Attractions

Bill Boersma honed his artisan cheese making skills at his Bravo Farms dairy near Visalia, starting in 1995. As popularity of Bravo Farms cheeses grew, a larger plant was needed to meet the orders. In May, 2006 Bill joined Jonathan VanRyn at Valley Farms near Traver. Here, you can watch cheese being made, sample the various styles and buy their natural, rindless cheeses. Young Bravo Cheddar is aged for 90 days, giving it a creamy and mild flavor. The Premium Cheddar, aged up to and beyond two years, is sharp and tangy. Other cheese styles can be found with names such as Tulare Cannonball, Western Sage Cheddar, Silver Mountain, Original Chipotle and Dutch Jake.

The ultimate California farm vacation experience!

Farm Stay in the shadow of the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks/Sierra Nevada mountains nestled among the orange trees. A quiet, peaceful place to commune with nature, learn and see farm “stuff” and pick oranges. The farmhouse accommodates from 1 to 8 people and the bunkhouse 4 people. The farmhouse and the bunkhouse are available separately. This is an 80 year-old operating orange orchard and much, much more. Offering beautiful outdoor venue for weddings, family and class reunions, corporate picnics, birthday parties, fund-raisers, group functions.

83 Acre park, 10 Soccer Fields, Playgrounds, interactive Water Feature,BMX racing Track, softball, baseball, barbecues, picnic area, Concessions.

The Peak Experience - The Sequoia High Sierra Camp is a secluded camping resort that combines the best aspects of a wilderness adventure with the furnishings and guest amenities of a deluxe hotel.Accessible only by hiking in, this all-inclusive property features scenic settings, gourmet meals, and gracious hospitality. Our guests stay in private, furnished tents with unobstructed views of the Kings River Canyon and Monarch Divide. Numerous day hikes from the camp allow our guests to explore pristine Sierra backcountry but camp in style in comfort.

The Camp is ideally located in California's Sequoia National Monument, adjacent to both Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. We invite you to make this luxury outpost your home base for exploring the spectacular backcountry lakes, meadows, mountains and forest of the Sierra Nevada.

Experience hundreds of herbs and a hillside of lavender in beautiful landscapes. Learn how to grow, harvest and use herbs for beauty, health and flavor through history and folklore with fascinating demonstrations served with refreshments. Year-round tours for groups and individuals by appointment. As seen on California Heartland and Gardening by the Yard. Est. 1984.

The Oaks recently changed their names to The Rawhides.

Nothing beats the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd as the ‘boys of summer’ compete on the ball diamond. The Visalia Oaks have been attracting generations of fans since 1946.

The team is a California League Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They play 140 games in the Cal League that stretches from Stockton to Lake Elsinore. The Oaks play in the Northern Division, along with the Stockton Ports (Oakland), San Jose Giants (San Francisco), Modesto Nuts (Colorado) and the Bakersfield Blaze (Texas).

Check out the Oaks schedule and join the chatter!

Oaks History:

Professional Baseball in Visalia has a long and rich history, dating back over 100 years to the 1880’s. Back then, club teams from Visalia played squads from Bakersfield and Fresno in front of paid audiences in diamonds cut out of farmland. There has been major league affiliated baseball in Visalia since Recreation Park opened in 1946. During the intervening 64 years, a minor league club has played in Visalia in every year except for the stretch from 1963-67. Even more remarkably, Visalia has been a part of the California League for that entire time. Through eleven different major league affiliations and years as an independent and co-op, the Visalia club has sent 140 players on to the big leagues.    Visalia has been the league champion three times and finished in first place five times.

The greatest players to call Recreation Park home include the recently departed Kirby Puckett, Vada Pinson, Marty Cordova, and current A’s star Eric Chavez. Seven league MVP’s have played in Visalia.

Visalia has played as the Oaks since 1977 excluding a brief stint as the Central Valley Rockies in 1993 & 1994.

141 FORMER OAKS HAVE REACHED THE MAJOR LEAGUES

Visitors to Wonder Valley do not need to be part of a large group, event or gathering, as our facility also welcomes individuals wishing to take a break from life with a wonderful Leisure Traveler Getaway.

We have 10 "themed" cottages (shown below), all with front decks, suitable for 1-2 guests or a romantic couple. For families we have very spacious rooms with double sinks, walk-in closets and the ability to configure the beds in a variety of ways. Your stay always includes the use of our recreational facilities including boating and fishing on Dalton Pond, swimming pools, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a Games pavilion with ping pong, pool tables, air hockey and foosball, trampoline center, horseshoe pits and children’s playground. Available with advanced notice and an additional fee are guided horseback trail rides, paintball, archery, Ropes Challenge Course, waterslides, professional massage therapy and nearby golfing at Sherwood Golf Club.

Stay at Wonder Valley and as part of your package enjoy a "Hearty Country Continental" breakfast, served either in our beautiful Lakeshore Lodge or in one of our other more intimate dining rooms. Other meals are available with 24 hour notice.

Kids of all ages (and the young at heart) will delight in this interactive learning center devoted to the wonderful world of agriculture. Even toddlers and preschool children are welcome in The Farmhouse, filled with age-appropriate coloring books, puzzles and games. Multi-sensory exhibits abound. Pest or Partner is a wooden puzzle that matches plants with how they help agriculture. Farmer Facets is a tower of rotating building blocks that list the skills farmers must have. The Moo Machine helps visitors understand how cows are milked, and the Irrigation Station shows how a variety of crops are irrigated. Admission: $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for children younger than 18. Tickets allow access to the nearby Antique Farm Equipment museum.

Equipment rentals; League teams: Junior, Senior, Adult, Men, Women

Mon-Tues 9am - 11pm
Wed 9am - 12am
Thurs 12pm - 11pm
Fri 12pm - 1am
Sat 9am - 1am
Sun 9am - 11pm

Agriculture is the lifeblood and soul of this wonderfully rich area. This museum pays tribute to past generations of California farmers and dairymen – showing the tools and technology they used to create a garden from a desert.

By todays standards, the early settlers used fairly primitive equipment. Horse-drawn farm tools, fully-restored antique tractors, steam-driven harvesters, old fashioned milking machines, a collection of barbed wire and homemakers tools are on display.

There is even a restored 1920s Crop Duster Airplane.

The Antique Farm Equipment Museum is easily accessible to all adults and children. Self-guided tours are as simple as reading the printed descriptions that tell the story of each piece on display.

Admission: $5 for adults; $3 for seniors; $2 for children younger than 18. Tickets allow access to the AgVentures! Learning Center.

This non-profit community arts center is one of Visalias oldest. It is located in a delightful brick building that once was the “old creamery,” located next to what was the “old jail” and across the street from The Depot restaurant that once served as Visalias railroad terminal. Childrens classes are an ongoing feature and the gallery, with full-service kitchen, is available for public and private receptions. Kevin Bowman, curator.

Sitting within the Tule River area, the nature preserve protects an important corridor of habitat between the foothills and higher elevation streamside areas for rare mammals, like the Pacific fisher and for songbirds like the rare Swainson's thrush and black swift as they migrate between their summer and winter ranges.

Please visit the Sequoia Riverlands Trust website for a map.

Note: Public access to Blue Oak Ranch is not currently permitted, but SRT is in the planning stages to open the nature preserve for visitor use, which will include opportunities for horseback riding on the land. Check our online calendar or sign up for our e-newsletter to receive news updates and learn about opportunities and public programs at Blue Oak Ranch.

This beautiful garden grew out of the energy, excitement and leadership of young people. It all began in the year 2000 when two adults – Olga and Manuel Jiminez – sought a small beautification grant. They enlisted a dedicated group of youngsters who named themselves Woodlake Pride. They planted millions of flower seeds, set in irrigation systems and turned weedy roadsides and the lake embankment into explosions of colorful flowers. Their projects grew larger every year - more flowers for beauty, along with fruits and vegetables sold at roadside stands. Enthusiasm grew. Donations began to flow in from the towns merchants and parents were inspired to help.Visitors will view more than 450 different cultivars, including: , 12 types of squash 6 varieties of egg plant 35 types of sunflowers pink potatoes, purple potatoes and banana potatoes , 70 varieties of peppers and at least 20 varieties of tomatoes , 20 varieties of watermelon, including watermelon with flesh thats red, pink, yellow, orange and white , Muskmelons including, casaba, Crenshaw, canary, honeydew and honey- lope Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage, celery, carrots, radishes and 25 varieties of leaf lettuce , A remarkable collection of herbs, including seven basils, lemon grass, dill, fennel, spearmint, peppermint and even chocolate mint plants , Edible flowers, including Bachelors buttons, Calendulas and edible Amaranth , Beets that are black, white, red and striped like a target when sliced , More than 20 oriental vegetables , And Many others! , Todays Bravo Lake Botanical Garden is a 5-mile educational walkway running through areas of grape vines, citrus trees and deciduous fruit orchards. Examples abound for home gardeners. And much more is in store. Special demonstration events are held annually, with seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers on display.

Visalia is home to the Central California Chinese Cultural Center where the history of 19th century Chinese immigrants is documented. The building is constructed in typical Chinese style. It includes a Confucian temple and an exposition room housing cultural artifacts, paintings and rare architectural finds. It can be reserved for private parties, weddings and banquets.

Take the back roads in eastern Tulare County and see agriculture at its finest. Known as the “Citrus Belt,” this region of citrus groves is not just pretty to look at. Citrus – lemons, navel and Valencia oranges and tangerines – produces over $650 million in gross income for the county annually.

You'll enjoy this relaxing 87-mile loop east of Visalia in all seasons. It route takes you through the citrus region, into oak woodlands, up to the Sequoia National Forest and back again through charming small towns.

Starting at Visalia, head east on Hwy 198. About 8 miles out youll pass the Kaweah Oaks Preserve, reminiscent of the oak forests that once completely surrounded Visalia.

At mile 13, turn right onto Yokohl Drive, just past the bridge over Yokohl Creek. The Jordan Trail Toll Marker is located at this juncture. Three miles beyond, Yokohl Drive branches to the left and provides a scenic all-weather route upward through the Sierra foothills.

Just beyond Milo, the Yokohl intersects with Balch Park Road. Here, a left turn will take you to Mt. Home State Forest. Or you can turn right and drive through historic Springville to Hwy 190. Turn right onto Hwy 190 and youre on the downward and homeward leg of your journey.

On your right youll see Lake Success and Bartlett Park. These are pubic recreational areas with plenty of picnicking, bird watching and fishing.

Take a right turn into Porterville and you can see the historic Zalud House at Morton and Hockett Streets. Or continue driving west to Hwy 65, where youll turn right (north) toward Lindsay.

You'll pass miles of perennially dark green citrus trees and grey-green olive trees. Tulare County also has the largest olive production in the U.S.

Watch the signs and follow Hwy 65 into Exeter, home to citrus groves, citrus packing houses and mural art. Three miles past Exeter youll intersect with Hwy 198 once again. A left turn brings you back to Visalia.

From Highway 198, Exit Demaree. Turn Right on Woodland.