During a trip through the Lodi region, a driver could easily mistake the area for the renowned winegrowing areas of Napa or the vineyards of far-flung destinations like France.

California’s golf industry declined during the recession, but it is still big business and generated $6.3 billion of economic activity in 2011, according to a report released at the beginning of May.

The recession, high gas prices and kids yelling “are we there yet” have always been drags on tourism. While the last item is time-honored and unlikely to change, the first two are beginning to wane as serious detriments to tourism. One group of area businesses that is extremely happy about those changing dynamics is the hotel and hospitality industry.

Stockton and tourism are words that even the city’s most ardent supporters often have trouble associating with each other. Part of the Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (CVB) effort to change that is linked to a new tourism ambassador program that held its first test class April 2.

One of the clearest signs that the real estate market is beginning to show signs of life may be that professionals are once again returning to the industry.

California in general, and the Central Valley in particular, has suffered through a well-publicized crash in housing values. While it appears the market has bottomed out, the effects of the collapse can still be clearly seen on a variety of industries.

One of the reliable signs that winter has turned to spring is the beginning of baseball season. The Central Valley has two Class A Major League affiliates to satisfy area baseball aficionados.

Tracy’s business community celebrated some of its most prominent leaders and longtime businesses at the Grand Theatre Feb. 16. At its annual Winter Gala, the Tracy Chamber of Commerce honored three longtime area businesses, installed its board of directors and honored several of the city’s most high-profile businesses and people.

Bruce Davies believes in downtown Stockton. He believes in the area so much that he is trying what will be the third attempt to put a successful restaurant in the Hotel Stockton since its renovation in 2008.

Few sectors of the area’s economy have dramatized the area’s painfully slow overall economic recovery from the Great Recession like commercial construction.