November in Fresno

Christmas Tree Lane is a roughly two-mile stretch of Van Ness Boulevard in Old Fig Garden lit up by the residents every holiday season. It has been a Fresno tradition since 1920. The run opens around Thanksgiving and continues through December. Check the schedule for the opening date and hours.

On designated walk-only nights, cars are kept off Van Ness Boulevard and people stroll the full stretch on foot. It is the closer, quieter way to see the lights and the decorated yards. Dress warm, since November evenings get cold. Check the schedule for which nights are walk nights.

The Old Fig Garden neighborhood around Christmas Tree Lane is one of the older, tree-lined parts of Fresno, just north of downtown. It is worth a slow drive in daylight too, for the architecture and the fall color on the big trees. Fig Garden Village sits at the edge for food and coffee. It pairs well with a lights visit after dark.

Christmas Tree Lane usually opens over Thanksgiving weekend, which makes it the natural after-dinner outing for a lot of Fresno families. The two-mile stretch of Van Ness Boulevard draws a crowd on the first nights. Go early in the evening if you want a calmer first visit. Check the schedule for the exact opening night.

Woodward Park is the big regional park in north Fresno, with shaded paths, a bird sanctuary, and the Shinzen Japanese Garden. A walk there is the easy way to work off a Thanksgiving meal without driving out of town. The fall color holds into November on the bigger trees. Gates open in the morning.

The zoo in Roeding Park is comfortable in November, with cool air and active animals. The African Adventure and Sea Lion Cove are the highlights. It is an easy outing for visiting family with kids over the long weekend. Check holiday hours, since the schedule can shift around Thanksgiving.

The old neighborhoods of Fresno, especially Old Fig Garden and the Tower District, hold large mature trees that turn through November. A slow walk or drive down the older residential streets is the easy way to catch it. No drive into the mountains required. The color usually peaks mid-month in town.

The Eaton Trail runs along the bluffs above the San Joaquin River on the north edge of Fresno. It is paved and mostly flat, and November is one of the better months to walk it, with cool air and clear afternoons. Start near Woodward Park and follow the San Joaquin River Parkway as far as you like.

About 45 minutes northeast of Fresno near Auberry, the San Joaquin River Gorge has trails that drop through oak woodland to the river and a footbridge across it. The cool November air makes the climb out easy, and the oaks add color. It is a quiet weekday hike once summer is over.

The new citrus season opens on the valley farms in November, with mandarins and navel oranges coming in around Fresno. Roadside stands and farm stands east of town toward the foothills start selling fresh fruit. It is one of the things the Central Valley does best. Look for stands along the routes out toward Sanger and Reedley.

River Park in north Fresno and Fig Garden Village near Old Fig Garden are the open-air shopping centers that shift into holiday mode in late November. Both add lights and seasonal events as the month ends. They are the easy option for holiday shopping out of the cold. Check each center for event nights.

Old Town Clovis along Pollasky Avenue starts its holiday season in late November with lights and seasonal weekends. The walkable strip of shops and restaurants is about 15 minutes northeast of Fresno. It is a calmer alternative to the big shopping centers. Check the schedule for the holiday event dates.

Fresno State plays home football games at Valley Children Stadium on the campus in northeast Fresno through November. The Bulldogs draw a strong local crowd and the late-season games carry the most weight. It is a full Saturday out. Check the schedule for home dates and kickoff times.

ArtHop is the free art walk on the first Thursday of every month, centered in the Tower District and downtown. The November walk leans toward the holidays as galleries and studios open in the evening. Dress warm, since the evenings are cold now. The Tower restaurants stay busy through the night.

Christmas Tree Lane on Van Ness Boulevard opens around Thanksgiving and becomes the marquee November event once it does. The roughly two-mile stretch of lights in Old Fig Garden has been a Fresno tradition since 1920. Check the schedule for the opening night and for which evenings are walk-only.