Frequently Asked Questions

We are a seasonal and weather-permitting operation. Our main touring season is March through November. Please go to “Book Online” to see a calendar of available dates & tour times.

Occasionally we must close due to extreme heat or wet weather. We will give all visitors with reservations as much notice as possible when this happens. Visitors with reservations will be given the option to reschedule or cancel and receive a refund if we determine we are not able to operate their scheduled tour.

If you have concerns about the weather for the day of your tour and wish to cancel, please plan to do so outside of 24 hours before your tour. Cancellations made by visitors less than 24 hours before their tour will not receive a refund but will be given an option to reschedule. You can review our full weather policy here.

Yes. Due to the unique nature of the site, we currently offer access by guided tour only.

Occasionally we offer special experiences that give visitors an abbreviated view of the Underground Gardens at their own pace. These experiences will be featured on our website and social media when available for booking.

We are a seasonal operation and our hours change throughout the year. Please go to “Book Online” to see an up-to-date calendar of available dates & hours.

Reservations are highly recommended. We limit the number of visitors per tour both for the preservation of our historic site and also for the comfortability of the participants. While we do our best to accommodate all visitors, we cannot guarantee we will have space available on a tour for walk-in parties.

As a historic site, we have several guidelines that are designed to preserve the nature of the site as well as protect the safety of our guests. With this in mind, we have the following rules:

1. Stay with your group and tour guide so you don’t get lost! These are guided tours for your safety and the preservation of the site.

2. All of the fruit on the tour and the grounds is considered “forbidden fruit” – no picking it!

3. We are a “true earth” environment and our hardpan planters, walls, and surfaces are delicate. Please do not sit or climb on the planters or furnishings.

4. Photos of the historic site are for your personal enjoyment only. All rights to photos taken of the site remain with the Forestiere Underground Gardens, and may not be copyrighted or sold. (please see our photo policy). Filming or recording is also not allowed.

5. Please keep your children with you at all times. Our open air museum can be exciting for children, but it is not a playground.  All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.

No, pets are not allowed onsite. Only service animals that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability are permitted. Dogs for comfort or emotional support are not qualified service animals under ADA guidelines.

At this time we only have street parking available on Shaw Avenue, Forestiere Avenue, and Cornelia Avenue. We do not have a parking lot or designated handicap parking. Parking is free, but we do recommend locking your doors and not leaving valuables in sight. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to your tour start time to allow time for parking and checking in.

Photos for your personal use are allowed, however, we do not permit video footage or panoramic photos of the tour route. Please review our photo policy here.

Our open air museum is open to people of all ages, however, there are a few guidelines that should be noted:

-Strollers, backpack-style baby carriers, and car seat carriers are not allowed on tour. We recommend slings, wraps, or other front style carriers.

-Our tour includes several small presentations about the history of the site and life of the builder. Tour guests are required to stay with the group and not wander off on their own during these presentations or any other point during the tour.

-All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.

Based on the tour guidelines, we invite parents to make their best judgement about their child’s enjoyment of the experience.

The Forestiere Underground Gardens is still family-owned, and the family is in regular contact with the City and the High Speed Rail. There will be some construction disruption at different times. We will try to post ‘heads-up’ on this website as soon as they are known to us (usually only days in advance!)

We harvest much of our fruit when it is in season, but we also choose to leave some on the trees ornamentally.  We share the Underground Gardens with visitors from all around the world, some of whom are not familiar with seeing fruit grow on trees, and it can be an exciting experience to see this.

We occasionally sell our fruit in our gift shop. Feel free to call 559-271-0734 to check on current availability.

We ask that our visitors do not pick fruit from our historic trees.

We understand that sometimes travel plans change. As our tours are by reservation, we ask that you give us a minimum of 24 hours notice if you are not able to make your reservation. Cancellations within 24 hours will not be refunded, but we will assist in rescheduling your reservation to a future date. If we need to cancel your reservation for inclement weather or other reasons that would not allow us to have the scheduled tour, you will receive a full refund.

Our tours are generally 1 hour long and involve walking on earthen surfaces. We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes during your visit.

We typically experience a temperature drop of 10-15 degrees from temperatures at ground level. In the summer we recommend dressing appropriately for warm weather and in the spring and the fall it is advisable to bring a light jacket.

We ask that all visitors respect that we are a family-friendly environment with visitors of all ages and that they make their choices on dress accordingly. Visitors arriving in clothing with lewd images or profanity will be asked to change before their tour.

We are a smoke-free environment. This includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, pipes, and cigars.

Gift Passes may be purchased by calling or visiting us during regular business hours or through our Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/UndergroundGardens

A physical pass will be available for the gift recipient to present at the time of their tour. Reservations for tours using a gift pass can be made by phone (559- 271-0734) or email ([email protected])

Groups larger than 18 people should contact us a minimum of 2 weeks in advance to set up a reservation. Group pricing will be quoted at that time. All pricing is subject to change until tour date and times are confirmed. Groups of more than 18 people should note that they will be split between multiple guides and their tours will begin and end in 15-minute increments. Please email us at [email protected] to begin setting up a reservation for your group.