The San Joaquin Valley is the southern portion of California's Central Valley, bounded on the north by the San Joaquin River Delta, on the south by the Tehachapi Range, on the east by the Sierra Nevada foothills, and on the west by the Coast Range. Most communities lie along CA-99, with Stockton at the northern end and Bakersfield at the southern.

This area is the richest agricultural region of California, especially known for nuts and stone fruits.