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Family-Friendly Travel Adventures in Yosemite National Park and Beyond

Fish Camp, CA

by Peter Greenberg Peter Greenberg

Family-Friendly Travel Adventures in Yosemite National Park and Beyond
  • Jun 30, 2009
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Create a perfect family friendly vacation from LA to Yosemite and beyond. Peter Greenberg's staff writers takes you through the journey of a great family adventure.

http://www.petergreenberg.com/2009/06/05/family-friendly-travel-adventures-in-yosemite-national-park-and-beyond/

Places on this Skoot

  • Tenaya Lodge

    1110 Highway 41 , Fish Camp, CA :

    Head north from Los Angeles toward the Park up Highway 41 to Tenaya Lodge, a lovely accommodation complete with indoor and outdoor pools (BIG kid favorite), a game room a kitchen that serves up everything from soups and salads to gourmet fare, and an outdoor area where barbecue is served up under the stars all summer long.

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  • Yosemite Sightseeing Tours

    41729 Highway 41 , Oakhurst, CA :

    Just outside Tenaya, is two favorites especially suited for families with young kids. Model T Tours rents out convertible Model T roadsters and Model A’s for driving in Yosemite and the national forest as well as the Sugar Pine Railroad.

    There is no better way to view the breathtaking scenery than behind the wheel of Henry Ford’s finest. But plan ahead. At $400 to $450 per car, per day, it’s a splurge but definitely a once-in-a-lifetime-glad-I-did-it kind of thing.

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  • Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

    56001 Highway 41 , Fish Camp, CA :

    Whether or not you’re a railroad enthusiast, a worthy experience is the steam-driven Sugar Pine Railroad. Running four miles along the route used by the narrow-gauge trains that once moved lumber out of the Yosemite area (from 1899 to1931), the track bends and turns through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. And at $17.50 for adults, $8.75 for kids 3-12, it’s an easily affordable experience.

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  • Wawona Hotel

    8308 Wawona Road , Wawona, CA :

    Continued on Highway 41 into the south entrance of Yosemite National Park and stop at the stately old Wawona Hotel for breakfast.

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  • Yosemite View Lodge

    11136 Highway 140 El Portal, CA 95318 , United States :

    Yosemite View Lodge markets itself as a resort, but it’s more like a kid’s idea of heaven with three pools, a pizza parlor, a dining room that caters to families and, most impressive of all, the Merced River flowing just off one’s balcony.

    No dealing with traffic on the Valley floor. No hassles lining up for food at Yosemite’s cafeterias. Everything’s convenient and family friendly, including the kitchenette in the room and the YART bus that takes you from the hotel into Yosemite itself.

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  • Coulter Cafe

    5015 Main St , Coulterville, CA :

    From Lake McClure, it’s an easy hop onto Highway 49 toward the town of Mariposa. Along the way, stop in Coulterville for a saloon-style lunch at the historic Hotel Jeffery or have a meal at the Coulter Café on Main Street.

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  • Mariposa, CA

    Mariposa, CA , Mariposa, California :

    Mariposa County is virtually untouched by development and gives you a real glimpse back into the time when California’s natural beauty was completely unspoiled.

    The town of Mariposa, located about 40 miles southwest of the park, was the most unexpected and most welcome surprise. Crammed with things to do and see—both entertaining and educational—it’s a treat for anyone who’s interested in California’s history.

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  • Mariposa Museum & History Center

    5119 Jessie St , Mariposa, CA :

    Start at the Mariposa Museum and History Center where you can walk into a fully stocked general store from 100 years ago, learn about the influence and customs of the Chinese who built the railroad, and relive the Gold Rush days, complete with a working blacksmith shop and demonstrations of how ore was crushed to extract the gold.

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  • Mariposa County Sup Court

    5088 Bullion St , Mariposa, CA :

    Then make your way over to the Mariposa Courthouse for a one-hour tour. Built in 1854, this fully restored courthouse has been in continuous use ever since and if you visit during the week you may even get to sit in on a trial.

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  • State of California Parks and Recreation: California State Mining & Mineral Museum

    5005 Fairgrounds Rd , Mariposa, CA :

    Late afternoon treat? Follow the crowds to Mariposa Fruit and Nut Company for coffee drinks and smoothies. Then one last stop—and a kid’s favorite: the California State Mineral and Mining Museum located at the Mariposa Fairgrounds just a couple of miles outside of town.

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