FresYes Helps You Plan Your Staycation

          The Cornoavirus has lots of people rethinking their summer vacation plans. Many are choosing to stay close to home. That doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun and create memories. FresYes has put together a list of places to consider for your “staycation”.

Forestiere Underground Gardens

          Be a tourist in your own city. The Forestiere Underground Gardens is a California State Landmark. It welcomes travels from around the World, but most locals sadly have never been to it.

          Built in 1906, the Underground Gardens is located at 5021 W. Shaw Avenue in Fresno, near Highway 99.

          Baldassare Forestiere was a Sicilian immigrant and citrus grower. He built a vast network of rooms, tunnels and courtyards as a subterranean escape from the sweltering Central Valley summer heat using only shovels, picks and other hand tools.

          The fruit trees and grapevines he planted on the property are still thriving today.

          The Forestiere Underground Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The guided tours are one-hour long and reservations are required. They can be made online.

          Adults are $19. Seniors, college students, military and first responders are $17. Children ages 5-17 are $9 and children 4 and under are free.

Madera Wine Trail

          Madera County tasting rooms are open and ready to serve visitors. Nine wineries make up the Madera Wine Trail. You’ll find a variety of wine types; a mix of reds, whites and dessert wines.

          Ficklin Vineyards, San Joaquin Winery, Idle Hour Winery and Fasi Estate Winery are open daily.

          Toca Madera Winery, Papagni Wines and Birdstone Winery are open weekends.

          Quady Winery’s tasting room is closed, but they are offering curbside pickup. Westbrook Wine Farm is open by appointment only.

Superior Dairy in Hanford

          Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day? Superior Dairy in Hanford has been serving up huge scoops of homemade ice cream since 1929.

          They offer traditional flavors like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry and fruit favorites like banana and lemon.

          Their banana splits and sundaes are large and perfect for sharing.

          The S-O-S, which stands for Superior Oversized Sundae, features seven huge scoops of ice cream with all the trimmings.

          Superior Dairy and its vintage décor has been featured on several national television travel shows.

          Located at 325 N. Douty Street in downtown Hanford, it’s about a 40 minute drive from Fresno. 

          Or if you really want to up the experience, you could take the Amtrak train from downtown Fresno to downtown Hanford. A round-trip ticket is $16.

 Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Millterton Lake, Pine Flat Lake and Bass Lake

          The local lakes are open and offer plenty of opportunities for families looking to beat the heat in the water.

          Boat rentals are available at many of the locations. You can also rent things like jet skis, tubes, water skis and paddle boards.

          While Millerton Lake and Pine Flat Lake are designed more for the day trip visitor. There are logging opportunities around Shaver, Huntington and Bass Lake and lots of unique places to get a good meal.

Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

          When was the last time you visited one of our National Parks? People come from all around the globe to visit and often times it’s been years since us locals have made the drive to these national treasures.

          With fewer European and Out-of -State travels visiting due to COVID-19, now is a great time to check them out.

          The parks are open with physical distancing and other precautions in place.

          Want to climb Half Dome? Now might be the best time to try. Yosemite is offering the opportunity through a daily lottery.

          To learn more about what’s open at Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks visit their websites.