How Are We Going To Make Fresno “Cool”, Yo?

The Fresnan 19 Comments

Phoenix-rootop-bar How Are We Going To Make Fresno "Cool", Yo?

We have a problem here. A problem I bounce around in a post from time to time but never take on directly.

What will it take for Fresno to be considered a cool city?

If you’re thinking “Hey, but wait, I already think it’s cool!” I don’t disagree with you, but we both have to acknowledge that we are in the minority, chief.

How do we make Fresno appear cool to an outsider? This is what I’m talking about. To a Fresno State grad, we lost to brain drain? What can we do to win that person back? It’s a question that Fresno creatives have been wrestling with for many years.

First. The Immovable Object.

We are land locked, no getting around that. Except that we are not as landlocked as Denver, or Boise, or Dallas, or Every City Not On The Ocean. We can go to the beach for a morning surf session and be back in town for a late lunch.

So while this is tough, we have workarounds, it could be a lot worse.

The air sucks. It does. But, the past couple years, it feeeeels like it has gotten better?  And if California can (continue?) to lead in clean air…stuff and things? Maybe I’m being naive but I feel like future technology and regulations will make the terrible air a thing of the past. But we definitely need to be a lead-city on clean air initiatives.

Booze May Be An Answer.

Here might be a cool city suggestion we can work on:

Rooftop whiskey bars, eh? I definitely like the idea of rooftop things – like the pic at the top of the post from a Phoenix rooftop bar. And adding a niche element like whiskey is the kind of thing that pushes something from being “Oh that, you can find that in every city.” To “Oh that is rad, I wish we had one of those in our city.”

That unique, “can’t put my finger on it why it’s cool but I just know it’s cool” thing is really what we need to get at here in Fresno.

Touting our agriculture backbone. Being sunny almost every damn day. Embracing our sports, like the soccer community that gets bigger every year:

We’re just spitballing here.

The Cool Roots Are Taking Hold.

We have things already going for us. Not many cities can boast that they are a “basecamp city” to three National Parks. One of which, Yosemite, is considered by many to hold the most beautiful place in the world, Yosemite Valley – and I am in complete agreement with that.

There are other signs of coolness brewing as well. Bitwise pushing Fresno into the tech and startup scene is a big one. The rising craft beer and coffee scene. Branding ourselves as the Capitol of Tacos. These are the kind of things to ride into the cool town sunset.

So let’s tally up some of the cool stuff we got and the stuff we can do more of:

  • Agriculture.
  • Craft Beer – even more breweries.
  • Bitwise and tech.
  • Tacos.
  • Sports – including soccer.
  • Diversity.
  • Leader In Clean Air.
  • Outdoor city – more trails, parks, and owning the Sierra Nevada closeness.

This is but a humble start of a list by a blogger that only went as far as Fresno City College – a great community college, btw. I know only bits and pieces of things. So I choose you to comment and help.

What are some of your suggestions? Leave a comment! On the August episode of Flowing With Famous, myself and Joshua Tehee will parse them out and talk about them on the podcast.

Cool? Cool.

 

It’s Time To Let Northeast Fresno and Fresno Proper Go Their Separate Ways

The Fresnan 41 Comments

img_1313 It's Time To Let Northeast Fresno and Fresno Proper Go Their Separate Ways
First, they felt it necessary to uselessly and embarrassingly insert God into the Fresno Council Chambers. Now, Northeast Fresno has managed to stop California law and the will of the rest of Fresno (well, most of) by getting spineless Fresno City Councilmen to vote no on legal pot.

It’s time we let NE Fresno go, guys.

They don’t really like Fresno and the rest of Fresno doesn’t really like them. It’s like we’re in a relationship that neither wants to be in but both of us are too nice to dump one another. I’ll be the asshole here. “Sorry, Northeast Fresno, it’s not us, it’s you. Can you please find a place to stay tonight?”

Go away, NE. You have way too much power for a bunch of track houses and strip malls.

We don’t need ya and you don’t like going into the Tower District or Downtown anyway. Plus, you don’t even know where Sunnyside is anymore, nor do you even know what we’re up to over in NW Fresno because I see you taking Avenue 9 to go out to Highway 99 and not taking Herndon like you used to.

It’s cool. Just take your stuff and leave.

You can have River Park and Yosemite Ranch. That one Vons. The boring Sequoia’s. The shitty Wassabi’s. We’re good. Except you can NOT have Woodward Park, that has to stay neutral territory.

But What Should We Name NE Fresno?

If you’re no longer going to carry the Fresno name, we have to think up something new for you.

Wishingitwasthefiftiesville? Mostlywhite? Oldpine? Texas?

No, those are terrible. THINK, Fresnan, think…

Ohhhhhh. I know. It’s been hiding there all along: Clovis West. The prominent high school in the area is already named it. It’s all Clovis School District. You all wish you were in Clovis anyway. Let’s do it, it has been decided. The town of Clovis West.

So, take care of yourself, Clovis West. I’m sure we can still be friends. Just don’t stalk us on Instagram, ok?

Foo Fighters! Foo Fighters Show In Fresno! Foosnooooo!

The Fresnan 2 Comments

Foo-Fighters Foo Fighters! Foo Fighters Show In Fresno! Foosnooooo!

It’s the kind of news that turns a bad day into a good one. The Foo Fighter’s lifelong dream of coming to Fresno is finally a real thing!

They will be here December 1st. That’s a Friday night show, brotha! Foo on Friday! #FooFriday. Tickets on sale, June 29th, at the old classic time of 10 AM. Check out their website for pre-sale.

The super important question already being asked. Will Dave use the tired “I think this town should be called FresYES not FresNO!” joke?

But isn’t Dave Grohl too cool for such a joke? I hope so. I think so.

I will accept an “I don’t call this place FresNO, I call it FOOno!” joke. But if Dave does the tired and corny “I don’t say FresNO, I say FresYES!” joke, I will boycott the next song by sitting down in my seat, folding my arms and staring Dave down with a very disappointed smirk.

I’m getting away from the fact that it’s so freaking awesome that the Foo is finally coming to Fresno. This news will make the summer so much easier, having this to look forward too in December.

So, good job Fresno. And we didn’t even have to gather all the town’s musicians to convince them to come.

*Pic stolen from here.

Would Mild Summers Really Make Fresno A Popular West Coast City?

The Fresnan 5 Comments

img_0989 Would Mild Summers Really Make Fresno A Popular West Coast City?
Sunday had some pretty amazing weather, for a June day in Fresno. It was perfect… well until the windstorm later that evening. But BEFORE that, perfect.

This brought a much overdue thought into my head: Would the removal of consistent hot Summers make Fresno a truly desirable city? Is it the one thing that is holding us back?

Fresno heat-haters would say “Duh, dude!” But is it that simple?

Yes, bro, I know that Fresno has more problems than hot Summers. We got the gangs (although I’m pretty sure Oakland, SF, San Jose, Sactown, L.A. and San Diego all have those), a lot of stucco and a shitty looking Highway 99 corridor.

But I really don’t think people are truly looking down at Fresno for that.

Plus, Fresno has all the things you could want in your standard city: A diverse and creative culture, a rising Downtown, plenty of things to do on the weekend, three world class National Parks in the backyard, etc.

So it comes back to one thing: The heat.

You Have Heard Of This New Technology Called “Air Conditioning” and “Shade”, Right?

People afraid of the heat forget about the benefits. The perfect Summer evenings on a patio with a beer in one hand and a taco in another. Or the nights when it’s perfectly comfortable to swim and… have more beer.

Maybe Sactown is the only other West Coast city that can brag about that. Sorry, Portland & Seattle, we got ya on something.

Paying Triple To Not Experience A Hot Summer Is Crazy!

When a nice house in Fresno that costs $250,000 is going to cost $1,000,000 on the coast, I think “I’m good here, thanks.”

I admit, this past weekend of “coastal” weather was nice and I appreciated it. Enjoyed it. But I’ll go ahead and continue enduring hot Summers, for now, and not feel like an idiot when my mortgage bill comes. You can enjoy your 70s.

What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)

The Fresnan 6 Comments
highway99fresno-1024x1024 What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)


I wish you had more time to actually SEE Fresno. But I get it, you are traveling through and don’t have much time, but want to stop in Fresno and say you did something. Ate. Slept. Shopped. Looked at stuff.

It’s cool, I got you.

And I will put my frustration for how gritty 99 in Fresno is, and always has been, aside for now because today we figure out the best place to exit off Highway 99 in Fresno.

Whether you are planning out your trip through Fresno or figuring it out in the passenger seat on the road, these are the best, freeway close, things. Picked by an actual Fresnan.

The Most Fresno Thing To Do Along 99: Downtown Fresno

Downtown-Fresno-1024x555 What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)


If you want to really get a small piece of actually visiting Fresno but don’t want to wander far from Highway 99, hit up Downtown.

For beer geek fun, look for the Ventura or Tulare Street exits, head a block or so East and visit the regional beer king, Tioga Sequoia. You will have some good times.

This is also located in our Brewery District so Procreations Brewing is close by.

And in a different part of Downtown, South of Shaw Brewing (with great pizzas) is close enough to 99 that it won’t kill your schedule.

Did you see the baseball stadium? Yeah, that’s where the Fresno Grizzlies play (aka the Single A team of the Colorado Rockies). It’s a really nice park to stop and see a game.

If you love art, there are an abnormal amount of murals to see in Downtown Fresno, part of Downtown is actually referred to as the Mural District. A handy map of many of the murals can be found here.

For you folks that might want to do some quick vintage/thrift shopping, Yoshi World is right off the freeway (and in the same area as some of the restaurants I am about to tell you about.

There’s a lot more going on Downtown, there really is, I suggest checking out the Downtown Fresno Partnership website for all the details.

But you might not have time for that today, you need to get back on the road. Or maybe eat…

Best Places to Eat Along Highway 99 in Fresno

chef-pauls-fresno What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)


On the national scene is Chef Paul’s Cafe. When celebs come to town, this is the place many go. It just made a major must-visit list too.

Another nationally known place is La Elegante, voted to have the best tacos in Fresno, by those who know. It may not look like much on the outside but got what it takes for Mexican food.

Tamale Mama is in the same area too and has also been getting a lot of attention lately.

Both of these spots are in a challenging part of town. Don’t be scared, I am just giving you a heads-up that it may be not something you’re used to. But you’ll be fine.

Voted by many to be the best food in Downtown is Libelula. This is a bit further into Downtown, but it might be worth it to you (only breakfast and lunch).

This is not Downtown but a bit North of it along 99, if you want what many consider a great local burger, try Triangle Drive-In.

There is one In-&-Out you can stop at. It is at the Shaw Avenue exit, Eastside of 99. It gets busy like all In-&-Outs do, sometimes the drive-thru spills out onto Shaw Avenue. They are working on making this better but it is not completed at the time of writing this.

Fresno Highway 99 Things Of Another

Underground-Gardens-fresno-1024x666 What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)

(photo cred goes to this blog)

One of, if not the most unique attractions in Fresno is the Forestiere Underground Gardens (Shaw Avenue exit, go East).

A long time ago this dude dug out an underground complex to live in and did some amazing work with citrus trees that are still around today.

If you have the time on your trip, book a tour, it’s pretty cool!

rinos-at-Fresno-Chaffee-Zoo-edited What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)
Eating lunch by the rhinos is a nice Fresno Chaffee Zoo feature


Fresno’s Roeding Park literally backs up to the East side of 99 between Belmont and Olive Streets. Inside the city park is the renowned and newly expanded Fresno Chaffee Zoo. It truly is a gem.

Not to mention Storyland and Playland. All good places to let the kids run around.

If you’re one of those who like checking out graveyards, there are plenty on Belmont just East of 99. You can even see one from Triangle.

THE NEWEST AREA TO STOP ALONG 99: HERNDON AVENUE 

This area once had the (now demolished) famous Klein’s Truck Stop. Now, you have a Five Guys burger that was SOME FREAKING HOW voted better than In & Out for best burger place in the country. Five Guys just copied In & Out, how the hell could THEY have a better burger!!!??

Anyway, there is also a Target, if you need supplies and a Starbucks. Along with many other shopping and quick food opportunities.

There is a movie theater too, if you have the time for that. For now, there is an Olive Garden and High-Speed Rail construction.

Oh, and there’s a rad song:

Best Hotels to Stay at Along Highway 99 in Fresno

Holiday-Inn-express-booking What Are The Best Places To Pull Off Highway 99 In Fresno? (Fall 2024)

Like I said at the beginning of this post, it’s not exactly vacation-style stopovers here along Highway 99, and that includes hotels. But, you can find places to sleep and get back on the road.

The two hotels I would recommend in Fresno off Highway 99 that will likely give you the least amount of drama from the surrounding area are right next to each other and make it easy to get back on the road:

Hampton Inn & Suites Fresno Northwest:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Northwest:

You can take the Herndon exit or the Veterans Blvd exit to get to these hotels. There is some High-Speed Rail construction going on but there are signs to direct you through that to the hotels.

Next to these hotels is a Starbucks, a smoke shop, an Einstein Bros Bagels, and a new Taco Bell. But that is it for super walkable as the rest of the area is being prepped for California High-Speed Rail.

Walkable-sih, on the East side of the rail tracks, there’s a Target, Olive Garden, Crumbl, a Tesla charging station, and all kinds of other food and shopping options (even a movie theater).



Good luck to you and enjoy your brief Fresno stop. I will keep updating this post with ideas and new things. Thanks for reading. Feel free to reach out to me on social media @thefresnan, for any questions.

–Mikey ‘The Fresnan’

Disclosures: Downtown photo credit: Blogspot.com. Links to hotels are affiliate links which changes nothing for you but gives me a small cut if you book something, just so that ya know, bro.

If You Can Spot What Is Wrong In This Fresno Traffic Pic, You Are Not The Problem

The Fresnan 6 Comments

img_0774 If You Can Spot What Is Wrong In This Fresno Traffic Pic, You Are Not The Problem

There are some things we need to work on before Fresno can be considered a “smart driver” city.  Some would say a lot of things.

I would say there are two key ones to start with.

  1. Leave space. Yes, create a space for people leaving a driveway or street that deserve a chance to be on your street or to be able to turn into a parking lot. Don’t block shit. Where are you going that is so fucking important that you can’t afford to let one car in?! Admittedly, I will still do this on occasion. Hey, I don’t really mean to, but it happens. Then, of course, when the other driver is staring me down wondering why I had to block his way, I sit and pretend he is not there as I beg for the light to change.
  2. Leave the right lane open. You are at the intersection of a two lane street without a dedicated right turn lane. You move to the right lane to go straight. You are now blocking the person behind you from turning right. If you spotted this as the problem in the above photo, you already know this and are cool. I know it’s not always practical to leave that lane open, but it should be thought of more.
We Know Some Stuff

One thing I do like that we do right? Not honking at the person at the front who is waiting two seconds after the light turns green before he/she goes. This is a big tip to maybe help you not get into an accident. Wait two seconds before heading out into the intersection.

If you have a tip to help Fresnans drive smarter (and I’m pretty damn sure you do), please comment.