California · United States
Where to stay in Fresno
Fresno is a city in California, United States, home to about 542,000 people.
- Best months
- March, April, October and November
- Nearest airport
- FAT7 km · Fresno Yosemite International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Los Angeles
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Fresno
Fresno (; Spanish for 'ash tree') is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region, as well as the most populated city in Central California.
The city has a population estimated at 530,000 and around 1 million live in the county (2019). The Save Mart Center at California State University, Fresno ("Fresno State") has played host to concerts featuring high-profile acts. Fresno's most famous son is the writer William Saroyan, after whom a local theater is named. The city has a large Hmong community. Winter weather typically features highs around 60°F, and "extreme" lows in the low to mid 30s F, often with morning fog and sometimes frost. Rain fall is sparse and occurs exclusively in winter and early spring months.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Fresno
See
- Forestiere Underground Gardens
- Fresno Chaffee Zoo
- Fresno Art Museum
- Nonini Winery
- Fresno Grizzlies
- Fresno State Bulldogs
- Fulton Mall
- Fresno FC
- Old Fresno Water Tower
- Pacific Southwest Building
- Woodward Park
- Meux Home Museum
Do
- Rogue Festival
- Tower District Mardi Gras Parade
- Reel Pride
- Island Water Park
- Blackbeards Family Fun Center
- Tower Theatre
- Artists' Repertory Theatre
- Warnors Theatre
- Taco Truck Throwdown
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Fresno
3 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Californian | 5.4 km | |
| Best Western Village Inn | 0.4 km | |
| Santa Fe Hotel | 4.9 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Fresno
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Fresno are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; January is the wettest, with about 60 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Fresno: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), about 6.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Merced Regional Macready Field (MCE, 85 km) and Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH, 126 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
As is typical in California Central Valley cities, a car is useful and often necessary to access most parts of town. Traffic congestion in Fresno is not as bad as larger places in California, but Shaw and Herndon avenues can get quite crowded, especially since there is no east-west freeway through the north side. CA-99 runs along the west side of the city, becoming semi-rural before exiting Fresno County on the northwest side of Fresno. CA-41 runs down the middle of the city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
FAT · Fresno Yosemite International Airport
MCE · Merced Regional Macready Field
MMH · Mammoth Yosemite Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Fresno
Eat
River Park Plaza contains many popular chain restaurants, including The Elephant Bar and Yoshino's Sushi House. For a large and diverse concentration of local establishments, head to the (Tower District). There are also many notable restaurants sprinkled elsewhere throughout the Fresno area.
Stay safe
Crime presents considerable concerns in Fresno. As a rule of thumb, travellers should exercise increased caution in parts of the city located south of Shaw Avenue. Homeless people are known to congregate near the city's so-called Chinatown area, across the railroad tracks from Chukchansi Park. The area also suffers from a high crime rate. Caution should be exercised when visiting the area. Avoid the southeastern part of the city at night due to high crime rates. Unlike other parts of California, earthquakes of any magnitude are infrequent in Fresno and surrounding areas. If felt, the quakes tend to cause very little (if any) damage.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Fresno: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Fresno?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Fresno are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; January is the wettest, with about 60 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Fresno?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), about 6.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Merced Regional Macready Field (MCE, 85 km) and Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH, 126 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Fresno?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Fresno
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.