Any information on Visalia CA?

[Catankerous]

Originally Posted by rosettegarbanz

make sure you can speak Spanish. That seems to be the official language now.

I don't find that to be true for me. I've lived here since the early 70's and I don't speak a lick of spanish and get along fine. Sure,there is businesses and services that cater to that,but I just don't use them. Everything you need is available in English. As for towns around here,I wouldn't consider any other town than Exeter. We did live in Farmersville for a few years and didn't care for it at all.

[Reedley09]

REEDLEY! Reedley College, 5 Elementary Schools, 3 K-8 Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 2 Private Schools, St. La Salle Catholic School, Immanuel Christian Schools, Reedley High School, Immanuel High School. Both schools are known for athletics and performing arts. RHS has an award winning 400 member marching band known throughout the nation. IHS is known for their performing arts as well as their sports. Various state titles/conference titles for both high schools. Centrally located to Fresno AND Visalia. 1.5 hrs from the Central Coast, 3-4 hrs from L.A., 3 hrs from S.F. The city of Reedley lies along the Kings River and is close to all 3 national parks; Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite. The population is 25,000+ and has a small town charm. Just take a stroll through downtown Reedley. Reedley College is known for its great Forestry and Agriculture programs. Student population is 12,000 part-time/full-time from across the nation with a few international students. The Reedley College Tigers have won numerous state/conference titles. In 2002, RC Football won the National Championship. VISIT REEDLEY, a great place to raise a family!

[Dean Trails]

I have quite a few relatives and friends in that general area and most of the comments here are right on. I am slightly bias to the area with regards to the weather and its basic rural feeling.

It is very chilly in the winter and they get lots of tule fog. But, heck that is why things grow so well there. Then the summers are vey hot! I would take the desert heat over the valley as it is a dry heat! Don't laugh! The valley heat is very humid due to irrigation. Picture Alabama in the summer. And, due to the spraying of crops they seem to have an extremely hardy and large bug population!

And, as to the general rural feeling, it is not as "upbeat" as the more densely populated LA and SF areas.

But, if you have to live there Kingsburg is a nice place with some culture and the Swedish Mill!

[FresnoFacts]

Actually Dean the humidity is much worse in the South. It only feels bad in the Valley if you stand next to an irrigated field.

City-data lists the 101 cities in the US with the lowest average humidity, Visalia is number 77. Not an Alabama or any Southern state city on the list, they are all higher.
http://www.city-data.com/top2/c486.html

And looking at the list of cities with the highest average humidity, it is mainly the south. Although interestingly Santa Maria and Lompoc rank among the highest humidity cities in the US.
http://www.city-data.com/top2/c485.html