A great post by Ira. As someone who has the dubious pleasure of visiting Bakersfield several times each year I can confirm his comparison between Fresno and the aforementioned city. Of course, there is an element of relativity here as I would be hard-pressed to compare the San Joaquin Valley cities (Fresno, Bakersfield, Modesto, etc.) with other parts of California. These areas are important to the economy of the state, being the primary reason California is the #1 agricultural state in the country. And they are perfect examples of small-city and smalltown USA. Wonderful places to raise a family. See George Lucas' classic film American Graffiti to see what life was like in Modesto in the 1960's.

But as a travel destination these areas are somewhat lacking. They are, however, excellent gateways into the majestic beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Three United States National Parks are within an easy drive of Fresno; Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and the incomparable Yosemite.

So Patricia , after your son moves to Fresno you should be able to enjoy your visits to see him. Just make sure he takes you up into the Sierras.

And, by the way Ira, although Bakersfield isn't much to look at it is blessed with a fairly large Basque population and the resulting superb Basque restaurants.

John in San Diego