Visit Stockton #2

VISIT STOCKTON

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Midsize city proponents tout this combination of traditional and novel amenities when explaining the relocation trend to more affordable, but no less interesting, municipalities. Rent a kayak in the Stockton Marina area and go for a paddle, visit the Bob Hope Theatre on a Saturday night or sample a menu in the Waterfront Warehouse. You’ll quickly see what all the buzz is about. Visit the visitstockton.org website to learn more.

Just like in larger cities, cultural districts are thriving in Stockton. The city comes out to the marina on reliably pleasant evenings to dine at the Waterfront Warehouse’s well-regarded restaurants, including Nena’s Delights BBQ & Café and Chitiva’s Salsa and Sports Bar & Grill. From comfort food at Cast Iron Trading Co. in downtown to tasting various vintages at Mile Wine Company, located on the historic Miracle Mile, more than 250 restaurants now reside in Stockton. Like so many other new residents, these chefs have chosen the simpler, fulfilling life when they opened eateries here for the benefit of locals and visitors. “I feel that everybody here…is ready to cheer you on,” says Don King, owner of Fat City Brew & BBQ. “They have your back and are ready to help you out. I think a lot of people are ready to try something new, instead of the same old, same old. People want to give their dream a chance [here], to give it a try.” One key aspect of Stockton’s rejuvenated downtown is that it hasn’t come at the expense of its character. Several historical buildings in California’s last “frontier downtown” have been renovated for new businesses like Champaign’s furniture company. “I think the catalyst for the change is that there’s not a lot of places that offer the opportunity to take risks and make things better. Stockton makes you feel empowered.”

Stockton’s accessibility stands out in other ways as well. Located just off Interstate 5, the Stockton Metropolitan Airport services San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix via Allegiant Airlines. Unlike Bay Area airports, there’s no need to wrestle with traffic congestion or arrive two and a half hours early to the terminal. You can also drive to San Francisco in 90 minutes and Sacramento in less than an hour. Another bonus: Rail travel is easily available at Stockton’s Amtrak stations. And Stockton isn’t some sleepy village either! The rejuvenated downtown features scores of restaurants; a waterfront ballpark; home to the MiLB Stockton Ports; and the 12,000-seat Stockton Arena, home to the AHL Stockton Heat and the NBA G League Stockton Kings, in addition to concerts and other events throughout the year. Before or after events, sports fans and Weber Point Events Center concertgoers stroll through downtown to find sushi, Thai, and other restaurants along Channel Street and beyond.

“When we first moved to the area, [local folks] would ask us, ‘Why did you move to Stockton?’” says Justin Champaign, founder of Most Modest, a furniture design company he relocated to Stockton. “But people now have a confidence about Stockton. I think what I have discovered about the people of Stockton is that they’re very genuine. I lived in the San Francisco area for 20 years and didn’t really know many of the folks in my community or even next-door neighbors. Here, that isn’t really an option.”

Why are so many medium-sized cities trending as major relocation hubs? It’s all about access. And access begins with affordability. Stockton’s median home price, for example, is just $314,000, compared with $1,387,000 just 83 miles away in San Francisco. The median cost in the entire Bay Area has soared to just under $1 million. But in Stockton, there’s no need to stuff your growing family into an apartment or condo. Stockton is full of single-family homes that are not only way more affordable, they feature great schools in walkable neighborhoods.

However you look at it, medium-sized cities – towns that combine affordability with metropolitan amenities like great independent restaurants, cultural centers, and pro sports teams – are hot right now. The appeal of these communities is no great mystery, especially to those of us stuck living in so-called major cities, where we’re constantly stuck in traffic and stuck buying exorbitantly high-priced homes and tickets to cultural and sporting events. The next time you feel stuck, why not check out a medium-sized city that features all the good stuff and none of the hassle. You just might like what you see. To understand the urban downsizing movement better, consider Stockton, California. Yes, Stockton, once the butt of countless Bay Area jokes. These days, however, the only ones laughing are Stocktonians, who pay less than $30 to sit in the orchestra section at the Bob Hope Theatre to watch the “The Illusionists – Live from Broadway,” the same performance that costs five times as much when it comes to a large city. You might also hear some chuckling from folks paddling around the rejuvenated marina before they haul out their kayaks for a leisurely lunch at Nena’s Mexican Cuisine. There are definitely some giggles to be heard at the Children’s Museum of Stockton, home to over 40 interactive exhibits, and a $6 admission price.

Today’s Stockton is a Shining Example of Trending Medium-Sized Cities

visit Stockton

"The next time you feel stuck, why not check out a medium-sized city that features all the good stuff and none of the hassle. You just might like what you see."

But it’s not only the “what’s new” buzz that has California’s thirteenth largest city popping up on the radar of the “urban fatigued.” In fact, Stockton has long held cultural capital in the Central Valley and was recently named the most racially and ethnically diverse big city in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The Haggin Museum serves the area with history exhibitions and works by many noteworthy nineteenth century California artists. The University of the Pacific campus is also well known regionally for its exhibitions, thoughtful lectures, and music series. The Stockton Cambodian Buddhist Temple presents more than 90 vibrant statues of the Cambodian Buddha, the largest display of its kind in California.