Get us out of Fresno, CA!

November 24, 2008 9:35 AM

At the last minute, 5 of us (adults) are taking a trip to Fresno, CA for Thanksgiving. We're meeting up with my sister, her husband and their two kids (3 & 1 years old). We don't want to stay in Fresno - We'd like to head somewhere else. Can any of you suggest a destination within 1-3 hours of Fresno? With the 2 kids, we're limited a bit, but not too much. Also, we don't mind just going to a pretty destination and spending time together - In other words, we don't have to be constantly entertained. We'd like to spend Thursday - Saturday. We won't be eating Thanksgiving dinner, so we don't need anything particularly associated with Thanksgiving. I hope I haven't made this too muddled...
posted by TurquoiseZebra to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

Yosemite National Park is within range, though I'm not sure if the park is open or not and what's going on at the park hotel. But there are some kitschy tourist towns on the roads leading out and there may be accommodations and some attractions there.
posted by crapmatic at 9:42 AM on November 24, 2008

Well, Fresno is almost exactly 3 hours away from San Francisco...

Santa Cruz and Monterey are both pretty nearby. They're nice towns on the ocean. Santa Cruz has a famous boardwalk, and Monterey has a really cool aquarium.

Basically, Fresno be boring, dull, and uninteresting, but it's within 3 hours of almost anything.
posted by Ms. Saint at 9:44 AM on November 24, 2008

Hmm. I bet most of the lodges around Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite will be sold out this late in the game. You could head toward the coast, maybe to Monterey, Big Sur or Santa Cruz. Lake Tahoe is a little farther away, but that could be fun.

I'm sure others will have more specific suggestions, but I wish I could spend Thanksgiving weekend in the Sierras!
posted by billtron at 9:45 AM on November 24, 2008

Whatever you do, don't go to Bakersfield (2 hours from Fresno). It's the only place I can think of that is worse than Fresno.
posted by El_Marto at 10:12 AM on November 24, 2008

My husband and I had our honeymoon in Monterey this August. It's gorgeous there. Go to the aquarium! It's amazing. And then drive up and down the coast going "OOOO! the ocean!!!" at least that's what we did. (It might have to be shorter drives with the kiddos, but there's still plenty to see).
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 10:30 AM on November 24, 2008

Seconding Yosemite (although check road conditions before you consider it further), or Monterey. Both are beautiful, Monterey aquarium is great for the adults and the kids.
posted by Joh at 10:33 AM on November 24, 2008

I'm in San Luis Obispo and we get lots of weekend and holiday travelers from both Fresno and Bakersfield. It's just about exactly 3 hours and there are lots of small towns and attractions around (Cambria, Cayucos, Hearst Castle, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach). I would not go to Big Sur this weekend - there is some rain forecast and with the recent forest fires, there's a good chance of mudslides that close highway 1. Traffic is likely to be terrible even if there are no problems.

If we're too far, I'd suggest going to Kings Canyon or Sequoia. They both get a fraction of the visitors that Yosemite gets, and I think the experience of visiting them is a lot calmer and more relaxed. You might even be able to do a couple of day trips from Fresno, which would save you hotel and restaurant costs.

Good luck!
posted by letitrain at 10:33 AM on November 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

Here in Santa Cruz, and in neighboring Monterey, it will certainly be warmer than up in Yosemite. The really beautiful weather we've been having is breaking up but climate-wise I'd pick the coast over the mountains at this time of year.

Monterey is great: as the first capital of California it still has remnants of old architecture; it has the aquarium which is a day of entertainment in itself; and it has wonderful beaches nearby.

We have great beaches round Santa Cruz too, and the Boardwalk which would entertain kids (but may only be open at the weekend.)
posted by anadem at 10:55 AM on November 24, 2008

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions!

Looks like we're going to do Yosemite (at least as of right now - plans have been made and changed so, really, who knows.).

Anyway - Any suggestions as to what to actually do at Yosemite?

Yes, I've looked around on the net, but I'd like some ideas.

Thanks again!
posted by TurquoiseZebra at 11:25 AM on November 24, 2008

Yes, Yosemite! Ice skating at Curry Village, visiting the bar at the Ahwahnee, and dinner at the Mountain Room at Yosemite Lodge in addition to the obvious hiking. The Wawona Hotel is worth a look too.
posted by chez shoes at 11:38 AM on November 24, 2008

I was at Yosemite about 6 years ago, and enjoyed the horseback riding tour (it's riding for dummies, basically. The kids are probably too little for it, though)
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 11:42 AM on November 24, 2008

Just another Northern Californian chiming in to say that the California Central Coast -- broadly defined as Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara -- is a wonderful place to visit, especially in the fall. I have relatives in San Luis Obispo and we love to visit them. The coast is beautiful, and SLO and the other small towns in the area are charming and friendly. When we visited last year, we took our kids (ages 6 and 3 at the time) to Avila Valley Barn, which was fun. We also took them to the beach and to some local parks -- it was very family-friendly, and affordable, too. (Here's a comment I posted last year with an SLO lodging suggestion.)

Monterey and Santa Cruz are also great places to visit -- the Monterey Bay Aquarium is world class, and while the Cannery Row area immediately nearby are very touristy, there's still are other parts that are quieter and less cloying. Dennis the Menace Park, which is in Monterey, has some great interactive play structures for the kids, and there's also a decommissioned locomotive right next to the park that the kids can climb all over. And of course, Santa Cruz has the Boardwalk, and Marianne's Ice Cream on Ocean Street, which is a must-visit if you love hand-made ice cream. Roaring Camp Railroad is also nearby (about a 20 minute drive out of town), and was a real big hit with our kids.
posted by mosk at 11:45 AM on November 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ohh... you should stay at the Yosemite Bug. It's a cute hostel just outside the park (about 40 minutes drive to Yosemite Valley). You can go into the park for the day and go hiking or snowshoeing or skating, then come back for a nice dinner and sit in the common lounge by the fireplace and play board games. It's a delightful place.
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:24 PM on November 24, 2008