The gateway to three National Parks, it is also a thriving metropolis that is amongst the fastest growing in the United States. When a barren desert, it has turn out to be the Raisin Capital of the United States, producing over 325,000 tons of the dried fruit per year. In recent years, Fresno has began to shake its reputation as a sleepy, out of the way town and grown into a popular tourist destination, thanks to the wide range of points to do in the location.
Fresno is situated in the center of California, approximately 200 mi (320 km) away from each of San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. Very easily accessible destinations along the Pacific coast of California consist of San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz, which are all approximately 150 mi (240 km) away. Nearby cities in the San Joaquin Valley are Merced, 60 mi (100 km) to the north, and Bakersfield, 110 mi (176 km) to the south.
The Yokut Indians were the original inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley, but like several other tribes in North America, they fared poorly upon the arrival of Europeans. An estimated population of 18,000 dwindled to under 600 in the late 19th century due to displacement and illness.
The initial Europeans to discover the web site of Fresno were the Spanish, who arrived in the mid 19th century searching for mission sites. The region remained comparatively undeveloped till two key events changed its history. In 1846, California became the property of the United States, and in 1848, gold was discovered in northern California. The subsequent gold rush brought thousands of people to the central portion of the territory, many of whom stayed soon after the rush ended.
Agriculture came to the Fresno location in 1870 with the 1st irrigation ditches, nevertheless the city’s status as a raisin capital came about by accident. A especially dry year led an entire crop of grapes to dry on the vine. The resulting raisins had been exported to San Francisco, where they became a huge hit and made the location well-known.
Old Town Clovis
Photo Courtesy of the Fresno County
Office of Tourism
Fresno stayed a frontier town for many decades afterwards, until several fires and a big flood threatened the area’s stability. This led residents to comprehend that a more organized government was essential and the city of Fresno was officially incorporated in 1885.
Agriculture would continue to dominate the history of Fresno. Orange, apple and fig orchards thrived in the location and turned Fresno county into America’s fruit basket. Throughout the Excellent Depression, the region served as a beacon to mid-western farmers fleeing the Dust Bowl, who had been enticed by its wealthy farm land. Here they identified a place to prosper, and the location continued to grow, taking Fresno’s population of around 144,000 in 1930 to 276,000 by 1950. This steady, robust growth has continued by way of to today and Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
Fresno sits in the subtropical climate belt and has quite warm summers and mild winters, while rarely experiencing freezing temperatures. Average high temperatures throughout June, July and August are between 91 and 97° F (33-36° C). Like many other cities in central and southern California, summers are quite dry and sunny with practically no rain from May possibly to October. The “rainy” months are nonetheless very dry with around 8 of the annual 11 inches (280 mm) of rainfall in Fresno falling from November by way of April. Typical winter high temperatures, in between November and February, tend to range from 53 to 63° F (12-17° C). Because of its sheltered location in the San Joaquin Valley, winds are mild. Even so, this can lead to troubles with smog, and air high quality can at times grow to be as a lot of a difficulty as it is in larger centers such as Los Angeles and Houston.
The major highway to Fresno is California State Route 99, which runs directly by way of the city and connects to Interstate 5 at its north and south ends. Highway 41 also crosses the city and is the major route to travel to Yosemite National Park from Fresno. The Fresno-Yosemite International Airport has flights from most key cities in western North America, and sees visitors of about one million passengers per year.
Travelers from the San Francisco Bay Area who want a much more leisurely trip via the San Joaquin Valley can take 1 of the six everyday trains from Amtrak, which runs the San Joaquins line through Fresno. Bakersfield is the southern terminal point on this line.
Greyhound bus lines provides service to Fresno from most main California centers, and Transportes InterCalifornias has everyday round trip service from Fresno to Los Angeles and Tijuana.
For traveling inside Fresno, guests can take advantage of the Fresno bus system, identified as Fresno Area Express, or FAX. Finding around the city and region by vehicle is effortless, and Fresno has a number of auto rental agencies, or if you prefer, taxis are plentiful and can be an simpler way to travel inside the city.
The cultural center of Fresno is the Tower District, anchored by the Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts. Opened as a Fox movie palace in 1939, this magnificent art deco developing now plays host to live performances. Accenting the region are a multitude of restaurants, independent book shops, theater troupes and night clubs, such as blues and jazz venues.
The Old Town Clovis district strives for a laid-back historical feel, with renovated period buildings, cobblestone streets and old fashioned street lamps. Like the Tower District, it also has its share of restaurants, cafes, antique shops and nightclubs.
A thriving arts scene consists of the Fresno Ballet, Fresno Grand Opera and Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, which share the William Saroyan Theatre. This theater is also home to traveling productions and concerts. The venue for key concerts in Fresno is the SaveMart Center, which is situated on the California State University Fresno campus.
Fresno is house to over two dozen museums and art galleries, including the Fresno Art Museum and the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art, History and Science. The Downing Planetarium at Fresno State University has weekend shows seeking into the mysteries of the universe, and totally free telescope stargazing sessions.
The sunny summer climate makes Fresno an perfect golf destination, with about two dozen public golf courses to choose from in the location. Other outdoor recreational facilities contain miles of cycling trails, many city pools and tennis courts. The Granite Park sports complicated contains a number of baseball diamonds, soccer fields and volleyball courts.
At 52 acres, Wild Water Adventures is the area’s greatest water park. Ten different rides, which includes a wave pool, promise wet and wild enjoyable. As properly, the park offers fishing locations and a family members recreation location with beach volleyball courts and picnic grounds.
Fresno’s expert sports teams incorporate the AAA baseball Fresno Grizzlies, who play in downtown Grizzlies Stadium and the AA hockey Fresno Falcons, who make the SaveMart Center their house. The Fresno State Bulldogs are the representatives of California State University Fresno in the Western Athletic Conference of the NCAA and compete in a number of different sports, such as football and basketball.
The highlight of the year for community activities is The Massive Fresno Fair, which is held annually for two weeks in October. It attributes a carnival and a midway, every day live entertainment, horse racing and thousands of square feet of exhibitions.
One more large occasion is the Kingsburg Swedish Festival, held the third weekend in Could. Celebrating the culture of some of the region’s very first settlers, the festival is filled with traditional food, crafts and entertainment.
The Rogue Efficiency Festival is Fresno’s stop for the Fringe Festival circuit. The occasion is a showcase for offbeat and original entertainment and takes location every year in mid-March.
Around FRESNO
Fresno and area’s grape crop doesn’t all go into raisins and the region is also property to a thriving wine industry. The nearby Madera Wine Trail showcases some of central California’s best viticulture. Many area wineries offer tasting tours and unique events such as wine and chocolate weekends.
Workplace of Tourism Undeniably, 1 of Fresno’s greatest assets is its proximity to 3 National Parks, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Each and every is inside an hour-and-a-half drive and supply some of the very best mountain scenery in California. Hiking, skiing, climbing and rafting are well-liked activities in these parks.
Millerton Lake, 20 mi (32 km) northeast of Fresno, offers fishing, boating and swimming. Miles of hiking trails wind around the lake, offering a fantastic view of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Wildlife is plentiful here, with one of the largest bald eagle populations in California. Deer, coyotes and mountain lions are also widespread here. Read on about and edible arrangements and fruit baskets.
