Fresno is a city in central California and has been the county seat since 1874. The town site was established in 1872 as a station on the Central Pacific Railroad. The Spanish name Fresno meaning "Ash Tree," was chosen after irrigation was introduced in the 1880s. Fresno is known for its production of dairy products, cotton, grains, fruits, wines, and other produce. There is some manufacturing in the area as well.
Fresno is the administrative center and gateway to the Sierra National Forest resort regions. In 1911, California State University, Fresno, was established there, and Fresno Pacific University was established in 1944.
Local attractions include the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, which opened in 1984 and explains the city's history. The Fresno Art Museum displays art that will help you understand the culture of Fresno. East of Fresno, there are several national parks and forests, including Sequoia National Forest, Sequoia National Park, and Kings Canyon National Park, allowing you to enjoy camping, wildlife viewing, and fishing.
You can participate in outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and trail running. Fresno's many urban trails are multi-use and family-friendly routes. One of the most popular trails for hikers, joggers, and bikers is the Lewis S. Eaton Trail. The San Joaquin River and the Sierra Nevada Mountains are beautifully visible from this 22-mile trail. You can get unrivaled access to a waterfall that pours through granite rocks by taking the three-mile Roaring River Falls Trail, a short hike that is popular with locals. You will find over 120 acres of pristine wilderness in China Creek Park, and it has a trail where you can enjoy bird watching.
One of the best campgrounds in Fresno is Blackstone North RV Park which has 94 back-in and pull-through sites. It is close to a mall and has a Wi-Fi connection, cable, spacious sites, and full hookups. You can enjoy your stay with your pet and enjoy military personnel discounts. Prices start at $43 for a single night.
Another excellent RV campground to try is the Fresno Mobile Home & RV Park, which has 61 sites to choose from. A heated pool is available at the RV park, which is open every day of the year. The nightly rate for visitors is $48. In this campground, pets are welcome, and there is Wi-Fi access.
Three Palms Mobile Home & RV Park has 38 full-hookup back-in and pull-through sites. They have a heated pool as well as shower facilities. Amenities at this pet-friendly facility include hot showers and laundry facilities. Monthly rates are available.
Millerton Lake State Recreation Area is 27 miles northeast of Fresno and features recreational opportunities and interpretive programs. This area is home to various wildlife, such as cottontails, bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions. The weather can be erratic during all four seasons, so wear layers of clothing as you visit. You will find RV camping spots in and around Millerton Lake State Recreation Area well distributed. The North Shore Campground at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area has 148 sites and can accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long.
Visit Beaver Dam State Park, which covers over 2,000 acres. Its forest areas are dense and are home to animals like coyotes, foxes, bobcats, mountain lions, snakes, and lizards. The park has breathtaking landscapes, including deep canyons, hot springs, flowing streams, volcanic rock outcrops, and waterfalls. Some outdoor activities are available to you for hiking on the park's scenic trails, picnicking, and trout fishing. The state park has two developed campgrounds, but you cannot make reservations because camping is first-come, first-served.
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park honors the 300-plus families who immigrated to the area in the early 1900s to avoid Southern sharecropping. Explore the 20th-century structures in the park, which include a school, a church, businesses, residences, a hotel, and a library. You will discover how this community was created by the highest-ranking black officer in the US military after he retired to enable other people of color to realize their aspirations. Explore the interpretive exhibits and maps that show what led to this community's demise as you hike or bike along the paths.
Devils Postpile National Monument safeguards the formation of Devils Postpile, Rainbow Falls, and excellent views of high mountain scenery. Your days will be spent hiking, taking in the sights of lakes, rivers, and rock formations. Enjoy some fishing, take some excellent photos, and anticipate spotting various species of birds and wildlife viewing.
Manzanar National Historic Site is a well-known tourist destination near Fresno, California. Elk, striped skunks, mice, gophers, and plants like bitterbrush, desert peach, and silver lupine can all be found at this Historic Site. You will adore the vast night sky and the far-off mountain views. Enjoy the gleaming blue lake, snow-capped mountains, and verdant paths while hiking on the Kearsarge Pass. There are numerous opportunities to learn something new thanks to the locally owned stores and eateries like Lone Pine Rocks & Gift, which sells rocks and gems along with other souvenirs and where you can also find pottery and clothing purchased from Native American vendors.
Explore César E. Chávez National Monument, designated a national historic landmark in 2012 and about two hours from Fresno, California. Start your tour at the visitor center, which was rebuilt in 2003, and offers the opportunity to watch a documentary on the Life of César E. Chavez. You will learn his story of how he brought attention to the poor working conditions on American farms in the 1960s. Visit the well-preserved office and library on the property to learn about various examples of housing typical for farmworkers at the time. Discover the memorial garden where Chávez and his wife are buried as a tribute to his leadership. Enjoy bird watching while hiking on the pet-friendly trails available.
The Sierra National Forest has a range of elevations, from 900 feet to 13,986 feet, with a diverse landscape. The foothills are covered with oaks, heavily forested slopes, and alpine forests on the peaks. The mountain slopes have various wildflowers in the spring, including redmaids, foothill poppies, Indian pink, and goldfields. You will have the opportunity to see some of the park's wildlife as you hike the mountain slopes. You may encounter black bears, mule deer, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, porcupines, marmots, and quail.
The Inyo National Forest covers approximately two million acres and contains nine Wilderness Areas. The lodge pole pine and the Jefferson pine are the two most common tree species. Bitterbrush, sagebrush, saltbush, rabbit brush, buckwheat, and pinyon-juniper are the other vegetation to find in the area. Explore the natural ecosystem by hiking, fishing, camping, biking, riding horses, and other leisure activities. This forest is also home to mule deer, pronghorn antelope, black bears, mountain lions, doves, grouse, quail, and various waterfowl species.
In total, the Stanislaus National Forest has an area of about 898,000 acres. More than 1,100 miles of trails can be found in this forest, along with 811 miles of streams and rivers, including the Stanislaus River, after which the forest is named. The park is home to spotted and great grey owls, so keep an eye out for them while hiking. Look for different turtles, including the Western pond turtle, near lower-elevation ponds, lakes, and rivers. Also, possible sightings include Foothill yellow-legged and California red-legged frogs.
Nearly all United States raisin production occurs within 60 miles of Fresno. You can visit raisin farms in the area, take tours, and try both raisins and raisin paste. Raisin paste has preserving characteristics, so if you bake some raisin-based items in your rented RV's kitchen, they'll last a while. The city is also known for its murals and outdoor wall art. Artists are encouraged to be creative on blank facades, and sculptors create pieces to accentuate the wall art.
The city also prides itself on being a family-friendly destination, so you can sample varied cuisines at different restaurants in the morning, ride go-karts or play miniature golf in the afternoon, and visit the Shinzen Japanese Friendship Garden, which has a variety of food trucks in the parking lot, in the evening for dinner.
Three of California's national parks are within 90 miles of Fresno, CA, which makes it not only a hub for road trips but also for the exploration of nature. Yosemite National Park is one of the busiest in the entire country as nearly 4 million people visit each year. It's popular among experienced climbers because of El Capitan, which is the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. The Nose is rated just 5.9 in difficulty, but it's the most popular route to the summit. The toughest is The Dawn Wall, which is rated 5.14c. There are only a handful of climbs in the world that are more difficult. Photographers, many of whom wish to follow in the footsteps of Ansel Adams, love to photograph the crags, forests, and wildlife of Yosemite National Park. The distance from Fresno to Yosemite National Park is 61 miles.
It's 53 miles to King's Canyon National Park. The park is famous for being the home of General Grant, a 267-foot sequoia that's 29 feet in diameter. There are 55 hiking trails in King's Canyon National Park. It's a good idea to check with park staff before setting out on hikes because trails are subject to closure for various reasons, including fire danger. Sometimes, trails are closed to protect the environment, hikers, or both. Unlike many other national parks that provide bridle trails, King's Canyon National Park offers three stables from which you can either participate in organized tours on horseback or rent horses for your trip down the applicable trails.
Sequoia National Park, which adjoins King's Canyon National Park, is home to the largest living thing on the planet, the General Sherman tree. This 275-foot tall giant sequoia measures more than 60 feet in circumference, weighs nearly 2,000 long tons, and is almost 3,000 years old. This park is 77 miles from Fresno. The park's 112 hiking trails convert to snowshoe and/or cross-country skiing tracks during the winter, and these trails are of varying difficulties. Birders will be able to enter quite a few species into their notebooks, such as towhees, flycatchers, and grosbeaks. If you're incredibly lucky, then you might catch sight of a California condor. None of these giant birds nest in the park, but they occasionally fly through it.
Millerton Lake State Recreation Area is 27 miles from Fresno. Water-based activities are the biggest draw at this state park, largely because of the 40 miles of coastline at the lakes inside the park. Trout, catfish, crappies, and bass headline the species you can chase with a rod and reel. The campground fits rigs up to 36 feet in length.
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is 78 miles from Fresno. It is the only place in all of California that was founded, built, and maintained by a Black community. It lasted from 1908 until 1914 when the town's water source mysteriously became poisoned with arsenic. The buildings that remained until the late 20th century were eventually added to the National Register of Historic Places, becoming a state historic park in 1974. There's just one easy hiking trail in Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, and it's 1.4 miles long.
600 miles from Fresno, Beaver Dam State Park makes for an interesting road trip. One of the interesting things about it is that there have not been beavers in Beaver Dam State Park for a long time. The park gets its name from the original beaver dam that created the lake in the park. You can ride ATVs along designated trails that take you past many overlooks and other scenic sites. If you like to stargaze, then you can take advantage of the area's notably dark night sky.
Devil's Postpile National Monument is 72 miles from Fresno, CA. As the name implies, there are 60-foot pillars of basalt that cooled into columns thousands of years ago when the area was volcanically active. Currently, the Devil's Postpile National Monument is closed and is not expected to reopen before June 2024.
Similar to the route you have to take to get to Inyo National Forest, Manzanar National Historic Site lies a circuitous 288 miles from Fresno. This site has a dark history because it was a Japanese Internment Camp during World War II. It's an educational wake-up call to take one of the guided tours and hear about the ways that citizenship was taken away from nearly 100,000 people. When not taking a guided tour, you can photograph mule deer, elk, and small game like gophers or prairie dogs.
The King's River RV Resort is 23 miles from Fresno and offers eight dozen campsites. At the time of writing, the resort's website says that it plans to add a pool and hot tub soon. Until then, you can enjoy full hookups, showers, and full restrooms.
Fresno Mobile Home and RV Park is right in the city. The 61 RV-specific campsites have full hookups. You will find showers, restrooms, and a pool for keeping cool during the summer.
It's only 8 miles to Blackstone North RV Park. It doesn't have a pool or hot tub, but it's got showers, restrooms, and full hookups. Check with the staff to see what discounts are available if you plan to visit, but as of right now, the park offers a generous military discount.
Modesto Reservoir Regional Park is 97 miles from Fresno. In addition to the dump station, the park has two boat ramps, so you can fish or otherwise spend an afternoon on the water after pumping out your RV rental's tanks.
The Madruga Alves Car Wash is 81 miles away in Turlock. This dump station is available all year, and the price to use it is just $10.
The Chevron Station Foodmart, which is also in Turlock, is just down the street. The fee is $5.
California's highways are ideal for enjoying an RV rental. You will enjoy easy driving and camping in a rented camper van, Class B motorhome, Class A motorhome, or any of the other exceptional RVs available to rent in the area. An RV is a great way to explore many different places within a region and to combine your transportation and lodging into one fun package. It's often an economical way to spend a family vacation.
You can check out some of the national parks like Yosemite National Park, King's Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. As you visit the area, you can enjoy the climbing at El Capitan and the sight of the giant sequoias. Fresno is a perfect hub for taking road trips. San Francisco is 186 miles to the west, Los Angeles is 217 miles to the south and Sacramento is 169 miles to the northwest. For a slightly longer road trip, it's about 400 miles to Las Vegas, NV.
When renting an RV in Fresno, CA, you can expect to pay around $250 a night for motorhomes and about $120 a night for travel trailers.
What does RVshare Protection cover with my Fresno, CA RV rental?RVshare's protection plan standard package covers up to $300,000 in comprehensive and collision coverage based on the value of the RV. It also includes free 24/7 roadside assistance, towing and tire service. For more information on RVshare insurance, click here.
What is included in my Fresno, CA RV rental?You should find any amenities that are included with your rental in the listing details. But it never hurts to check in with the owner before you arrive at the RV or have it delivered to ensure you have everything that is needed to have a fun and enjoyable trip!
Can I have my Fresno, CA RV rental delivered to a specified location?Many owners on RVshare.com offer delivery, and will even set it up for you at the campsite. Choose the 'Delivery' filter to narrow down your search results to RVs that can be brought to your home or destination. Check the listing details for any information regarding extra fees for delivery, or ask the owner if you are unsure.
