Visalia, California

Visalia is five miles east of Highway 99, nearly halfway between Fresno and Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley. This part of the central valley is extremely hot in the summer and suffers from the worst air quality in the world. Not only from what is known as smog and dust, but also from the chemicals used on the main industry in this valley, agriculture.  The area gets an average of only 10 inches of rain per year.  In winter, we suffer from fog. Thick blankets of dense fog that forms around 7 to 8 pm and sometimes doesn't rise until early afternoon. 
Visalia, which is along Highway 198, is a fast growing community of just over 100,000 population at an elevation of only 400 feet. The cost of living is extremely low by California standards. But if you continue east on Highway 198 for about thirty minutes you will find yourself into the foothills and at the entrance to Sequoia National Park. And in another 30 minutes you'll be high on the mountain at near 7,000 feet.
Note: The road up is very narrow and very winding, built back in the early part of the twentieth century and although maintained not straitened or widened. This can cause some problems with large RVs and even SUVs. Taking off each others rearview mirrors is common.
Visalia has many newer hotels and many good places to eat. 
Oh, and how many cities do you know where they have a real honest-to-goodness city recognized "Lovers Lane"?  We do!
Maybe the most memorable thing to see here is the bronze casting of the original statue of "The End of The Trail" by James Fraser. It can be seen at Mooney Grove Park at the south of edge of town.