This article originally appeared in Stocktonia magazine. Pick up your copy of the magazine at select businesses around the city.

I will be upfront: I’m not from Stockton. Moving to a new town is always a challenge — but at the same time, thrilling.

I researched Stockton before the move and was careful to avoid stereotypes from non-local perspectives. I’m from Michigan, and Detroit’s negative reputation isn’t warranted. The people make the place, not online forums.

Close-up of a person's face wearing round sunglasses reflecting a cartoon design.
Two people applying makeup at a dressing room vanity mirror.
Person arranging orange marigolds in red buckets under a market canopy.
It’s people like Pat Whipple, from left, Andres Garcia and Joseph Tranlooks, and Libna Rizo who make Stockton what it is: beautiful and full of wonder. (File photos by Annie Barker/ Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)

I was a bit nervous moving to a town with so much pride. Could I, as an outsider, belong? 209 isn’t just an area code, it’s a way of life.

When I first got here, I asked people to tell me about Stockton. I’d usually get the same two answers. First, it’s like a small town where everyone knows everyone despite being over 300,000 Stocktonians strong. Second, you’ll just have to live and spend time here to understand the quirks of the city.

  • Boy participating in a watermelon-eating contest amid a crowd.
    A child participates in a watermelon-eating contest during the Yosemite Street Village’s annual Neighborhood Night Out block party in Stockton on Aug. 5, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • Person with a butterfly net in a field of wildflowers.
    Samuel Gomez sweeps a net to catch insects during an entomology class at Delta College in Stockton on March 30, 2026. (Photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • Young boys in cowboy hats walk hand in hand with adults at an outdoor event.
    Kids walk with their families to compete in the mutton-busting category during the Clements Stampede Rodeo on Oct. 18, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • Workers harvesting between rows of vines with a red tractor in the foreground.
    Workers harvest grapes in Lodi on Sept. 5, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • Evening carnival scene with silhouetted figures on a swing ride, colorful lights, and a Ferris wheel reflected in a puddle.
    People ride a giant swing at the Lodi Grape Festival on Sept. 11, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • Children panning for gold in a water trough outdoors.
    AJ Moreno, second from left, smiles as he pans for gold during the Valley Days program at the San Joaquin Historical Museum in Lodi on Oct. 15, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • A person with a large, colorful soap bubble obscuring their face, holding two blue-handled wands.
    Stephen Treder blows bubbles inside bubbles during a ​children’s show at the Weston Ranch branch of the San Joaquin County Public Library in Stockton on July 31, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • A woman holds two small dogs.
    Nuncita Cherry holds her dogs Suki, left, and an unnamed rescue at the Stockton Police Department’s new Sierra Vista substation on Dec. 23, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
  • A group of people walking through an arched tunnel covered in green plants and yellow sunflowers.
    Breanna Hidalgo, right, walks with her son, Jaylen, at the Ripon Farmers Market on July 24, 2025. (File photo by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America)

Eight months in, I’ve discovered where to find some of the best food (I’m looking at you, Angel Cruz Park), where to catch the sunset (anywhere on the water really) and where to keep an eye out for cats who could use a pet or some kibble (if you haven’t seen one, you aren’t looking).

People at an outdoor market standing around a table with produce.
A cat sits on the sidewalk near yellow flowers.
If you want a surprisingly great spot for good food, check out Angel Cruz Park, left. For sunsets, the Delta waterways can’t be beat. And if you haven’t seen a stray cat that needs some love, you aren’t looking. (File photos by Annie Barker/Stocktonia/CatchLight Local/Report for America and Josh Susong/NEWSWELL)

It’s an honor and privilege to be a journalist in this community. I document and share what people are passionate about and what makes Stockton — and all of San Joaquin County — unique.

I’ve covered the Día de los Muertos Festival, National Night Out at Yosemite Street Village, the Lodi Grape Festival, the Hatch Workshop and Project Toolbox, among other stories. I’ve also gotten to drive around the Delta to see both the tule fog and tule melons, and I even spotted a rainbow along the way.

We love Stockton …

… and its nearby communities. And we know you do too.

In this edition of Stocktonia magazine, readers join our staff in sharing all the reasons why this place we call home is so very special. Get your copy today!

Check out the other stories:

▶ The people make the places
▶ A spirit of community lives here

I’m not even close to seeing everything Stockton or San Joaquin County has to offer. I’d love your suggestions. You can reach me at annie.barker@stocktonia.org to offer story ideas and let me know what you’d like to see covered.