Staying At Tenaya Lodge Close to Yosemite NP [An Honest Review]

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There’s one thing about Yosemite – the pine-scented air, the granite giants, and the tumbling waterfalls and the expansive wilderness.

Should you’re trying to keep close to Yosemite Nationwide Park, however don’t wish to pay the extortionate worth of a lodge really within the park, then Tenaya Lodge is the place wilderness meets consolation with an reasonably priced price ticket.

Though positioned outdoors Yosemite Nationwide Park, Tenaya Lodge feels as if it’s proper within the coronary heart of it.

It’s the place early-morning hikes by means of wildflower meadows are adopted by s’mores over a campfire, and the place you possibly can sleep in a slice of serenity on the fringe of the wild.

Once we visited Yosemite, we traded our tent poles for plush pillows and stayed 4 nights at Tenaya Lodge, and need it was longer.

Need to know why? Right here’s our sincere evaluate of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite Nationwide Park.

About Tenaya at Yosemite

Should you haven’t heard of Tenaya at Yosemite earlier than, permit me to briefly introduce them.

Tenaya is a full-service resort that’s positioned simply 2 miles outdoors the South Gate of Yosemite Nationwide Park within the serene backdrop of the Sierra Nationwide Forest.

It’s location is right for nature lovers, who aren’t solely trying to go to Yosemite however different nationwide parks and forests within the area as nicely.

Situated close by is the Mariposa Grove of Big Sequoias, Speckerman Mountain, Hogan Mountain, Wawona Level and Bass Lake.

The resort presents a number of kinds of lodging from resort rooms to lodges and cottages and spacious suites, in addition to a complete host of resort facilities.

Video evaluate of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

Issues to do at Tenaya Lodge

There are many issues to do at Tenaya Lodge, for younger and outdated.

Whereas I beloved the inclusion of those actions, I beloved how they weren’t the main target of your keep as different household resorts are.

They’re additions to the primary occasion – visiting Yosemite Nationwide Park.

We deliberate our Tenaya Lodge actions for our down day we had on the lodge, which is one thing I like to recommend you do whenever you go to Yosemite.

Sadly our day of relaxation (though nicely timed) was when it rained all day. And even hailed!

Our children (aged 11 and seven) determined they wished to go outdoors and do the actions anyway. What’s a little bit rain for these fearless adventurers?

Though on the finish of archery they did ask to cancel mountaineering as their limbs have been freezing and so they thought it is perhaps a little bit too slippery.

Youngsters journey course

Our daughters, Kalyra and Savannah, actually loved the children journey course!

It’s child sized and so they usually do a lot greater and tougher journey programs.

However regardless that this one was a lot simpler, they used it as a chance to observe some complicated abilities like strolling backward, doing it with eyes closed and no palms, and timing how briskly they might zip round.

They did all of this within the rain too with smiles on their faces.

Archery Classes

The opposite exercise they beloved was archery.

They have been each excellent at it, touchdown solely millimeters from the bulls eye, and so they performed fake bow and arrow searching video games by means of the lodge halls for the rest of the afternoon.

Guided Flashlight Hike

On our first night, we joined an hour lengthy guided flashlight hike, which was a cool addition to our journey.

Every part is so totally different when seen at the hours of darkness below the sunshine of a flashlight.

Savannah stayed fairly near my facet, particularly when studying in regards to the resident black bear, Booboo.

We realized lots in regards to the forest – the wildlife of this space. It was so attention-grabbing and made me fall in love with bushes over again.

We even had the chance to snack on just a few ants, though handed.

Our information was very educated and passionate in regards to the space and the forest. He was a uncommon native of the native city, Fish Camp, the very small city the place Tenaya Lodge is positioned.

You possibly can manage these actions (for a payment) with the resort concierge, which I discovered extremely useful. As soon as once more, I actually appreciated the workers at Tenaya.

Campfire S’mores

What’s a Yosemite Nationwide Park lodging expertise with out s’mores?

We have been so grateful on our final night time for the rain and snow to cease so we may go outdoors to the firepit and roast s’mores. It doesn’t matter how usually we do that, the women by no means get bored with it.

It’s a quite common factor for them to expertise on our 1 12 months USA highway journey!

You should purchase kits from the lodge and so they have a selected fireplace pit for s’mores. If you wish to skip the s’mores and have serenity by the fireplace, outdoors the primary restaurant is a big fireplace pit to take a seat round with a glass of wine, or beer.

Once more, each fireplace pits have been buzzing with dialog. The Tenaya Lodge could be very social.

Close by waterfall hike

It’s not simply Yosemite Nationwide Park that you would be able to discover while staying on the lodge. There are mountain climbing trails from the lodge into the Sierra forest surrounding Tenaya. 

We took the 5.5 mile return hike to a close-by waterfall and swimming gap. I feel the water was operating too furiously to get pleasure from swimming on this space, and too chilly, however apparently it’s an area hidden gem.

It was a simple flat stroll by means of the forest and was so peaceable and quiet with solely us on the path. We noticed deer alongside the way in which as nicely!

I beloved the final mile of the hike that took you alongside a slender tree lined path beside the creek. It was fairly and supplied a unique expertise to different Yosemite Nationwide Park trails.

The lodge additionally presents guided hikes to this waterfall on Saturdays.

Checklist of Tenaya Lodge actions on supply:

• Mountain biking within the Sierra Nationwide Forest
• Wine and paint night time
• Archery classes
• Day by day morning guided hikes
• Guided flashlight hikes
• Nightly outside s’mores
• Ranger talks
• Climbing wall
• Youngsters journey course
• Horse again driving
• Youngsters camp
• Fishing pole leases
• Snowshoe hikes (winter solely)
• Ice skating rink (winter solely)
• Sledding (winter solely)

Facilities at Tenaya Lodge

Indoor and outside swimming pools and scorching tubs

I feel I discussed the phrase scorching tub just a few instances!

You could have your choose of two indoor scorching tubs (one is adults solely) and an out of doors scorching tub.

Whereas some individuals have been noticed braving the cool temperatures within the outside scorching tub, we caught to easing our drained muscle mass within the indoor one.

The women loved swimming within the indoor pool whereas we watched from the recent tub.

The outside pool is in a stupendous setting surrounded by the forest and has a few totally different swimming pools and scorching tubs. There’s additionally an outdoor bar – Barefoot bar, opened throughout hotter instances.

On some evenings they’ve a dive-in poolside films – which is a film taking part in above the Tenaya lodge pool. You possibly can float and swim whereas watching it.

We didn’t get time to try this.

Arcade Video games Room

The women beloved the Arcade Room, which was one other place individuals gathered to shoot pool or play backgammon, checkers and chess.

There was two gaming stations, which is what the women spent lots of their time doing.

Since I watched a particular on the unfavorable results of the sport Fortnight on a baby’s mind whereas understanding within the health middle that morning, I ensured I restricted their time taking part in that sport!!

Ascent Spa

What would make the last word Yosemite trip?

Amongst the bodily demanding hikes you possibly can stability it out with a deep tissue therapeutic massage.

That will not be everybody’s concept of leisure, however you’ll discover different therapeutic massage choices to fit your temper. Or maybe a facial as an alternative, or go full out and do all of them.

After months of mountain climbing within the Southwest, my physique was begging for a deep tissue therapeutic massage. It was superior and gave some aid to a persistent shoulder challenge I’ve.

It’s essential for folks to have their day trip moments on a household trip, and the Ascent Spa Tenaya Lodge is the perfect place so that you can discover it.

You will get every little thing you want on the on-site Spa. You’ll want to end your therapeutic massage with a steam bathtub to assist these muscle mass much more!

The Ascent Spa was a stupendous enjoyable area and all visitors have entry to the steam room and sauna and highly effective showers. Craig and I appreciated ducking down there to have a steam room after a day of mountain climbing in Yosemite.

Subsequent door to the spa can be a health middle/gymnasium. It’s a little bit on the small facet, however has loads of gear to offer you that exercise you want.

Eating places at Tenaya Lodge

Tenaya Lodge has three eating places: Jackalopes Bar & Grill, Embers and Timberloft Pizzeria. We wished to strive the pizza at Timberloft nevertheless it solely opens throughout the excessive season.

We didn’t eat on the fancier of the 2, Embers. It’s stated to be family-friendly with nice meals, though the ambiance felt extra intimate and quiet so we  determined to remain away with our youthful children.

Jackalope’s Bar & Grill

We beloved Jackalope’s Bar & Grill although, and ate there for breakfast and dinner every day!

Jackalope’s was buzzing with completely happy dialog over good meals and drinks. Our choose was the curried cauliflower and chickpea stew, the caramelized brussel sprouts, and the burgers.

Our children loved their mac and cheese and strawberry shortcake dessert.

Tenaya Lodge Breakfast

For breakfast, you possibly can select from the ala carte menu, or dive into the buffet. The women beloved the buffet, whereas the ala carte labored higher for Craig and I with our dietary restrictions.

Though we did have the buffet the primary morning, and the standard of the meals choices was excessive in comparison with different resorts we’ve stayed at.

There’s additionally the Harvest & Grounds Deli (like a small normal retailer/parkside deli) which presents snacks, sandwiches and wraps, salads, picnic lunch, and surprisingly good espresso.

In the summertime, they’ve Timberloft Pizzeria and outside Summerdale BBQ with dwell leisure.

Lodging choices at Tenaya Lodge

The lodging at Tenaya Lodge fits all kinds of vacationers, which is another excuse I beloved it. You will get lodge rooms, that are hotel-like, or you possibly can have suites and cottages, that are extra self contained.

All lodge rooms have been renovated in 2019 and have a Excessive Sierra design contact.

Lodge Rooms

For solo vacationers, {couples}, and small households, you’ll be pleased with the Tenaya Lodge rooms.

The choices you’ve got obtainable are:

Premium Room

The Premium Room at Tenaya Lodge comes with:

• Two queen beds or one king mattress
• 350 sq. ft
• Particular person room local weather management
• Work desk with laptop information port
• Personal bogs

Prolonged Two Queen Room

Excellent for households and what we slept in. We discovered this room to be spacious and comfy and beloved the sitting space which got here in helpful for working on the desk and taking part in Clue on the espresso desk.

And the women have been very excited by the sport choices you would try from the entrance desk.

The Two Queen Room at Tenaya Lodge comes with:

• Two queen beds
• 450 sq. ft
• Sitting space with pull-out couch mattress
• Personal balcony or patio
• Work desk with laptop information port

Spa Room

For many who need a little bit extra luxurious and romance, go for the Spa Room. It has a spacious toilet making it excellent for romantic getaways.

The Spa Room at Tenaya Lodge comes with:

• 550 sq. ft
• One King mattress
• Sitting space with pull-out couch mattress
• Soaking tub
• Separate bathe
• Personal balcony
• Moist bar

Deluxe Suite

The Deluxe Suite presents a separate bed room and dwelling area space. And the Luxurious Suite presents the identical however at an even bigger degree and mountain lodge décor.

The Deluxe Suite at Tenaya Lodge comes with:

• 650 sq. ft
• King mattress in bed room
• Pull-out queen-size couch mattress in front room
• Two armoires every with cable flat-screen TV (one in bed room, one in front room)
• Espresso desk, moist bar and fridge
• Work desk with laptop information port

Luxurious Suite

The Luxurious Suite at Tenaya Lodge comes with:

• 800 sq. ft
• King mattress in bed room
• Pull-out queen-size couch mattress
• Two armoires every with cable flat-screen TV
• Espresso desk, moist bar and fridge

Cottages

For big teams touring collectively, like a number of households or multi generational households, you’ll love the Tenaya Lodge Cottages.

They’re a part of a duplex or triplex cottage constructing nestled into the Sugar Pine and Incense Cedar forest providing a extra secluded mountain getaway, however only a brief stroll from the primary lodge.

It looks like a comfortable neighborhood, and you continue to have entry to all of the lodge facilities.

The duplex (cottage room) or triplex (cottage fits) give you your personal area inside a bunch journey expertise.

Your group may hire out the complete cottage, however nonetheless have two or three separate sleeping areas. It’s a intelligent lodging providing from Tenaya Lodge.

Explorer Cabins

For self-sufficient vacationers you’ll love the two-bedroom explorer cabins, which include a spacious dwelling and eating space, a hearth, and a kitchen space with full-sized fridge and occasional makers.

There are communal Explorer Clubhouses and s’extra fireplace pits.

You may also entry every little thing in the primary lodge. They arrive with a fridge and a microwave and a coated porch.

What I appreciated a few keep at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

I’ve stayed at Tenaya twice, each instances for 3-4 nights. It has simply been one in all my favourite resort stays within the USA up to now and is ideal for these in search of an final Yosemite household trip.

Tenaya Lodge was a heat, snug and pleasant expertise that was an ideal match for the excellent magnificence and outside journey within the Yosemite space.

I beloved coming dwelling to the lodge after a day on the Yosemite mountain climbing trails to a scorching tub, a glass of wine by the fireplace, a scrumptious meal and conversations with different vacationers around the globe.

When touring, we usually spend most of our time interacting with different Individuals in campgrounds, and often in accommodations we keep at.

Most accommodations are tremendous busy and everyone seems to be coming and happening their very own agendas!

However within the Tenaya Lodge it felt extra of a worldwide gathering place and I noticed how a lot I missed that and the way remoted we’re from it.

Don’t get me improper, I really like Individuals and am all the time completely happy to talk with them, however I do miss interacting with individuals from different nations, and Tenaya was just like the outdated hostel surroundings for me – lengthy earlier than good telephones took our consideration away.

The range of visitors at Tenaya Lodge was superior – younger, outdated, {couples}, households, and teams of mates!

We had conversations within the scorching tub, foyer, dinner desk and across the s’mores campfire at night time with individuals from England, Eire, Australia and America. I additionally heard accents from Germany, France, and Italy.

Oh that is the goodness of journey all proper.

Nobody was too caught up of their telephones to disregard one another.

This place was about sharing your recollections of the day exploring Yosemite Nationwide Park and suggestions and tidbits for future journey. Similar to the great ole days!

Tenaya Lodge Yosemite had a workers that matched this jovial, pleasant environment.

I don’t suppose I’ve encountered extra genuinely pleasant and heat workers earlier than. They have to all be handled nicely as you would inform they appreciated their job and so they appreciated individuals.

And did I point out kid-friendly? They actually have a children check-in part on the foyer.

I paid shut consideration to their interactions with different visitors as nicely simply to make certain. And I observed the identical consideration and heat to everybody. I used to be so very impressed.

Fashionable décor with heat, calm ambiance

There was a heat calm ambiance all through the lodge.

I’ve stayed at many locations like this earlier than the place the power has been fairly frantic and loud. You didn’t expertise that right here.

It had a beautiful, nearly meditative power.

You nearly thought there was nobody round, however then at night time and within the morning the eating areas have been packed and a buzz appeared nevertheless it wasn’t an excessive amount of to harass you. It was simply the right quantity of completely happy power.

You would inform this was a spot the place particular recollections have been created.

With Yosemite Nationwide Park in your doorstep, you had a lot to speak about over a glass of wine and a scrumptious meal.

Tour desk: shuttle service to Yosemite Nationwide Park

Should you don’t wish to discover Yosemite by your self, and would really feel extra snug in a small group tour with an knowledgeable native information, Tenaya Lodge presents full-day or half-day Yosemite excursions.

There’s additionally a Glacier Level sundown and starry skies tour (seasonally).

When you’ve got solely sooner or later, a tour might be a superb solution to be sure you see the highlights.

And also you’ll be exploring Yosemite within the consolation of a luxurious tour bus with a roll-back roof.

Free laundry

This will not be of curiosity to some vacationers, nevertheless it undoubtedly was to us.

Discovering locations to do our laundry on an extended highway journey is a weekly activity for us.

Accessing the washer and dryers in Tenaya, and free of charge, was so useful. And should you’re out doing a number of Yosemite actions, you’d in all probability want your closed washed at some stage too!

On the day we checked out we have been capable of do our laundry so we have been prepared for San Francisco.

What I didn’t like about Tenaya Lodge

We all know no lodging is ideal, and we like to incorporate any negatives or challenges we skilled at locations we keep.

There actually wasn’t a lot in any respect. We had a beautiful keep and look ahead to going again once more.

Restricted eating choices close by

I didn’t like how there wasn’t many eating choices close by to the resort. The closest city was a 20-minute drive away.

The meals at Jackalope was scrumptious, however I do nevertheless like selection and attempting totally different locations to eat whereas on trip.

Given it was a resort, the meals was a little bit pricier so consuming out could be simpler in your pockets. You would eat out whereas within the Yosemite Nationwide Park, or have a picnic, and simply eat on the resort as soon as, or in your down days.

The drive into Yosemite

Tenaya Lodge is about an hour’s drive from Yosemite Valley, nevertheless it’s solely two miles from the south entrance to the park, after which a couple of minutes to the Mariposa Grove part of Yosemite.

You undoubtedly don’t wish to miss it. It’s additionally not too removed from Wawona, which is one other village space in Yosemite.

To be clear, I didn’t thoughts it being that far-off from the valley. The drive out and in was lovely, particularly the upper sections coated in now and the spectacular Tunnel View we obtained toe expertise every time we drove again to Tenaya Lodge.

Plus, I take advantage of journey time to get work executed within the automotive, so it was tremendous helpful for me to get these two hours every day.

After seeing Yosemite Lodge within the Valley (one other Yosemite lodging possibility we have been contemplating) I used to be so glad we determined to remain an additional two nights at Tenaya, regardless of the commute in.

Yosemite Lodge has the situation in Yosemite Valley, however the rooms didn’t look that nice (that is after solely seeing the surface and small glimpses by means of the opened doorways).

They have been motel type buildings so had no central inside area.

What I didn’t like in regards to the concept of staying within the Valley was it was method too busy.

Folks have been in all places and there wasn’t that heat relaxed, communal gathering really feel that I beloved a lot about Tenaya.

Noise in room

There was this unusual tapping/knocking noise in our room, close to the toilet partitions, which was fairly noticeable throughout the nonetheless of the night time, which we reported to the entrance desk.

We don’t know if it was as a result of there was a lot rain and one thing was regularly dripping, or it was a pipe vibrating, or what?

I’m a fairly heavy sleeper so it didn’t trouble me an excessive amount of, nevertheless it aggravated Craig and Kalyra. I’m certain we simply had a foul pipe or one thing.

FAQs about Tenaya Lodge

Right here’s what individuals often ask us about staying at Tenaya Lodge…

How one can get to Tenaya Lodge

Tenaya Lodge is positioned within the city of Fish Camp, which is 2 miles (4km) from the Mariposa Grove entrance (South Gate) to Yosemite Nationwide Park.

If you’re driving from San Francisco Airport to Tenaya Lodge, it should take you approx 4.5 hours at a distance of 208 miles. From Los Angeles to Tenaya Lodge, it should take roughly 5 hours to drive and 277 miles.

Even additional afield, Las Vegas to Tenaya Lodge (through Bakersfiled) is 455 miles and takes approx 8.5 hours.

Above is a map of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite Fish Camp CA. You should use this map to seek out instructions out of your present vacation spot. Or you possibly can enter the deal with into your GPS.

The deal with is: 1122 CA-41, Fish Camp, CA 93623

The Verdict: Would we suggest Tenaya Lodge?

I hope you discovered this Tenaya Lodge evaluate useful and insightful. We had an exquisite keep right here and I total we might suggest Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite for anybody in search of a memorable Yosemite household trip expertise.

Staying in Yosemite Valley could be purely for the situation, however staying at Tenaya Lodge Fish Camp was a spotlight of our Yosemite journey.

Video: Exploring Yosemite Nationwide Park with children

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