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Cabin Stays perfect for a Fall or Winter getaway

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
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Looking for a relaxing time away for you and your family this holiday season? Then consider trying a cabin stay! It’s a fantastic way to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The following cabin stays are available on Airbnb and are near Fresno. They’re sure to provide you with a unique getaway without a long trip! Random side note: Did you know your little one can become a Junior Ranger at your favorite National Park? <- super cool!

Beetlebark Bungalow – Inside Yosemite

Freshly renovated BeetleBark Bungalow, located INSIDE Yosemite! Cozy, lovable, and charming, this little studio bungalow (420 sq ft.) will give you a fun and fantastic little place to rest your body and soul as you explore Yosemite National Park. – Fully and freshly remodeled in late 2020. Jacuzzi, Wifi, BBQ grill, EV Charger, Fully stocked and functional kitchen and a trail that leads straight down to the creek

Cozy Yosemite Cabin in the Pines

Cozy & Classy cabin in The Pines 2 mi from the entrance of Yosemite National Park. Nestled among baby Sequoia trees and towering pines, a perfect Yosemite retreat for couples looking for a romantic getaway, small groups, or families.

A loft bedroom, spacious main living area & dining nook, and a modern fully-equipped kitchen. Large screen tv w/ home theater system. Outside is a 4-person hot tub, large patio, and garden area for relaxation & outdoor dining after a day exploring Yosemite.

Hafkey Cabin Escape near Yosemite National Park

A family cabin located in the small historic town of Raymond, CA, in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills

This newly built cabin features modern conveniences with a rustic feel.  Experience breathtaking views, beautiful sunsets, hiking, a seasonal creek, an abundance of wildlife, and incredible rock formations to explore.  Horses and up to two dogs are welcome. The Hafkey Cabin Escape is modern and private except for the abundance of wildlife you are likely to see, such as flocks of turkeys, deer, hawks, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, and even some free grazing cows during the green season. This tranquil cabin is situated on 40 acres of rolling foothills and is surrounded by hundreds more. The cabin is small but features three queen beds in the following three separate rooms: a private bedroom, a living room, and an open loft.

Evergreen Peaks – Darling A Frame, Shaver Lake

This Evergreen Peaks cabin is located in the very popular east village. A prime location, walking distance from stores, restaurants, and just a 1/4 mile to the lake. Shaver Lake is the perfect place to vacation. The climate is ideal with cool summers and mild winters. The list of activities is long and includes, hiking, fishing, skiing, sledding, boating, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and more!

This darling 1578 square feet A-frame, 3 bedroom, 3 bath is outfitted to suit the needs of a modern vacationer. Beautiful decor throughout! A fully equipped kitchen provides a user-friendly space to cook a meal. A washer and dryer in the cabin are perfect for soggy ski clothes. Entertainment options like flat-screen TVs mean you can cozy up with a good movie next to the fireplace! Large deck with table and chairs in the summertime, with a good cup of joe in hand (complimentary selection of coffee and hot cocoa are offered, of course).

Local love: Romantic Staycation Ideas for Couples

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
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When was the last time you and your partner enjoyed a romantic night away? If you’re having to think pretty hard right now to come up with an answer – odds are, you’re long overdue! How about this: just for you, we’ll do the planning and upfront research for you, and create an itinerary you’re sure to enjoy, plus your drive will be short and you’ll be supporting Valley businesses. Sound good? Of course, it does! Pack your bags and I’ll talk you through the plan. (P.S. If you book this trip for your partner as a surprise, they will probably be super impressed, and really happy. Just saying. 😉)

Let’s start with your accommodations: You’re going to hop on 99 South to 198 East, and head on over just an hour out of town to stay at the beautiful, historic, and recently opened art deco hotel, The Darling, in Downtown Visalia, CA.

The Darling Hotel, in Visalia, CA
The Darling Hotel
Darling Hotel, King Guest Room
City view from The Darling

What is now The Darling, was once Visalia’s Courthouse Annex Building and left unutilized and dilapidated for years due to the cost required to bring it up to today’s building standards. However, recently, a group of local families banded together to purchase the building and with a lot of heart and the hard work of many experts who collaborated on the restoration – The Darling is now a stunner of a boutique hotel with 1930’s art deco charm throughout.

Before you book your room reservation, though, you’ll also want to check available reservations for the Elderwood Rooftop Bar & Restaurant, located on the top floor of The Darling. Your perfect getaway evening begins with cocktails and appetizers at the bar and is followed up by an expertly prepared dinner of buttery Scallop Risotto, a perfectly cooked Filet Mignon or if you’d prefer a vegetarian dish, the flavorful Coconut Curry Tofu over Basmati Rice.

Freshly baked rosemary bread with baked camembert appetizer
The filet with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted broccolini

After dinner, if you have room for more (big if, as portions are generous), order a dessert or a nightcap to share and enjoy poolside before retiring to your well-appointed and comfortable room. After a refreshing rest, you can greet the morning with gorgeous views of the city, or the Sierras (depending on which way your room faces) then get ready to head a half a mile down the street to local coffee roastery & café, Component Coffee Lab.

Component Coffee Lab Roastery & Cafe
Component Coffee Lab
Freshly based almond croissant from Component Coffee Lab

Savor a slow morning on the covered patio at Component while you enjoy a Sweet Latte and a house made pastry, breakfast burrito, salmon sando or avocado toast. Now, you’re ready to take on antique shopping in Downtown Visalia, a day hike in the nearby Sequoias, or simply head home to enjoy the rest of your day.

The Darling Hotel is located at 210 N. Court Street in Visalia, and you can make reservations online here.

For reservations at Elderwood, located on the top floor of The Darling, click here and for their current menu, click here. (They also serve breakfast!)

Component Coffee is located at 513 E. Center Street in Visalia, and their coffee is also served in Fresno at The Revue in the Tower District.

10 Tips for Visiting Disneyland this Spring

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
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Are you one of the many California families planning to head to Disneyland now that it’s re-opened? Whether you are rescheduling a long-awaited trip or making a more last-minute decision to visit to enjoy the smaller crowds and California residents-only period afforded by current conditions, there are a few things to know that will be helpful before you go. My family and I visited Disneyland on Thursday, May 6th, at the end of its first week reopened since COVID, and here are my 10 best tips for visiting Disneyland this Spring!

Low crowds make for an irresistible opportunity to visit Disneyland and enjoy short lines

1. First, you will need to check this calendar for availability of reservations at the park(s) you’re interested in. Then purchase tickets online, and make your date reservations in the final stages of your ticket purchasing. At the moment, dates are booking out into July, though there is a chance you might get a spot sooner if another ticketholder changes their reservation (which you can do in the Disneyland app).

2. If you want to park hop, you’ll need to make a reservation based on which park you’d like to start with, and on which day.

3. Character meet and greets are not available at this time, however, in a way its nice because you can actually see the characters stationed throughout the park waving, dancing and engaging with guests in other ways. Though you can’t hug your favorites, there are still lots of photo opportunities.

4. You will need to purchase food in the park via the Disneyland app. You’ll be able to view each eatery and its menu on the app. Make your selection, pay through your phone. and select your pick-up time window. Once you arrive at the eatery of your choosing, the app will provide you with your order status and the window number for pick up when it’s ready. Once you use this system once, I think you’ll find it quite convenient and more pleasant than waiting in line.

Dole Whips and Floats are as delicious as ever and available conveniently via app

5. When its time to enjoy your food, you’ll need to eat in designated eating areas, (at least as of this current date) as masks are required everywhere except in these defined areas when you are directly eating or drinking.

6. Speaking of masks, depending on the weather when you go to the park, you may find you get fairly sweaty under the mask, especially on more humid days or during the mornings when its naturally more humid out. I personally felt a disposable KN95 or surgical mask was more comfortable than cloth for longer wear, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a few masks per person, so you can switch to a fresh one if you do get sweaty, or wet on rides like Splash Mountain.

7. Go for comfort over style when it comes to shoes! Since crowds are smaller than usual, lines are shorter and you’ll be able to cover much more ground in a Disney day than you normally would which means LOTS of walking. I logged over 20,000 steps on our one day in the park, and that was arriving at the park around 10:30 and leaving when they closed at 7pm.

My family’s 5th time (out of 6!) on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – short lines mean lots of riding (and walking)

8. If you’re planning to ride the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride, you’ll need to grab a spot in the virtual queue either at 7am or 12pm. For best results, have one party member load everyone’s tickets onto their account, then make a reservation for everyone together (this can be done from the main page in the app). You’ll be assigned a group number, and when its your group number’s turn you’ll show your queue barcode and be able to get into the real line at the ride. Don’t worry – it gives you a window of time to get there if you’re across the park when its your turn. The actual physical line doesn’t take long once you’re in it, either. We missed the 7am reservation time, so we made our reservation for the queue at 12pm (we set an alarm on our phone so we wouldn’t forget, which I recommend) and were assigned group 141. Group 141 ended up being called around 4:30pm, and the process was smooth. The ride is AMAZING and like nothing I’ve every experienced (and to be honest, I’m not even a Star Wars fan – please don’t hate me) and I highly recommend you try to ride!

9. The park’s safety precautions include hand-washing and hand-sanitizer stations throughout the park, frequent ride, seating area and table cleanings, and social distancing on rides and in lines (can we keep line social distancing forever please? Having a personal space bubble in Disneyland was a welcome change!). In general Cast Members are quite vigilant though kind in enforcing mask and social distancing rules. The only time we felt a little less safe Covid-wise was leaving the park – as we left at close when there was a mass exodus out of the park. Hopefully, since that first week, they’ve opened additional exit paths. Our family has been very Covid cautious in general and felt our park visit was as safe as it could be given the current conditions.

10. If you’re looking for an affordable place to stay that’s clean, secure, and offers free parking, our family stayed at Hotel 414 Anaheim. It’s around $125/night, has very kind customer service, and updated rooms. It’s easy to access off the 5 freeway, and they are very nice about allowing you to leave your car if you have a park day after checkout as well. If you’re the type looking for a very fancy stay, this isn’t the place for you – but it is very clean, the beds are comfortable, it’s a 22-minute walk to the park, a $5 Uber/Lyft ride to the entrance gate and we’ve had a positive experience there twice now. The hotel is family-owned, and they are not sponsoring my post or even aware I’m writing this – just wanted to share because it’s been a win for our family more than once now, and it may be helpful for yours.

If you head to Disneyland soon, I hope you find these tips helpful and you have a MAGICAL trip!

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!
10 Tips for Visiting Disneyland this Spring
10 Tips for Visiting Disneyland this Spring

The Caruthers District Fair is here!

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
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The Caruthers District Fair starts Wednesday, Sept. 25, and runs through Saturday. Unlike other fairs, this one is free to enter. If you’ve never been, you are missing out on small town charm. This isn’t your typical county fair!

Caruthers District Fair

(Photo from Caruthers District Fair)

Big dreams—and lots of food—in a small town

The Caruthers District Fair’s roots date back to 1923. The fair was established with the goal of promoting and encouraging agriculture and other related industries.

The food alone is worth the drive. We’re not just talking corndogs and deep-fried junk. This fair has homemade food made by area church and school groups.

Our Saviors Lutheran Church will serve up their classic abelskivers. Riverdale Assembly of God is cooking up lasagna and pie. And Immanuel Lutheran Church is making BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and pork ribs. Here’s a full list of what’s being served.

Caruthers District Fair entertainment

Different entertainment acts perform throughout the fair. Thursday night, an Elvis impersonator will perform on the main stage. Friday night will feature local country band Dakota Crossing, and on Saturday, The Fresno Community Band will entertain.

Like most fairs, there are also carnival rides, games, livestock, and exhibits to enjoy. Motorcycle racing will take place at the Caruthers Fair Short Track on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Saturday morning at 10 a.m. will be a parade. 

Caruthers District Fair

An Elvis impersonator is among the entertainers taking the stage at the Caruthers District Fair. (Photo: Caruthers District Fair)

Caruthers District Fair

A parade will take place in Caruthers on Saturday morning. (Photo: Caruthers District Fair)

For more information

Gates open at noon on Wednesday and at 10 a.m. the other days of the fair. Again, admission is free.

Caruthers is about 20 minutes from Fresno. To get there, take 41 South, then make a right on Mountain View. Go about 2 ½ miles and make a left on Tahoe St., then another left on Raider and you’re there. It’s worth the short drive!

To learn more about the Caruthers District Fair check out their website, CaruthersFair.com.

A perfect fall day hike for the whole family

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
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Since our family first started going on day hikes, at this time of year the mountains start calling and I find myself searching for any weekend opportunity to answer. Living in Fresno affords us wonderful opportunities to travel to nearby hiking trails in not one but two national forests, Yosemite National Park, and—if you’re willing to drive a bit further—even beautiful coastal hikes like those in Los Osos and Morro Bay. Considering the weekend hikes, we also bought all our gears and equipments from Humber Sport, after reading their reviews on certain items.

Last weekend the mountains called incessantly, so I opened up my trusty All Trails app (a free search tool for outdoor trails of all types) and started searching for kid-friendly, easy hiking trails under 7 miles and within an hour and a half of home. This is my typical search for when the whole family is going or there will be other kids joining us. I came across the Shaver Lake Trail, a two-mile-out-and-back trail suitable for all ages and leashed dogs. We packed our lunches and headed for the Sierra National Forest.

After visiting this trail, I feel it’s only fair I share it with you, as it was so enjoyable and offered a spectacular end point on the shore of the lake perfect for pictures and picnicking.

How to find Shaver Lake Trail

To get to the Shaver Lake Trail (which was just an hour and six minutes from our Fresno home), you’ll take the 41 freeway north to Friant Road, then take Friant north to Copper. At Copper turn right until Auberry Road, where you’ll make a left. Stay on Auberry Road into Shaver Lake (45-50 minutes of the drive) and then watch for Dinkey Creek Road, where you’ll turn right.

Follow Dinkey Creek to the Camp Chawanakee entrance and turn into it. You’ll be headed down a dirt road (well traveled and my Prius handled it with no issue) and watching for a metal gate on your right. Park in the small dirt area directly across from the gate. (For Google Map directions to the GPS coordinate of the trail head, click here.)

Tip: If you or little ones in your party need a restroom stop before you begin your hike, there are public restrooms in Shaver on the left-hand side of the road before you turn onto Dinkey Creek Road. Take advantage, as there aren’t other restrooms that we saw after that.

fall day hike

My husband kindly demonstrates where to park near the gate, which is seen on the right.

fall day hike

The trail is nice and wide as it starts

fall day hike

And it winds through the forest until it takes you to the shore of Shaver Lake

To begin your hike, start at the middle gate and follow the wide path, passing big piles of cut logs. You’ll see a few signs for other trails, but don’t veer off, just stay on the widest path. On your way to the lake, you’ll be heading gradually downhill. The path will weave through the woods a bit, and after approximately one mile, you’ll see Shaver Lake through the trees.

As you proceed just a bit further, you’ll also start seeing smaller paths from the main one leading to the shore. We passed a couple of steep paths and went down the third, which was easy to walk down, and enjoyed our lunch on the shore of the lake sitting on rocks. You’ll see a teepee made of branches on the shore and rocks, and you’ll enjoy a great view of the back of Shaver Lake. If you go when the weather is warm, you may want to take a swim or play in the water.

fall day hike

The view of the lake is peaceful and the shore calm and uncrowded

fall day hike

There are some great rocks for climbing on

fall day hike

And a neat teepee made of branches is set up on the sand

fall day hike

You can walk around the perimeter of the lake on the sand

The majority of the trail is at least partially shaded, though there are a few short stretches in full sun, which you notice more on the way back to your car, as you’re walking uphill. The incline isn’t intense by any means, but it is noticeable.

On our recent trip, we didn’t see a lot of wildlife, though we did see a wolf/hearty coyote(?) running in the distance from our car driving to the trail, and a number of very large birds flying into the trees near the lake. Oh, and a squirrel. We saw a squirrel which our son pointed out very excitedly (as though we don’t see them eating anything edible that dares grow in our yard on a daily basis).

If you’re looking for an easy, shorter hike that offers a big payoff in the way of lake views, check out this website to learn all about the Shaver Lake Trail is sure to please. Carve out half a day soon, and head on up the mountain while the leaves are changing and before the weather gets cold. You won’t regret it!

fall day hike

My husband and kiddo, discussing erosion, plateaus, and how mountains form. Fun outdoor talks!

It’s Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort!

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FresYes Writing Team
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For years, Christmas has ruled the Happiest Place on Earth. From the decorations, to the food, to the general merriment that comes from celebrating a pretty great holiday at a pretty great place, Christmas time at Disneyland really is a special treat.

But in the last couple of years, a different holiday has taken over and is now the must-visit event at the resort. 

Halloween Disneyland
With orange everywhere, Disneyland is all dressed up for the season. (photo: Heather McLane)

Halloween time has steadily been growing at the resort, not just in its themed offerings but in its duration and location. You can now celebrate Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure from the first week of September through the end of October. 

Take a look at what the Disneyland Resort has to offer guests craving some semi-spooky Halloween fun.

Halloween Disneyland
Creepy spider waiting for a photo op. (photo: Heather McLane)

Decorations

When it comes to décor, it really is hard to beat Christmas. With garland stretching across Main Street, light-up icicles on Sleeping Beauty Castle, and an enormous tree in Town Square, Disneyland is transformed into a winter wonderland every year.

But take a look at what Halloween brings to the table: bats, spiders, cars in costumes, a Headless Horseman, and literally thousands of pumpkins, both real and not-so-real. 

Halloween Disneyland
Giant Mickey pumpkin on Main Street is definitely a popular photo spot. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
The Headless Horseman at DCA is a creepy counterpoint to the cuteness across the way. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Bats erupt from the belfry at Carthay Circle Theater. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Cars Land at DCA is packed with cute car-related puns. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Even the residents of Cars Land are decorated. Here’s Mater looking pretty dapper in his vampire costume. (photo: Heather McLane)

Food

Recognizing that food is a large part of the holiday experience, the Disney Parks Blog has taken to publishing a list of all the Halloween snacks available during the season. If you’re like me, you basically see this list as a challenge.

If you’ve been in the parks recently, you know that the standard park churro is basically a thing of the past. The new thing is churros in every flavor imaginable. For Halloween, you’ll want to check out the Pumpkin Spice Churro with cream cheese frosting, the Maleficent Churro covered with chocolate cookie crumbles blended with colored sugar, and the Sour Apple Churro. Click here to see where these churros are found.

Other Halloween treats include:

  • Pumpkin Spice Mickey Beignets (Mint Julep Bar)
  • Orange Sugar Skull Pot de Crème (Rancho del Zocalo)
  • Graveyard Cupcake and Cruella de Vil Brownie (Jolly Holiday Bakery)
  • Halloween Hot Dog with spicy meatballs, cheese sauce, and oven-roasted tomatoes (Refreshment Corner)
  • Spider Parfait, which is chocolate cake, vanilla and chocolate pudding, and ganache (Galactic Grill)
  • Pumpkin Bread Pudding (Pacific Wharf Café in DCA)
  • ACE Pumpkin Hard Cider and Karl Strauss Oktoberfest Beer (Bayside Brews in DCA)
  • Caramel Apple Smoothie (Schmoozies in DCA)
Halloween Disneyland
Yep, that really is a purple churro. Churros can be found in a bunch of different flavors throughout the parks. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Some of the treats you can find throughout the resort this Halloween. (photo: Disney Parks Blog)

Attractions

Attraction overlays are definitely a thing now at the Disneyland Resort. During Halloween time, you can visit:

Halloween Disneyland
Is Haunted Mansion Holiday more Halloween or more Christmas? You decide. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Mater’s vampire (bat) obsession extends to his junkyard as well. (photo: Heather McLane)
Halloween Disneyland
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT gets the overlay treatment. (photo: Heather McLane)

Halloween is now through Oct. 31

Halloween Disneyland
Is Goofy a ghost? A hobo? A sleepy thief of some kind? Doesn’t matter—he’s adorable.

As you can see, Halloween is really starting to become the must-visit holiday season at the Disneyland Resort. (I didn’t even touch on Mickey’s Halloween Party, the pay-extra event that sells out every Halloween season).

To learn more, visit the Disneyland website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Tulare County Fair brings old-time charm to the Valley

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
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Tulare County Fair

Can you smell the corndogs and cotton candy? It’s officially fair season in the Central Valley!

The 99th Annual Tulare County Fair gets underway this Wednesday, Sept. 12. If you’ve never been to this fair, located about 45 minutes south of Fresno, you’ve been missing out.

Parade kicks off the fun

The Tulare County Fair is big on small town charm. Schools are actually closed in Tulare the first day of the fair so families can visit and take part in the annual Tulare County Fair Parade.

The parade, which starts at 9 a.m., celebrates all things Tulare County. There are school marching bands, color guards, mascots, tractors, wagons, and more. It rolls through the streets of downtown Tulare and has a very “Mayberry” feel to it.

Tulare County Fair

This is one of the parade floats from the 2014 Tulare County Fair.

Wednesday evening, Tulare County’s inaugural High School Madness Games will take place. School teams will face off in games like Tug of War and Water Balloon Toss. There will also be a Drum Line Competition and Mascot Dance Battle. Kids 12 and under get into the fair free on Wednesday, along with parade participants ages 13-17.

Events run Wednesday through Sunday

Like any county fair, you’ll find amusement park rides, food vendors, and displays showing off the best in agriculture. Livestock and competitive exhibits where residents face off for bragging rights of baking the best apple pie in the county are highlights.

Best in Show is the top award handed out in competitive exhibits.

There’s also a lot of entertainment packed into this five-day fair, including a Tractor Pull, Monster Truck event, Demolition Derby, and live music.

Concerts included in fair admission

Nightly concerts are included with your fair admission. Sheila E. will perform Wednesday night. The R&B singer used to work with Prince.

Thursday, country music singer Clay Walker will perform. He’s had six number one songs and has sold more than 11 million albums. His most recent single is “Working on Me.”

On Friday night, folks will step back into the 70s with music from the group Con Funk Shun.

Saturday, Queen tribute band Queen Nation will perform all of the band’s classics, including “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The final night of the Tulare County Fair features 90s favorite Smash Mouth! The San Jose-based band will sing all the fan favorites including “Walkin’ on the Sun.”

Tulare County Fair

There’s lots to do and see at the Tulare County Fair.

Admission to the Tulare County Fair is $9 for adults and $6 for kids ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free.

To learn about discount opportunities and more, visit TCFair.org.

10 day trips to make before summer ends

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FresYes Writing Team
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Although you wouldn’t know it by the raging temps, summer is quickly coming to an end, especially for those with school-aged children.

Before you fight the crowds for those Back to School deals, take a last-minute, end-of-summer day or weekend trip with the family to one of these 10 nearby locations!

(Click the headlines under the photos for details on each location)

1. California Railroad Museum 

Located in Sacramento, the California Railroad Museum is a short three-hour drive north (and bonus: you can make it a multi-tasking trip by doing some shopping at Ikea. How do we not have one of those already?). The kids will love the trains and will probably learn a little something about California history whether they want to or not.

Day Trip Destinations: The California Railroad Museum

2. San Francisco Exploratorium 

Speaking of learning, the Exploratorium is chock-full of science facts sure to please both adults and kids. Plus, you can enjoy those milder SF temps and, like, some crab.

Explore the exciting world of science at the San Francisco Exploratorium

3. Avila Beach 

Enough with the learning. Sometimes you just want to go relax by the sea, right? Avila Beach is close, and there’s more to do there than you might think! (Plus, you can stay at a really great hotel.)

6 reasons to visit Avila Beach before summer ends

4. Santa Cruz 

Beaches, taffy, boardwalk games and rides? You really can’t beat Santa Cruz for tried-and-true summer fun.

10 Reasons You Should Visit Santa Cruz This Summer

5. Casa de Fruta 

Casa de Fruta isn’t usually a destination, more like a stop along the way, but why not make it a fun day trip? Make plans to eat there and do some shopping while the kids ride the carrousel, pan for gold, and chase peacocks. 

Casa de Fruta is the home of fruit and a whole lot more

6. Kingsburg Historical Park 

Want to stick a little closer to home? Kingsburg Historical Park offers history and info about local ag, and here’s a fact you might not know: Kingsburg is home to the world’s largest raising box. So …

Kingsburg Historical Park is Home to a Lot of Tractors, and a Lot of Local History

7. Reedley 

It might not sound like an obvious choice for a day trip, but have you ever been to Reedley? Its downtown is bursting with so much small town charm, you won’t want to leave.

Take a Drive to Reedley and Discover What Community is All About

8. Monterey Bay Aquarium 

The ultimate weekend trip for any Fresnan! Fish, otters, whale sightings off the back deck—it’s amazing we have such a display so close to home, right? And of course, Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf are worth a visit, as well.

Take a FresYes Daytrip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

9. Sequoia Shuttle to Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks

You could drive to one of our nearby National Parks, or you could sit back and let someone do the driving for you. All summer long, the Sequoia Shuttle takes passengers into and out of the parks for $15 round trip.

Take advantage of the Sequoia Shuttle before summer ends

10. Visit a local museum 

Want to get out of the heat and into some AC? Visit a valley museum. Lots to see, lots to learn, lots of that cool, cool air. 

Think you’ve seen all the local museums? Here are 6 you may have missed