Hi - We will be in the Modesto area for the entire month of July. Any information/advice on weather (ie. how to tolerate the heat), activities, or proximity to bigger cities, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Modesto and all of the Central Valley of California will be hot in July. However, in general there is low humidity so it's not like being in New Orleans.
One of the best ways to learn what is happening in any given area is to read the online newspaper if one is available.
Here's Modesto's

http://www.modbee.com/

Here is the City of Modesto website:

http://www.ci.modesto.ca.us/

You ask about "proximity to bigger cities."

Are you from outside the United States?

If not, what state are you from?

Modesto definitely would not be my first choice as a place to spend July, or any other month, come to think of it. Are other choices available to you?

Maybe try to plan a trip to Yosemite? Modesto is not fun in the summer.

I assume you are in Modesto for a month because of work or school or some other family engagement. Otherwise there is no reason to spend July in modesto. But it is driving distance to a lot of scenic places - Yosemite, Kings Canyon, the southern goldrush towns, Lake Tahoe, Alpine county, Bear Valley, and Sacramento plus San Francisco and the Monterey could be done as day or two-day trips. Plus there are several nearby lakes/rivers for boating/fishing/rafting.

The temps can range anywhere from the low 80's to over 105F. It is fairly dry so 100F feels like 85F in a more humid region.

Hi Folks - Thanks so much for the info/advice about the Modesto area in July. An alternative site is out of the question since we will be there for business. So it's nice to know that it will be a "dry" heat compared to the southeast and that there are interesting places to visit nearby. Thanks again!

Bob,

In terms of the closest bigger cities from Modesto, the two closest would be Sacramento and San Jose,(actually the biggest city in Northern California). in Sacramento I would recommend a tour of the State Capitol Building, a visit to the Railroad Museum, and Old Sacramento. San Jose, (www.sanjose.org)also known as the Capital of Silicon Valley,has much in the way of great restaurants, museums(don't miss the Tech Museum of Innovation), Theater, Ballet, Opera, etc, and parks. If you have children with you I would recommend a trip to Paramount's Great America (the closest thing to Disneyland in Northern California). It is located 10 miles north of the city in the suburb of Santa Clara. Kids would also enjoy Raging Waters Theme Park on a hot summer's day. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, about 30 miles southwest of San Jose on the northern part of Monterey Bay is also great for kids and adults alike. Further south, in Monterey and Carmel,(www.monterey.com) is some of the best coastal scenery California has to offer. I would suggest at least 2 days to explore this area. I would check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17 Mile Drive, and Fisherman's Wharf. A drive south along Highway 1 to Big Sur is also very scenic.

There are tons of fruit orchards nearby that would allow the family to do their own picking. It's kind of a fun day. Make sure you drink lots of water and wear sunscreen - dry heat can really fool you.

TTT

WARNING! Orginal post was written in 2002!
#-o

Utahtea