Coalinga, CA

united states

Coalinga sits where Interstate 5 meets Highway 198 in California's Central Valley, about 60 miles southwest of Fresno. It's a key stop for travelers heading between LA and the Bay Area on I-5, while Highway 198 connects east to Visalia and west toward the coast. The town of 17,000 sits in hot, dry hill country dotted with oil wells. Coalinga is home to California's only state hospital specifically designed for mentally ill inmates.