Fresno, California: Forestiere Underground Gardens
Tour the labyrinth of tunnels, patios, and grottoes chiseled over 40 years by immigrant Baldasere Forestiere.
- Address:
- 5021 West Shaw Ave., Fresno, CA
- Directions:
- Two blocks east of Hwy 99. Make a right turn on Shaw just after the Carl's Jr.
- Hours:
- Thu-Su 9-3 by reservation. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 559-271-0734
- Admission:
- Adults $21, Seniors 60+, college, military $19, Children $11
- RA Rates:
- Major Fun
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Visitor Tips and News About Forestiere Underground Gardens
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Forestiere Underground Gardens was a nice surprise that I found thanks to the Roadside America app. The tour was very informative and explained how Forestiere built this labor of love. If your road trip takes you through Fresno, plan a stop. The tour is an hour long, and you can make a reservation online. The website does mention that hours may be adjusted due to weather.
[Stephanie Hammerwold, 08/09/2023]
Wow! This place was awesome, made cooler by the fact that it was totally unexpected. California immigrant history and amazing underground architecture? I'm not sure what roadside attractions could be better. Hopefully you get Rhanda -- she was a great guide. Also: cool Punjabi market and restaurant a moment away.
[Natalie, 10/21/2021]Simply amazing! I can't believe I've lived in the area pretty much my whole life and never heard of this place until I got this app. My husband and I spent a lovely afternoon exploring the tunnels and enjoying the much cooler temps below the valley soil. Definitely a must see!
[Sara Torabi, 07/20/2012]
Nondescript from the street, but once you enter the property, it's a beautifully designed paradise.
[Sydney Harter, 06/18/2010]
We just took a tour with our homeschool group. It is still a marvel to visit. We went while it was still cool in Fresno, but visits during the heat of summer are more awesome due to the temperature change below.
The price has gone up a little, and the grandson doesn't do the tours any more. We were led by a college age student. He was informative and friendly.
This is truly a unique experience if you have never gone. I went in high school, when my son was about 12, now my daughter is 12 so we went again, and took my now 21 yr son. He and I still enjoyed it even though we had visited before.
[Danielle, 05/08/2009]May 2012: Photo added.
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Baldassare Forestiere began digging in 1906 and was still at it 40 years and 50 rooms later. He did it, he said, because it was more comfortable to live and grow things under Fresno than in it.