Fresno Tourist Information and Tourism

(Fresno, California - CA, USA)



The city of Fresno enjoys a relatively central situation in the state of California, being roughly equidistant from San Diego (southeast) and Sacramento (northwest). Although this city may not be on the tourism map quite in the same way as the Californian tourist giants of Los Angeles and San Francisco, Fresno is actually the state's fifth-biggest city, meaning that there is plenty going on here.

The city sits within the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and for many tourists, Fresno serves as something of a gateway to some of America's most famous national parks. These include the Sequoia National Forest (southeast), the Kings Canyon National Park (east), the Sierra National Forest (northeast) and the Yosemite National Park (northeast). Further away and to the far east is the Death Valley National Park, while to the far north is the Stanislaus National Forest.

If you are on holiday in Fresno, then it will make a great deal of sense to plan yourself an itinerary after first paying a visit to the Fresno / Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). This tourism outlet stands on East Shaw Avenue, close to the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant and in between North 6th Street and North 9th Street.





Fresno Tourist Information and Tourism: Top Sights

Those sightseeing in this city will find that downtown Fresno is a sensible place to start your explorations. The downtown core is called home by the traffic-free Fulton Mall, as well as the vibrant Chinatown district and its Azteca Theater. Tourists vacationing here with their children can choose between spending time at Blackbeard's Family Entertainment Center, the Island Water Park and Fresno Chaffee Zoo, the latter of which lives in the heart of Roeding Park and opened in 1929. The city's zoological gardens come with more than 125 different species, ranging from Fennec foxes, Malayan tigers and tapirs, to orangutans, toucans, oryx, rattlesnakes and Andean condors. All ages will enjoy an hour or two relaxing at the Shinzen Japanese Gardens within Woodward Park, or spending time exploring the unusual subterranean Forestiere Underground Gardens, which were excavated by hand between the years 1906 and 1946. More information about Fresno Tourist Attractions.

Various official 'Californian Historic Landmarks' stand within the boundaries of Fresno, with some of the oldest and most important being sited within the downtown core. There are also various attractive sites to be found around the districts of Huntington Boulevard, Sunnyside, Woodward Park and West Side. The neighborhood known as Southwest also contains some historical landmarks of significance, with its African and Asian communities, as well as resident Mexican Americans, ensuring that there is a real assortment of architectural styles to admire. Established more than a century ago, the California State University, Fresno, boasts numerous important structures and attractions, including its Bulldog Stadium and Downing Planetarium, while the Old Fresno Water Tower is an extremely attractive cylindrical building and with an uninterrupted blue sky behind, this water tower is regularly photographed. The tower dates from 1894 and now operates as a tourist information bureau. More information about Fresno Landmarks and Monuments.

Fresno has gained itself a reputation for being a city of culture and comes with a very decent selection of museums. Particularly noteworthy is the Fresno Art Museum, which is often referred to as simply the 'FAM' and is actually the only modern art gallery of note located in between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The FAM dates from the latter years of the 1940s and is where you will find the Bonner Auditorium. Other cultural attractions in Fresno that fall within the museum category include the westerly late-19th century Kearney Mansion, which is run by the Fresno City and County Historic Society and offers a flavor of yesteryear in California's San Joaquin Valley. Situated in the Mural District and close to the Warnors Theater is the African American Museum of the San Joaquin Valley, with its wealth of information relating to past African Americans from the region. More information about Fresno Museums.

Being in the center of California means that Fresno does rather lend itself to day trips, with interesting towns, busy cities, tranquil lakes and spacious parks being just a relatively short drive or bus trip away. Next-door to Fresno and generally treated as a suburb is the town of Clovis, which has become known for its high concentration of antique stores and its historic Old Town. To the north and reached in approximately 20 minutes is Millerton Lake, where summer recreational activities include water sports and camping. Also popular during the sunny Californian summers are excursions to the Sierra Nevada mountains, where you can hike and generally soak in some spectacular countryside scenery, which stretches as far as the eye can see. The relatively nearby lakes of Bass, Huntington, Pine Flat and Shaver provide further distractions to those with a rental car. More information about Fresno Attractions Nearby.

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