Fresno

Raisins, almonds, peaches – a large share of the fruit eaten in the U.S. grows around Fresno in the fertile San Joaquin Valley. A trip to Fresno takes you to the agricultural heart of California and is also the perfect base for three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. For a vacation with outdoor adventure and lodging that costs less than on the coast, Fresno is a practical choice.

Railroad, Irrigation, and Immigration

Fresno was founded in 1872 as a station on the Central Pacific Railroad; the name means "ash tree" in Spanish. Irrigation canals turned the dry valley into one of the most productive farming regions in the world. Armenian, Japanese, Mexican, Portuguese, and Basque immigrants worked the fields and shaped the city; after the Vietnam War, a large Hmong community was added. The writer William Saroyan, the son of Armenian immigrants, gave Fresno a literary monument in his stories.

Sights in Fresno

The Forestiere Underground Gardens are a curiosity: In the early 20th century, the Sicilian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere dug a labyrinth of rooms, passageways, and courtyards underground with a pickax and shovel, where fruit trees grow. The Tower District, with the Art Deco Tower Theatre, is the cultural neighborhood, with bars, restaurants, and live music. Woodward Park on the San Joaquin River has a Japanese garden, and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in Roeding Park has elephants, sea lions, and an African savanna. In spring, the Blossom Trail winds through blooming orchards. The Kearney Mansion Museum shows you the life of a raisin baron.

Eating in Fresno

Fresno's restaurants benefit from their proximity to the fields: Farmers markets offer peaches, cherries, figs, and citrus fruits fresh from the tree. Armenian cuisine with lahmajun, lavash, and kebabs has a long tradition here, as do Mexican taquerías, Hmong dishes, and Basque restaurants with hearty family-style meals. Wineries and craft breweries in the valley round out the offerings.

Culture and Neighborhoods

Fresno has a diverse cultural scene. The Fresno Art Museum shows works by artists from the region and Latin America, and the Meux Home Museum presents a Victorian house from the pioneer era. In the evening, the Tower District is the gathering place for theater, live music, and bars, while the Fulton District in Downtown has been revitalized with restored buildings and murals. Baseball fans can catch a Fresno Grizzlies game at Chukchansi Park, and in October the Big Fresno Fair draws visitors from all over the valley.

Getting Around, When to Go, and Day Trips

Fresno Yosemite International Airport is northeast of downtown, and Amtrak's San Joaquins trains connect Fresno with the Bay Area and Sacramento. For day trips, a car is essential. Yosemite National Park, with Half Dome, El Capitan, and waterfalls, is about one and a half to two hours away by car, as are Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, home to the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume. The best times to visit are spring and fall; in summer, temperatures in the valley often climb above 100°F, and the high mountains are more pleasant then. In winter, fog sometimes settles in the valley, while the mountains offer snow and skiing.