Guys. Call me a weird one, but I love a good roadside attraction. Especially in the USA, where bigger is almost always better. And this fruit stand in Hollister is more than just a novelty destination, because Casa de Fruta is a retro-aesthetic DREAM ZONE.
Not only is it covered with vintage advertising from throughout the 20th century, but it also sells a plethora of delicious produce from Northern California. Casa de Fruta has grown from its humble beginnings, to a quaint-but-sprawling roadside attraction, and the biggest fruit stand in the entire world. For some scrumptious food mixed with a healthy dose of nostalgia, this should be a pitstop on any and every road trip through Northern California.
And if you’re a lover of old ads like myself- especially if you like photographing them- I’d go so far as to suggest that a visit to Casa de Fruta in its own right is a *great shout.*
Endless piles of brightly coloured fruits, vegetables and more are collected and displayed in gargantuan pyramids, and strings of garlic and onions hang from the roof. The smells of candied nuts, freshly squeezed juices and dried herbs waft through the air. JOYOUS.
Don’t get me wrong. America has its fair share of artificially-flavoured, synthetic foods. They love a saccharine syrup, don’t they!? But this great nation also has oodles and oodles of delicious fresh produce, and places like Casa de Fruta showcase that to the max. California is truly the land of plenty, and its capital Sacramento– which isn’t too far from the fruit stand- is officially the ‘farm-to-fork capital’ of the US.
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The story of Casa de Fruta
The good old US of A is a nation built by immigrants- but California in particular truly flourished thanks to the high level of immigration to the state in its earlier years of existence. The rolling hills of Northern California are perfect for growing all sorts of crops, and in the early twentieth century the agriculture industry was really kicking off here. When an Italian family arrived in the Pacheco Valley in 1908, it seemed like the perfect spot to plant an orchard or two.
The Bisceglia brothers were on to a good thing. Clever old souls.
The orchards flourished, and in the 1940s three grand-nephews of the orchard’s founders had the bright spark idea of constructing a cherry stand on the Pachego Pass Highway. Flogging cherries to drivers on the highway was a massive success. But over time, the brothers expanded the fruit stand into something bigger.
Like, approximately 6,000 times bigger.
The biggest fruit stand in the world
Casa de Fruta is now the biggest fruit stand in the world. Which is pretty impressive, you’ve got to admit. I mean, who wouldn’t want to say they’ve been to the biggest fruit stand in the world, for goodness’ sake!?
In the name of honesty, there are now so many aspects to this fruit stand, that it doesn’t look very fruit stand-y. But the owners have done a great job of keeping the look of Casa de Fruta in keeping with both its humble roots, and the beautiful setting of the rolling hills of California.
Nearby: The town of San Juan Bautista
As well as locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, Casa de Fruta has a feast of nuts and dried fruit, sweets and wine for sale. There’s a restaurant on site, where you can order to dine in or (especially useful in current times), to collect and take away. And if you need more than just some brightly-coloured vintage ads and delicious food to keep you happy, there’s a whole selection of rides for the kids. (Or the adults, if that floats your boat.) Take a ride on the miniature steam train, the Mary Poppins-esque carousel, or pan for gold at Casa de Sluice.
This is Gold Rush country, after all.
On a road trip, this is a great place to stop for the night. The Casa de Fruta Inn is located on site, as well as an RV Park for anyone living the van life.
Where is Casa de Fruta?
Casa de Fruta is just off of the junction of Highway 152 and Highway 156, near the towns of Hollister and Gilroy. If you’re on a Northern California road trip, this is an ideal place to stop- it’s en route to San Francisco, Big Sur and the Monterey Bay Area, Yosemite National Park, or heading inland to Sacramento.
Casa de Fruta, 1001 Pacheco Pass Highway Hollister CA. Check it out over on their own personal patch of the internet.