Overview
Manteca is a city in San Joaquin County in California's San Joaquin Valley.
12 sights · 11 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Manteca
Manteca Museum
Sierra's Crown
The first mural on your tour is part of the newly created Veterans Plaza in front of the Legion Hall in the 200 block of West Yosemite Avenue. Ripon artist Dave Peterson's original transparent watercolor of Half Dome is …
Crossroads
The mural gracing the Main Street wall of Century Furniture located at Yosemite and Main is Manteca's largest. It covers 4,000 square feet and was created by Dave Gordon. "Crossroads" depicts what Manteca's business dist…
Cruising
Arguably the most popular of all murals, people who didn't even grow up in Manteca and experience the cruise down Yosemite Avenue in the 1950s and 1960s find themselves reminiscing about bygone days. It is in the 100 blo…
Pumpkin Harvest
Across Main Street from the "Cruising" creation is the "Pitching Pumpkins" mural. It pays homage to Manteca's most famous crop--pumpkins. Seventy percent of California's jack-o'-lantern pumpkins are grown in the Manteca …
Service Above Self
From the "Pitching Pumpkins" mural, head west through the parking lot. You will reach the "Rotary Mural" and a new mini-plaza. Take a minute to rest on one of the benches and enjoy the water fountain and garden. That way…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 40°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Tracy)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SCK Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton — 6 mi away. Directions
- CCR Buchanan Field, Concord — 47 mi away. Directions
- SJC Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Jose — 49 mi away (major hub). Directions
Head east on 580, connect to 205 which will merge with I-5, then take the 120 exit.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Manteca Museum, Cruising, Golden Gateway to Manteca
- Lunch Mountain Mike's Pizza
- Afternoon Free For All, Big League Dreams
- Evening Delicato Vineyards
Day 2
- Morning Sierra's Crown, Pumpkin Harvest, Cow-munity Mural
- Afternoon Summer Vision, Manteca Park Golf Course
Day 3
- Morning Crossroads, Service Above Self, Our Bountiful Valley
- Afternoon Local Motion, Bowlero Manteca
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
From the Bay Area
Head east on 580, connect to 205 which will merge with I-5, then take the 120 exit.
From Sacramento
Head south on either I-5 or Hwy 99 until you get to Manteca. Hwy 99 will pass through cities while I-5 is scenic farm land and usually takes less time.
From Southern California/Fresno
From Southern California take either I-5 or Hwy 99 north. I-5 usually takes less time and is more scenic farmland while Hwy 99 will pass through cities. From Fresno take Hwy 99 north.
By plane
- Modesto City–County Airport (MOD) Provides roundtrip service via SkyWest (United Airlines) from San Francisco to Modesto.
- Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) Provides service from Las Vegas to Stockton via Allegiant Air.
International Airports
Manteca is located within distance of 5 International Airports:
By train
The ACE Train (Altamont Commuter Express) services the Stockton/Manteca region. The train has terminals in Stockton, Manteca, Tracy, Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, Great America, Santa Clara, and San Jose. The train runs Monday-Friday during work hours.
Go Lathrop/Manteca railway station
See
Murals
Murals are designed to give visitors, newcomers and longtime residents alike an insight into the community's culture, history, and economy. The Manteca Mural Society has finished 11 of 30 planned murals. The best place to start an easy walking tour of the murals completed so far is to start in the 200 block of East Yosemite Avenue of the downtown district. Pick up a walking tour guide at the CVB office or download at www.visitmanteca.org
See Sierra's Crown
The first mural on your tour is part of the newly created Veterans Plaza in front of the Legion Hall in the 200 block of West Yosemite Avenue. Ripon artist Dave Peterson's original transparent watercolor of Half Dome is blended with images of Yosemite Valley and Merced River. The front of the Legion Hall in the 200 block of East Yosemite is a compilation of details such as rainbow arching above the granite cap, as well as trout in the Merced River. The mural is particularly dramatic just after sunset where ground lighting creates the feel of nightfall coming to Yosemite Valley.
See Crossroads
The mural gracing the Main Street wall of Century Furniture located at Yosemite and Main is Manteca's largest. It covers 4,000 square feet and was created by Dave Gordon. "Crossroads" depicts what Manteca's business district looked like in 1917. That is when the community was incorporated as a city. It offers the same vantage point you would see standing across the street next to the Bank of America parking lot, but 90 years later.
See Cruising
Arguably the most popular of all murals, people who didn't even grow up in Manteca and experience the cruise down Yosemite Avenue in the 1950s and 1960s find themselves reminiscing about bygone days. It is in the 100 block of North Main Street on the Accent Carpets building and is the largest--and most realistic--of all the murals.
See Pumpkin Harvest
Across Main Street from the "Cruising" creation is the "Pitching Pumpkins" mural. It pays homage to Manteca's most famous crop--pumpkins. Seventy percent of California's jack-o'-lantern pumpkins are grown in the Manteca countryside.
See Service Above Self
From the "Pitching Pumpkins" mural, head west through the parking lot. You will reach the "Rotary Mural" and a new mini-plaza. Take a minute to rest on one of the benches and enjoy the water fountain and garden. That way you can appreciate the detail of artist Don Gray's salute to the worldwide service efforts of Rotary International.
See Golden Gateway to Manteca
The next mural is reached by heading south on Maple Avenue. Stay on the east side of the street when you reach Yosemite Avenue. Look upward to the west and you'll see Ron Pecchenino's "San Francisco" mural
See Cow-munity Mural
The society's 96 by 12-foot salute to Manteca's dairy industry is on a wall in the 200 block of West Yosemite Avenue facing the Athens Burgers parking lot.
See Our Bountiful Valley
The salute to the richness of Central Valley farmland can be found on the alley off the 100 block of Sycamore Avenue.
See Free For All
Manteca's 2006 "Mural In A Weekend" project, painted by volunteer artists with the help of Master Artists Dave Gordon, who also designed the mural, and Pete Evaristo. This mural was sponsored by the Manteca Morning & Noon Kiwanis.
See Summer Vision
The children of Manteca painted a mural during "Children's Art In The Park" 2006.
Do
Do BMX Park
Do Crossroads of California Street Faire
Held the first weekend in April. The fair includes entertainment, food, and unique vendors from all over Northern California.
Buy
Shop Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Eat
Eat Mountain Mike's Pizza
Eat in or delivery pizza.
Drink
Sleep
Go next
- Yosemite National Park- 120 East. About 2 hours away.
- Old Sacramento- 99 North to 4 West to 5 North. About 1 hour away.
- San Francisco- 120 West to 5 South to 205 West to 580 West to 80 West. About 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours away. Make sure to allow lots of time during peak hours.
- Napa Valley- 120 West to 5 South to 205 West to 580 West to 680 North to 12 West. About 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours away.
- Gold Country- 120 East to Highway 49. You can go as north as Loyalton, and as far south as Oakhurst.
- Caswell Park - by Yosemite National Park, Caswell offers a more local and less crowded opportunity for nature enjoyment. The park started in 1958 after a landowner by the name of Thomas Caswell fell in love with the beauty of the woods and wanted to preserve it for future generations. The park contains a forest of Valley Riparian Oak and is home to the Riparian Brush Rabbit, both of which are a rare species that can only be found in this region. The Stanislaus River runs through the Park and is home to bass, catfish, and crappie—making the Park a good place for fishing. Birdwatchers also enjoy the area, as many diverse birds (sparrows, wrens, thrushes, thrashers, and songbirds) find a home in the Oak Forest. A great place for family and youth, the park includes campgrounds, swimming areas, and junior ranger programs. The Park also contains a number of nature trails, a good alternative for children not ready for the more rigorous Yosemite National Park. Easy to get to, the Park is located just outside of Manteca. It is open all year long with temperature highs in the summer ranging from 90-100 F and in the winter ranging from 50-60 F.
- The California Delta - Manteca is located on the very southern edge of the California Delta. The Delta is 1,000 miles of waterways that flow down from the Sacramento area west to the Bay Area or south to Stockton. The delta provides lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation that includes but is not limited to boating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, eco-tours, fishing, waterskiing, bird watching, and camping. The area features a rich history of small delta towns and includes the largest estate in Northern California, the Historic Grand Island Mansion and Spa which is open for tours and its famous Sunday Brunch.
- Stanislaus River Parks - The river stretches from the Sierra Nevada foothills to the San Joaquin River, a distance over 20 miles and includes 9 developed parks located along the river. Historic Knights Ferry is the center of the activity featuring a 330-foot covered bridge and is the launch point for river rafting. Apart from rafting, visitors can also camp, hike, picnic, fish, and bird watch. The peaceful beauty provides an opportunity for visitors to relax and get away from the city life without the long drive from home. The Stanislaus River is a great opportunity for rafting of different skill levels. Children as young as 5 are able to participate at the Beginners level.
- Woodward Reservoir - A 30-minute drive from Manteca, the Woodward Reservoir outside of Oakdale provides lots of outdoor opportunities for lake-minded people. On top of the traditional camping, swimming and fishing, other activities include water/jet skiing, waterfowl hunting, radio control airplane flying, and especially windsurfing. Open all year long, the site is good place to view a variety of wildlife and enjoy the outdoors.
Nearby
Lathrop
City / town · 10 listings · 4 mi away
Ripon
City / town · 2 listings · 7 mi away
Salida
City / town · 6 listings · 10 mi away
Tracy
City / town · 25 listings · 12 mi away
Stockton
City / town · 26 listings · 13 mi away
Modesto
City / town · 27 listings · 16 mi away
Westley
City / town · 2 listings · 18 mi away
Oakdale
City / town · 5 listings · 20 mi away
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