3 Fun Winter Activities in Driving Distance of Porterville, CA

When the weather is nice, it's natural for Porterville, CA residents to seek out nice spots to spend an afternoon. Picnics are a great opportunity for bonding with nature while enjoying your favorite good eats. Check out these local picnic spots if you're ready to pack up your friends, family, and picnic treats in your 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer using the 40/60 rear folding seats. more Just Down the Road: Five Picnic Spots Near Porterville, CA 1. Murry Park Located at 500 E Putnam Avenue, Murry Park is one of the loveliest parks in the area. This park has sprawling green ways, a small lake, and excellent views, so you can enjoy your afternoon picnic escape. Visitors will be able to see local wildlife like ducks and geese, which can be fed with corn and lettuce at the lake. Some other attractions include two playgrounds, a fishing pond, access to the city pool, and a nine-hole disc golf course. 2. Veterans Park Veterans Park at 1501 W Henderson Avenue is dedicated to the 40 Porterville soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. This memorial park has several amenities, such as a covered picnic area and plenty of places to have a friendly game of tag football. This is also a dog-friendly park, so feel free to take your canine companion with you as you check out some of the memorial statue installations in the park. 3. Zalud Park This park, located at 700 N El Granito Street, is the best park to visit if you want to pair your picnic with lots of recreational activity. This park includes amenities such as four picnic areas and two covered pavilions, as well as a shaded playground with ADA accessibility. The recreational areas include two softball or baseball fields, two tennis courts, basketball courts, a volleyball area, a ping pong table, a nine-hole disc golf course, corn hole sets, and pickleball courts. 4. Centennial Park You can find Centennial Park right in the heart of downtown Porterville at 296 N Main Street. This urban park is a perfect getaway for a midday picnic date. The main feature of the park is the 18-foot four-dial post clock, which was installed in 2008. This park also features the beloved Marking Through Time mural and a covered gazebo stage area. 5. Skate Park If you want to enjoy a non-traditional picnic, you can stop by the Skate Park located inside Veterans Park on the Newcomb Avenue side of the park. This skate park includes an area for spectator seating, which is perfect for a quick picnic before you get back to skateboarding. The 15,000-square-foot park includes a six-foot half pipe, a nine-foot combi bowl, and various stairs with handrails. Whether you want a spot to have a quick picnic lunch or you want to reserve a picnic area for a recreation day with your family and friends, there are plenty of great spots in the area. Before you pack up your picnic favorites, stop by Merle Stone Chevrolet for routine service. Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

Home to the Sequoia National Forest headquarters and hundreds of breathtaking sequoia trees, Porterville, CA is a perfect spot for your next road trip. There are so many things to experience here, from day hiking through trees as wide as your tires to learning how to cook in a Dutch oven. Check out these tourist attractions that are worthy of putting on your itinerary. more 4 Tourist Attractions in Driving Distance of Porterville, CA 1. Trail of 100 Giants Trailhead Nestled within the lush Long Meadow Grove, you'll behold the transcendent of stunning sequoias at Co Rte 107. Stroll through the 1.3-mile path to take in the enormous beauties, which are estimated to be 1,500 years old. The trail has many loop options, and the site offers facilities including paved parking, picnic areas, restrooms, and the Redwood Meadow campground. The dense sequoia grove boasts around 125 giants with a diameter of 10 feet or more, and over 700 with a smaller diameter. The most impressive tree inside Long Meadow Grove soars 220 feet into the sky with a diameter of 20 feet! 2. Porterville Historical Museum Located in a restored 1913 passenger train station, the museum at 257 N D Street contains all you need to understand our beloved city's history. The museum has gathered artifacts and relics for over 50 years and displays their findings inside and outside the building. They also host zany competitions, like the upcoming Dutch oven cook-off. Walk the grounds to view their collection of vintage fire trucks, farm equipment, and wagons, or see historic events told through the rings of giant sequoia trees. Indoor exhibits include a vast collection of Native American artifacts and woven baskets, a native wildlife display featuring mountain lions and raptors, and much more. 3. Zalud House As one of the few houses from 1891 that hasn't been remodeled, the historic home at 393 N Hockett Street offers a nostalgic glimpse into decades past. The unique architecture of the old home includes a mansard roof, and the inside is entirely furnished with the original family's belongings. The enchanting gardens are a beautiful spot for weddings and events. If you're looking for a scare, the Zalud house is a popular attraction for paranormal investigators. Spend an evening with experts from the Paranormal Movement Investigations for a session with an electronic voice phenomena device. 4. Centennial Park Pile the family into your 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and head over to 296 N Main Street to play at the park favored by locals. While the kiddos are running amuck, find a bench and admire the 18-foot-tall four-dial clock that was erected by one of our local musical icons, Frank 'Buck' Shaffer. When you've rested up after a long day of adventuring, swing by Merle Stone Chevrolet to see what's new!

All children love going to the park to let off a bit of steam, right? Parents love it too. The more energy they run off in the park, the more tired they'll be at bedtime. Thankfully, if you live in Porterville, CA, there are many parks to choose from. Let's take a closer look. more Just Down the Road: 3 Local Parks Near Porterville, CA Murry Park You can even take your kid's friends along with you to Murry Park knowing they'll be safe with the enhanced safety features on your 2024 Chevrolet Trax. Situated at 500 East Putnam Avenue, the park has been a source of great amusement for the kids of Porterville for over 100 years, ever since local lawyer, George Murry, completed the legalities to sign the deeds over to the city's Chamber of Commerce in 1908. The contemporary park is home to four covered pavilions, two fully equipped playgrounds, five picnic areas, a swimming pool, a 9-hole golf course, and a pond where you can fish or watch the wild ducks and geese that flock to the water. Veterans Park This 26-acre park is located at 1425 West Henderson Avenue and offers a 15,000-square-foot skate park, a gated play area, a teqball table, and shaded areas lined by trees where you can picnic or relax. There is also a 1.66-mile-long walking trail that attracts hikers, joggers, and cyclists alike, plus there are three covered pavilions that can be hired out to celebrate special occasions. The historic Community Center houses a grand ballroom and a beautiful bridal room. Meanwhile, the Senior Center has a dining room and a beautiful outdoor patio. The War Memorial serves as a striking tribute to the 40 fallen men from Porterville who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. It takes the form of a graphite panel fixed atop a cement pedestal that lists the names of those who died. Behind the memorial sits a real UH1 "Huey" helicopter. Centennial Park This popular park is situated at 296 North Main Street in historic downtown Porterville. After it was opened in 2005, the gazebo and stage, where free Friday night concerts take place, were built in memory of the late publisher of the local newspaper, Homer Wood. Frank "Buck" Shaffer, who led the Porterville High School Band, is also memorialized there, by way of an 18-foot, four-dial Howard post clock and a life-sized statue. Also of note is the charming "Marching Through Time" mural painted by Glen Hill, which displays a chronological timeline of the diverse history of bands in Porterville since 1902 and a stunning painting of the Sierra Nevada mountains surrounded by the names of bands from the past. You could while away the hours at any one of these places and be guaranteed a great day. Take the children swimming and watch them play in Murry Park, relax knowing the children are safe in the gated play area at Veterans Park, or pay your respects to Porterville's heroes by visiting the memorial at Centennial Park. Then, be sure to visit Merle Stone Chevrolet to view our wonderful range of new and used cars before you go home.