Forestiere Underground Gardens
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Forestiere Underground Gardens offers a unique experience showcasing one man's vision in a hand-dug underground architectural marvel, providing a cool escape from the Central Valley heat and a fascinating historical narrative.
Key Highlights
- ✓Highly knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic tour guides (Kai, Latieshka specifically mentioned) who genuinely love the gardens.
- ✓Provides a cool, pleasant environment underground, making it perfect for hot days.
- ✓Fascinating history and story of Baldassare Forestiere's sole handiwork.
- ✓A unique architectural and artistic creation, described as an 'oasis' and inspiring.
- ✓Engaging 1-hour guided tour format.
- ✓Soft natural light filters through overhead grape vines and citrus trees into the earthen passages.
Standout Features
- ⭐Comfortably cool underground climate, ideal for escaping intense heat.
- ⭐Engaging and educational guided tour experience.
- ⭐Clean bathrooms available outside at the end of the tour.
- ⭐Gift shop with standard souvenirs like shirts, magnets, and pressed pennies.
- ⭐Free street parking (though it can be busy).
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Make a reservation to ensure your spot on a tour.
- →Be prepared for a 1-hour guided tour as the only way to experience the gardens.
- →Supervise children closely to ensure they 'AVOID TOUCHING the gardens'.
- →Consider visiting soon due to reported uncertainties about its long-term preservation.
- →Be aware that the venue is unassuming from the street; look carefully for the entrance and street parking.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Strict 'AVOID TOUCHING the gardens' rule, which may be challenging for very young or highly curious children.
- ⚠The only way to see the inside is via a guided tour, offering no self-guided options.
- ⚠Street parking is available but the street can be busy, and the entrance is unassuming, requiring careful navigation.
- ⚠Uncertainty about how long the family will be able to preserve the place, suggesting it might not be a permanent fixture.
Price & Value
Entry requires payment for a guided tour, which lasts approximately 1 hour. While no specific price is mentioned, reviewers indicate it is 'totally worth the trip' for the unique and fascinating experience, suggesting good value for money given its historical and architectural significance.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs or accessibility are mentioned in the reviews. The underground nature suggests potential challenges, but this is not confirmed.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No information regarding food and drink policies is provided in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •Free street parking is available, but the street itself can be busy. The entrance is unassuming, so careful observation is needed to locate it and parking.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reviews recommend getting a reservation, implying that tours can fill up or have limited capacity, suggesting it can get busy. No specific times are mentioned for peak crowds.
🛡️Safety Features
- •The instruction to 'AVOID TOUCHING the gardens' is noted, indicating a measure to preserve the delicate structures. No other specific safety features like staff supervision in play areas or first aid are mentioned, as it is a guided tour environment.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Families with very active toddlers or young children who require hands-on interaction and might struggle with a 1-hour structured tour and 'no touching' rules.
- • Expectations of a traditional 'garden' experience with open spaces for free exploration; it's a guided architectural tour.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Guests will be walking on earthen terrain and should dress accordingly.
- • Visitors are encouraged to dress for varying temperatures as underground micro-climates can have temperature variations of 10 to 20 degrees.
- • All visitors must abide by state and county social distancing requirements and be respectful of other guests.
📅Booking Policy
- • Reservations are highly recommended as walk-ins may not be accommodated.
- • Arrive 15-20 minutes prior to your tour start time to allow time for locating the site, parking, and checking in.
- • Late arrivals for reservations are not guaranteed accommodation; the reservation will be forfeited if not contacted.
- • Reservations must be made for the correct number of people in your group, including small children.
- • If there are not enough spaces available online for your party size, that tour time cannot accommodate your group.
- • Groups larger than 16 people should email tours@ex.comundergroundgardens.com for assistance.
- • Guided tours are offered in Spanish (visitas guiadas en español) and must be coordinated in advance via email (tours@ex.comundergroundgardens.com) or phone (559-271-0734).
- • Gift Passes can be purchased by calling, visiting during business hours, or via their Etsy shop.
- • Reservations using a gift pass can be made by phone (559-271-0734) or email (tours@ex.comundergroundgardens.com).
🚗Parking Information
- • Street parking only available on Shaw Avenue and Forestiere Avenue.
- • Extensive High-Speed Rail-related construction surrounds the site, potentially affecting traffic and parking.
- • Visitors are recommended to arrive 20 minutes before their tour for parking and check-in due to construction.
- • No designated handicap parking or parking lot.
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Kurt Rice (CMSgtRice)
a week agoIf you’re even a casual fan of naíve art and architecture, as I am, this place should be on your must-visit list. We visited on a drizzly day, and the soft light filtered through overhead grape vines and citrus tree crowns into the earthen passages and rooms made Forestiere’s creation seem all that more welcoming. It is a wonderful little oasis and a tangible expression of one man’s vision and sole handiwork. Like Bishop’s Castle in Colorado and Watts Towers in LA (built by Forestiere’s contemporary and fellow Italian immigrant Simon Riota) it will continue to inspire those who wish to create in solitary on grander scales.
Jeremy Aviles
a month agoThis was an amazing l place to visit. It's gotta be one of the best in the central valley. My tour guide, Kai, was super friendly and helpful. The history of the gardens was super interesting (you'd have to see to know what I'm talking about), and the gift shop had shirts, magnets, pressed pennies, and all the other standard souvenirs. It's cool weather makes it the perfect place to visit! Make sure to AVOID TOUCHING the gardens and I'd recommend getting a reservation.
Cayenne D.
4 weeks agoThis is an incredible place! We traveled to Fresno because we heard about it on a podcast and wanted to see it. It was totally worth the trip. Our tour guide did a great job. It is uncertain how long the family will be able to preserve this place, so if you are interested I would get it in your travel plans.
Glen I
3 weeks agoWe were driving home from northern California and decided to go on 99 rather than the 5. I was looking for an activity to do and found an article that said this is a good family activity. The tour is an hour long and was very interesting. Our guide was Latieshka and she was great. You can tell she really loves the garden and her job. The story is really fascinating. I highly recommend this place if you have some time and are around or in Fresno. You might drive by this place it's very unassuming. Also you have to park on the street, you'll understand when you see the gardens.
Chelsea Hughes
3 weeks agoAn extraordinary landmark. Free street parking (the street is busy). The only way to see the inside is to pay for a guided tour (approximately 1 hr long). The tour guide was very knowledgeable and kind. There are bathrooms available at the end of the tour outside.