Fresno is in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Many visitors find themselves stopping in Fresno on the way to Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, or other destinations in the Sierras.
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.
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.
1 Forestiere Underground Gardens, 5021 W Shaw Ave, ☏ +1 559-271-0734, tours@undergroundgardens.com. 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, info@fresnochaffeezoo.org. 9AM-4PM.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Fresno typically sees ~38°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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