We went to the Snow park today we had a blast. It is about 1 hour away depending on the weather and…read morethe car you drive. Chains are needed if it snowing. This day it was snowing and we had to use them. We followed the signs and when we arrived it was not so many people there. It had a clear enough area to slide on small plastic disc sleds down the hill and walk back up. Small brush and trees did line the or skirts of the park. There is a restroom there. Not very pleasant but private. DRIVE SLOW. DRIVE CAREFULLY. DRIVE SMART. The weather is making the trip more complicated than a normal day. There are snow plows that clear the road frequently. It really helped make the road more safe and driveable. The snow surrounding shaver lake is so beautiful! Truly a scenic ride.

This is one of six snow parks within a half hour drive of each other. This one and the nearby…read moreCoyote Sno-Park are reportedly the best for sledding. We also visited Tamarak Sno-Park just five minutes up the road from Balsam, and it was beautiful, but was laid out with trails for cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. You need a $5 pass to park at a Sno-Park, and you must buy it before you get there. Stop at Tom's in town before you head up the hill. We'd never heard of Sno-Parks, and didn't know what to expect. They're just forested areas where you might hike if the weather were warmer where you can safely park and use the restroom if you need to. There are areas for sledding, but they are natural hills will trees and streams and rocks. There are open areas (some are Forest Service roads) (no trucks in sight), but there are lots of little hills, too. In the spring when we were there the best hill we found ended in a stream so we had to jump off our sleds in order not to get wet. We did not snowshoe, but there were lovely less hilly spots where snow shoeing would be fun. Balsam had a few parking spots (maybe space for 8-10 cars?), so it'll fill up fast. Tamarak has a much larger parking lot. Sno-Parks exist, basically, so that people won't park on the side of the road. There is no trash removal, no lights or electricity, and no amenities like picnic tables. It's just a parking lot and a safe (and beautiful) place to play in the snow. We were there in early April, and the snow was spotty, but still we were able to find enough to sled until we were exhausted, build a snowman, and have a snowball fight. We stayed in Shaver Lake, but these Sno-Parks are close enough to Clovis and Fresno, that you could also drive up for the day.

Came to Wooly's and had such a fun time. The kiddos did a package where they can do snow tubing,…read morecoaster, snow play and it was fun. Tip: They have a bar for the adults and would recommend to arrive early so you have enough time to do all the fun stuff. It does get crowded so plan ahead. Totally worth it.

We came here in the summer. Had a wonderful time! Family oriented. They have day pass as well as…read moreper activity based tickets. We took the day pass. We did mountain coaster, tubing, bungee trampoline, rock climbing, archery, ropes challenge. Everything was fun and the staff were nice and friendly. Highly recommend to show up at opening time itself if you want to do everything and multiple times. You will need an entire day! :) The adventure pass also allows you to use the gondola ride up mammoth mountain which is a must to do. Definitely go till the top and spend some time exploring the mountain top. You can also have lunch up there. All in all great time. Highly recommend.

This was a very nice outing! Took the boys from our camp here the staff was very accommodating and…read moreshucks the kids were worn out! I never knew a kid could not want to play in the water any longer. When you go take your bbq pit and stay on the outer grass area make a day of it! Huge thanks to Lillie (sp) and Taylor this young man and lady were profoundly professional and kind in many ways, thank you for making our time with you a memorable experience

This place has fake reviews! I see the real reviews with low ratings mixed in, and the positive…read moreones are definitely fake . Went here a few years ago and would never dare to go back! To those contemplating on coming here, dont say I didn't warn ya. Way over priced and water is too cold, you cant even enjoy it. Lots of kids crying is definitely the theme out here. Dirty with lots of flies, smelly gear, and rude ass staff. I remember being scolded for taking my vest to the chairs to take a sip of water and when I asked the man scolding me why he also had his vest on and the people he was with had their vests on while sitting in the same area of chairs I was at-- he said cuz he owns the place. Quite alarming to implement rules they dont follow themselves.

We rented a patio boat for a couple hours ahead of the holiday weekend craziness…read more The staff was so friendly and helpful. Tracy in the booking office was efficient and professional. We had the best time. Here's hoping the holiday isn't too crazy and all your care and kindness doesn't go unnoticed! Thanks for making it so wonderful for us.

We rented two single kayaks from Bass Lake Water Sports. The good: we got there waaaaaay early and…read morethey accommodated us. Of course we got there way early because the instructions said arrive an hour before your appointment time. Good little soldiers we, arrived at 8:02 for our 9am paddle. By 8;10 they wanted to know if we wanted to get breakfast first or just go. Pffft! Lemme at it. The other good: okay, it's the Sierra Nevada. How can it not be glorious on a lake? Buuuuuut... here comes the bad: waiting, waiting, waiting at the end for someone to notice we came back. I blew my requisite emergency whistle twice in frustration and still nothing. Probably ten minutes of employees not seeing us, or maybe preoccupied with the gasoline powered craft. Which brings me to the next maybe not bad but not great... we were the only people who didn't need to sign the disclosure that we had to pay for our fuel separately. That, in and of itself isn't so bad... but it meant this 3.5 mile lake was choppier than some oceans on which we've kayaked. Constant wake. We had to stay on the shore side of the large orange buoys, and the motorized pontoon boats, sea-doos, jet boats with water skis... they were on the other side. It's like when I was a kid flying 11 hours LAX - LHR in the 1970s and the smoking section's boundary changed based on the ratio of smokers. Yeah, there was segregation but hoo, didn't make a lotta difference. Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy. Still, we're on the lake, it's a beautiful day, what's not to love? The ugly wasn't appalling by any stretch but it wasn't great either, and it's the reason I'd rate this place 3 of 5 stars. It got the job done but I didn't see any evidence that people cared. The kayak was dirty and had trash in/on it - half a paddle padding torn off and river weeds. The paddle was held together with peeling electrical tape, had only one drip ring with no padding (maybe sitting on the prow?) and the paint was chipping off. And the drink holder was half full of slimy river water. Blech. Who wants to risk drinking nasty water running down your bottle? For $250 for two hours, I would expect better.

We had a great experience with Shaver Lake Watersports…read more They have their own marina and parking lot right next to the highway. This was one of the easiest and most fun rental experiences we've had at any lake we've been to. We rented a small eight seat pontoon boat. The price was super reasonable, fuel was included, and the whole process was easy and enjoyable. It was perfect for putting around the lake and going for a swim at various coves. We brought lunch with us and had a wonderful day. They also have larger boats, wave runners, and kayaks available. Definitely anything you could need to enjoy a day on the water. Five stars.

Easy to work with. Unlike the Sierra Marina at the top of…read morethe Shaver Lake, this is a very easy and casual rental experience. It's more expensive here but overall I thought the equipment was newer. The free beaches around this marina are great for a casual beach day. We chose to go further down to the beach for more privacy. Tip - There's a small parking lot in front of this Marina. However, if you drive south less than a mile you will see a gravel road. Drive down this road then take the left road and you'll see a small parking lot right above the secluded beaches.. Parking here will put your car much closer to your beach spot. - New kayaks

This place was a huge disappointment. I made it very clear that I was a beginner, and the workers…read moreat the lift saw that I was struggling. Instead of helping me, they laughed when I got on the ski chair. That was embarrassing and completely unprofessional. For the amount of money we spent, you would expect at least basic kindness or assistance, especially for new skiers who are already nervous. Customer service here is awful, and they clearly don't care about beginners. This place is not friendly, not welcoming, and definitely not worth the price. If you're new to skiing or snowboarding, I would NOT recommend coming here.

Worst experience at a ski resort. If you don't have the money for Dodge or China peak this is the…read moreplace for you! From the lift tickets to the restrooms to the inept ski patrol. I would give this place a 0 out of 10. It's actually dangerous to bring your kids to the bunny hill. I watched the lift ops team put people in harms way today. Please don't come here

Went to the Fresno Fright Night at the Island. I was not sure how it would be but I was down for…read morethe ride. We went through the first three mazes fairly quickly the first house we tried was a chemical plant. It was missing some actors in spots that really would have hit. I am a scare actor so I was kinda let down more people didn't jump at working this event or maybe could have had call offs or no shows. Either way the set designs were amazing! My fave being the pizza place with animatronics. I loved the kitchen and the ticket redeem counter sooo good! The sliders were good wish there were more. The other highlight of this event was the bayou boat ride! Yes ride I said that. The creative minds turned the lazy river into a swamp bayou. I loved it so much. The price for the entry was too high. $150.00 for three of us and there wasn't re-entry to mazes. Most haunts are cheaper so you can get more people wanting to come. Knott's scary farm is $60, if you have theme park prices there should be theme park type entertainment with scare actors photo ops with them and more scare zones. It was a nice evening fall time event for myself and my teens. I hope to see more progress next year. You can only get scarier We scare because we care

I decided with my summer to invest in the platinum season pass this summer. I saw the investment as…read morethe season pass had Free parking, Free entrance to the fireworks shows, and family nights. As well 15 15% off food and cabanas. I would say if you live within 15 minutes of the park, it is worth the investment. We have limited things to do here in Fresno. I think this is great for families and young adults. If you have the money, get a cabana. There are free tables for everyone, but people get there early to claim tables. The crowded table areas will be around the main entrance by the lazy river and the kids' area. The least crowded areas are by the wave pool and the slides. I want to say that it may be due to the lack of shade. But don't be afraid to get the edge of a table or half if there is space and no one is there. Usually it's my boyfriend and I, so we just eat, then swim. We have had one bad interaction where it was a lady and just her son trying to claim a whole table. We were on the edge, eating, and she was trying to lean her tube on the side where we were eating. I pushed it as it hit us. I nicely said she could move it to the poll. But be prepared to share and squeeze where you can. We had a great time overall, but the wait time isn't the greatest with the two most popular rides. I really wish they would add more rides, there is so much potential with the extra land they have. Overall, the staff here have been nice, and the lifeguards are doing great with the life jackets. I am truly shocked by how many parents let their 2 to 6-year-olds swim without it in the wave pool. I know some people get upset, but safety first! Overall, this is a great experience! This is something to do with the family or on your own.

Very confusing on the website of where they're at they have two locations but trying to book the…read moreright location at the marina or up on the hill is very difficult. It doesn't give you the options when you're booking it online even if you call they say book online if they don't help you so where are the locations at and their times of opening is very confusing. That's all I didn't even use their equipment. Just thought I'd let you know that it is a pain. It's not you.

The owner and staff are very friendly and professional…read more Unfortunately the jet ski's were booked for the entire day, but we were able to rent kayak's and watch jealously as everyone sped around us. LOL I'll visit again, and just make sure to pre-book a jet ski next time. An error on my part, but was able to check out the surrounding area, and get some Vitamin D in.

If you have never been rafting before, all I can say is please find a way to talk yourself into…read moresigning up for an afternoon with Kaweah Whitewater Adventures! We had a party of four first timers, My mom, myself, and my two boys (14 & 10) and we did the afternoon adventure. EVERYONE had an absolute blast. It was the highlight of our trip and one of the most fun things we have done in years. This really is an adventure. You will be bouncing all over the raft and working in sync as a team to line yourself up for the best past through wild waters. The guides are amazing at keeping everyone locked in and also sharing the beauty of the river. I cannot recommend this excursion enough! Some details on the family option: You drive in to their supervised lot, park your vehicle, and after 30 min of putting on gear and going through instructions you jump in the rafts and go down river for about 4 miles to the lake where you are picked up by a bus and brought back to the lot. The whole trip took about 2.5 hours but I would expect some variance. There were two spots in the run where you can jump in the water and swim around for a bit. One parting thought is that if you are in the area and you see the river you may think you have an idea of what it looks like, but I was truly taken aback by the beauty of the scenery from the perspective of the winding path of the river. You really do get to see a view that is just as unique and special as any park trail.

First time trying water rafting and it was pretty cool. Our guide Ky was awesome, and gave clear…read moreinstructions on how not to fall in the water! I definitely would come back very soon!

Had way too much fun out in the sun--perfect mix of excitement and chill time on the water. The…read morecrew was awesome and kept the vibes high the whole trip. Definitely a go-to spot for a fun day outdoors. My homegirl's birthday trips here are always great memories! Can't wait to run it back!

Fun with family and friends good for beginners water is clear and perfect on the hottest days…read more Bring a water gun you will need it!