Not even the new year and I am already hearing talk about summer vacations. While it is months away, it is well known that popular places book quickly.
I loathe planning vacations. Why? Because I don’t know where to stay. We don’t have tons of money to spend. And, I don’t want to get caught in tourist traps. You too?
To add to our Vacation Tips category in this blog, I will share what we learned traveling to central California, the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone! Whether you have plans to visit next summer or these are simply places on your bucket list, be sure to pin this post for future use!
Today I will cover what we saw in central California and Yosemite.
Our trip to Cali began by visiting family. We enjoyed a short stop to nearby San Fran, the Armstrong Forest, and the Russian River.
San Francisco and Golden Gate:
We made the mistake of visiting Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghiradelli Square, and Union Square on Memorial Day. Don’t do this! Also, be prepared that the hills in San Fran are not for the faint of heart. Keep this in mind when using a stroller or choosing the shoes to wear.
Here are some places we would suggest visiting with kids:
- Ride the Cable Car – Requires Tickets
You can’t go to San Fran and not experience a cable car ride. The line can get long at the ticket booth, but you can get on at any stop. So, I suggest getting tickets and walking to a nearby stop if the line is long. Do watch the various paths because depending on the line, the next stopping point may be different than you expect. - Cable Car Museum – FREE
Be sure to ride the cable car to the museum to see the working cable wheels. - Golden Gate Bridge – Toll to drive across
Due to time we were unable to walk across, but I think this would have been fun. We did visit the parks to the northwest of the bridge for great views. There is no charge to walk around. - Pier 39 – FREE
Watch the sea lions play on and around the pier. - Lombard Street – FREE
This is the coolest zip-zagging street you’ll see. Drive down or walk if possible. - Ghirardelli
Be sure to stop and get your free piece of chocolate!
Parking can be a challenge when visiting this area. The Pier 39 Garage was average priced and put us in the area that we wanted to see.
Armstrong Redwoods Forest
While a little off the beaten path, this forest is a great way to get close to some awe-inspiring trees. Walking along a relatively smooth path you can see the oldest tree of the forest, tallest tree (310′), and the most burl-heavy tree. This is a great place to bring a picnic and eat among the beauty. We parked outside the entrance gate and walked in without a fee.
Russian River meets Pacific Ocean at Jenner
Again, off the beaten path, this is a beautiful place to visit and experience a river flowing into the ocean. The beaches, cliffs, and views make the trip worth it! There is also the possibility of seeing wildlife. Being there the end of May, the wind made me thankful for my jacket and stocking cap. This didn’t stop the boys from getting wet in the ocean. {Bring towels and a change of clothing.}
Yosemite National Park’s Amazing Beauty
Home to the infamous Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls, Yosemite is this nation’s 2nd National Park. To say it is beautiful would be an understatement. We arrived the day after Memorial Day and spent from Tuesday afternoon to Friday morning visiting.
Yosemite Valley: The valley contains the heart of the park. You could spend several days here taking in God’s creation. I encourage you to visit the following:
- Yosemite Falls: I could have spent hours taking in the magnitude of this double waterfall. Following the easy trail, be sure to take the path to the left (west) so that you can view the falls as you walk.
- Mirror Lake: The lake offers a beautiful reflection of the cliffs surrounding the valley. The hike was easy and provided several pull offs to make it less crowded.
- Vernal and Nevada Falls: Hiking to the falls requires traveling along a steep, narrow, and long trail. The waterfall spray makes the upper portion slick. Beautiful views, but it is a very popular hike dictating when and where you walk.
Glacier Point: One morning we traveled Glacier Point Road to experience the top view of the valley. With several stops along the way, you have the opportunity to see more waterfalls, view El Capitan and Half Dome, and look down on the valley floor.
Tunnel View: Just outside the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41, take a moment to stop in the parking lot to enjoy the view.
Mariposa Grove: If you are traveling south to leave Yosemite be sure to visit the Giant Sequoias. We happened to visit during a tour and enjoyed the ranger walk. The park shuttle system is great.
Yosemite National Park’s Not-So-Great
We have visited several National Parks so I thought I would be prepared for our visit to Yosemite. Not exactly. Here are some tips that we learned.
- Visitors: I had read that Yosemite was heavily visited, but I didn’t take this warning seriously enough. We arrived the day after Memorial Day thinking the number of visitors would be less with school still in session for many. Parking is extremely difficult. For me, the lines of people on trails and walks took away from the experience. I encourage you to check the National Park website to learn when it is least busy to visit.
- Entrance: Lots of twists and turns will finally lead you to a valley of beautiful streams and large trees. You will travel several miles after going through the entrance until hitting the valley. Because the park fills up quickly, I would encourage you to visit the most popular places early morning and late afternoon and enjoy the less traveled during the day. If you have a 4th grader, be sure to print your FREE pass prior to visiting.
- Free Shuttles: Sadly, too few buses were available for the number of visitors in the park. With all seats filled, the drivers lined people in the aisles as well. Frequency was a problem and we felt like we wasted a lot of time waiting on shuttles. Better planning could have helped with this. Important: There is NO gasoline available in the valley.
- Lodging: Located in Mariposa County, Yosemite National Park is in the middle of nowhere. Because of this, lodging is an issue. We stayed in a VRBO in Yosemite West which was about 30 minutes away from the Yosemite Valley. Yosemite West is within the park. but includes private vacation homes to rent. This allowed us to make our own meals. To save hours of driving each day, I would suggest staying either in the park’s valley (even though it is expensive) or Yosemite West as we did.
Next post: Grand Tetons and Yellowstone
Our family has had the opportunity to visit some amazing places in the United States. Some were close to home while others took us into new states. Along the way we have learned a lot about staying in a hotel, visiting theme parks, camping, and enjoying National Parks with kids. Read a compilation all of my vacation posts to help you plan the best staycation and vacation possible.
