I searched for days if not weeks for the perfect rental for our last family outing of the summer…read more Finally late one evening I stumbled upon "Juniper Crest" (I know, the name reminded me of the show "Falcon Crest" too). It's a one bedroom upstairs rental completely off the beaten path of the Yosemite Valley area. You aren't surrounded by any noisy traffic or other noisy campers, your neighbors are local exotic birds, Princess kitty, occasional deer and numerous area insects (so remember to bring the bug spray and bracelets) and best of all, Gary & Rickey-the hosts of Juniper Crest (their names sound like a couple of owners for a surf shop, right?) The rental was perfect for our needs, came with complimentary snacks (you don't get that at the Hyatt or Ritz), a movie collection, a private pool, free parking and best of all awesome conversation with Gary & Rickey. At least twice since we have been home my son has said how much he misses them both. We watched the eclipse together and drank wine under the stars. You won't have people who care about you at the Ritz, Hyatt, St. Regis or any InterContinental Hotel like they do here. They were interested in getting to know us just as much as we were interested in getting to know them. Oh yeah, and we also saw this wonderful, majestic national park called, Yosemite ;-) I highly recommend this rental. Thanks Gary & Rickey. We'll be back to see you all again one day.

What a fantastic find for a family Christmas gathering at Yosemite National Park! We found Yosemite…read moreCountry Cottage on VRBO. It is located in Midpines, CA, 10 miles east of Mariposa, CA, on 140. You'll find many rentals in Mariposa, CA, but Midpines is actually closer to the 140 entrance. it has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen, washer/dryer, gas fireplace, and outdoor jacuzzi. The cottage sits on a hill, so the view is magnificent from the yard, as you can see from my photo. It has been a rental for less than a year (according to the guest book). Everything is absolutely meticulous. Being the clean freak that I am, I appreciated the gleaming laminate floors in the common areas, tiles in the bathrooms, and the plush the berber carpeting in the bedrooms. Our bare feet and socks never picked up any dirt, unless we dragged it in ourselves. The cottage is equipped with everything you need, such as hair dryer, iron+board, laundry baskets, cleaning supplies, napkins, paper towels, spices, plastic containers+ bags, coffee grinder+maker, satellite tv/dvd player, too many to list. If you need it, you'll probably find it there. Charles, the owner, lives 500 yards on the property, out of view. He's really on the ball with every detail of the rental, so you'll never be confused about directions, access, and even activities in the park. Also, he works as a Yosemite National Park guide...another bonus for first time visitors. Just one warning, though. He has lots of information to offer, so be prepared for lengthy descriptions of sites and activities. Ah, another warning, this one about 140. There is a stretch of 140 close to the park that is only one lane traffic due to the landslide of 2006. I realize our access in and out of park was easy in the off season, but I anticipate the traffic flow and wait times during the high season to be quite different. Our family of four adults spent our Christmas at the cottage...probably one of the best family gatherings ever. The park, of course, is magical, but our lodging really topped our stay.

This perfectly provisioned cottage is truly a castle in the woods. It is close to the entrance for…read moreYosemite as well as Mariposa which can furnish all of your food needs. We saw deer outside our window the first morning and Charles, the owner, gave expert recommendations on when and where to go for the best vacation. This was far better than staying at a hotel!

For our Yosemite visit we stayed at Worldmark Bass Lake which was right next to Bass Lake.  It was…read moreabout a 15 minute drive to Yosemite.  Bass Lake was a very nice looking lake with some houses around it. I loved the Worldmark Bass Lake as each unit was a 2 story townhouse.  There was nobody above us and I rarely heard the people next to us.  At other Worldmarks I was often woken up by people walking on the floor above us.  I'm not a good sleeper away from home but I got some good sleep here. There is the nearby town of Oakhurst about 15 minutes away which had a good amount of restaurants.  I was impressed there was a street vendor selling half flats of strawberries for $20.  I bought one and was eating strawberries everyday.  Strawberries needed another day or 2 before they were fully ripe.  After I let them sit in the kitchen they were sweet and juicy with lots of strawberry flavor.  Better than supermarket strawberries but not quite as good as my favorite farmers market strawberries. Staff was friendly and helpful.  Lots to do and see nearby.  I loved staying at Bass Lake Worldmark Spring 2024 road trip to Yosemite + King's Canyon National Parks: Golden Dragon was our 1st stop for food. https://www.hungryones.com/2024/05/golden-dragon-2/ We stayed at Worldmark Bass Lake. https://www.hungryones.com/2024/05/worldmark-bass-lake/

This place is amazing for families, couples, or anyone who loves the outdoors…read more Note - we booked through RCI. Worldmark manages the units on the "otherside of the gate" for RCI. Worldmark units have their own pool, etc, and the RCI units share a pool, parking lot, trash bins with some actual homeowners who live in that same area. They are not very friendly (who can blame them, while we were there a guest drove his truck through someone's backyard.) Forgive the length, but good info here: The unit: We stayed in unit A35, in building 3, closest to the lake but with no lake view. Perfect unit if you want a quiet place to relax and an opportunity to see wildlife. It faces the boat parking lot. Upstairs in the master is a window facing the road. Anyone on the road can see into the window so we just left the blinds closed. No road noise to speak of. There is only 1 shower/tub and it's upstairs, so not technically a 2 bath as stated. With 4 people,  it's a bit inconvenient. Photos show all the room appointments, it was perfect for us. Both bedrooms were upstairs with the full bath.  The lake: Very short 5 min walk to the lake. We easily rolled our kayaks over every morning.  Lake gets very busy, but the water is incredibly clear. We spent hours exploring the shoreline and wetlands. Angel Falls trailhead is also in walking distance from the resort, although there are a few places along the road where there is no shoulder, so its not for the faint of heart. Yosemite Access: Wawona entrance is only 30 min from the lake but it's another hour to get to the main attractions in the park (bridal veil falls etc.) We were here during the Wahburn and Oak fires so we had to use the entrance gate waaaay over on the other side of Mariposa. After 1.5 hours of driving, we then had a 2 hour wait to get in the park. I don't recommend it. I cannot recommend this place enough. Staff was friendly and helpful. From the pool to the lake, there are tons of things to do and explore,  enough to keep all ages busy.

We have stayed a few times at Cedar Mountain Lodge when visiting family and friends in Oakhurst…read more It's a great location! The cute town of Oakhurst, with its shops and places to eat, is a conveniently central location; near enough to have day trips to lots of interesting places to visit, such as Yosemite, Coarsegold, The Sugar Pine Railroad, Bass Lake, and Mariposa. The apartment is fully contained on the upper floor of a home, with a private entrance. The wonderful hosts live on the bottom floor. They are lovely people, always friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The home has everything we need. The kitchen is well appointed to cook meals. We just grab food at the Raleys in town on the way. The beds are comfortable, and the bathrooms are modern and clean. My favorite room is the great room with all its windows, fireplace, and comfortable seating. Also with a large deck overlooking the trees. The neighborhood is quiet. The house has enough parking space for larger vehicles, like our F450 long bed, and for several cars. We have loved staying at the Lodge so much, that we now will literally try to plan our trips around when they have availability. Highly recommend!

We stayed here for the weekend to celebrate our dear friend's 50th birthday…read more The kitchen have everything. We cooked our meals. We even baked birthday cake. The place have three bedrooms: a bunk bed, queen size bed, and double bed size. There's five of us and bed arrangement worked out for us. There's two bathrooms. They even have washer and dryer. The place is remodeled. We will come back. 20 minutes away to Yosemite National Park.

Could very well be the highlight of visiting Yosemite. Great views from the bedroom and patio, cozy…read moreinteriors and deer grazing outside -- stay in the midst of nature at Vulture's View. Only 30 mins away from Yosemite (about 1.5 hr from Glacier's Point) this b&b is in the quaint town of Oakhurst with a reasonable mix of restaurants and cafes. Must stay on your next Yosemite trip.

When you drive up the driveway, the first thing you see is an old red gas station garage/barn…read morecovered in vintage signs. You can also expect to see a family of deer walking around the garden. Unfortunately the grounds are not as nice as I expected from the pictures on the website. The area around the driveway, garage, and parking area was very dry and it could use some water and landscaping. This is the kind of place you want to see a beautiful garden so you can sit outside and enjoy the warm weather and scenic views! As far as our stay went, let me start out by saying that Judy, the owner, is a total sweetie. She greeted us with open arms and a big smile. She showed us to our room (room 1), which had a "private" porch, "private" hot tub, and a beautiful view. Then, she sat us down and explained to us the rules, which were plenty: Take a shower before using the hot tub , hair up in the hot tub, only use the green towels for the hot tub, don't waste electricity, keep the noise to a minimum, don't drink too much in the hot tub, don't waste water, "quite time" starts at 9pm, etc....she said if any of the rules were broken, we would be charged extra. For $170 a night, we didn't expect as many rules. This was my boyfriend's first visit to Yosemite so I wanted to stay someplace wonderful. Although Vulture's View was nice and had an amazing view from the hot tub, it was not as wonderful as I had expected for the price. The first night we enjoyed a beer and a delicious dinner at Yosemite Forks Mountain House Restaurant in Oakhurst. Yum! I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The next morning we got up at 4:30am and headed to Yosemite to hike Half Dome. Great time. We returned after dinner, around 8:30pm, a little surprised to find that our bed was not made and our towels were not replenished. Also, we were not given any additional food for the next day's breakfast. Pros: * Friendly hosts * Deer frequently roam the property * the private outdoor jacuzzi w/ amazing view * comfortable bed w/ nice sheets * nice fireplace (although it was way too hot to use it) * the room was stocked with fruit, mini-cereal, coffee, a mini fridge, a microwave, etc. * flat-screen tv w/ cable & dvd player * room was a cool temperature (providing a nice relief from the heat outside) . Cons: * We had a non smoking room, but it smelled of cigarette smoke. * Jacuzzi wasn't that hot (and took a LONG time to heat up) * the grounds could have been kept up a little bit better * too many rules * we left for the day and when we came back our bed was not made and towels were not replenished. * dirty wine glasses :( * although there was a coffee maker in the room, the coffee and cream were not good. (and I was really looking forward to a cup of coffee after waking up at 3:30am before hiking Half Dome) * the alarm clock's alarm was broken Recommendations: * Bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while watching the sunset in the hot tub * Bring your own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. * Make sure to read the guest book (filled with many cute stories) * Bring your own coffee and cream (and some food to stock your mini-fridge)

A cozy quaint place Stayed here two nights and it was a…read morevery pleasant experience. The room and bathroom were very clean. Breakfast was yummy and they gave us brown bag lunches for the park . The hosts were very sweet and very helpful preparing us for our Yosemite adventure. Definitely recommend.

The hosts were amazing and even provided a guide for local restaurants and the best hikes in the…read morearea.. The rooms were very spacious and had such beautiful decor. Every room had a different theme with its own bathrooms too.. The kitchen was fully stocked with cooking utensils and silverware. The cabin was perfect for our family. We will be back.

We really enjoyed our week stay in your cabin. Very relaxing and close to everything we wanted to…read moredo. Definitely will be back! We have no complaints at all. Thank you Dave and Lorna Jones From Ohio

Great vacation homes!! We really enjoyed our vacation!! Hard working family business. They strive…read moreto provide you with the best place to stay while visiting Yosemite!!! Would definitely recommend!!

From start to finish, this was the perfect way to spend a few days away from the hustle and bustle…read moreof the busy work life. Our plan was to choose a location close to Yosemite National Park, seeing that we would be visiting from out of town and didn't want to drive a long distance each way. The trip began with a nice and calming drive through Coulterville into a secluded small area of other lodgings. We finally drove up the the Red Rooster Lodge (no problem with finding the place) and walked in to be greeted very warmly by Genise. She was very casual and sweet with my partner and I. She checked us into our room, which was right down a short hall and next to the bathroom and other room we would be sharing with another couple. Our room included a very large bed (which was extremely comfortable sleeping in), a good sized closet, and personal bath towels and shampoo for the shower use. The restroom was also very well stocked and clean each time we required its use. Upon dropping our luggage off into the room, we headed out for some fresh air in the open acre land that was available for us. That evening, Adam made a warm and cozy fire for us, to which my partner and I, and the other couple, sat around and played card games. We called it an early night and hit the sack. The next morning, Adam had an amazing breakfast spread ready at 7:45 am. It included, coffee, juice, cereal, fresh cut fruit, oatmeal, toast, hard boiled eggs, and a few other various food selections. Quite honestly, it was a better spread than I had seen in some "upscale" places I've been before. He even had the kitchen table set up nicely with a plate, bowl, and utensils for each person. Upon finishing our meal and before heading out, Adam asked if we would like to take part in a dinner course he would be preparing that evening for the guests. We said yes and went about our day at Yosemite National Park. We arrived back at the lodge around 7 o'clock and Adam notified us that dinner would be ready at 7:30. So we quickly washed up from our long day and was motioned to the front porch by Adam that our own personal setting and placemats were awaiting us on the bench. It entailed two wine glasses, very nice plates and utensils, and the best possible surroundings set for a romantic dinner date. The dinner was also amazing. We began with a simple salad and vinaigrette dressing. Good way to start. We then followed with a delicious pan grilled chicken breast, rice pilaf, and sautéed veggies. We then finished up with a slice of devilish carrot cake. Also included was a bottle of wine. Now mind you, this dinner was an additional cost to our stay, but it was beyond greater than any other fancy dinner I've had at a lodge or hotel restaurant. We also had great service from Adam and everyone else at the lodge throughout the dinner. We again finished our evening by sitting in front of the fire playing cards, and conversing with the other family that had checked in that same day. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone that is looking for a laid-back, relaxing, quiet, comfortable, and honest place to stay. If you are into the private room and bathroom type of stay, this may not be for you. But if you're open to great hospitality, great people, the chance to meet other great individuals upon your stay, and just an overall great experience, I would say this is the place to stay!

A very lovely place to stay. Adam was so fun to be with. The place is so romantic. Dinner was great…read morewith personal touch. My wife loved the massage by Diane. We would definitely go back.