generally safe from April to October, though there can be an occasional rain shower in-between. Shorts, skirts and tank tops are common sights in the summers, while pants, long sleeves and a jacket are the norm in winter. To be on the safe side, throw a bottle of sunscreen and a small umbrella in your bags as you pack.