Yosemite Mariposa County is one of California’s ultimate family-friendly destinations. It’s the right mix of activities, amenities, and outdoor recreation to create post-able memories, and all the while being easy for parents to navigate with kids in tow.
With summer break peeking over the horizon, it’s natural to start thinking about your high season vacation plans. Why not make the most of Yosemite’s pre-summer glow and bring the family up in May? It’s really the ideal time to explore Yosemite in all its iconic glory – waterfalls roar, dogwoods blossom, butterflies flicker, wildflowers pop, and the weather is close to perfect. Here’s a three-day itinerary geared for families to get the best of Yosemite on the cusp of summer.
Pre-Trip Planning: Yosemite Sleeps and Eats
Finding the right basecamp is paramount for parents on family getaways – whether taking advantage of the amenities (Wi-Fi, check; breakfast downstairs, check; hotel pool, check!) in a hotel, a home-away-from-home rental cabin, or pitching tents under the stars. Yosemite Mariposa County offers ample kid-friendly lodging, both inside and just outside the gates of Yosemite National Park. Note: May is a popular “shoulder season” to summer, and booking early is always recommended.
Tenaya at Yosemite is on the short list of best family-friendly resorts in California. Tucked into the Sierra National Forest two miles from Yosemite’s South Gate, Tenaya offers three distinct guest experiences including the Lodge, the Cottages, and the Explorer Cabins at Tenaya. Tenaya’s activities programming includes archery, rock climbing, hikes, mountain biking, ropes courses and more. Indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs keep everyone smiling.
For families looking to stay inside Yosemite Valley, your go-to choice is Yosemite Valley Lodge. The property features a large inventory of rooms with multiple beds including bunk beds. With a “position A” location directly across Northside Drive from Yosemite Falls, the Yosemite View Lodge is also a stop for the free hop-on, hop-off Yosemite Valley Shuttle, the ideal way to get the perfect angles on Yosemite Valley’s famed faces, peaks, and falls. Family swim time in the Lodge’s pool is the perfect refresher.
Yosemite camping is a crunchy way to go. Families looking for a “camping-light” experience can consider Yosemite Mariposa County’s growing number of glamping options, including Wildhaven Yosemite in Mariposa. Perched atop a bluff overlooking the town of Mariposa, Wildhaven offers canvas tents and updated glamping cabins.
Dining options tend to cluster around Yosemite Mariposa County’s overnight lodging hubs in terms of location (think Yosemite Valley and Central Mariposa County). Discover family-friendly options with Yosemite.com’s local dining directory. For starters, top-rated places include Happy Burger Diner and Little Shop of Ramen in Mariposa, the Base Camp Eatery food court at Yosemite Lodge, and Timberloft Pizzeria at Tenaya.
Day 1: Road Trip & Arrive
Family vacations begin when the car is packed and seat belts snap into action. On our way! Yosemite Mariposa County is a half-day’s drive from most California locations, but the stunning scenery makes the miles feel easy. Why rush? Enjoy the journey as you drive through rich Central Valley farm and ranchland, then the green and gold Sierra foothills, before rising into the Sierra Nevada’s western slope. Check out “The Journey” in the official Yosemite Mariposa County Vacation Planner for road trip inspiration.
There’s that moment when road trip energy begins to ever so slightly… ebb. We have the perfect backseat spirit booster: Yosemite Mariposa County board games! Beast Mode Yosemite helps to focus young attention spans on the biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada mountain range you’re passing through. Yosemite Mariposa Landmarks is a companion board game to Beast Mode, keeping eyes on the geology and scenery on the horizon (and off their screens). Both games are available free to save, print, and view IRL or online.
of California Gold Rush and Native American history.
How about a quick museum stop en route to lean into the local color? Yosemite Mariposa County’s rich gold rush legacy is on full display at the Northern Mariposa County History Center in Coulterville, and the Mariposa Museum & History Center in the town of Mariposa. Also in Mariposa is the Yosemite Climbing Museum & Gallery, a hall of fame dedicated to the local rock climbing legends. Any backseat misbehavers can be sentenced to visit the Mariposa Old Stone Jail for some quiet time!
Once you’ve arrived and set up your basecamp, it’s the perfect time to look around, take a walk, maybe even play a game of hide-n-seek before finding a nice vacay-launching dinner spot. Tuck into bed early and recharge to 100% for the awesome days ahead.
Day 2: Waterfalls, Walks, and a Beach
The titanic realm of Yosemite Valley reaches new amplitude during May. Waterfalls thunder, the granite walls that embrace the Valley seem to soar ever higher, and the whole scene has a fresh, “pre-sale” feeling before the rush of summer visitation.
with a spectacular peak season each May.
The first waterfall upon entering Yosemite Valley is an absolute stunner: Bridalveil Fall. Yes, it’s that waterfall on the right side of Yosemite’s signature Tunnel View panorama. May is the best time to feel the betrothed’s full force, when torrents of snowmelt streak from her bonnet. Bridalveil’s beauty is matched by its ease of access. The half-mile round trip trail, recently renovated, leads to a misty viewing platform at the bottom of Bridalveil’s flowing “train.” Handing out waterproof layers pre-platform: Mom pro move.
At the other end of Yosemite Valley near Mirror Lake, Happy Isles Nature and Art Center is a somewhat hidden hub for family fun. A short walk from Yosemite Shuttle Stop #16, short interpretive trails fan out from Happy Isles to explore four different environments: forest, river, talus, and fen.
Happy Isles is also a great place to pick up the Yosemite Junior Ranger Handbook to start earning those Junior Ranger Badges. For overachievers, there’s even the option to download the handbook for a head start!
and a hidden beach along the Merced River.
By now, telltale signs of hanger may be surfacing. Before it becomes your personal version of the Hunger Games, we suggest finding a beach to spread out a picnic blanket. Beach? That’s right, Yosemite Valley has several sandy, picnic-perfect beaches. The beachfront picnic areas of Yosemite Valley include Sentinel Beach and Cathedral Beach, both set on the banks of the mighty Merced River. There’s also a sandy strand on the far side of El Capitan Meadow (stay on established trails as you cross the sensitive meadow habitat). The Merced can be extra-capricious and filled with snowmelt in May, so take extra caution if you decide to dip your toes into the icy waters.
After lunch, there’s no better afternoon activity than a guided Yosemite Valley tour. The Valley Floor Tour is a classic, ranger-led two-hour highlight reel of the wonders of Yosemite Valley. May tours happen aboard the open-air “Green Dragon” tram, departing four-times-daily from the Yosemite Valley Lodge.
Day 3: Getaway Day
After late-morning check out and before heading for home is the perfect time to pick up some souvenirs or peruse some of the local boutiques. If you’re in Yosemite Valley, the Ansel Adams Gallery is a wonderful place to find special gifts, books, and postcards. The town of Mariposa is country-boutique bountiful with shops lining Main Street.
Time it right and turn your last day into a grand getaway with the Mariposa Butterfly Festival, one of the family-friendliest fetes in California. It’s a weekend of music, art, food, and of course, mariposas (Spanish for butterflies)! The festival traditionally takes place the first weekend in May. Check out all the May events listed on the official Event Calendar.
Here’s another family getaway day hack: the Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad in Fish Camp, a classic choo-choo through Sierra National Forest. Historic steam engine locomotives chug along the narrow-gauge track of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company. The on-site museum displays the local logging lore, too. Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad is just off Highway 41, four miles from the south entrance to Yosemite National Park.
Merry May Memories
Family vacations vault from fun to unforgettable when they take place in storybook settings like Yosemite Mariposa County. The May moments you’ll capture beneath roaring waterfalls and soaring cliffs are sure to be frame-worthy and pin-perfect. By spending intentional family bonding time in such a treasured place, the pictures and moments you’ll capture will last forever.