Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman starred in the 1986 mini-series Fresno. Fresno was supposed to be this backwater place, an absurd location with which to parody soap operas. I lived there, a few years after the mini-series debuted. And I even have fond memories, there are many more things to do there than when I was there on and off from 1989 through 1996. I spent a ton of time playing $2 blackjack at the Indian casino…
What does this have to do with rental cars? As I’ve written in the past, there are only two real game changing innovations in rental cars that I can think of in my lifetime. One is keeping your information on file so that you can be pre-assigned a car and take off by showing just your driver’s license. The other is picking your own car.
The pioneer in the space, of course, is National with its Emerald Aisle. I love National’s “Go Like a Pro” slogan because their Emerald Aisle concept, to me, is the perfect frequent business renter feature.
National knows that business trips (and leisure trips, especially to visit family!) don’t always take folks to the most popular, most conventionally exciting destinations. If they did, there wouldn’t be air service to Omaha, Des Moines, Milwaukee, or Boise.
National, though, thinks that off-the-beaten path destinations can offer a lot to folks visiting, with the right inside tips. They call these places “Underrated, Over-Traveled.”
And since I used to live in Fresno, I decided to focus there. It’s also been many years since i lived there, and it’s changed a ton. So I’d love to learn the latest tips.
Prizes: When there’s something on offer from a company for me, my practice is to try to make it available to readers instead. I am not taking anything for running this contest. Instead, there’s a ‘grand prize’ in addition to five winners.
One grand prize winner will receive:
- $250 AMEX gift card
- National Extreme Sport Duffel
- National Case Logic Zippered Tech Journal
- National Ultimate Privacy Luggage Tag
- National 14oz Striped Coffee Tumbler
- National BicRoundstic & Notepad
Five additional winners will receive the following prize pack:
- $50 AMEX gift card
- National Extreme Sport Duffel
- National Ultimate Privacy Luggage Tag
- National 14oz Striped Coffee Tumbler
How to enter:
Leave a tip about Fresno, California either
- as a comment in this blog post, or
- via Twitter mentioning @garyleff and the hashtag #NationalUOT
You may leave as many tips as you’d like, but each must be a bona fide tip about Fresno.
- The tip can be about anything as long as it can reasonably be put on a map. (National will be sharing tips on its Foursquare page, and by entering you explicity grant permission for this with or without attribution.)
Subject area examples include Dining, Sports/Activities, Bars/Nightlife, Outdoors/Park/Public Facilities, Arts/Films/Theater, Historical/Famous Landmarks.
If you enter via twitter, you must also follow @garyleff so that I can direct message you if you win. If you don’t follow me on twitter you won’t be eligible.
If you enter here with a comment on this blog post, the email address you identify yourself with (which won’t be published online) must be real so I can contact you if you win.
Entries must be submitted no later than Noon Eastern time on Friday, July 18. I will pick the winners.
The fine print: the contest is open to US residents only (talk to the lawyers on this, sorry!). I’m the final arbiter in all matters related to this contest and in all matters of interpretation. There is no appeal. I’m doing this because there’s an opportunity to send out some cool prizes from a brand I like, and not taking anything from them in return, so please don’t give me a hard time in the process. However do note that National Car Rental is sponsoring the prizes.
- You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Best winery around is Ficklin.
Try the “Yosemite Ranch”. The steaks are really good. The portions are large, and the staff very friendly. Be sure to save room for the amazing bread pudding! And for the best part of the tip you can get discounted gift cards at Costco.
Best cheap fun golf course has to be Airways located right next to the airport.
Best cheap fun golf course has to be Airways located right next to the airport.
Best cheap fun golf course has to be Airways located right next to the airport.
Best cheap fun golf course has to be Airways located right next to the airport.
Best cheap fun golf course has to be Airways located right next to the airport.
Best burger place not named “In-N-Out” in Fresno is the Colorado Grill.
My favorite thing about Fresno is it’s amazing access to the Sierra Nevadas: Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are all a short drive away.
The kids will love Island Waterpark.
For families visting: The Star Party at the Discovery Center. For $5, arrive with a picnic dinner and a blanket around 6-7ish. You can look thru telescopes and learn about the stars from a guide. A nice way to wind down the day…star gazing with your children.
If you’re looking for any outdoor activities and don’t want to travel as far as Yosemite, there’s a bunch of lakes close by, like Millerton Lake, which are only about a 30-40 minute drive outside the city.
Forestiere Underground Gardens are an interesting afternoon trip. They were dug out by hand over a 40 year period. Rooms, caverns and gardens are all yours to explore. A real unique place for sure!
For a romantic and elegant night out, The Palms Restaurant is the best.
Fashion Fair Mall has anything you could ever want to buy.
I should have added…check out the Discovery Center for the workshop offerings for kids/families during the week. This summer they have workshops in Sharks, CSI, Monsters, Space and Werid Science.
Fresno Chaffee Zoo is an amazing place. It has stingray exibits and a water tunnel that almost rivals Seaworld, and a Rainforest exhibit that will enthrall all ages.
The Chaffee Zoo is a nice outing to take the little ones to.
The Giant’s AAA team plays there: the Grizzlies. They can be fun for a family outing.
A fun family outing is to experience some of the fresh produce of the USA’s most productive county: go to a u-pick farm and get fresh, ripe cheap local produce.
I recommend an evening game watching the Fresno Grizzlies, the SF Giants’ triple-A affiliate, at Chukchansi Park before or after some cold adult beverages at Fresno Brewing Co. You can walk from one place to the other.
For a unique dining experience and a fabulous tri-tip sandwich, visit the Dog House Grill in Fresno.
My wife just returned from Fresno, though we were both there earlier in year. Our tip – Lunch at the Ripe Tomato is a must. Simple local food amazingly prepared. A real treat. Excellent desserts as well
Another fun family idea: there is a fairly unique laser tag place called Tac-ops. Games are played as teams, so communication and tactics become more important than just good aim.
Forestiere Underground Gardens. Definitely check them out
Make sure you try the Tri Tip Sandwich at the Dog House Grill. Don’t leave town without trying it.
Try Lola’s Rico Taco!
trying to cover all the bases on a fun trip to Fresno :
Dining: Definitely Pismos! http://www.pismos.com
Sports/Activities: The Fresno Grizzlies!
Bars/Nightlife: Try to time your visit to attend something at the Tower Theater which opened in 1939.
Outdoors/Park/Public Facilities: Woodward Park is beautifully situated with its location on the San Joaquin River
Arts/Films/Theater: Dinner Theatre/Theatre at Roger Rocka’s
Historical/Famous Landmarks: The Kearney Mansion Museum or the Tower District (where the Tower Theatre and Roger Rocka’s are)
I recommend eating at Tacos Marquitos on Barstow Ave.
It might be hot during summer, but it is a dry heat. 🙂 There are 2 local water parks in the area to help with the heat: Island Water Park and Wild Water Adventure.
Fresno State’s Dairy Processing Unit makes 65 delicious flavors of ice cream. You can buy containers from a half pint to a half gallon at the Fresno State Farm Market @ Chestnut and Barstow Avenues.
If you like Sushi, Yoshinos is a nice little place up in River Park (a large local shopping area).
Checkout “Lahori Tikka” for pretty good south Asian food.
Fresno’s airport, FAT, might be small, but I have made it from drop off to sitting at my gate in 5 minutes before. 🙂 A cheap way to fly is to use 4.5k BA miles to fly AA to LAX.
Fly into Fresno and rent a car to go to yosemite!
Hey, I live near Boise. Well, anyway, if you ever in Boise with a rental, drive East 2 hours to the Snake River Bridge – its where Evel Knievel made a jump, and also you can visit Shoshone Falls (212 feet higher than Niagra Falls).
There is a nice little dinner theater in the Tower district called Roger Rocka’s. For an even more intimate local theater experience try Second Space.
I would recommend seeing David Ligare’s River/Mountain/Sea exhibition at the Fresno Art Museum.
Bit of trivia: Fresno has a fairly unique city hall that has been used in sci fi movies. This includes the brilliant “Puppet Masters”. 🙂
The Downing Planetarium is educational for kids.
Catch a Fresno State University football game in the fall.
Do not leave your Papa Smurf tricycle outside overnight if you live in a small ungated apartment complex. It will get stolen and you will be scarred for life. In 30 years it’ll be the only thing you remember about the 3 years you spent living in Fresno as a small child.
Or so I’m told.
Going this fall? Check out a Fresno State Bulldogs football game. They went 9-4 last year.
Railroad Park has a very nice playground for the kids. Unfortunately there’s not a lot of shade. It’s too hot during the summer but it’s great when the weather cools down!
If you’re from the Bay Area and are wanting an In-N-Out Burger, and dismayed by how crowded they are there, travel to Fresno where the lines are not so gargantuan at the In-N-Out Burger. Mmmmmm
Catch a Fresno State University basketball game in the winter.
Check out the Fresno Chafee Zoo and touch stingrays at the Stingray bay exhibit.
Fresno has a large Armenian community. Yelp lists 16 restaurants and bakeries. Try Diana’s Classic Armenian restaurant.
Go to the amazing/interesting Forestiere Underground Garden which was made over a forty year period and has over 90 dug out rooms and balconies
The Forestiere Underground Gardens make an interesting visit.
When visiting Fresno, take time to hang out in Woodward Regional Park! Great for a picnic too!
National Parks: Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Mike’s Grill on Cedar has amazing BBQ
Park Inn Fresno is a Club Carlson category 1 hotel property for 9,000 points per night or 9,000 points for 2 nights if Club Carlson Visa card holder.
Club Carlson members can buy 9,000 points for $63. That is quite a savings on the hotel’s standard rates.
Check out the AAA fresno grizzlies
Even Fresno CA has an Indian restaurant in case you get up in mood for a spicy curry on a hot 105F day 😉 @ Lahori Tikka on Bullard Avenue
Fresno is a great jumping off point for Yosemite NP and Redwood NF is you’re coming from the south.
Visit the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for a reasonably priced attraction.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens is a unique place to visit.
The Woodward Regional Park is a great place to check out Japanese gardens.
The Rotary Storyland Playland Family Amusement Park has recently been re-modeled and is a nice place to take kids.
You can get season tickets to The Fresno Philharmonic.
For some seiously good road food, try a cravings on W. Shaw. They grill their burgers and dogs over almond wood. Try the egg and avocado burger or a dog with pastrami and onions. Fresh cut fries served in those plastic baskets with the red and white checkerboard liners – classic!
The bullfrog hunting in the canals is an all time local favorite.
A family friendly idea…attend a mystery dinner at the Organic Fresno Theater and Restaurant. For $25, you can enjoy a 4-course, gourmet, organic meal and be entertained with a hilarious who-dunnit!
i only remember that when carlson hotels gave promotions for each of its brands, radisson, park inn, country inn, fresno is a place where you can get all the three promotions work at the same city. that’s rare in US since there are only a few park inns in north america.
The Mad Duck Neighborhood Grill & Taphouse (at 765 W Herndon Ave) is a great place to grab a pint. Try their sliders!
Check out the FORESTIERE Underground gardens!
There is a very attracvtive new federal courthouse there, and a building I think is city hall is 70’s fashion forward.
Just outside Fresno is a unique tourist attraction, a protected park that features some of the world’s most exotic and endangered wild cats. Visit cathaven.com to learn more.
Forget anything you could obtain with hotel points. The Picadillly Inn is Fresno’s Plaza Hotel, Waldorf-Astoria, and Four Seasons all rolled up into one. It’s always been Fresno’s best-known local hotel.
Try the Santa Fe Basque Restaurant for local Basque cuisine. The Central Valley is a Basque hub.
Parts of the Forestiere underground gardens are over a century old. They are modeled after Italian catacombs. Fresnans go there in the summer to beat the heat.
On Wednesdays, downtown Fresno has ‘Market on Kern’. Kern Street is between M and N streets. They have local produce, organic cheeses, honey, and jewelry.
@Scott which Picadilly do you like?
Best part of Fresno? The road out of town! :0
Try the asian fusion restaurant Dai Bai Dang. It has a pretty extensive menu of dishes covering Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc. Ask for Dan Dan Noodles!
Vineyard Farmers Market is held year round, Wednesdays: 3PM – 6PM
Saturdays: 7AM – Noon.
Take the kids to the Chaffee Zoo.
If you like art you can not go wrong with the Fresno Art Museum!
The best pancakes I have ever had anywhere are at Batter Up! in Fresno. It’s a small, family-run restaurant with great food and great service.
Park Inn by Radisson in Fresno only requires 9,000 Club Carlson points! And if you have the Club Carlson credit card and stay more than one night, your last night is FREE!!!! What a great value!!!
the Fresno Mariachi Festival is next week if you’re going to be in fresno
Fresno State has some pretty good athletic teams, especially football. Check them out while in town.
In the spring, you can be a part of the Fresno County Blossom Trail, and in the summer you can be a part of the Fresno County Fruit Trail.
Visit Aspen Acres to see llamas, miniature horses, emus, pygmy goats and geese.
Take part in the Shinzen Japanese Friendship Garden annual events like the Spring Blossom Festival and Toro Nagashi (Floating Lantern) Ceremony.
Wings at the Silver Dollar Hofbrau!
Country Inn and Suites Fresno North is a Club Carlson property that requires only 15,000 points per night AND if you stay multiple nights and are a Club Carlson credit card holder, your last night is FREE! What a deal!!
The zoo there is always a fun outing
Oh visit BlackBeards Family Center! They have so much to do …we LOVED the Ropes Course Adventure!
Fresno’s #1 ice cream shop according to urbanspoon is:
La Boulangerie De France by 91% of those polled.
Chaffee Zoo is different the place to visit!
Visit Woodward Park for some nice outdoor fun. For a small daily use fee, you have access to the park’s extensive grounds.
Forestiere Underground Gardens!
Dog house grill! Can’t miss.
Fresno is the raisin capital of the world, for what that’s worth!. The Fresno Grizzlies are a good team for lower level (and lower ticket price) baseball.
Fresno has the Forestiere Underground Gardens.
Rent a car a drive to Yosemite. On the way is the not so famous gem – Millerton Lake South Shore Trail. A must-visit location!
The Fresno State farmer’s market is open everyday in the summer. Stocked and run by FSU students, they grow and sell the best corn in California, picked fresh every day while in season.
As a man interested in eating well, you need to know about Trelio. This restaurant is run with care and commitment by two brothers: one is the chef, the other is the sommelier. Their ingredients are top-notch, their menu changes nightly to show off those ingredients, and the prices are an incredible value for such high quality.
Try Pismo’s for excellent seafood and Maroo’s for sushi.
Tacos La Elegante in downtown Fresno really leads the pack in an area full of great Mexican food.
Love the Brig if you’re looking for a bar with great atmosphere. It’s a little dive-y, with an interesting mix of truckers and bikers, students and townies, professionals and bachelorette parties. No kitchen on site, but you can carry in from the burger place next door.
http://www.towerdistrict.org Many great places here including Irene’s Cafe, Grandmarie’s Chicken Pie Shop
Always fly to Fresno and travel to Yosemite by rental car!
Go to a Fresno grizzlies!
Check out FORESTIERE Underground GARDENS at 5021 W. Shaw Avenue
A hand-built network of underground rooms, courtyards and
passageways similar to ancient catacombs. Also the underground home of Sicilian visionary and self-taught artist/builder Baldassare Forestiere. Especially on a HOT day.
Check out Pho 99 on McKinley — a delicious bowl of pick-me-up!
If you spend a lot of time in trouble with the wife, make sure to check out the Dog House Grill. Ranked highly on TripAdvisor, it is sure to be a lot nicer than the dog house you are usually in.
Hang out at the Enology (winemaking) lab at Fresno State and get some samples of the student’s work. I took the class while a student there and it was the most fun ever; and I learned a lot.
The Oh Wow! Nickle arcade which bills itself as the last remaining place on earth where a nickle still buys something. http://ohwow-arcade.com/index.php
1 tip, 1 word: Yosemite.
Minor league games are so much fun!
Check out the AAA Fresno Grizzlies at Chukchansi Park if visiting in baseball season.
Fresno has great access to several awesome National parks and no less than four El Pollo Loco locations. Great food and adventure abounds!
Fresno reminds me one important thing – I have a college friend there which I have not seen him for 20 years.
Fresno State football games should be fun!
Try the (vegan) cupcakes and tomato soup at Charlotte’s Bakery!
Be sure to check out food trucks downtown every Friday. Live music and good food.
Fresno has plenty grapes of wrath
Try to make a joke about Fres “yes”
Fresno has a small town feel, but lots of activities for couples, families or adventurers! From man-made fun at Visalia Adventure park – to beautiful nature in nearby Sequoia King’s Canyon Park lots to do, see and experience.
Catch a movie or live performance at the Tower Theatre . Art Deco architecture makes it a great venue.
For baseball fans, catch a Fresno Grizzlies game (AAA affiliate of the SF Giants).
The Chaffee Zoo is well worth the visit!
check out the Forestiere Underground Gardens
Since I lived nearby to Fresno (many years ago) I took a group of homeschoolers to the lake in the town’s central park. We caught tadpoles there and took them home to be raised for a science project. What is interesting.?.?.? they were the largest tadpoles ever and the frogs that grew from them small but very loud. Go Fresno Frogs!!!
Can you still get arrested for “cruising” Blacstone?
Check out the Fresno State Farm Market for fresh vegetables and fruit.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are great for cooling off for a few hours.
Kearney Mansion Museum is a very interesting afternoon visit. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was said to be inspired by the famous Chateau de Chenonceaux in the Loire valley in France. Tours are given by charming local volunteers. Beautiful gardens too!
Wan the best coffee in Fresno? Hit up The Grind.
I recommend Grandmarie’s Chicken Pie Shop!
Great farmer’s market on Saturday mornings!
http://www.vineyardfarmersmarket.com/
One must go to Grandmarie’s Chicken Pie Shop! Great laid back atmosphere, great food, and extremely reasonably price
Catch a game at Fresno State University – one of 14 Division 1 schools (most in USA) that have the mascot of a Bulldog. Others include: Butler, MS State, Georgia, Alabama A&M, The Citadel, Drake, Gardner-Webb, Gonzaga, LA Tech, Samford, SC State, UNC-Asheville, and Yale.
Frank’s Place, the small venue at the performing arts center, is a great place to catch some jazz on arnother cool band.
Samos Kitchen, mmmmm
some Pho99 sounds great too
Go visit the Old Fresno Water Tower. It’s an old water tower that is a major landmark in downtown Fresno and one of the oldest surviving structures in the area.
The best burger, fries, and shake can be found at In-N-Out burger. There are 3 locations in town.
@Gary: I’m referring to the Picadilly Inn Shaw in the Fig Garden area, which was always one of the nicer parts of town. It was built in 1972, and it is definitely of that era. Sprawling grounds, low-slung buildings, a nine-hole putting course (!), etc. I’m exaggerating about how fancy it is, but is definitely the most local hotel that screams THIS IS FRESNO vs. a Club Carlson redemption or something sanitized.
Chaffee Zoo is good for both children and adults!
Visit Blackbeard’s mini golf: not only do they have a cool, pirate-themed course, it’s open weekends until midnight!
Yes we have become a bit of a “pho capital” (careful how you pronounce that). Also try the Boxcar Café in an older industrial area for the best Jalapeno Pulled Pork sandwich north of Calwa!
The San Joaquin River Trust has great guided canoe trips — some even include fishing!
I’ve heard great things about the Chafee Zoo
Make sure to stop by the Reno police department and say hi to Lieutenant Dangle, Deputy Trudy, Deputy Junior, and my personal favorite, Deputy Raineesha. Many of Reno 911’s opening sequences were shot on location, and the cast of characters live on!
Since Fresno is the only city in the world with that name, everything one does in Fresno is, by extension, pretty unique. However, I would recommend it as the base camp for a visit to Sequoia National Park. Top that off with a meal at the Ripe Tomato and a stroll through any one of Fresno’s many farmers’ markets.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are super cool!
Check out the Fresno Metropolitan Museum for some local art culture, but not on Monday as it’s closed.
If you are visiting Fresno with the family you gotta check out the Chaffee Zoo
In the mood for Mexican food? try Castillo’s , they are a family owned business that serve Authentic Mexican dishes
Island Waterpark is perfect for these hot summer days!
Kids have an awesome time at Boomers! lots of things to do and the daily specials makes it even better. In my opinion is better to go on Thursdays around 6pm because for $10 you get 2 hours of unlimited Rides and Attractions.
I am all for Family owned businesses because the always offer great service for a low price, Batter Up Pancakes on North Cedar Ave has simple and delicious food and is not overpriced
Cupcakes Bakery has the best cupcakes in the city, cupcakes are always moist and the frosting is so creamy and delicious.You gotta try the Carrot cupcake, is goood!
Rancho Notso Grande has a great name, and, especially this time of year, is a great place to pick your own mouthwatering berries. And they let you eat while you pick!
for kosher meals or anything jewish check out Chabad in Fresno.
For the good chow-hunters out there (Gary, this is a tip you can use for Tyler), check out Rudy’s Chicken Man, not far off the 99 at Clinton. This is a real, old-school, fresh oil, fried chicken joint — father & son enterprise, now just the son (Rudy Jr.?).
Victor mentioned the Armenian community above and suggested Diana’s Restaurant above. I’ve never been there, but those interested in a taste of Armenia would do well to check out Hye Market, which has a great range of Armenian (and Middle Eastern, and Greek) groceries, ingredients, and prepared foods.
First off, love National for being in smaller cities and being able to pick my own (usually upgraded) vehicle!
Lots have already said Fresno is a great base for visiting national parks, but I’ll add that if visiting Yosemite, avoid the crowd by going to Tuolumne Grove, Tuolumne Meadows, or back-country it in Ansel Adams or John Muir Wilderness…
But if you want the outdoors without leaving the city, Fresno’s Japanese Garden (mentioned by others, too) is beautiful. It isn’t as planned as San Francisco’s Japanese garden, but what it lacks in order, it makes up for in size being the largest Japanese garden in California. It’s also dirt cheap!
Speaking of cheap, but oh so yummy, are the hand-made tortillas and tacos at El Mercado on Belmont (near the airport). Actually a Mexican grocery store, if you go in the morning, you’ll pass the enormous grill in the parking lot smoking chickens. Besides groceries, inside you’ll find 8 tables, a salsa bar, flavorful carnitas, spicy and juicy pork, cabesa, tongue and menudo. Don’t forget to ask for chiles!
My last tip which has to do with National is that the airport car rental facility is literally across the street from most of the airport hotels (at least the Picadilly and Holiday Inn). This is great if you’re trying to shave off a couple hours of rental to not incur another rental day – for example, if you flew in at night, you could just walk to your hotel and get the rental car in the morning saving you at least 8 hours of rental. Yes, the hotels offer an airport shuttle, but trust me, the walk takes all of 5 minutes (if the fence weren’t in the way, it would take 1 minute!).
Just remembered another Fresno tip — for those hot valley days, head to Tropic Hawaiian Shave Ice to cool down — delicious, and run by a dude who looks like the shave ice guy from Hawaii Five-O (the remake).
Head up to Shaver Lake it is a beautiful place to camp or stay in a rental. We have been going as a group for years every summer.
Fresno State football games!
The Fresno Art Museum is a surprisingly nice find.
Because of the hot summers, Forestiere carved out by hand over 40 years what’s now known as the Forestiere Underground Gardens. It even has a little house down there with bedrooms.
Arrive real early for early AM flights. The lines are always very long due to a bunch of 6 am +- departures.
I missed a flight and had ot wait whole day even though I was Pr Exec
I live in Fresno and it is really getting bigger and bigger with all sorts of big name brand business coming in to Fresno. For someone who doesn’t live there anymore, but I’m sure you can remember, you must try and that is the pizza. Not just any Pizza but to me the best pizza in the world, and that is Me-N-Ed’s pizza. I’ve been a lot of places where people say this is the best pizza, but I must say when your in Fresno you will never forget this slice of pure bliss. This pizza is brick oven baked with the cheesy cheese, freshest toppings and a sort of tangy tomato sauce that’s out of this world. So in the end while my mouth is watering my tip if you ever venture to Fresno, California try Me-N-Ed’s pizzeria it will change your life ;@)
The Chafee Zoo is worth a visit!
The Legion of Valor Museum honors veterans and admission is free!
Something I’ve wanted to do is to take a walking tour with About Town Taste. You get to walk and see historic buildings as well as sample local restaurants.
The Fresno Philharmonic is celebrating its 60th anniversary season!
The Fresno Metropolitan Museum has an excellent permanent collection on William Saroyan, Fresno native and famous writer.
The San Joaquin River Stewardship Program gives the public a chance to paddle down the San Joaquin River either by canoeing, kayaking, or standup paddling.
Go to th Yosemite Ranch Steak & Seafood Restaurant for a great meal. It’s been there for ages and is a proven winner for top food options in Fresno.
In Clovis, Grilled Chz serves up a fabulous “Sloppy Cheez” — a combo of a grilled cheese and a sloppy joe, on fried sourdough bread. The crispy fries are also delicious.
Cemetery tourists might want to check out the grave of Academy Award winner Walter Huston at Belmont Memorial Park. Huston is also the father of John Huston and the grandfather of Angelica Huston.
Great BBQ and burgers at Dog House Grill!
If traveling with kids (or if you just love animals), check out the Chaffee Zoo (www.fresnochaffeezoo.org).
Another thing to do with the kids there, if you’re traveling in the summer, is go to Island Waterpark (www.islandwaterpark.com).
Fresh fruit Mochi at Kogetsu-DO Confectionary. To die for! Gotta try it. Also Mochi with ice cream. Yummm!
You can often join a game of horseshoes in one of the horseshoe pits at Roeding Park. Perfect thing to pair with a trip to the zoo, which is right there.
The Door Art Gallery hosts oil painting classes every Thursday and Friday.
The Water Tower in downtown Fresno is a city landmark. Built in the American Romanesque style, it looks like a part of a medieval castle. It is now open as a visitor center where you can get tourist information and buy souvenirs.
Fulton Mall is a pedestrian-only 6 block long street, shaded by trees and historic high rise buildings dating between 1910 and the 1930’s. There are shops, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, music venues and fountains with many benches to stop and rest along the way.
The Tower district, Fresno’s half mile of culture, features award winning restaurants, performance venues, shops, and galleries.
The Discovery Center is a mostly outdoor museum that is part science museum part botanical center.
Woodward Park is a good place for families to take a leisurely stroll
Curious kids would enjoy Forestiere Underground Gardens, unique.
Gary, I lived in Hanford near Fresno at the same times as you, so we may have run into each other. I have returned a few times to visit. The Chaffee Zoo is small but enjoyable for families. The Fashion Fair Mall still has plenty of places to shop. And just a few miles to the east, there are three great national parks – Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia. I love the San Joaquin Valley. It is a great place to visit, and just a few hours from anything you want – mountains, coasts, and metropolitan areas.
Architecture buffs will enjoy stopping by the historic Pantages Theatre (1928) in downtown Fresno. The building is “an eclectic blend of Moorish, Spanish and Italian Renaissance Revival elements”. Try to get an inside tour for fascinating windows and ceilings. Originally built for vaudeville acts, it now hosts concerts.
A bit tourist trap-y, but the Forestiere underground gardens are a cool place to check out. Dug by one man, the name pretty much says it all…but it’s pretty unique.
This will sound strange but just stick with Olive Garden. The local food scene is just okay.
Fresno hosts California’s Premier Greek Festival on Fri, Sat & Sun August 23, 24 & 25 – 2013 – the 53rd Annual Fresno GreekFest!
Fresno is a great base from which to explore King’s Canyon National Park.
Fresno is the cantaloupe capital!
Organic Fresno-Yummy!
903 Parkway Dr
Fresno, CA 93728
Chuckchansi Park, home of the AAA Fresno Grizzlies is one of the nicest minor league stadiums I’ve visited.
Consider stopping by the Meux Home Museum (1889). Built by a civil war veteran, Dr. Thomas Richard Meux, it is a historic home with a beautiful Victorian exterior and interior. A great time to visit is in the fall when it hosts special period themed activities.
kosher meals @ chabad of fresno
Fresno Philharmonic is nice and cool.
Samos Kitchen
Pho99
Fresno Chaffee Zoo for the kids…
Think like a kid to enjoy the best of what Fresno has to offer! Go for a swim or an early morning bike ride. Better yet, in this agricultural center of California, go the County Fair. This year’s dates are October 2-14.
Golden Horse serves some dim sum items
Island Water Park tickets are cheaper when you buy them online
In-N-Out Burger!
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are really cool, and a nice way to escape heat
Go for a wine tasting at Engelmann Cellars.
Just like in every other city, PF Chang’s serves horrible food
The SF Giant’s AAA team plays downtown.
The Fresno Philharmonic is doing a Paul McCartney tribute in October!
Fresno…gateway to Yosemite
The Save Mart Center makes a good concert venue.
check out Fresno Grand Opera and Fresno Philharmonic.
There are 25 CVS stores near Fresno and many will sell VRC’s to you with a cc: cvs.com
Just moved away for a job out of college 2 years ago but Fresno has some cool things to offer.
1. Doghouse Grill – Try the Craiger (chicken sandwich) and definitely get some fries (best fries anywhere in my experience). Their pulled pork sandwich is always a local favorite too; and it’s across the street from the Save Mart Center for basketball games, concerts, etc.
2. The Elbow Room – Located off of Palm and Shaw in the Fig Garden area. Great atmosphere and really good food. It’s been a local staple for years.
3. Great jumping off point to Yosemite National Park – Fresno is only 90 minutes or so from Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. If your physically up to it, Half Dome is a challenging but doable day hike and the views are magnificent. Note, you need a permit now to climb and the last couple hundred feet up the granite of Half Dome itself is very slippery so bring gloves for the cables. A couple people seem to die every year.
4. The Fresno Grizzlies – Fresno is home to the San Francisco Giants AAA affiliate. While I’m not a Giants fan, I did have a chance to see Buster Posey, Tim Lincicum, Madison Bumgardner, and a others before they broke into the Majors. Plus the atmosphere is great.
5. Fresno State Football – Historically Fresno State puts a good product on the field and has several players in the NFL. Get there early and tailgate because unfortunately, there’s no alcohol for sale in the stadium, but security is not very secure 😉
6. Fresno State Farmers Market & Winery – Fresno State has one of the best Enology programs in the country and produces both red and white wines (both are excellent) on site. Because of Fresno’s importance to American food production, the Farmers Market also has some of the freshest and tastiest produce around. Try the sweet corn (especially on the BBQ), you won’t be disappointed.
The Park Inn by Radisson has a nice, big outdoor pool if staying with kids. We gave the kids a break mid-trip and just let them play in the pool all day.
When you fly into Fresno, take a trip over to Clovis, and hit up the fantastic In ‘N Out on Herndon Ave. That’s a California must-stop for me, even though I rarely eat fast food.
The National Parks: Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon…. Even Death Valley.
If you want some authentic Mexican tacos head over to Zamora Taqueria.
Fresno is the one of the very few places in the US that has a Radisson, a Park Inn, and a Country Inn. Perfect place for a Club Carlson MR!!
I think a very unique thing to see in Fresno is the Forestiere Underground Gardens!
The Chaffee Zoo is nice, especially on nights when they serve ice cream for the Ice Cream Zoofari!
I love Woodward Park too – take some bread to feed the ducks! Or go for a nice long run.
Fresno is very much improving in the dining scene (finally!!) and a good new restaurant is Limon (peruvian food) in Fort Washington area. The food is catered a bit toward Central Valley tastes (aka you won’t find any cuy here) but they do have some really great dishes like Lomo Saltado!
The Tower District is a great place for bars and nightlife. Hit up Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater for an enjoyable dinner show, and then finish the night at Cuvee wine bar!
Island Waterpark is worth the drive if you are even close. A great time for the kids
If you want to travel slightly beyond Fresno into the wilds of Clovis, you absolutely should go to Jimbos on Herndon 🙂 It’s exactly the kind of place that represents the “true” Clovis: cowboys, coors light, and juke boxes.
The Elbow Room restaurant has good food to pair with the large wine menu.
Another relatively new, but incredibly awesome breakfast place is Batter Up Pancakes at Cedar and Nees. They serve all kinds of incredible pancakes, including oreo, ice cream sundae, pb&j, and so many more. Even the plain buttermilk pancakes are delicious!
Last tip 🙂 The Berrock Shop is an institution. I’ve never actually had a a bierock outside of Fresno, but this place makes them so well that I might not have to 🙂 Now I’m feeling nostalgic!
Oh! One important thing to note: If you are trying to visit Fresno as an SPG elite – you’re out of luck. Starwood doesn’t have any properties in Fresno or the surrounding area. The closest is 2 hours away in Bakersfiled 🙁 But if you have Club Carlson or Marriott, you’ll be set.
great sandwiches at Sunnyside Deli!
OK, for those into shopping, Fashion Fair mall could be a good way of spending time (and money!)
You can use points to get to Fresno on Amtrak using the San Joaquin line.
The Park Inn Fresno is a great redemption of Club Carlton points.
There is a vast homeless encampment on G Street where it passes under the 41 freeway. This might ordinarily not be on one’s list of places to visit, but a local artist has commemorated those who have passed away with a memorial. It’s quite moving.
Fashion Fair Mall, mentioned above, is noteworthy as the only mall in Fresno to host both Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny (in season only, of course).
Before going fishing, get the best area reports from Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis.
Yosemite National Park of course! A natural wonder!
One word—- YOSEMITE
One word—- YOSEMITE
Teazer Tea Markets are a great showpiece local to Fresno. The downtown location is particularly convenient if you’re taking Amtrak, as NaveJ suggested above.
I recommend visiting Chaffee Zoo if you are in animal watch.
… and posting about Teazer made me think of Cafe Corazon, which is the one coffee roaster in Fresno that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the big city boys.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are a pretty sight to see. I’d suggest stopping by if you’re in the city.
Fresno Breakfast House is a great place to have an inexpensive, yet flavorful and filling breakfast.
I lived in the Fresno area for over 18 years. There are a lot of things to do in the area. In order to avoid comment spamming, I’ll number my entries to the contest.
Sports:
1. See the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA Giants feeder team) play at Chuckchansi Park, which was built in 2002 and is very nice.
2. Watch a Fresno State game. Fresno State has some of best athletic programs in the Cal State University system (23 campuses around the state!). Their football team is often nationally ranked and is a perennial Cinderella team. The fans are die-hard and the the games are a lot of fun. Don’t forget to wear red! They also have an excellent men’s baseball team (NCAA D1 Champs in 2008!)
Food:
3. Chuckwagon in Sanger. Eat the best chili in the world at Chuckwagon in Sanger. This is just 5 minutes from highway 180 and is the perfect breakfast or lunch stop if you’re on your way to Sequoia or Kings Canyon National parks.
4. Superior Dairy. Though not technically in Fresno, this diner in Hanford churns its own ice cream and is a perfect place to stop if you’re driving up to Fresno from the south entrance of Sequoia National Park.
5. Doghouse Grill. The sister restaurant of Main Street Grill in Cambria and of The Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo, Doghouse Grill is located accross the street from The Save Mart Center Stadium at Fresno State and serves up the best Tri-Tip in the Valley.
Fun:
6. Go white-water rafting on the upper Kings River. There are two companies that conduct white water rafting tours. It’s a lot of fun and only about an hour away.
7. Leisurely rafting on the lower Kings River. No guide needed. Enter the River at Goodfellow Road (20 minutes from Fresno) for a leisurely 3 hour float to Kelly’s Beach Bar and Grill in Reedley.
8. Spend the day at Pine Flat lake. Boats are available to rent on the lake for a very affordable price. This 1 million acre-feet reservoir tends to be much less busy than other local lakes, which makes it perfect for water skiing. 40 minute drive from Fresno.
9. Go skiing or snowboarding at China Peak. (about an hour up highway 168)
10. See a concert and the new Save Mart Center stadium. Due to Fresno’s central location between Los Angeles and San Fransisco, they are able to get a lot of big name bands to add a tour date in Fresno.
11. Drive to San Luis Obispo and spend the day at Pismo Beach. This is the closest beach to Fresno and a very popular hangout for Fresnans. However, since it’s much farther away for Los Angelenos and San Fransiscans, it’s not very crowded. For an extra thrill, drive your car out on Pismo Beach, bring a tent and stay the night. No permit or special tires required.
12. Drive the length of Van Ness. There are some beautiful old houses along this old road. William Saroyan used to play along it as a child.
13. Play a round of disc golf course at Woodward Park. The course is free.
14. Spend the day at Wild Water Adventures. There is plenty of shade, you can bring in your own food, and there are ponds to fish in while the kids play on the water slides.
Visit in the fall or spring when the weather is fantastic and have a picnic in one of the many beautiful nearby regional parks in the foothills.
Catch a Grizzlies game if they are in town.
The Hampton Inn gave me candy around Halloween when I checked in. It was neat.
Blackbeard’s Family Fun Center has mini golf
Market on Kern has great veggies!
Do not get the 4×4 from In-n-Out unless you’re super hungry
The outdoor Fulton Mall is a very pleasant way to spend a late afternoon or early evening.
It is so close to Yosemite.
Love the Vineyard Farmer’s Market. I’m a wanna-bee enthusist (pun intended) and they have special events including the Be My Honey Festival showcasing Bee Bob’s honey. Yum!
Angel falls and Devils slide is an awesome local chill spot near bass lake. Its a hidden turnoff just before you get to bass lake. Nice hike, pools, waterfalls, underwater swimming holes, and of course devils slide (big natural rock slide).
Check out Woodward Legacy DIsc Golf Course (aka frisbee golf!) for an affordable and fun entertainment option.
Chris’s meat market on the west side for best tacos in town.
Cool off and chill out with an elephant vanilla chai from Teazer World Tea Market.
The Fresno Art Museum is a really underrated attraction in Fresno. In fact, it is the only art museum anywhere between Los Angeles and San Francisco and it definitely packs plenty of interesting exhibits and informative events to make up for the lack of museums in other cities! Afterwards head over to JJ Dukes for some delicious sandwiches! Enjoy your time in Fresno, it truly is underrated.
The Park Inn – Fresno is a decent hotel that happily accepts pets and it only costs 9,000 points/night. The dogs will love all the mature trees and grass on the property.
Great place to stay before heading to Sequoia or Yosemite National Parks.
In-N-Out Burger
A lot of people fly into Fresno and drive to Yosemite.
On hot days the Forestiere Underground Gardens are a good way to cool off.
Go to Wild Water Adventures and fish in their ponds.
Check out the Shinzen Japanese Garden at Woodward Park!
Tropic Hawaiian Shave Ice, has amazing shaved ice and Fresno can get hot these months.
The Farm Market on Barstow Ave has a large selection of wines produced at Fresno State Univ — the only on-campus commercial winery in the U.S. (think Nouveau-style red for $6.95.)
Another good vegan restaurant option is Revive Cafe, where they support local organic farms and also make great smoothies!
If you’re flying into Fresno (FAT) to visit Yosemite, I strongly suggest visiting in the shoulder season – in May before Memorial day or in Sept after Labor day. The summer crowds have thinned out, and you’ll have the place to yourself.
The Castle Air Museum in Atwater north of Fresno has an SR-71 and a B-52!!
Looking to start your day with a hit? Go to Batter Up! for a pancake. Great stuff.
Well looking to eat fresh and healthy? Got off your butt and head for Vineyard Farmers Market on Wed and Sat. Ask a local for directions.
Dining plus Activities:
1.Great jazz(free) every Sunday evening at 6:00pm plus delicious food at the the oldest Japanese Restaurant in downtown Fresno-the Tokyo Gardens.
2.Take the kids to the Chaffee Zoo and/or Storyland with a train or paddleboat ride on the pond. Breakfast or lunch nearby a few blocks away at Al’s Cafe which has some of the best American/Mexican food around at very reasonable prices. Try the philly cheese-steak or some of the Mexican specialities such as albondigas soup or the monster burritos voted the best in town.
Al’s is also very convenient if you are just passing through Fresno. It is just one block west of Highway 99 at the Olive St exit(only open for breakfast and lunch).
3. Meet and make new friends with French conversation from 3:30-5:00pm every Thursday at la Boulangerie in fig Garden Village and enjoy a baguette or other French delicacies.
1.The excellent summer concert series every Fri. night for only $10.00(with Mexican food, beer/wine available) at the Arte Americas Cultural Center in downtown Fresno.
2.The summer Band concerts(the oldest continuous summer band concerts in the US) in the downtown park Thurs. evenings at 8:00 pm in Kingsburg, pop. 11,500, the nicest small town in Fresno County(named the Swedish Village after its Swedish heritage). Bring earplugs if you have sensitive ears as real canons are used during the playing of the 1812 Overture!!!
Enjoy food from one of the vendors along with ice cream deserts. Especially try one of Jonathan’s homemade fresh berry sorbets.
If you arrive early enough before the concert try a full course dinner at Jonathan’s restaurant or hors d’oeuvres and wine and beer at Blends Wine Bar two blocks down the main street from the park.
3.If you can’t make the concerts but are driving along on Highway 99 at breakfast time stop for delicious Swedish pancakes at the Dala Horse or Stockholm Bakery.
4. The Tower District has many venues including excellent productions at Roger Rockas dinner theater,
the Fresno Filmworks foreign films at the historical Tower theater the second Friday of each month and Art Hop each first Thurs. with many participating local galleries serving complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Since you will have a National car, head south about 35 minutes to Castle Air Force base museum in Merced. One of the most significant B 52 bomber bases during the cold war, it served as a strategic bomber traing base in world war II. Interior and outdoor displays include 50+ aircraft from WWII and the cold war. Certainly this is a great way to spend an afternoon or day.
The Caruthers District Fair, about 30 mins south of Fresno, is the only “free-gate” fair in the state and is incredibly family friendly. Check it out in September/October, and eat at one of the dozen or so diner-esque food booths manned by local non-profits.
Check out the Forestiere Underground Gardens which has a series of underground rooms that remind one of ancient Roman tombs
If you’re trying to nonrev to another destination (say the Bay Area or Las Vegas) and it starts to look like there is no possible way to nonrev to either of those areas; you can always nonrev to Fresno and you’ll have no problem getting a last-minute rental car from there. True story (both times).
China Peak just opened a new 27-hold disc golf course (think frisbees instead of golf balls). Players start by taking a chair lift up a mountain and then play holes back down the mountain. Good fun and a decent amount of exercise to boot!
Visiting the Fresno Chaffee Zoo would be a great experience for children of all ages
Despite of been a bit old the Rotary Storyland Playland is a great place to take your children, rides and attractions are perfect for the little ones.
you can catch pretty good concerts at the Woodward Regional Park, beautiful landscape and perfect for a picnic with the family
River Park Farmer’s Market is a great place to buy fresh produce and is pretty affordable too
If I don’t include this one, my kids would have a major breakdown. Chuck E Cheese never fails, I know you can probably find tons of locations around the country but for the little ones this doesn’t matter, every Chuck E cheese has its own magic
There is a new restaurant that just opened this week in downtown Fresno. It’s supposed to be a good place to drop in after seeing a Grizzlies game. It’s called Sumthin Ta Eat and they offer free Wi Fi.
The Central valley of California is beautiful and alive in early spring, take the blossom trail:
http://www.gofresnocounty.com/blossomtrail/blossomindex.asp
Or head up into foothills or Sequoia/Kings canyon to enjoy all the flowers and greenery.
Fresno’s “Zamora Taqueria” is one of the best Mexican restaurants you will ever eat at. In addition to the amazing food, you feel like you are transported to Mexico while eating there.
Before you head out to Yosemite, head to REI Fresno for all of you outdoor action gear. The staff are really knowledgeable and helpful. Of all the REIs I’ve been to, I found that REI Fresno staff really knew their stuff about everything fun to do nearby and how to prepare for any possible activity in Yosemite or even just outdoors in the Fresno area.
Fresno is a great gateway for visiting the Sierra Nevadas – Kings/Sequoia/Yosemite and the national forest wilderness areas. REI is a great place to rent camping gear if you don’t want to lug it all in checked baggage (especially if you have to pay for it).
Fly into Fresno and drive to Yosemite
Now, if you’ve got the US Bank Club Carlson card, plan a 6 day trip to Fresno, and pay only for 3 nights, spending 2 nights at each of the Club Carlson properties. It will only cost you 27,000 CC points to stay in Fresno 6 nights, but well worth it, if you plan to experience all the things mentioned above.