Things to do in Fresno? (San Jose, San Francisco: rent, neighborhood, theater)

[fattyjoe]

Long story short, I was there for a holiday to meet a girl. Drama happened and she doesn't want to talk or see me. I'm going next month with no plans and nobody to go with. Refunding will only get me about 40% of my money back, the most.

[Curmudgeon]

Leave for somewhere else!

[Tulemutt]

Beat me to it!

[ExeterMedia]

I would pay 60% of a ticket price not to have to go to Fresno.

[Bruce81]

Read a book and plan your getaway to somewhere that is not Fres NO!! Run!!

[04kL4nD]

Go to Yosemite instead.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Go to Yosemite instead.

Yep. Rent a car and hit the nearby national parks. Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon all are within an hour and a half of Fresno. A lot of visitors fly into Fresno just for that reason.

[NorCal Dude]

Nothing to do in fresno if tou don't smoke meth.

[cephalopede]

As a former lifetime Fresnan, I am truly sorry for your situation. There's really not much to do in Fresno, but let me at least try and offer some suggestions:

1. Forestiere Underground Gardens: Fresno is hot as hell and ever drier, so what's a poor farmer to do with a lot of useless land? Dig. Plant underground. Live underground. Italian immigrant Baldasarre Forestiere did just that, and for a small price you can get a guided tour through his underground home, complete with living quarters, gardens, and a dance hall. It's really pretty cool, literally and figuratively. Home

2. Tour the Tower and Mural Districts for some interesting art on the side of buildings. Do it during the daytime...the "Mural District" is part of downtown, and I don't venture over there past dark. Tower District is a bit safer, and it's worth it to explore the few short blocks on foot. There are many locally owned eateries (I recommend the Chicken Pie Shop, which has delicious pies and other things and some nice, retro decor original to the building) or Irene's, which primarily serves burgers, sandwiches, and similar fare. There are also numerous bars which offer live music or entertainment almost nightly, and a number of vintage/thrift shops, too. For the lowest prices and a minimum of pretension, I prefer Neighborhood Thrift, which is near the corner of Olive and Palm.

3. River Park is probably the nicest, shiniest thing in Fresno. It's a large shopping center which has a variety of national and regional chains, dining options, and an IMAX and regular mother theater. Good for shopping and people watching.

4. Farmer's Markets. One of the things I miss most about Fresno is the price and availability of Fresno produce. If you drive anywhere, especially out toward the country, you'll see produce stands and people selling food out of the backs of their trucks and vans almost everywhere. There are several farmer's markets in the area, I think the one at River Park is probably the best, but admittedly I haven't been to all of them. Fresno Farmers Markets

5. Old Town Clovis: do you like the Old West? Or old things? Old Town Clovis has tried to keep it's late 1800's Old West charm and is loaded with antique shops, if that's your thing.

6. Fresno Chaffee Zoo: our humble little zoo is located in a not-so-pretty part of town, but I honestly think it's on its way to becoming one of the best zoos in California, if it's not there already. The city of Fresno voted to put a tax on themselves to increase funding to the zoo, and it shows. Sea Lion Cove opened recently, and seriously, you won't regret seeing it. There's a wide variety of animals, you can pet stingrays and feed giraffes (both for a small extra cost, a couple of buck each) and walk through two aviaries full of birds, and I think adult admission is still only $7. It's worth it.


7. Get out of town: Like other posters have alluded to, Fresno is located near some much more interesting areas. If you head east into the Sierras, you have your choice of parks: Yosemite, Kings, and Sequoia National Park are all within easy driving distance. You can go north a few hours and check out the state's capitol if you feel so inclined (though it's not that interesting). Head west and you can hit San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey (and if you go there, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is top notch), or head further south to the Valley's favorite Pismo Beach (and stop in at Splash Cafe if you do). L.A. is about a four hour drive if you want to check out Hollywood or anything else, and Disneyland is also an option.

Sorry things went south for you, but if you're still going, there are ways to make the best of it.

[bigdumbgod]

Whaddaya do when you get dumped? Drink.

Whaddaya do when you end up in Fresno after you've been dumped? Drink a lot.

Fresno, CA: A Reason to Drink.