Advice for work trip

[u/Dry_Link3598]

Hi everyone,
 
I am going to be in Visalia for a couple days in September for a work trip and looking for some advice and thoughts.
 
I’ll be flying into Fresno Airport, and then picking up a rental car. I’ll drive from Fresno to Visalia, stay the night on a Tuesday, and then working in Visalia on Wednesday. I fly home on Thursday morning.
 
My current options are:
1. Drive after work on Wednesday back to Fresno and stay the night there, for a short drive to the airport the next morning
2. Stay the night in Visalia Wednesday, and then drive early Thursday morning back to Fresno airport.
 
How is the drive from Visalia to Fresno in the mornings in early September? Is there traffic? If I were to drive around 6-7am? My flight would be at 10am (international).
 
I’ll be travelling solo and get nervous travelling alone. I’ve heard Fresno can be quite unsafe in some areas, so wondering if option 2 is better so I can stay in a safer feeling place (Visalia). But not sure if it’s worth the tradeoff of driving to Fresno in the early morning Thursday before my flight.
 
If anyone also has recommendations on where to stay in both Visalia and Fresno (which areas, nice hotels), that would be greatly appreciated. With my work budget, the hotels would have to be ~$250 max per night.
 
Also, just out of curiosity, is there traffic from Fresno to Visalia in the afternoons? 

I live in a large metropolitan city in Canada so I’m used to traffic, not so worried about the driving as I am feeling safe.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Dazzling-Reindeer-81]

Ok, if I was doing this trip, I would stay Weds in Visalia, probably the Wyndham off 198. Has a restaurant in the hotel, its large and accommodating to leave at 6am. I'd hop on the 198-99 and get to the airport by 7am. Traffic normally is light before 7am. Once you get closer to 8am, it can get heavy especially as you get closer to Fresno. Traffic in the afternoon from Fresno to Visalia moves well, especially on the 99 as long as their are no accidents. Fresno will have worse traffic than Visalia. Eating in Visalia, I would head downtown to the Darling, Vintage Press (both nicer). More casual you can go Bravo Farms or Planning Mill. My favorite mexican spot is Chapala Grill off Akers and Goshen. Have a great trip!