Feel Like Dancing

   In Fresno there are many places to dance, meet new people and have a good time. There is Aldo's Night Club, which is latin oriented. The club plays latin genres such as Banda, Cumbia, and Salsa. All of these genres are similar in that they have fast paced rhythms which all people enjoy dancing to. The club occasionally plays House Music, and the recent top Hip Hop and Pop songs. For more information on other dance clubs you can visit check this website out here.

Chafee Zoo in Fresno

Fresno has a small zoo named Chafee Zoo. The zoo is located in Roeding Park and has been a city attraction since 1908. The zoo hours for April 1st to September 30th from 9a.m. to 6p.m. and October 1st to March 31st  from 9a.m. to 4p.m. The admission into the zoo is $7 for an adult ranging from the ages of 12 to 61, $3.50 for children between 2 to 11 years of age and seniors 62 years and older, and children under 1 year old enter free. The first animals that appeared at the location were donated animals consisting of bears and birds. Over the years other animals such as reptiles and african type animals have been added. This  site is a great family attraction because children love to see rare animals up close. You'll see the amazement on their face when they see a tiger walking around it's habitat. There is a petting zoo inside Chaffe Zoo consisting of farm animals, but children are thrilled to pet goats and sheep because they don't encounter these animals at home. There is also a room where you can pet and feed stingrays for a small fee.You'll find more info on what events the zoo does on a daily basis by clicking here.

The Various Swap Meets in Fresno

  One place where you can find cheap stuff is at a swap meet(flea market). Here in Fresno there are many swap meets that are open different days of the week and mainly on weekends. The swap meets in Fresno are places in which you can find different cultural foods, music and customs. The swap meets are mainly dominated by latin vendors and customers. There are a few asian shops that sell teas, remedies, plants and music. Also some local farmers sell their fruits and vegetables at the swap meet and it is usually cheaper than store bought produce. Everything is sold at a swap meet, such as clothes, fast food , candy, toys, other people's junk, collectibles, pets, etc. Check out each swap meet website:
Sunnyside Swap Meet
Cherry Auction
Fresno Faiground Swap Meet
   One tip that I can give you is, always carry cash when shopping at a swap meet because there aren't any ATM machines at most of these locations.

Evening Walks in Fresno

  One thing that I recommend to do, during the evenings in Fresno, is to enjoy a walk around these peaceful places. The best place to do this is at Woodward Park. The park is huge and many people go there everyday because it has everything a park needs. It has a lake, three ponds, a section for bicycles, trails, streams, picnic areas, basically whatever a park is known for. One main attraction from the park is Shinzen Japanese Garden which is mainly used for big events, such as  weddings and other private events. People can enter with a small entrance fee of 3 dollars, whenever an event isn't taking place. When passing through the gates you'll notice how everything resembles a japanese film with japanese maple trees and japanese style houses. The first creature you see are the majestic peacocks roaming around the garden and then you'll notice the lame geese. Once you get to the bridge you'll notice in the pond the koi fish swimming  with a calmness that will make you daydream. You can walk around the garden and view everything for yourself and you'll be amazed at what you'll find.

   If the park is too far away or you don't want to pay a 5 dollar vehicle admission fee, then the next place is good for you. N. Van Ness Blvd. is a street that is used by many pedestrians. The almost three miles of sidewalk and street are good for a relaxing walk, especially before dusk. One tip I can give you is that don't pass under the railroad bridge heading toward Ashlan Ave. from Shield Ave. when it gets dark because those streets have no lights and it can be frightening. Also look both ways before crossing Ashlan Ave. because there aren't any stops signs and the cars passing are going fast. Those are the only defects of walking down this street. The people you'll encounter on this street are nice and always say hell. The ambient is peaceful once you pass the railroad bridge gong toward Shaw Ave. because not many cars pass through those streets.

Cooling Down Activities

With the current heat wave in Fresno this week you need extra cooling off and one location will help you, Wild Waters Adventure Park. The park is full of water slides and pools which can be enjoyed by the whole family. With family attractions such as the Blue Wave and the Orca Lagoon, how can you refuse. The Blue Wave creates waves to make it feel like as if you swimming in the ocean. The Orca Lagoon is a regular pool with a few water slides around it. The only restrictions to these pools are that equip children under for feet with floating devices. If your feeling a bit in need of an adrenaline rush then you should checkout the Ghostslider. The Ghostslider looks like a hollowed out flying disc, in which people slide around eventually falling into a pool of water. Going to Wild Waters can be expensive, and if you don't have that kind of money, you can visit a public pool. These pools sometimes require a small fee of a dollar or two to enter the pool.

Visit Yosemite National Park

  One exotic place to visit, while in Fresno, is Yosemit National Park. Once you visit Yosemite National Park, you'll never want to leave. The tall granite cliffs hover over Yosemity Valley , in an intimidating and majestic manner. Almost as if the cliffs had their own personality. Some cliffs that make up the valley walls are quite famous, such as the cliff known as Half Dome. Half Dome stands at an elevation of 8840 ft. and was shaped by glaciers throughout its history. The site is Yosemite National Park's greatest attraction with thousands of tourist wanting to photograph it and hundreds of tourist actually hiking toward Half Dome. The park has also added a cable bridge to make the hike accessible to Hal Dome. Another great attraction from Yosemite Valley is El Capitan. This cliff attracts ambitious rock climbers, due to its steep slope and arduous climbing trails. One obstacle many climbers face is The Nose , which is a slab of granite that doesn't let the climber advance onward. To evade this obstacle many climbers have to swing themselves to the left in order to continue the climb. The most frightening obstacle for climbers on El Capitan, is the Texas Flake. It is a slab of granite that is breaking off of El Capitan and doesn't seem to have anything holding it to the main wall. Climbers have to go in between the slab in order to go up, and climbers hope that the slab won't decide to fall down during their climb. The park officials set out rules for rock climbing and hiking but some people ignore these rules and it cost them their life.

Things to do Outside the City

   Not everything has to be done in the city. The city of Fresno is surrounded by lakes, rivers, camp grounds and national forests. Many of the lakes around Fresno are man made, damns were created to conserve water from streams and rivers. The closest lake to Fresno is Millerton Lake. Friant Damn was created to conserve the San Joaquin River and and thus creating Millerton Lake. There are many things to do at Millerton Lake, such as, fishing and boat riding. There are many aquatic creatures that you can fish out of the lake like the aggressive Largemouth Bass, the large Catfish and the tiny but tasty Crappie. Another activity to do at the lake is riding a boat or a ski jet. If you have a couple of hundred dollars in your pocket you can rent yourself a boat or a ski jet at the lake. There are also camping fees and permits you can find on there website.
   Lets say you would like to be a bit more adventurous and travel farther away into the wilderness. Shaver Lake would be the best place to visit, located deep in the Sierra National Forest. The lake is also man made and the water is being conserved by the Shaver Lake Damn from incoming water of Big Creek and smaller streams that come down the mountains. Due to its high elevation, the temperature at the lake is always pleasant during the summer. Some restrictions due apply in the winter because of snow in the winter. Check this website for hourly forecasts. You can basically do the same things at  Shaver Lake that you would do at Millerton Lake. Fishing, boat riding, camping, hiking, etc, but it feels as if you were away from civilization. The lake also has a city that is named after it, Shaver Lake. A few stores and restaurants align the road before entering the lake.