Forestiere Underground Gardens Day Trip: California Central Valley

Visiting Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California, offers a unique educational experience showcasing remarkable architecture and history. Travelers driving along Interstate 5 in California’s Central Valley should detour to Fresno to explore this fascinating underground home built by Baldassare Forestiere. A Sicilian immigrant born in 1879, Forestiere came to America in the early 1900s to plant a citrus orchard. However, he soon found the summer heat of the San Joaquin Valley unbearable. To keep cool, he constructed an underground home. Here’s what you need to know before visiting the underground gardens.

Forestiere Underground Gardens: Historical Marvel

Baldassare Forestiere spent 40 years digging out an underground home in the hardpack and clay, eventually creating his sub-sand oasis. Forestiere Underground Gardens were primarily done with hand pick, shovel, and wheelbarrow; the creativity in engineering, architecture, masonry, and landscaping is stunning. The project’s scope is hard to take in, as visitors imagine Forestiere slowly working through the earth, creating a labyrinth of maze-like passages that weave underground, connecting more than 90 rooms filled with skylights.

The skylights also serve as openings where the many fruit trees and grapevines planted below ground level still receive enough sunlight to produce luscious fruit. Even several grafted trees grow different types of fruit on the same tree — up to seven different types. While many of the rooms are small, they have an amazing cozy feeling, and visitors often get the sense that the family that lived here lived in modest comfort.

Forestiere Underground Gardens Tours

Visitors must join a guided tour to explore the underground gardens. This tour will reveal unique features such as a kitchen, seasonal bedrooms, a fishpond, and fruit trees thriving in the subterranean environment. You will also learn about Baldassare Forestiere’s history and the architectural marvels he created, including Roman-inspired arches, stone walls, and innovative microclimates that are 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the surface temperature.

Guided Tour Season and Tickets

A visit during the summer months makes Forestiere Underground Gardens a welcome attraction. Tour season generally runs from mid-March to mid-December, weather permitting. Tours may be canceled in the rain, as the earthen walkways can muddy. Admission prices vary: $25 for adults, $23 for seniors (60+), college students, and military with ID, and $14 for children aged 5-17. Reservations are recommended, especially for large groups.

Forestiere Underground Gardens Visitor Tips:

What to Wear: Dress appropriately for walking on earthen terrain. Closed-toe shoes are recommended due to uneven surfaces.

Tour Temperature: The temperature underground is cooler than above ground, making it a great escape during Fresno’s hot summer months. However, there is no central air conditioning.

No food or drink is allowed inside the Gardens, and smoking is prohibited. Photography is permitted for personal enjoyment but cannot be used for commercial purposes without permission.

Wheelchairs: Due to the narrow passageways, tours are unsuitable for motorized wheelchairs or scooters, but there’s an alternate route for standard wheelchairs (up to 26 inches wide).

Gift Shop: The Gardens have a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs or, occasionally, fruit from the gardens when in season.

Location and Parking

The Gardens are located at 5021 W Shaw Ave, Fresno, California, easily accessible from Highway 99 at the Shaw Avenue exit. Public transportation is available via the Fresno Area Express (FAX) bus routes, but driving is more convenient due to its location right off the highway. There is no dedicated parking lot; parking is available along Shaw Ave and nearby side streets. Underground Garden Website.

Summary

Forestiere Underground Gardens is a dwelling built entirely underground many years ago that captures the pioneer, independent spirit of the settlers in the early part of this century. Travelers will not want to miss this incredible historic landmark in the California Central Valley. It’s an excellent choice for those interested in history and architecture or just looking for something out of the ordinary to explore.

Nearby Points of Interest

Bravo Farms Kettleman City Roadside Attraction

Bravo Farms is a popular roadside attraction on Highway 99 between Tulare and Fresno. The Kettleman City branch is the largest Bravo Farms store in the California Central Valley. This location’s Wild West theme includes a ghost town, restaurant, and massive farm store. Dogs can even play in a designated area. Bravo Farms has two other locations: one at the Tulare Outlets and the other in Traver, CA. View Website.

Take a Ride on the Yosemite  Sugar Pine Railroad

The Yosemite steam train ride lasts about one hour and takes you through the beautiful Sierra National Forest. You travel over four miles on the historic Madera Sugar Pine Railroad, and this trip is pet-friendly, and dogs ride free. The two steam locomotives operate daily during the summer months, while the railroad’s Model A “Jenny” railcars, capable of carrying about a dozen passengers, run on the line during the off-season—only a one-hour drive from Fresno. Railroad Website.

Enjoy Nature at Huntington Lake

Huntington Lake, located 80 miles northeast of Fresno in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was constructed in 1912. It is a beautiful mountain getaway, with spring and summer being the best times to visit. While winter can be lovely, it can also be quite harsh. Like Fallen Leaf Lake near Tahoe, Huntington Lake offers an unspoiled and stunning mountain setting, ideal for camping or renting a cabin. It is the perfect place to recharge and connect with nature. The lake is well-known for water sports, and several nearby campgrounds make it a popular destination for camping enthusiasts. Website.