Step into the Real California, Spend This Summer in Fresno County

ClovisFest 2018 © Courtesy of Visit Fresno County

Step into the Real California, Spend This Summer in Fresno County

If you’re looking for crowded amusement parks, lots of traffic, and expensive meals, Fresno County isn’t for you. Here, travellers can experience a California summer you won’t find anywhere else in the state, whether travelling with family or on your own.

Get Underground Experiences

Start your trip by wandering through the Foresteire Underground Gardens, an underground wonder carved by hand in the early 1900s. In the summer, the gardens have their own microclimate, making the tunnels 10 to 20 degrees colder than the surface. Visit the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to see more than 200 species within their interactive exhibits for a fraction of the cost of other nearby zoos. Stop by Old Town Clovis to get a feel of the Old West and support local businesses.

Where Outdoor Adventure is Second Nature

Three of California’s beautiful national parks—Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon—surround Fresno and Clovis. Kings Canyon National Park is a hidden gem home to the deepest canyon in the United States. At 8,200 feet at its lowest points, Kings Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon and rewards hikers with incredible views of a glacial valley, roaring waterfalls, and giant sequoias.

Stand beneath the General Sherman, the largest tree in the world, inside Sequoia National Park. Take a short drive to see the famous El Capitan Mountain and climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Yosemite requires reservations to enter the park through October. Enjoy the sunshine and cool off at Fresno County’s many lakes, whether you are a water sports fanatic or want to sunbathe on the lakeshore.

Shaver Lake is an hour northeast of Fresno, perfect for jet skiing, canoeing, wakeboarding, and more. Take a wild ride 16 kilometres down the Kings River, located an hour east of Fresno and Clovis. The Kings River Expedition Class whitewater rafting trips are thrill rides that lead through winding channels and cold waters.

Live Like a Local

From local restaurants and breweries to farmers markets and food festivals, live like a local and indulge in Fresno County’s food scene. The Fresno County Fruit Trail runs from mid-May through early July. Get outside and meet the farmers who grow, pick, and package the nation’s food. Diversity is threaded within the community’s cuisine.

Taste the authentic Peruvian dishes at Señor Aji Peruvian Kitchen or stop at Fresno’s soul food destination, Chef Paul’s Café. Spend your afternoon sipping wine at a winery along the Fresno County Wine Journey—California’s underground wine country. Late summer travellers can enjoy beloved local events like Fresno Greek Fest, where the city’s Greek community spends a weekend celebrating their heritage with music and food. See hot air balloons lift off at ClovisFest, Clovis’s annual festival that bids farewell to summer and welcomes the fall.

Getting There

Fly into Fresno-Yosemite International Airport, the only international airport in California’s Central Valley. Canadian travellers are only one stop away. The airport has nonstop flights to 14 major cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver. Roadtrippers can take State Route 99 or Interstate 5 to enter the city. Fresno is three hours from San Francisco and Sacramento and four hours from Los Angeles.

For more information, go to visitfresnocounty.org