# Fresno, California- is there anything good about it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493 "2006-07-14T17:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/21 "2006-07-15T15:37:55Z")
Well Fresno smells way better than Manteca (rotting sugar beets) or parts of Turlock (Turkeys and chickens) but the bad news is that Fresno is located right next to the exhaust vent from Hell. When I lived in Turlock, I would drive back to LA. It would be 102F in Turlock and it would get HOTTER as I approached Fresno. It would cool off as I left Fresno. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/22 "2006-07-15T16:45:14Z")
Well, based on the OP’s username, it seems worth pointing out that the California State Bowling Association hosts tournaments in Fresno every so often. That’s a plus in my book! OK, that’s the _only_ plus in my book. But combined with all the other helpful suggestions in this thread, Fresno’s got to be a winning proposition for someone, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/23 "2006-07-15T16:55:52Z")
Fresno is a really boring city that became a city more because one was needed around about that area than because anyone had any plan to make something there. As result it largely has no point, charm, nor much of anything to it that you can say positive beyond that it has more restaurants and movie theaters than the small towns around it. Last I heard it did have the highest crime rate in the country. It is, near the mountains, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/24 "2006-07-15T17:23:43Z")
The rest of California is near the mountains, too; the difference is that some of it isn’t lame. Take San Diego. Less than an hour to a mountaintop from downtown, a little more to a snowy mountaintop all year round. And San Diego doesn’t suck. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/25 "2006-07-17T14:42:17Z")
Hey, all you Fresnans! Anybody ever heard of my hometown of Auberry? Anyone? Hello? didn’t think so… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/26 "2006-07-17T15:04:43Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] It’s not far from Yosemite, and the gold rush country (Highway 49) [/QUOTE] I have friends who live in Oakhurst, which is really nice. So, if you had a job in Fresburg, and didn’t mind a longish commute, you could live in a very nice and not too expensive area. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/27 "2006-07-17T16:14:55Z")
The only two [“notable” residents](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresno%2C_California#Notable_residents) I recognize are K-Fed & Victor Conte, of BALCO infamy. A real estate company advertises on the buses here in SF, with big capital letters- “Don’t resort to Fresno.” ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/28 "2006-07-17T22:20:10Z")
Well, you do live in the Bay Area, where in the local language the “Ew.” prefix is applied to just about every other city or region name. I’d say you’ll just have to go see it for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/29 "2006-07-18T02:17:26Z")
The official airport code for Fresno is FAT. Although the city would like to change it to FYI. Either one looks better on a luggage tag than OAK. ---
**Author:** ![Curate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Curate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curate)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/30 "2006-07-18T05:28:23Z")
A pretty decent set of restaurants, both Borders and Barnes and Noble, and several cigar stores, so it’s got about everything I look for. My daughters had their introduction to shopping when we lived in Dallas, but they are pretty satisfied with the stores in Fresno. I’d much rather live in either the mountains or near the ocean, but only being a few hours from them is much more than we can say we had in Dallas. Also, we’ve got a 2600 sq. foot house that cost us less than $200,000 just five years ago (it would probably be much more expensive now, but we could still afford it on one income). If you own your place in Oakland you’ll be able to afford a lot more here. It’s also possible to drive through town during rush hour. The lifelong locals here think it’s inconvenient, but it’s the easiest big-city rush hour I’ve ever experienced. I also prefer the airport to the other ones I’ve had to deal with. I don’t think I’ve ever had to park more than 100ft from the terminal. ---
**Author:** ![straykat23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/31 "2006-07-18T06:22:06Z")
Born in San Francisco, raised there and in Oakland, presently living in Sacramento. Seems I’ve gone downhill and Fresno would be the next stop. I’m not ready for that. Stick with Oakland, Alameda or Berkeley. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/32 "2006-07-18T06:39:44Z")
The name Fresno is Spanish for “ash tree,” from the latin _Fraxinus_. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/33 "2006-07-18T07:25:16Z")
Biggest city in population in the U.S. that has no Interstate Highway going through it. However Highway 99 is no little country road. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/34 "2006-07-18T12:53:21Z")
mrAru is from Fresno and I have visited a few times. It has one of the higher concentrations of millionairs outside of the Big 3 [NY, Miami, LA] It is flat - it basically is in a river basin. I know relative flatness is an odd thing to consider, but I hate hills [bad knees, and I like to walk.] All the basic shopping and eating locations - both chains and independants. Killer Farmer’s market. Lots of agriculture in the area. The area has one of the largest pomegranite orchards outside the mideast [owned by the Simonean family] the first kiwi orchard in the US, orchards of fruit, nuts and olives. Large farms that grow exotic veggies. Artichokes, garlic and asparagus are all grown in the area [as well as artichokes=castroville and garlic=gilroy] The people seem a llot nicer than the asshats we kept running into down iin the southern end of the state [is there something in the water in Yucaipa that makes people assholes afdter they move there?] You couldn’t pay me to live iin most of california, but I would actually move to Fresno [or castroville, I could live on artichokes =)} ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/35 "2006-07-18T14:53:01Z")
[QUOTE=BobT] Biggest city in population in the U.S. that has no Interstate Highway going through it. However Highway 99 is no little country road. [/QUOTE] Really? I though SF has a larger population than Fresno? ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/36 "2006-07-18T15:30:49Z")
I was just there last month, and I can report that at least some of the people living there like it very much. Several of the people I met went to good colleges in various places, but they came back to Fresno. Why this is so, I cannot say. But I will say the mexican food is decent. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/37 "2006-07-18T16:00:02Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] Really? I though SF has a larger population than Fresno? [/QUOTE] The Bay Bridge is Interstate 80. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/38 "2006-07-18T16:22:14Z")
[QUOTE=BobT] The Bay Bridge is Interstate 80. [/QUOTE] But no Interstate goes \*through \* SF, they all dump you out onto surface streets. This is due to the fact that the residents of SF value their skyline more than they value the lives of their pedestrian populace :mad: (quite a few peoeple die every year on 14th ave, which is the street that connects 280 with the Golden Gate bridge. Then there’s Van Ness, well, anyway, you get the point.) ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/39 "2006-07-18T21:46:26Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] But no Interstate goes \*through \* SF, they all dump you out onto surface streets. This is due to the fact that the residents of SF value their skyline more than they value the lives of their pedestrian populace :mad: (quite a few peoeple die every year on 14th ave, which is the street that connects 280 with the Golden Gate bridge. Then there’s Van Ness, well, anyway, you get the point.) [/QUOTE] Well that’s nitpicking that’s impressive even for the SMDB! 🙂 I will then state this: Fresno is the largest city in the U.S. that does not have an Interstate Highway that has part of it inside the city limits. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493/40 "2006-07-18T22:10:16Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Biggest city in population in the U.S. that has no Interstate Highway going through it. Maybe so, but the way the 10 “goes through” Tucson (which is bigger by a pretty fair bit) is a joke. It “goes through”, technically, but only on the very edge with IIRC three exits in the city proper. > [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > The only two “notable” residents I recognize are K-Fed & Victor Conte, of BALCO infamy. You don’t recognize David Carr, Frank Chance of the Tinker-Evers-Chance 6-4-3 double play, Cher, Trent Dilfer, Tom Seaver, David Seville, or Del Webb? (Granted, I may only know the latter from living in Arizona, but the rest have achieved respectable levels of fame in baseball, football, or music.) > [@aruvqan](#): > > It is flat - it basically is in a river basin. I know relative flatness is an odd thing to consider, but I hate hills [bad knees, and I like to walk.] After spending most of my postpubescent life in San Diego, it feels _weird_ to be on flat land. It took a while to get used to Tucson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fresno-california-is-there-anything-good-about-it/364493.md?page=3)