NY Times advises travelers to skip D.C. and visit Modesto region instead. Here’s why

Forget Washington, D.C., or other pricey destinations this spring and visit the Modesto region instead, the New York Times advises.

That comes courtesy of the Frugal Traveler column in the Times that posted Wednesday, Jan. 31.

The story suggests the Modesto region is a less expensive but enjoyable travel spot for viewing the blossoming trees of spring.

The shout-out comes among a section on “Destination Dupes,” a trend on TikTok for travelers seeking to avoid “heavily touristed and pricey places,” the story said.

“In that vein, rather than viewing the cherry blossoms of Kyoto, Japan, or Washington, D.C., consider Modesto, Calif., the gateway to farming country in the Central Valley, during almond blossom season,” the Times story said. “In February and March, the region’s 1.5 million acres of almond trees burst with pink and white flowers. Visitors can take an almond blossom drive with an audio guide ($14.99) and listen to a Spotify playlist devoted to spring from the Modesto Symphony Orchestra.”

Modesto-bred actor Timothy Olyphant provides the introduction to the almond blossom tour, according to the wayfarerjourney.com/almondblossomcruise guide.

The story also suggests visitors “take the new self-guided Street Art Audio Tour ($14.99) to see many of the city’s more than 100 murals. Accommodations range from chain hotels to Airbnbs that, on a recent search, started at $65 a night.”

There’s a festival for it

Of course, locals also can enjoy the blossom drive and audio guide, the symphony’s playlist and street art tour.

Indeed, the Modesto region is bursting with colorful almond blossoms in February and March. There’s even a festival that locals and travelers alike can enjoy every year dedicated to the blooms.

The Ripon Almond Blossom Festival will be held Feb. 22-25 this year at Mistlin Sports Park.

Among the festival’s attractions will be a carnival, vendor booths, live music, a parade, bake sales, breakfasts and more.

Many of the events take place on Saturday, including the parade at 1 p.m. in downtown Ripon starting at Stockton Avenue.

It’s the 62nd year of the festival, sponsored by the Ripon Chamber of Commerce. Mistlin Sports Park is at 1201 River Road in Ripon. For more on the festival, see riponchamber.org/almond-blossom-festival.