Living Here
See also: Working Here
The Tulare County Counsel's office staff enjoy flexible work schedules, with four nine-hour days and all Friday afternoons off. Unless we have a court appearance or other meeting, we enjoy "casual dress Fridays" so we can take off at noon and enjoy our weekend!
Tulare County’s geographic location, centered in the State of California, makes it ideal for an active lifestyle. Tulare County stretches from Sequoia National Park of the Sierra Nevada mountains, including Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 states, to the fertile San Joaquin valley, making Tulare County one of the two top agricultural producing counties in the nation. Our employees and their families have access to outdoor recreational opportunities in close proximity - national parks and forests are only 45 minutes away. The Generals Highway climbs over 5,000 feet from chaparral and oak-studded foothills to the awe-inspiring sequoia groves. From there, trails lead to the high-alpine wilderness which makes up most of these parks.
Nearby, county and city parks and several natural areas offer hiking trails, river rafting, boating and water-skiing, fishing and snow skiing, and walking and biking trails. Visalia has a minor league baseball team, several golf courses, and many additional opportunities for participant sports.
A local Farmer's Market offers fresh locally-grown produce from our fabulous agricultural region. Tulare County leads the nation in dairy production, and is a leader in oranges, grapes, and specialty crops like olives and walnuts. The World Ag Expo (Farm Show) annually attracts visitors from all over the world. Our communities, schools, and churches sponsor special events such as live theater, concerts, and cultural festivals, making Tulare County a fun place to socialize and spend quality time with family and friends. The Visalia Convention Center offers special concerts and other events throughout the year. Our beautifully restored art-deco Fox Theater offers a variety of performing arts. A variety of restaurants range from national chains to locally-owned cafe's with unique cuisine. A newly remodeled County Library offers a multitude of reading resources with an online card catalog accessing the collections of the entire San Joaquin Valley and its larger cities. Our local bookstores, coffee houses, and movie theaters offer a multitude of entertainment. Larger cities like Visalia offer several high-speed Internet options, allowing us to telecommute part of our workweek if we wish.
Tulare County residents enjoy a lower cost of living than other California locations, making for an affordable quality of life for our employees. Housing, groceries, cars, and clothes generally have lower costs even compared to nationwide standards. Shopping opportunities range from larger malls and major "big box" stores to main street boutiques to outlet centers to gently used furniture and clothing stores. And, if that isn’t enough variety, the larger cities of Fresno and Bakersfield are within an hour’s commute, and Los Angeles or San Francisco within a three to four hour drive. Pacific Ocean beaches are also within a few hours travel.
Tulare County is large in terms of land area and comprises eight incorporated cities and over 40 towns and communities, offering a range of housing, schools, colleges, and lifestyles to meet employees and their family’s unique needs. Whether living in one of our larger cities such as Visalia, Tulare or Porterville, or a mountain area such as Three Rivers or Springville, employees and their families can experience the friendliness and neighborly attitude found in Tulare County. With around 410,000 residents in the County, there is plenty of room to live and grow with us!
For more information on Tulare County see:
Living Here - Tulare County Website
Fun Things to Do - Visalia Convention Center
Downtown Visalia - Unlike many of America’s cities, Visalia has a wonderful thriving downtown area. Old fashioned parking along tree-lined streets is supplemented with a downtown parking garage and the free Visalia Trolley. Restaurants, coffee houses, live music, shops, theatres, art galleries, and historical plaques are all within walking distance of hotels and the convention center. Watch for special events like parades and open-air music in Garden Street Plaza.