What are the best places to stay in Yosemite National Park? Today I'm sharing one of the best Yosemite hotels for your next national park vacation. Centrally located near iconic landmarks, hiking trails, and viewpoints, Yosemite Valley Lodge is one of the top spots to stay in the park. Hike to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, see Half Dome from Cooks Meadow, and grab food at on-site restaurants.
Read MoreWondering what the Fall colors look like right now in Yosemite Valley? I spent the last week exploring my top spots in Yosemite National Park for enjoying the autumn foliage, and I'm excited to share the current conditions today for this first week of November 2024. I'm rating the park as a "Go Soon" with a mix of vibrant colors at spots like Bridalveil Fall, Cooks Meadow, and Yosemite Chapel.
Read MoreWhat do Fall colors look like right now? GO NOW / GO SOON! Read this Eastern Sierra Fall Colors Report to find out what the current conditions look like at North Lake, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek, Rock Creek Lake, Convict Lake & June Lake Loop. Get my estimation on when the Fall colors will be arriving in the Bishop & Mono County regions, so you can plan out your upcoming Fall adventure road trip.
Read MoreSeeing the Fall colors at North Lake is bucket list experience. This week we're camping at the North Lake Campground in the High Sierra, with quick & easy access to several hiking trails as well as capturing epic & iconic photography of North Lake during peak Fall season. This is my top spot to camp in the Eastern Sierra near Bishop, CA, surrounded by quaking aspen trees & the autumn foliage.
Read MoreWhat do Fall colors look like right now? Read this Eastern Sierra Fall Colors Report to find out what the current conditions look like at North Lake, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek, Sagehen Summit, Convict Lake, Virginia Lakes & Conway Summit. Get my estimation on when the Fall colors will be arriving in the Bishop and Mono County regions, so you can plan out your upcoming Fall adventure road trip.
Read MoreWhat are the best spots in the Eastern Sierra for Fall photography? Today I'm sharing a travel guide for the top 10 photo spots in Mono County, CA to see the Fall colors. We'll be heading into multiple national forests to find perfect locations to set up the tripod, including Convict Lake, June Lake Loop, Mammoth, Conway Summit & more, along with valuable photo tips to prep you for your 395 trip.
Read MoreWhat do Fall colors look like right now? Read this Eastern Sierra Fall Colors Report to find out what the current conditions look like in Mono County, California, including hidden gems like Rock Creek Lake (PEAKING SOON), Convict Lake & June Lake Loop...and get my estimation on when the Fall colors will be arriving so you can plan out your upcoming Fall foliage adventure road trip.
Read MoreWhat are the best spots in the Eastern Sierra for Fall photography? Today I'm sharing a travel guide for the top 10 photo spots near Bishop, California to see the Fall colors. We'll be heading into Inyo National Forest to find perfect locations to set up the tripod, including North Lake, Bishop Creek, Aspendell, Lake Sabrina & more, along with valuable photo tips to prep you for your 395 trip.
Read MoreWhat do Fall colors look like right now? Read this Eastern Sierra Fall Colors Report to find out what the current conditions look like at North Lake, Aspendell, Cardinal Village, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek, and Intake Two...and get my estimation on when the Fall colors will be arriving in the Bishop region of Inyo National Forest, so you can plan out your upcoming Fall adventure road trip.
Read MoreWondering where to see giant trees in California? One of the best spots to hike among some of the largest, oldest & tallest trees in the world is at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park near Wawona & Oakhurst. Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to learn about the rich history, top hiking trails, and info to plan your next Yosemite adventure vacation & road trip.
Read MoreLooking for the ultimate family fun road trip to Yosemite National Park? Play the Fossils to Falls scavenger hunt and collect all 10 trading cards, starting at the Fossil Discovery Center in California's Central Valley, taking you thru Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Bass Lake & more Madera County gems, ending in the Yosemite Valley...and then enter to win a great Yosemite Adventure Vacation Prize Package!
Read MoreThis week we're taking a day trip to Bass Lake in Madera County & the Sierra National Forest just south of Yosemite National Park. We're renting a pontoon boat from Millers Landing Resort and having a picnic on the water while looking for wildlife on the Bass Lake shores. Read this complete travel guide to learn about the best hiking trails around the lake, as well as the best places to eat.
Read MoreThis week we're taking a road trip along the California Central Coast to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, nicknamed "mini Yosemite". With its hiking trails, towering coastal redwood trees, abundant wildlife, and lodging options (including camping and Big Sur Lodge cabins), this CA state park along Highway 1 is one of the top places to go in Big Sur. Read this travel guide for all the park details.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to hiking the easy trail to the historic McGurk Cabin & McGurk Meadow in Yosemite National Park. This hike is easily found off Glacier Point Road and it takes hikers through a pine forest to a historic structure and lush meadows with wildflowers in the Summer. Wildlife is abundant in the Yosemite Wilderness, such as deer, coyotes, and black bears.
Read MoreWhat are the best hotels near Yosemite? Read this full property review of Firefall Ranch, a brand new luxury hotel near Yosemite National Park. This week I'm staying in a Two Bedroom Cottage while enjoying fine dining, family friendly activities, hiking, and relaxation at this premier resort, which also provides access to the award winning spa at the nearby Rush Creek Lodge. 5 star rating!
Read MoreLooking for the best campsites in Yosemite National Park? Yosemite Valley offers some of the best tent camping spots in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. North Pines Campground is situated along the Merced River just below Half Dome, Glacier Point & Royal Arches, and provides quick access to great hiking, including the Mist Trail, Mirror Lake & Valley Loop, as well as food options in Curry Village.
Read MoreWhat is the best 2-day itinerary for Yosemite National Park? Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for the perfect weekend in Yosemite, optimizing your Summer road trip schedule, taking you to some of the best viewpoints and hiking trails in the park, offering you views of iconic landmarks like Half Dome, Yosemite Falls & El Capitan. Experience the best sunrise & sunset spots in Yosemite.
Read MoreThe Big Sur coast is home to several California State Parks, and they are all worthy of a stop on your next Highway 1 road trip. Check out this travel guide to explore the best hiking trails and what wildlife to see on your Big Sur adventure in each state park, including Garrapata, Point Lobos, Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Limekiln, Point Sur, and Hearst San Simeon.
Read MoreToday I'm sharing the best spots to escape the crowds when Yosemite National Park gets too crowded. This top vacation destination in California can get very busy, especially in Summer, but there are so many places to go and things to do to enjoy Yosemite in solitude. Check out this travel guide for my top 10 Yosemite spots to avoid crowds, which includes great hiking trails and waterfall views.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for hiking the easy 3.5 mile trail along the Wawona Meadow Loop. This is the perfect hike to avoid the busy Yosemite Valley crowds and escape the hot Summer sun. This family and dog friendly trail circles the historic Wawona Golf Course and is found right off Highway 41 near the Wawona Hotel just a few miles north of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.
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