Just off Highway 99 in Fresno, one of California's strangest and most bizarre attractions lies almost entirely out of sight. Beneath an unassuming stretch of farmland, a maze of hand-carved tunnels, courtyards, and grottos stretches across some 10 acres, its walls lined with fruit trees and grapevines that somehow still thrive underground. It's an only-in-California kind of place—part historic home, part folk-art marvel—and one that rewards the curious with a cool, quiet escape from the Central Valley sunshine.
What Is the Forestiere Underground Gardens, and Who Built It?
Forestiere Underground Gardens is the handiwork of Sicilian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere. After arriving in America with dreams of farming, Forestiere discovered the land he purchased wasn’t suitable for traditional crops. Instead of giving up, he spent from 1906 to 1946 creating this catacomb-like compound using only shovels, picks, and other hand tools, allegedly as a cool subterranean retreat from the region’s soaring summer temperatures.
“He just kind of wanted to get out of the Fresno heat,” says Lyn Forestiere Kosewski, great-niece of Baldassare and now owner of the gardens, which is open for fascinating tours nearly year-round. “He understood that it was cooler underground (from) the cellars back in Sicily.”
But this is no somber collection of barren caves. Forestiere was building a home, and the hand-chiseled underground complex includes such seemingly incongruous touches as an underground fishing pond and a chapel. There are also open-air skylights, so that Forestiere’s collection of fruit trees and grape vines could thrive and bear fruit, even underground. It’s an ironic achievement, given that the young immigrant originally bought the parcel where the tunnels now hide as potential land to start a citrus empire, yet it proved to be all wrong for growing the lush groves Forestiere originally envisioned. So, with otherwise worthless land, he went down, using no plans other than the ideas in his head.
“Baldassare had to physically dig through this—3 to 5 feet of sedimentary rock—not an easy task,” says Lyn Forestiere. “He got a lot of negativity from people who didn’t understand what he was doing.” According to historic reports, Forestiere once said that the visions he had for building his underground wonderland overwhelmed him. Seeing the results on a guided tour, you can’t help but be moved by the seemingly Herculean achievement of this humble Sicilian immigrant.
Forestiere Underground Gardens Tickets, Hours
Forestiere Underground Gardens is closed late December through early March, and on Tuesdays of every week. Reservations are not required but are highly recommended, as walk-ins may not be able to be admitted. Check the garden’s tour calendar for ticket prices, cancellation policies, and more.
Parking at and Public Transportation to Forestiere Underground Gardens
Unlike many major attractions, Forestiere Underground Gardens has no dedicated parking lot: Visitors will need to find street parking along Shaw Avenue, Forestiere Avenue, or Cornelia Avenue, so it's worth arriving at least 15 to 20 minutes ahead of a scheduled tour to allow time to park and check in, especially since spots can fill up during peak season.
For those without a car, Fresno's public bus network, Fresno Area Express (FAX), does serve Shaw Avenue, one of the system's high-frequency corridors, though reaching the gardens by bus typically involves a transfer and can take over an hour depending on the starting point—so while it's technically possible, driving (or taking a rideshare) remains the far more practical option for most visitors.
