Zoo · 44 min northwest
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
A friendly zoo with African savanna, Asian elephants and a kids' play area.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Day Trippin' › California › From Visalia
Day trips from Visalia
From Visalia, Mooney Grove Park is about 10 minutes away, Kings Canyon Scenic Byway under an hour and a half, and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias under two hours. The best day trips from Visalia, by drive time.
118 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Visalia
- Fresno Chaffee Zoo 44 min northwest
- Tower District 45 min northwest
- Forestiere Underground Gardens 48 min northwest
- Kings Canyon Scenic Byway 1 hr 24 min northeast
- General Sherman Tree 1 hr 28 min northeast
- Moro Rock 1 hr 29 min northeast
- Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias 1 hr 54 min north
- Six Flags Magic Mountain 2 hr 21 min south
- Pinnacles National Park 2 hr 37 min west
- Universal Studios Hollywood 2 hr 44 min south
Within an hour from Visalia 9 spots
Food town · 45 min northwest
Tower District
A lively Fresno neighborhood with restaurants, theaters and shops.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Garden · 48 min northwest
Forestiere Underground Gardens
A handmade underground garden with courtyards and tunnels dug by one man. Reservations are a good idea.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Seasonal; closed winter, reopens spring (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Lake · 29 min east
Lake Kaweah
A foothill reservoir with boating, fishing and birding near Three Rivers.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; best spring
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 39 min east
Three Rivers
A foothill town at the Sequoia gateway with cafes, artists and river views.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Scenic drive · 39 min northwest
Blossom Trail
A self-drive route through orchards in Fresno County when fruit trees bloom in late winter.
- Half day · Easy
- Best mid Feb-mid Mar
- Free
Museum · 53 min northwest
Kearney Mansion Museum
An old raisin baron's mansion in Fresno with guided tours.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Limited open days (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Garden · 53 min northwest
Woodward Park
A large Fresno park with a Japanese garden and trails along the San Joaquin River bluff.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
1 to 2 hours from Visalia 29 spots
Scenic drive · 1 hr 24 min northeast
Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
A dramatic drive into one of the deepest canyons in the US.
- Full day · Easy
- Usually open late spring-fall
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 1 hr 28 min northeast
General Sherman Tree
The largest tree on Earth by volume, reached by a short paved trail.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Hike · 1 hr 29 min northeast
Moro Rock
A short granite staircase climb to a sweeping view of the Great Western Divide.
- 1 hr · Moderate
- Road usually open; winter closure possible
- See the official site for current fees
Hike · 1 hr 54 min north
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
Walk among huge sequoias including the Grizzly Giant. A shuttle or short hike runs from the welcome plaza.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Shuttle usually runs spring-Nov; check
- See the official site for current fees
Wildlife · 1 hr 28 min southwest
Kern National Wildlife Refuge
A birding refuge with auto tour roads and many waterfowl in winter.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; best winter
- Free
Family fun · 1 hr 44 min north
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
A steam train ride through the pines near Fish Camp, in the style of an old logging line.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Seasonal; check train days (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Bike trail · 1 hr 9 min south
Kern River Parkway Trail
A paved path along the Kern River in Bakersfield, good for biking and walking.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Food town · 1 hr 11 min south
Bakersfield Basque Food
Family-style Basque restaurants, a local specialty.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Visalia 77 spots
Theme park · 2 hr 21 min south
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
National park · 2 hr 37 min west
Pinnacles National Park
Spires and talus caves from an ancient volcano, plus condors and good hiking trails.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round; best Oct-May
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 2 hr 44 min south
Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie-themed rides, a studio tram tour and Super Nintendo World.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 2 hr 48 min south
Getty Center
A hilltop art museum with big gardens and wide views over the city. Entry is free.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 2 hr 49 min northwest
Columbia State Historic Park
A whole Gold Rush town kept as it was, with stagecoach rides, gold panning, old saloons and costumed shopkeepers.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Observatory · 2 hr 52 min south
Griffith Observatory
Free views of the city and the Hollywood Sign, plus space exhibits and a planetarium. Sunsets here are a classic LA moment.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Viewpoint · 2 hr 25 min north
Tunnel View
The classic first look at Yosemite Valley, with El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome in one frame. Pull off right on the way in.
- 30 min-1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 2 hr 30 min southwest
Morro Rock and Embarcadero
Sea-level volcanic plug beside a harbor with sea otters and kayak rentals.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 93291 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.