By Melissa Dona
In the Summer of 2017, our family took a two week trip-of-a-lifetime to California. One of our stops was a 3-day stay in Yosemite. At the time of the trip our children were 8 and 12 years old. Here are the things that made our trip to Yosemite wonderful, and some tips to help you in your planning!
(Adapted from an original blog post within the Travel section on my website)
Lodging
We knew that we were looking for a hotel, not a campground, so we started our search for a place to stay with our options narrowed down a bit. Our plans started coming together the summer before we actually took the trip. Even that far in advance (about 10 to 11 months out), we found that many of the lodging options inside of Yosemite already said “No Vacancy” for the dates that we needed.
We chose the beautiful Tenaya Lodge, which is in a town called Fish Camp, about 2 miles from the southern entrance to the park and close to other Yosemite experiences that we had on our list. It’s important to remember, though, that once you enter the park, there is a 37 mile drive to get to the Valley Visitor Center, which takes approximately 1 hour.
Tenaya was a one-stop-shop for our family. If you ask our children, “What was your favorite thing about Tenaya Lodge?” they both agree on the answer. It is this: when swimming in the outdoor pool, you can hear music pumped in under the water. That was pretty cool, but Tenaya Lodge had lots of things to love. The rooms were spacious, modern, and comfortable. There are a number of dining options, and each one served up tasty menu items. Our favorite was the outdoor barbecue with live music and games. There were lots of family-friendly activities at the hotel each day, and activities like horseback riding and exploring Mariposa Grove (giant sequoias!) are nearby. And of course, proximity to the park was a plus since we weren’t able to score accommodations inside Yosemite.
Getting Started
Our first day at the park began at the southern entrance. After passing through the gate and paying our fee, we had about an hour long drive to get to the Valley Visitor Center in Yosemite Valley, which was where we planned to start our day. This is a useful starting point when you arrive at Yosemite. At the visitor center, you will find a ranger-staffed information desk, a bookstore, maps, brochures, and more — pretty much any and all services for guests can be found in and around Yosemite Valley.
A great way to get your bearings in this massive park is to take one of the guided tours offered by the National Park System.
We decided on the Valley Floor Tour, which is a 2 hour ranger-guided tour in an open air tram (weather dependent of course). On this tour, we saw close-up views of waterfalls (Bridal Veil, Ribbon, and Yosemite Falls, for example), the Merced River, rock formations like El Capitan, and Half Dome.
Hiking Trails
Hiking is a great way to see the sights, and there are trails of all lengths and ability levels, as well as some trails that are wheelchair accessible. For a list of trails and day hikes around Yosemite Valley click here.
The trail that we explored after our Valley Floor Tour was the Lower Yosemite Falls Loop. This trail was easy, paved, and not steep. After crossing a wooden bridge, we spent a long time enjoying the freezing cold water at the base of the falls. Because this trail was so easy and family-friendly, it was quite crowded. But that is to be expected at Yosemite in the summer!
Horseback Riding
Our horseback riding adventure took place at Yosemite Trails Saddle and Sleigh Company. After we donned our bandannas and safety helmets, we took part in a thorough lesson on how to interact with our horses, and we were off!
Since we didn’t have a lot of experience with horseback riding, we signed up for just an hour long trail ride through the hilly forest and over streams. There are several options for rides of varying lengths. The hour-long tour was just right for our family, and the staff at Yosemite Saddle and Trails was wonderful.
Mariposa Grove
One of the big things on our list was to see the giant sequoias. Imagine our disappointment when we found out that Mariposa Grove, which was so close to our hotel, was CLOSED for renovations! But here’s the good news: Mariposa Grove re-opened to tourists in the Summer of 2018. So plan away!
Yosemite Travel Tips
Planning a trip to Yosemite can seem like a daunting task. There’s so much to see and do! But it’s definitely worth the effort. Check out this list of travel tips to help you get started.
- Plan your trip well in advance. And I mean like a year in advance isn’t too early to start making plans. Lodging within the park starts to fill up that early.
- Expect traffic in the summer months and plan accordingly. Traffic congestion is a common occurrence so arrive early to find parking for the day. Utilize the free shuttle system to get around the park whenever possible after parking your car.
- The roads leading into and around the park are steep and very curvy. If anyone in your party suffers from motion sickness, be prepared with strategies to deal with this issue.
- Additionally, be on the lookout for signs of altitude sickness. Yosemite is 5000 feet above sea level, and many people are not used to hanging out at that elevation. About 2 days into our stay, a member of our family exhibited all of the signs of altitude sickness, which resolved as soon as we reached lower elevation.
