Like all cities in the United States, Fresno is divided up into distinct neighborhoods. Some grew as the city evolved and others were planned and created as part of a structured plan.

Each neighborhood here has its own culture and character and contributes to the feeling of the city as a whole. What follows is a brief overview of the main neighborhoods in our fine city.

Downtown Fresno

Downtown is where the last of the classic Californian architecture can be found. Some buildings have been restores, others are marked for demolition as part of the revitalization program.

Downtown is where you find a lot of business premises, the Federal Courthouse, the new Grizzlies Stadium and a range of other businesses. Chinatown and the Fulton Mall are also here.

Old Fig Garden

The charmingly named Old Fig Garden is actually the Forkner-Giffen Fig Garden Estates #1. This was a planned community built in the 1920s. It is a nice neighborhood with well-tended homes.

A quaint Christmas tradition of lighting their front gardens in one street, has given it the name Christmas Tree Lane. Over 100,000 people per year purposely walk down the lane to view the decorations.

Tower District

The Tower District of Fresno has evolved around the Tower Theater. It grew steadily from a predominantly residential area to a real mix of culture, retail, characterful buildings and homes.

The Tower District is home to some of the best restaurants and bars in the city, as well as the theater and some nightclubs.

Alta Vista

Alta Vista is an upper-class area . It is full of large houses, grand gardens and wide avenues. They include Huntington Boulevard, Cedar Avenue and First Street. These are lovely areas to walk around and gaze at early 20^th century architecture.

West Side

West Side is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and is often referred to as “Wacc Side.” This is the heart of the African American community, but also includes Latinos and Asians.

The area suffers a little thanks to many low income homes having been built by the city during the late 20^th century. Efforts to revitalize the area have had little effect. That and the inclusion of several industrial units in the neighborhood negates many efforts to improve it.

Woodward Park

Woodward Park is north east of Fresno city. It is also a real park, bequeathed to the city by local resident Ralph Woodward in 1968. The park is an impressive 300 acres and includes bird watching, public spaces, a dog park, golf course, equestrian center and other facilities. It is a lovely green space in what would otherwise be another urban area.

Those are just a few of the many notable areas in and around the city of Fresno. If you’re planning to live or work in the area, talk to Travelers Haven. They are furnished rental specialists with many years’ experience finding high quality, low cost homes for rental periods of 30 days or more.