Fresno is well known for its gorgeous sunny beaches, but there’s a lot more cultural history and activities in the city than you might think. Here’s a list of the top 10 things to do in Fresno, California this weekend.
- Forestiere Underground Gardens
- Castle Air Museum
- Fresno Chaffee Zoo
- Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery
- The Discovery Center
- Blackbeard’s Family Entertainment
- Big Fresno Fair
- Island Waterpark
- Storyland
- Aerozone Trampoline Park
With lots of options for family fun on the weekend, all that’s left to do is pick which one floats your boat. The rest of this article will go in depth on each of these entertainment options so that you can select one that your family will enjoy.
Forestiere Underground Gardens
Forestiere Underground Gardens is a one-of-a-kind experience that incorporates beautiful greenery in an underground setting. Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, the Forestiere Underground Gardens were all excavated and planted by one man—all 10 acres of it over the course of 40 years.
Creating an oasis out of pavement, Baldassare Forestiere also made a beautiful scene for people to observe to this day.
Castle Air Museum
An aviation museum with over 70 authentic collection items featuring historic World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam Conflict military aircrafts, the Castle Air Museum gives visitors not only a look into the past, but a vision of the future of aerospace. With regular live events and tours, any fan of aviation history will love the history coming to life at the Castle Air Museum.
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is meant to inspire wonder—and inspire it does. With up close and personal encounters with animals, interactive experiences, live feedings, and a myriad of different animals to see, Chaffee Zoo stands out among other zoos as a great learning environment for kids.
Big animals like the African Elephant and Southern White Rhinoceros create the ‘wow’ factor, and with over 200 species to discover and lots of live events going on regularly, the Chaffee Zoo is a must-see in Fresno.
Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery
The Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery is great for history lovers. A timeless journey through the life of M. Theo Kearney, the museum showcases the agricultural pioneer spirit of California.
The outdoor space is a public park, excellent for a stroll or hosting a family picnic for a quick lunch. The tour is an hour long and lets you experience the grounds of Kearney’s 1890 home.
The Discovery Center
The Fresno Discovery Center brings science to life for kids in a rich, immersive, and hands-on experience. Kids can conduct scientific experiments, hold live animals, and see massive dinosaur replicas. Visit Café Scientifique to top up after experiencing this hidden gem of Fresno.
Blackbeard’s Family Entertainment
Embrace your inner pirate at Blackbeard’s Family Entertainment! With batting cages, mini gold, waterslides, laser tag, and a massive arcade, there’s something for everyone at Blackbeard’s. There’s also go karts, a bumper boat, and a ropes course to enjoy as well.
Fill up at the snack bar after a hard day of play or head out to the picnic area to enjoy the sunshine. Blackbeard’s is also open to hosting birthday parties, so it might be a good pick if there’s a birthday coming up soon!
Big Fresno Fair
The Big Fresno Fair features tons of live music artists of all genres to enjoy as well as other attractions like horse racing, the food truck alley, and the Livin’ Local Marketplace.
The carnival provides endless entertainment for kids with a big Ferris Wheel, a Carousel, and a Tilt-a-Whirl. Younger fairgoers will enjoy Kiddieland, which features rides and exhibits suited for younger guests. You can indulge in some good old fashioned fair food as you explore the smorgasbord of exhibits and events available.
Island Waterpark
The island waterpark is a wonderful place for great rides and great food. Take it easy with the Waimea River or the ‘Ohana Bay water slide, or take on all the thrills with Nature’s Furies, Thrills of Fiji, or Tsunami.
The wave pool offers a one-of-a-kind experience for waterpark enthusiasts. The selection of churros, burgers, hot dogs, and pretzels are great meal options, and dessert choices like milkshakes and ice cream can top off your appetite.
Storyland
Storyland is an event center that hosts kid-friendly shows and entertainment. Let your kids cut loose at live events for a while with Wild child Bubble Play Time or enjoy the excitement of Puppet Play with Terry.
Take the train to Playland or visit Dinosaur Island. Enchanting castles, attractions, and magic in the air make Storyland a must-visit for Fresno tourists and residents alike.
Venues are available for parties, and there are lots of rides for kids and adults alike to enjoy. Better yet, the admission is very inexpensive at $6 for an adult and only $4 for a child.
Aerozone Trampoline Park
Aerozone Trampoline Park is a great experience to burn off some energy for kids. Don your trusty grip socks and hit the trampolines at Aerozone.
At $14 an hour for a person (+$3.50 for grip socks) and an additional $6 for each hour, the price isn’t bad for keeping your kids entertained.
You can even host a birthday party event and rent out the place for a group of 15 or more jumpers. Kids will love bouncing around, playing trampoline dodgeball, and diving into cube pits.
Aerozone also features some inflatable slides to add to the fun, making this trampoline park a great place to visit for younger kids.
Conclusion
Fresno, California has no shortage of great entertainment options for kids and adults alike. Enjoy the outdoors at a waterpark or the fair and bond over lunch or let out your inner scientist at Storyland and the Discovery center.
If you’re interested in finding something to do over the weekend in Fresno, there’s plenty of activities to do to keep you and your whole family entertained.
