Fresno, CA Road Trips

The city has a population estimated at 530,000 and around 1 million live in the county (2019). The Save Mart Center at California State University, Fresno ("Fresno State") has played host to concerts featuring high-profile acts. Fresno's most famous son is the writer William Saroyan, after whom a local theater is named. The city has a large Hmong community. Winter weather typically features highs around 60 °F (16 °C), and "extreme" lows in the low to mid 30s F, often with morning fog and sometimes frost. Rain fall is sparse and occurs exclusively in winter and early spring months. Most rain storms last less than 2 days and are often spread weeks apart. It is not uncommon to experience hail, however it is very rare to see snow fall on the valley floor. The few times it does snow, the snow rarely sticks over night. While winter temperatures can reach below freezing, most all storms feature "warm fronts" that more or less eliminate the chance for snow (mid to low 40s F is a typical "cold" rain storm). Summer temperatures average around 99 °F (37 °C) during the day and 68 °F (20 °C) at night. Days with high temperatures 110 °F (43 °C) or above are not uncommon. Humidity is only around 20% in the afternoon, though, making for a more bearable dry heat. The chance to find over 110° days commonly occurs beginning late July and continuing to mid August. During these days the low nighttime temperature can remain above 76 °F (24 °C) all night long, in some cases not going below 82 °F (28 °C). It is common for a heat wave to last two weeks. Fresno Tourism website

1 Forestiere Underground Gardens, 5021 W Shaw Ave, ☏ +1 559-271-0734, [email protected]. May-Oct 9AM-3PM. A complex of underground gardens and rooms built by Sicilian immigrant Baldasare Forestiere between 1906 and his death in 1946. Originally intended to be a hotel, the subterranean complex instead servdd as Forestiere's residence until his death. Reservations are required and the tour lasts one hour. Not all of the tunnels are accessible to the public, as some of them remain on land with different owners. $23/adult, $21/concession, $12/child. (updated Jun 2023) 2 Fresno Chaffee Zoo, 894 W Belmont Ave, ☏ +1 559-498-5910, [email protected]. 9AM-4PM. A zoo in Roeding Park near downtown that features many popular animal exhibits including the Winged Wonders Bird Show. $19.95/adult, $13.95/child. $3 cheaper for local residents. (updated May 2024) 3 Fresno Art Museum, 2233 N First St, ☏ +1 559 441-4221. Th–F noon–5PM, Sa Su 10AM–5PM. The only modern art museum between Los Angeles and San Francisco. FAM's collection includes contemporary art, and a large collection of Mexican art from pre-Columbian times to the present. $10, youth $5. (updated Jun 2023) 4 Nonini Winery, 2640 N. Dickenson, ☏ +1 559-275-1936. Wine tasting and tours M-Sa 9AM to 4PM. Call ahead to schedule a tour. 5 Fresno Grizzlies, 1800 Tulare St, ☏ +1 559-320-4487. Low-A Minor League Baseball team affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. 1 Chukchansi Park is located downtown, built in 2002 for the team. From $7 to $44. 6 Fresno State Bulldogs, 1600 E. Bulldog Ln.

Rogue Festival. March. Modeled on the Canadian and North American Fringe Festivals, the Rogue showcases local and national artists, with dance, music, comedy, film, art, and theatre at venues around the Tower District. Performers come from around the state, and as far as Vancouver and London. Tower District Mardi Gras Parade. 2 Reel Pride. The sixth oldest gay & lesbian film festival in the country takes place every year in Fresno's Tower District. 3 Island Water Park, ☏ +1 559-426-8365. Water slide park open between June and mid-September. 4 Blackbeards Family Fun Center, 4055 N. Chestnut, ☏ +1 559-292-6386. Has batting cages, bumper boats, paintball, miniature golf, sprint cars, water slides and arcade games. 5 Tower Theatre. (updated Jun 2020) Artists' Repertory Theatre. 6 Warnors Theatre. Spelled with an "o". The theatre used to be owned by Warner Bros., and the spelling was changed to avoid copyright infringement after it was sold. (updated Jun 2020)

River Park Plaza contains many popular chain restaurants, including The Elephant Bar and Yoshino's Sushi House. For a large and diverse concentration of local establishments, head to the (Tower District). There are also many notable restaurants sprinkled elsewhere throughout the Fresno area. 1 Ampersand Ice Cream, 1940 N Echo Ave, ☏ +1 559 264-8000. Family-owned ice cream parlor, with gourmet specials that rotate every month. (updated Jul 2022) 2 Campagnia, 1185 E. Champlain Dr, ☏ +1 559 433-3300. Upscale dining with great food and a nice bar. George's Shish Kebab, 2405 Capitol St #110, ☏ +1 559-264-9433. Armenian and Middle Eastern cuisine. 3 Hadramout, 4030 N Blackstone Ave (Tucked away between a Motel 6 and a used car dealership.), ☏ +1 559 228-9842. Traditional Yemeni restaurant. Bread and tea included with any order of food. (updated Jul 2022) 4 Huong Lan 9, 4965 N Fresno St, ☏ +1 559 221-8000. Authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Well-known for its sandwiches (bahn mi) and pho. Part of a local chain, this location is the most centrally-located in Fresno. (updated Jul 2022) 5 Irene's Cafe, 747 E Olive Ave (Tower District), ☏ +1 559 237-9919. A traditional coffee shop, known for its breakfast. 6 Max's Bistro & Bakery, 1784 W Bullard, ☏ +1 559 439-6900. French-inspired California cuisine. 7 Golden Grill, 7975 North Cedar Ave, ☏ +1 559-343-2964. Tu-Su 9:30AM-9PM. Syrian & Lebanese cuisine. 8 MOTO Delicatessen & Bodega, 1916 N Echo Ave, ☏ +1 559 412-2021. A small sandwich place, with sandwich ingredients available to buy as well.

Night life in Fresno is great if you're in the right areas. 1 The Standard, 9455 North Fort Washington Road #104, ☏ +1 559 434-3077. 2 Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, 7965 N. Blackstone Ave, ☏ +1 559-691-5300. 3 Gazebo Gardens Beer Garden, 3204 N Van Ness Blvd, ☏ +1 559 222-7673. A beer garden and assorted food trucks pop up at this nursery a few nights a week. Check ahead on the website for which nights it'll be during a given week. (updated Jul 2022) 4 Five, 1110 E Champlain Dr, ☏ +1 559 434-5553. 5 Raw Farm, 7221 South Jameson Avenue (20 minutes outside of Madera), ☏ +1 559-710-2077, toll-free: +1-877-729-6455 (RAWMILK). California's last and only raw (unpasteurized) milk dairy. The owners are a family farm who are passionate about raw milk. You can buy fresh cold just milked milk and dairy products from the farm. 6 Spokeasy Public House, 1472 N Van Ness Avenue, ☏ +1 559 4927765. Bicycle-themed bar that offers craft beer and arcade games in the Tower District (updated Sep 2019) 7 Strummer's Bar & Grill, 833 E Fern Avenue, ☏ +1 559 4855356. Music venue in the Tower District (updated Sep 2019) Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co, 746 Broadway St, ☏ +1 559 486-2337. Th 3-10PM, F noon-11PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-6PM. Local brewery with beer garden. (updated Sep 2021) 8 The Red Lantern, 4618 E Belmont Avenue, ☏ +1 559 2515898. Splash Bar, 644 E Olive Avenue, ☏ +1 559 515 6760. (updated Jul 2024)

1 Courtyard Fresno, 140 East Shaw Ave, ☏ +1 559 221-6000. Near Bass, Shaver & Huntington Lakes for fishing, boating & hiking and also convenient to CSUF, Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Wildwater Adventures and the Muex Home Museum. $174-199. 2 Homewood Suites, 6820 North Fresno St, ☏ +1 559 440-0801. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Suites with full kitchens, large work desk, free internet, flat screen TV. Guests have access to free hot breakfast, pool and fitness center. From $95. 3 La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fresno Riverpark, 330 E. Fir Ave, ☏ +1 559 449-0928. Free Wi-Fi and breakfast. 4 University Square Hotel, 4961 N. Cedar, ☏ +1 559 224-4200. $51. 5 Hotel Piccadilly, 2305 W. Shaw, ☏ +1 559 226-3850. $77. 6 Sonesta ES Suites Fresno, 5322 N Diana Ave, ☏ +1 559 222-8900, fax: +1 559 222-9089. $115. 7 SpringHill Suites, 6844 North Fresno St, ☏ +1 559 431-0004. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Suites with microwave, mini-fridge, free internet, flat screen TV. Guests have access to free parking, free hot breakfast, business center, pool and fitness center. $130. 8 Comfort Suites (Herndon Ave between Blackstone Ave and Freeway 41), 102 East Herndon Ave, ☏ +1 559-435-5650. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. All suites include microwave, fridge, coffee/tea maker, free Wi-Fi, desk, two phone lines and sofa sleepers. Free hot breakfast served every morning, fitness room, indoor pool and hot tub. $99. 9 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Fresno Convention Center, 2233 Ventura St, ☏ +1 559 268-1000.

1 Fresno/Yosemite International Airport (FAT IATA formerly, "Fresno Air Terminal") (5.5 mi (8.9 km) northeast of downtown towards Clovis). This airport is accessed via N Peach Ave from CA-180 or E Clinton Ave from CA-168. It is the nearest commercial airport for year round commercial air service to Yosemite National Park and is the major airport serving the San Joaquin Valley in Central California and a crew base for SkyWest Airlines. (updated Apr 2020) The following airlines offer service from: AeroMexico (Guadalajara) Skywest dba Alaska Airlines (Portland, Seattle, San Diego) Allegiant (Las Vegas) American Airlines (Dallas-Ft Worth) and Skywest dba American Eagle (Phoenix and Los Angeles) Skywest dba Delta Connection (Salt Lake City) Frontier Airlines (Denver) United Airlines (Chicago O'Hare) and Skywest dba United Express (Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco) Volaris (Guadalajara Leon/El Bajio, and Morelia) There are taxis, rideshare and hotel shuttles to bring you into town locally and long shuttles and buses for onward transport to Yosemite National Park, Hanford, Lenmore and Visalia. There are also car rental available from the airport which is the preferred method for greater flexibility in getting around. See this Link for a list of ground transport providers. The #26 bus connects the airport to downtown Fresno and the up north along N Palm Ave to Villaggio Mall while #39 bus goes west along Clinton to W Clinton and Brawey Ave in the west side of town, nowhere near downtown. 2 Sierra Sky Park Airport, 7398 N Doolittle Dr, ☏ +1 559 436-2015.

As is typical in California Central Valley cities, a car is useful and often necessary to access most parts of town. Traffic congestion in Fresno is not as bad as larger places in California, but Shaw and Herndon avenues can get quite crowded, especially since there is no east-west freeway through the north side. CA-99 runs along the west side of the city, becoming semi-rural before exiting Fresno County on the northwest side of Fresno. CA-41 runs down the middle of the city. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s these were the only freeways in Fresno, but a surge in growth has spurred the development of the CA-180 and CA-168 freeways. There is a modest bus system, Fresno Area Express (FAX), but a car would be advised. The city has a bus rapid transit line. In 2011, Fresno became the first town or city in the Central Valley to earn a Bronze Medal Designation from the League of American Bicyclists, recognizing Fresno as a bicycle friendly community. The city is expanding its bike lanes further in an effort to improve bike access.

Crime presents considerable concerns in Fresno. As a rule of thumb, travellers should exercise increased caution in parts of the city located south of Shaw Avenue. Homeless people are known to congregate near the city's so-called Chinatown area, across the railroad tracks from Chukchansi Park. The area also suffers from a high crime rate. Caution should be exercised when visiting the area. Avoid the southeastern part of the city at night due to high crime rates. Unlike other parts of California, earthquakes of any magnitude are infrequent in Fresno and surrounding areas. If felt, the quakes tend to cause very little (if any) damage.