Even though Visalia holds the title of being the oldest city in the San Joaquin Valley, it’s more likely a place you’ve passed through on your way to visit General Sherman or the infamous carved Tunnel Log. Many Angelenos don’t even know how to properly pronounce its name. But Visalia (say it: vai-SAY-lee-uh) — a place long known as “the gateway to the Sequoias” for its proximity to Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks — is becoming a destination in its own right. The 151-year-old Central Valley city has been working hard to shed its bucolic stereotypes and reinvent itself as a cosmopolitan oasis with hip boutiques, craft breweries and a revamped downtown. Changes started happening about five years ago when the Darling Hotel opened in the bones of the former 1930s Tulare County Courthouse annex. The Art Deco boutique hotel offers chic accommodations, catering to design-savvy travelers. Nowadays, downtown’s East Main Street, which plays host to tchotchke-laden antique stores and patio dining, is a vibrant, walkable hub. At First Friday Downtown Art Walks, people …