Fresno seems like the most boring city on the planet. Nothing to do, and everything that you can do is really expensive. When someone searches for the “Top things to do in Fresno,” one of the top results is to go to Yosemite. So, to have fun in Fresno, you must leave Fresno. And with the current gas prices, leaving isn’t an option.
Arte Americas is a museum in downtown Fresno located at 1630 Van Ness Ave. Their mission to, “celebrate, nurture, and preserve Latinx arts and cultures’” according to their website.
They run under “pay what you can” admissions, meaning they don’t turn people away when they can’t afford it, but appreciate when people do give money.
They are open Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Throughout the month Arte Americas hosts different events. Over spring break, on March 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. they have an Acrylic & Aerosol Painting Workshop, which does include a $20 material fee and requires you to sign up beforehand. They are also hosting Bilingual Storytime on April 4 at 10 a.m. which is free of charge.
Arte Américas’ monument sign on Van Ness and Fresno St. March 26.
The Fresno Art Museum located at 2233 North First Street, is a museum that, “welcomes, inspires, and educates a diverse regional audience through significant exhibitions, thought-provoking programs, and meaningful interactions with artists and the creative process,” according to their website.
The museum has a $10 entry fee for anyone older than 18, and a $7 dollar fee for 5-17. Any child under five will get in free of charge. Every first and third Sunday of the month is free through June 21.
It is open Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are currently three exhibits, which will stay till the end of June.
Fresno Art Museum’s front entrance on First and Fresno St. March 26.
The Clovis Botanical Gardens is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon looking at some nice scenery and gardens.
They have four different types of gardens within the location. The Mediterranean Garden and Cactus Garden, which feature those types of plants. The Sensory Garden which was created to provide a journey that leads to calmness. The last one is the Home Demonstration which shows different landscapes someone can have at their own home.
The garden is located at 945 N Clovis Ave Clovis and is open to the public Wednesday – Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free of charge, unless you want to do a guided tour for $5.
Most people have walked around Woodward Park for a free activity, but the garden within the park is just as beautiful and a great place to hangout with friends and take pictures.
It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It costs $1 for students, but only $5 dollars for a regular ticket.
This is a Tower District classic, and it is right down the street from Fresno City College. It was originally a nursery, and while it still is, it is now known for its beer, food trucks and live music.
Over most weekends they host live performances from local performers. On March 28 they have a performance planned for Central Valley Groove, which is a local jazz band. They also have nine different food vendors for that day. While food trucks can get a bit expensive, most of them range to up to $20.
The following weekend they have performances lined up Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Gazebo Gardens’ welcome sign on Van Ness Blvd and Fresno St. March 26.
Fresno State has a planetarium located on their campus. They have, “public programs one weekend per month on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons,” according to their website.
This month’s shows were titled, “Exploding Universe,” and featured images and videos of how, “massive stars die in supernovas, they scatter the elements that form planets and life. Black hole collisions twist space itself, unleashing bursts of unimaginable energy,” according to their website.
It costs $3 for students and $5 for adults. These shows are a bit hard to come by and can sell out pretty fast.
April public shows will be posted April 1. When the tickets come out that day, it’s recommended to purchase them then.
The Historic Crest Theater is open in downtown Fresno and plays flashback movies for $5 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Historic Crest Theater’s entrance on Broadway Plaza and Fresno St. on March 26.
Every month they post a list of days and the movies that will be played on their Instagram and their Facebook.
To buy tickets it is $5 cash only, or you can go early and purchase them on eventbrite.
Historic Crest Theaters April 2026 movie list, posted on their Instagram on March 20, 2026.
Anyone who has lived in Fresno their whole lives have most likely gone to the zoo before on a field trip. But it can be fun to relive those old memories.
Tickets for residents have climbed up to $23.95, which can be quite costly. Tuesday and Thursdays tickets tend to be cheaper at $20.95 for anyone over the age of 12, but that is still a lot.
On Wednesday they have a program called “Welcome Wednesdays.”
This program means that on Wednesdays, people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can participate. With your SNAP EBT card you can receive a ticket for $5. There is a maximum of four tickets per EBT card.
“On the first Welcome Wednesday of each month the first 150 guests who purchase a Welcome Wednesday Ticket will receive a complimentary giraffe feeding presented by Valley Children’s Healthcare,” the Fresno Chaffee Zoo website states.
All over town there is always a farmers market happening nearly every day of the week.
The Vineyard Farmers Market located on Shaw and Blackstone is open all year on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon. This farmers market focuses more on providing fresh produce.
The River Park Farmers Market which is located in Riverpark is every Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. and focuses more on food trucks and vendors.
The Woodward Farmers Market is located in the Fort Washington shopping center. It is hosted every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and sells fresh produce and local goods.
There are more around, but those are the biggest ones that gather.