Forestiere Underground Gardens

I'm on a quest to find exciting/fun things to do in Fresno and we finally did #2 on the Trip Advisor list. Forestiere Underground Gardens. Without being over the top, it was a huge favorite. Partially because it was beautiful and amazing and genius and partially because I feel like I would have been friends with this guy. He thought Fresno was too hot so he built his home underground. He was spot on - it was much cooler down there! 

A short history - this guy came from Siciliy in the late 1800s to grow citrus. He started in Boston and NY as a subway tunnel digger then moved out to CA to actually buy land and grow citrus where it was warmer. He bought a bunch of land in Fresno and he started digging, he hit rock. (I guess he didn't know there was good dirt underneath the rock) He was working as a ditch digger and decided to start digging at his house too. Over 17 years he created so so many rooms. A room for eating (with the perfect skylight), a room for sleeping in the summer, a room for sleeping in the winter, a room for prayers, etc etc. He planned on opening it up as a resort but got pneumonia and died. He even dug a tunnel so that you could drive your car in. They have a lot of the original citrus trees and grape vines and the tour was just totally awesome. Alta stayed happy as long as I gave her fruit snacks and her pacifier and only cried really hard when she smacked her head against Dave's sternum. 

So now I've got two things. Dusty Buns and these gardens. Come visit! I'll find more things.