On our journey up California Highway 99 we decided to make a few tourist stops… I’ve traveled this road countless times in my life, never stopping to really explore what this old highway has to offer. This time, with the family in tow, we decided to make a few stops.
One being Bravo Farms in Traver, which is just outside Visalia, California.
This place, in the reviews, didn’t fare so well, but we figured we would stop anyway, since they boasted cheese, a place to fill up the car, an eclectic load of stuff to look at and, well, cheese! lol
Our first stop inside was some ice cream. It was SO delicious! I got cookies and cream and we set out to take a look around!
Like I said, the inside is VERY eclectic. I loved it though. There is a restaurant on site, so everything as you’re walking around smells so good! Although it could also be that giant roasting spit in the photo on the right (dead center). They had some large hunk of animal just getting charred and beautiful as we meandered around.
This little area is their courtyard that’s off the back of the property. The whole thing kind of surrounds this yard of stuff. There’s an endless amount of vintage collections to peek at, old signs and memorabilia abound. To the right, that gingerbread looking thing is billed as a “7 story tree house” but, it’s not, um, actually seven whole stories. There’s seven levels alright… the seven levels of HELL. Observe from the outside, but be wary if you choose to enter. It’s rickety and narrow (I’ve got a big booty, so there’s that. Word up.) and rather terrifying. My son loved it and ventured through with his dad, I, unfortunately, got stuck and complained until I wedged myself out that door. Fun times.
They had this nifty little shooting range with “Not-Tomater” (not his actual name) kickin’ it there in the corner. I wanted to get closer and check it out, but my son was having no part of that bopping, talking, squeaking truck.
There’s quite the petting zoo that we didn’t visit, while we were there, but on the inside portion there’s a chicken coop with some friendly little foul in it.
Around the back, on the highway side, there’s a staircase up to the upper level which has a mini-golf putting green.
The upper deck of the place takes you around to the tree house. You can get in through this little door as well as the front entrance. Yes, there’s graffiti everywhere.
The view from the second level of the tree house, graffiti everywhere, again.
Aside from that, I could have lived in this place.
I’m not sure if it’s ever really crowded there, but it was nice to have the place to ourselves to wander around freely.
Upstairs, this is one of the holes for the putting green (that I’m not sure was in service, we didn’t try.) But I thought all the Coke memorabilia was really cool and I was beyond tempted to pop that “The Devil made me do it.” sign off the wall… I was surprised how unsupervised some of these amazing trinkets are left!
After all that exploring, I was in search of… Cheese. California, farm fresh, whole milk, cheese.
Can’t get much fresher than this!
I took two kinds of cheese for the road. The Garlic Jack and the Chipotle White Cheddar. I stopped and got three more for the ride home and ended up making some incredible dishes with what I had left!
As we made our way through the gift shop with our cheese, we spent forever looking at the seemingly endless array of stuff they had for sale!
I was so close to buying this little wine stopper, but I never have a need to stop the wine, so I passed.
However, it explains my life to a T.
I’ve got jams and preserves a plenty. I’ve got jelly’s and marmalades galore…
Whole, freakin’ honey comb for sale. I can’t knock the country life. I could settle in juuuuust fine… And this homemade pasta on the right has got me more than inspired to put my pasta maker to use this winter!!
All in all, yes, it may be a tourist trap, but it’s a must see if you’re traveling up or down the 99 in central California.
Enjoy!
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