Anyone familiar with Fresno, CA?

Vash01

Fan of Yuzuru, T&M, P&C
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Is anyone familiar with the Fresno, CA area? I won't have time to visit the Yosemite national park, but I need to figure out a way to spend about six hours (could be even more) at the Fresno airport.

I am getting a ride from the airport to go to another place (a very small town). My flight arrives at 9:30am, and the ride cannot pick me up before 3 pm. Since this is a small airport, I am wondering how I am going to spend the time, while carrying two suitcases (one of them a carry-on)? Are there any places to visit within 10 miles of the airport? Like shops, restaurants, parks, etc.?

Would I be able to go into the city to may be have lunch and come back to the airport? Not sure how far the city is, although I have been there before. It was 10 years ago and I don't remember much. I may have to rent a car to do this, which I may not mind, except this would be day before Thanksgiving. So I suspect most places will close down around noon.

I doubt that the airport has lockers to store my bags, which would make it easy for me to move around, inside or outside the airport (In that case I could take a bus into the city, I think). May be they have lockers?

I may end up just spending the time at the airport. Better take along a really good book to read.

I have some bad memories of that airport. At one time I was stuck there for 12 plus hours because my flight got canceled and at that time only a few airlines flew there. I hope they have improved the facilities there. It was really not my top choice, but I was talked into flying there (I would have preferred the bay area- it would have been easier to get a ride from there).

Changing my flight is out of the question. It would cost me $200 change fee plus difference in the fare. May be it won't be so awful to wait at the airport for 6-7 hours.
 

Aceon6

Wrangling the duvet into the cover
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Unfortunately, it's still a regional airport with very little nearby. If you can find a place to stash your luggage, you could Uber to Old Town Clovis which has lots of little shops and is a pleasant wander in good weather.
 

MacMadame

Doing all the things
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58,281
I've been to Fresno. In the summer when it was 110F. Ugh. Will never go there again voluntarily!

They do have an ice rink if you want to go figure skating. It's about 30 minutes away from the airport.
 

AxelAnnie

Like a small boat on the ocean...
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I didn't even realize Fresno HAD an airport. LOL. There is nothing around there, especially lugging two suitcases. I would have a really good !, and a device on which I could catch up on my FS watching!
 

Vash01

Fan of Yuzuru, T&M, P&C
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I am considering asking the airline if they could hold my bags for about 4-5 hours in their office, so I could do some other things. I could lock the bags if that is a concern. They may still say no, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Carrying the skates with me could be a pain, since I won't be using them once I leave Fresno. Nice to know there is rink though, in case I go there again for an overnight stay or longer.

I may still look into a car rental for a few hours if it's not too expensive. In that case I could just put the bags in the car, and try to drive somewhere- may be Old town Clovis, as Aceon6 suggested.
 

MacMadame

Doing all the things
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There's also a zoo. I don't know how good it is. I just saw it on the map when checking how close the rink was to the airport.
 

Japanfan

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I am considering asking the airline if they could hold my bags for about 4-5 hours in their office, so I could do some other things. I could lock the bags if that is a concern. They may still say no, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I would expect they would, if there are no other options.

I may still look into a car rental for a few hours if it's not too expensive. In that case I could just put the bags in the car, and try to drive somewhere- may be Old town Clovis, as Aceon6 suggested.

Sounds enjoyable to me.
 

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