In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Chowchilla
Skip unless you need a cheap bed on the way to Yosemite or want to see the Fossil Discovery Center. One night max, no more.
Chowchilla is a small agricultural town in the San Joaquin Valley, best known as a budget stopover between San Francisco and Yosemite. The main draw is the Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County, with Pleistocene-era exhibits. Most travellers use it for a single night's sleep before heading into the Sierra Nevada.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (extreme heat, over 38°C (100°F))Jul–Aug (extreme heat, over 100°F (38°C))
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 911 · Chowchilla Police (non-emergency) 559-665-8611
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–4 |
| Burger and fries | $10–15 |
| Beer (domestic, bar) | $4–6 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $4–5 |
| Motel room (budget chain) | $70–120 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FAT · Fresno Yosemite International
- About 40 min drive south on CA-99
- SJC · San Jose International
- About 2 h drive west on CA-152
Typical fares
- Fresno airport → Chowchilla (taxi)
- about $60–80, 40 min (check)
- Gas station on Robertson Blvd
- several, open 24 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. No public transit within town. Everything is along Robertson Blvd (CA-233) or near the CA-99 interchange.
See and do
Known for
- Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County
- Gateway to Yosemite National Park (about 1.5 h drive)
- Budget motels along CA-99
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yosemite National Park | Car via CA-99 N to CA-140 E, about 1.5 h to the Arch Rock entrance | About 1.5 h |
| Madera | Car via CA-99 N, about 15 min | About 15 min |
| Oakhurst | Car via CA-99 N to CA-41 S, about 45 min | About 45 min |
| Coarsegold | Car via CA-99 N to CA-41 S, about 40 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- CA-99 / Robertson Blvd corridor
- All major motels are here, close to the highway. Easy for one night, but no walkable dining.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer temperatures regularly exceed 38°C; carry water and run the A/C.
- No Uber or Lyft coverage is reliable; arrange your own transport.
- The Fossil Discovery Center is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (check).
Chowchilla is a quiet, low-crime town. The main risk is heat exhaustion in summer and highway driving on CA-99, which has frequent accidents.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chowchilla yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County
- Gateway to Yosemite National Park (about 1.5 h drive)
- Budget motels along CA-99
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County: www.maderamammoths.org/
- Wikivoyage: Chowchilla, revision 4923708 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4923708
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Chowchilla
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance911
- Chowchilla Police (non-emergency)559-665-8611
The nearest consulate services are in San Francisco (about 3 h drive). Most countries have embassies in Washington, DC.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/chowchilla). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.