Discovering Northern California
Fresno County

Discover Fresno County California in the Middle of California's Great Central Valley

Fresno County is located in the San Joaquin Valley portion of California's Great Central Valley and offers the visitor a wide range of attractions and activities.

It's the number one agricultural area in the United States, and a goodly portion of the eastern section of the county consists of spectacular outdoor scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains variety.

Spaniards were the first Europeans to discover the Fresno area as they searched for suitable sites upon which to construct a series of inland missions.

In Spanish, the name means ash and refers to two particular ash trees (common to the area) that grew along the Kings River.

Amazingly, one of the trees is still alive.

Thanks to the Church Ditches of the 19th Century - canals created by Moses Church to bring irrigation water to the land - the Fresno area of the San Joaquin Valley transformed into one of the world's richest agricultural regions, eventually producing everything from wine grapes and raisins to grains, cotton, nut and fruit trees, and field and row crops like tomatoes.

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Fresno County: Number One in Agriculture

One of the advantages of a successful agricultural area like Fresno is the quantity and quality of the agricultural products that are available.

The county is inundated with farmers markets providing quality fresh local produce almost every day of the week.

Whether you live in Fresno or you're just visiting, you'll definitely eat well!

One of the advantages of a successful agricultural area like Fresno is the quantity and quality of the agricultural products that are available.

The county is inundated with farmers markets providing quality fresh local produce almost every day of the week.

Whether you live in Fresno or you're just visiting, you'll definitely eat well!

And we mustn't forget the wineries! Believe it or not, Fresno County was producing wine grapes long before raisins were discovered!

Visit the individual wineries, or - if you're short on time and want a sampling - visit Appellation: California, a local wine tasting and visitors center.

For some ag-related tourism, follow the farm trail to visit the farm stores and farm tours taking place throughout the county. You'll discover a seemingly never-ending variety of produce and products: organic sheep cheeses, herb gardens, Sun-Maid raisins, alpaca and goats, nuts, berries, tree fruits, grapes and wine...

Two of our favorite self-guided tours are the Blossom Trail - 62 miles of stunning Spring fruit tree orchards in bloom - and the Fall Fruit Trail when the orchards are filled with sweet and juicy fruits, ripe for the picking.

Actually, when Wolf and I lived in a non-agricultural section of Southern California for awhile, one of the main things we missed about Northern California was the agriculture! After so many years of watching the Central Valley grow and harvest so much of the world's food, SoCal seemed a bit bereft to us. We were really glad to be able to move back north!

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But Fresno County Has More to Brag About
Than Livestock Ranches & Fruit & Nut Orchards

Parts of Giant Sequoia National Monument, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia and Sierra National Forests are situated within the county of Fresno. Waterways include the San Joaquin River, Kings River, Delta-Mendota Canal, Big Creek, Friant Kern Canal, Helm Canal, and the Madera Canal, plus the lakes, reservoirs, and dams - Shaver Lake, Millerton Lake, and Pine Flat Dam leap to mind - that dot the foothills and countryside.

All of which provide ample opportunities for scenic drives, camping, fishing, hunting, birding, wildlife viewing, water sports, winter sports, boating, hiking, cycling, golf and tennis, horseback riding...

Not all that into the outdoor life? You'll also find family friendly attractions, amusement parks and arcades, discovery centers and Chaffee Zoo, art galleries and museums, nightlife venues and casinos, shopping and spas...

Insider Secret: There exists an attraction in Fresno city which may surprise you. Forestiere Underground Gardens - a catacomb-style underground retreat complete with stone walls and archways, grottoes, courtyards, lovely gardens, and a fishpond - was created over a 40 year period in the early 1900s by Italian immigrant, Baldassare Forestiere.

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We'll have more to share with you about Fresno County in the coming
weeks - things like:

• Fresno Attractions
  From North to South and West to East!
• Fresno Beaches
  All along the bay and beyond!
• Fresno Communities
  From the biggest to the smallest!
• Fresno Parks and Preserves
  State Parks, Nature Preserves, Marshes and Bogs!

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