Discover Fresno, Californias Hidden Wonders

by

Jordan Rocksmith

If you are planning a trip to Fresno, California, you probably expect to try a glass of sparkling Fresno wine, go swimming to escape the heat, and try your luck at one of the citys major casinos. Weve all heard about the splashing water parks, the inevitable casinos, and the sumptuous day spas. But, if you delve a little deeper into what makes Fresno unique, you can find some amazing sites to visit and some fantastic Fresno wine that you wont find anywhere else in the world. You can sit in the shady underground gardens, sunken 22 feet underground over 100 years ago, or wander along the Madera wine trail and sample unique Fresno wines (like pomegranate wine) at the picturesque family wineries.

There are several lesser-known things to do in Fresno that will entertain and delight you. One thing you cant miss is the Forestiere Underground Gardens, a spectacular monument to one mans ingenuity. More than 10 acres and three levels of underground gardens, chambers, huge vaulted skylights, and cool shady courtyards make up the Forestiere Underground Gardens. These underground gardens go down to about 22 feet deep, with skylights strategically placed to let in sufficient light while maintaining cool underground temperatures.

As you walk through the underground gardens three levels of courtyards and chambers (with rockwork and archways modeled after the catacombs in Italy), you will pass through several micro-climates. You will see fruit bearing trees, grape vines, and flowers, all carefully cultivated to live within the underground microclimates. The underground gardens were created around the turn of the nineteenth century by one man, an Italian immigrant and self-taught naturalist and horticulturist from Sicily by the name of Baldassare Forestiere, along with his two mules. At the Forestiere Underground Gardens, you can walk down the stairs into the home and gardens of this inventive Italian who created relief from the heat of Fresnos scorching summertime and an incredible variety of plants that grow in semi-shaded conditions.

Another amazing thing to visit is the Madera wine trail, where you can see miles of grape vines and over a dozen Fresno wine companies of all sizes. The Madera wine trail is just across the San Joaquin River from the city of Fresno, about 25 minutes from downtown Fresno. Madera country has been growing and producing some of the finest port wines and desert wines in the US for over 100 years. Here you can sample award winning Fresno wines, including ports, white wines, red wines, and specialty wines. The slightly cooler temperature of Madera country is ideal for growing grapes, thanks to the bordering Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east of the area and the flowing waters of the San Joaquin River.

Twin Pomegranates is a

Fresno wine

production company that creates a delicious and unique wine from locally grown pomegranates. (

twinpoms.com

)

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Discover Fresno, Californias Hidden Wonders
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