This is really out in the middle of nowhere. It's on hwy 395 right before Bridgeport California…read more Look for the sign and turn off. There's No cell service, only 10 miles of paved road the 3 miles of gravel road. It's windy up there and we were there on June 27th and it was low to mid 60's. My phone was having issues working up there and we couldn't figure out why. My phone was telling me it was hot. So I just turned it off. Not sure what that was about. But Bodie is definitely a cool place to visit. I couldn't imagine living somewhere like that. I told Mark that's where you would move if you were really mad at your kids. Because to live in a place like that would be punishment. It's a harsh environment. No trees, no birds, no grass. I didn't even see a lizard. People just up and left. They left piano's, beds, stoves, clothes, photos. The casinos, bars, gyms. Look like the people just vanished on day. Curtains dangle and weathered in windows. You can look through the windows but you cannot enter the buildings. It's $8.00 for adults and I think $5 for kids to take stamp mill tour it's another $6 dollars that you pay for in the museum inside the park. Check out Mark Clay McGowan on YouTube for a video of our journey.

We saw the sign that said Ghost Town 10 miles, but that it could take 30 minutes to get there. We…read morethought what the heck. Soooo glad we did! The drive is partially paved, and mostly unpaved down a dirt road. There were a couple of cow gates to crossover, a few smaller rocks in the road. We traversed it in a Toyota Camry and were fine. A truck or SUV is ideal, but a sedan was completely workable. You are driving way out in the middle over nowhere then come of the hill and there is a rather large ghost town. We were COMPLETELY surprised at how large it was. Being a State Park there is a nominal entrance fee. See sign of posted prices in pictures! The park is very educational, historical, cool things to see! It is a great way to be outdoors walking and getting exercise without calling it exercise! There are both restrooms at the parking lot and then outhouses down near the hotel for use. There was a water fountain (we brought our own) I only saw that it was working if needed. This park is preserved as is for people to see. There are things on the ground to step over which are natural terrain like rocks and stuff and then there are items like chains to step over to prevent injury. An individual with serious mobility issues would have a hard time unless they utilized a wheelchair or mobility device of some sort. The paths that you walk on are dusty, plan on being dirty, it is a ghost town in nature!! There was a museum to enjoy. In the museum there was the option to purchase tickets to see the mill for $6 per person. We also saw a sign on the church that there would be a talk shortly. There was an indoor area to sit on benches and watch a movie about the history of Bodie. It was neat seeing some of the items inside the buildings like original wall paper, toys, toddler potty chairs, vintage furniture, old tools, wagons... If you are looking for a great way to enjoy a drive, exercise, family time, history, and see the largest preserved ghost town then this is for you! Would we return: ABSOLUTELY.. I was sad I didn't know about this before and didn't have more time to explore and do the Mill tour!! We only spent about an hour there. I'd love to plan appropriately and spend the better part of a day here. What is there to eat, drink and snack on?? NOT A THING OTHER THAN A WATER FOUNTAIN.. PACK ACCORDINGLY AND DONT FORGET AND HAND SANITIZER!!!

Nice place to walk around and learn more about the area. It's free and the staff is very friendly…read more There is also a nice large park adjacent to the property for kids with swings and play structures. You can look across the street and see Mono Lake too. There are two electric car charging stations there as well. We charged our Tesla there. Slow but better than nothing.

Interesting little museum! Worth the stop especially if you've visited Bodie state park. There are…read morephotos and artifacts from its once bustling days. Ken, the museum volunteer, is awesome. He played a little sample of a very old record on the historic Edison record player! He's so cool, you too visit him.. and the museum!

Military Museum [Hawthorne NV]…read more First, thank you to the thousands of Military, Civil Service and Civilian Corporate Personnel that have made significant, and even the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. During one of our road trips we took a little detour in the small town of Hawthorne to stretch our legs. We stopped at the museum on a Friday morning with no intention of staying long but ended up staying for about an hour. There was so much to see! Outside alone we spent 15 mins visiting the outdoor display. Inside, the museum featured many vintage and classic military uniforms, photographs, memorabilia, newspaper clippings from significant dates in history... and, of course, displays and exhibits of a range of ammunition dating back to the early part of the 20th century. Volunteer veterans were happy to answer questions from guests. We had a Marine Vet give us a little history about the world's largest ammunition depot. What a rare opportunity for us to get up close and personal and see the ammunition displays. Btw, Yelp didn't allow me to post some of the inert missiles, bombs, rockets and nuclear weapons collections. FREE Admission but accepts donation. The museum is a dream come true for fans of military history and veterans. They have a souvenir gift shop - Cash only. Review #3520

The Hawthorne museum is the most thorough ordnance museum we've ever been to! It's literally packed…read morefull of every single type of ordnance you can imagine. Both my husband and I are Navy Veterans that worked in the ordnance field so seeing it all in one place was definitely right up our alley! The staff was very friendly and welcoming and the displays are well thought out and easy to follow. The local history displayed was perhaps the greatest history lesson of all! We never knew Hawthorne held the secrets it holds!

Visited 7/9/26. It's a cool museum with tons of history and relics in a beautiful setting. I…read morelearned so much! The guide manning the museum was very knowledgeable and eager to share interesting facts and stories. Definitely recommend!

Cute little museum located on a scenic riverside patch of grass. I'm not sure I'd go super far out…read moreof my way to come here, but was a nice little stop.

On our last full day at Yosemite last week, we decided to venture out and do some sightseeing. We…read moretook a bus ride to Yosemite Village and loved checking out the Yosemite Museum. It's free and just a quick adventure. I loved seeing all of the Native American artifacts from headdresses to bows and arrows to woven bowls to even dancing capes. They also had a section where you could also touch items and there was even an employee demonstrating how to extract seeds from pinecones that my daughter got to participate in. They also have a trail out back that takes you to an area where there are teepees. Staff were friendly and we also checked out their gift shop where my friend bought us matching bracelets. The gift shop also sold arrowheads, handmade earrings, and soaps. We will definitely be back next time we are in Yosemite! Check them out!

I was happy to see a museum in the middle of the Yosemite Park. It is a very small museum, but it's…read morenice to go in and look at all the artifacts and pictures. Everything had great descriptions nearby. There was a woman at the front door who let us taste some berries and she also a lot of information about where they come from and what they do with the branches. We also bought a couple of jewelry pieces from her. She was very pleasant and she also welcomed us back and told us about the ceremonies that take place in August. She encouraged us to visit the Indian village behind the museum. There was also another man that was in the museum and talking to the patrons. He was sharing about his native culture and answering questions. Everything was lovely inside. If you come to Yosemite, make sure to stop on by the museum.

The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about things. This place has a lot of deep history items,…read moreit's so cool to see items from decades ago... a definite must see if you're in town..!!!

The views from the top are amazing (on a clear day). Whether skiing/snowboarding and heading to…read morethe top, or just here to enjoy the scenery and surroundings, it's more than worth a visit. Personally a clear day after a storm is the best! The gondola ride up is quick and enjoyable. On busy days, they will fill the cabin, so be ready for a tight squeeze. It's almost ski/boarding season!

Mammoth Mountain Scenic Gondola was one of the highlights of our Mammoth trip! We decided to get…read moreon the gondola towards the end of our adventure and turns out we made the right choice! The Gondola takes you up to McCoy where you can get off and enjoy an intermediate course or stay on and head up to the top of Mammoth Mountain! We started off thinking we were going to just enjoy the cafe up there and the views and then some of us would head back down the gondola. Turns out, my boys decided to take the chance and ride down the top of the mountain with me while my wife headed down on the gondola and met us at the bottom after getting some gifts from the gift shop. The way down is a little frightening if I am to be honest but I am a strong believer in the adage, where there is a will there is a way! My boys coming down with me was a wonderful life lesson and a truly exhilarating and exciting adventure! I highly recommend taking the gondola to the top! 5 stars for sure and 2 thumbs up!!

The Ansel Adams Gallery is a gem for anyone interested in the legendary photographer's work. The…read morespace offers a carefully curated collection of books, prints, and keepsakes that celebrate his vision and Yosemite's breathtaking beauty. I joined a photo walk with Lucas from the gallery. Since I was the only participant that afternoon, he went above and beyond -- taking me to several iconic Yosemite locations where Ansel Adams created some of his famous images. He even gave me a glimpse of the photographer's home attached to the gallery. Lucas was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge, and it made for an unforgettable experience. Shoutout also to Ian from the gallery, who was prompt, friendly, and professional in his email communication before my visit. If you're seeking inspiration from both Yosemite's natural beauty and the legacy of a master photographer, this gallery is a required stop. I will definitely be returning.

The Ansel Adams Gallery is located in Yosemite Village. There's several parking lots, a welcome…read morecenter and a post office you'll pass on the way. All is on a walking path and overall an easy walk there. There are a variety of photographs on postcards of Ansel Adam'a photography in addition to books. There are other gifts such as jewelry, pottery items, etc. that are available for purchase along with disposable cameras. It's worth the visit!

This is a museum I think every family should Come to! It's…read moregot some GREAT American history west of the Mississippi. I've been to the Smithsonian and I'm actually shocked they haven't bought this from them. This is equally as good as one of their museums. The items that have been donated, the information they give is so interesting and informative. There are buildings Upon buildings and did you know mules used to pile the railroad out here? Ya, me either ! GE has stuff to do with the railroad. They have old old cars, and stuff mods NEVER EVER would see if they didn't go to this very museum. Leave a couple hours early on your way to mammoth or on your way home ... GO TO THIS AMAZING MUSEUM!!! You want be disappointed !!!!

A Wonderful Step Back in Time at Laws Railroad Museum…read more We absolutely loved our visit to the Laws Railroad Museum & Historic Site in Bishop, California! From the moment we arrived, everyone was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and accommodating. There was so much to see and explore that we could have spent hours there. The museum is like stepping into an entire little town from another era. There's an old schoolhouse, a library, historic buildings, station agent family home, doctor's office, firehouse and fascinating pieces of everyday life -- including old Maytag appliances. Every building seemed to have something interesting to discover. One of the highlights was riding the Brill train, which was such a fun experience and especially exciting for our 9 year old son, who absolutely loves trains. Another memorable part of our visit was meeting Makenzie, who was working on and cleaning the historic No. 9 4-6-0 Baldwin steam locomotive. Makenzie took the time to talk with us and shared some fascinating information about the train and its history. That personal interaction really made our visit special. It's really wonderful to meet a community of train enthusiasts. You can tell how much care, dedication, and passion goes into preserving this incredible piece of California history. It's truly a hidden gem and a wonderful place for families, history lovers, and, of course, train spotters! We highly recommend Laws Railroad Museum and can't wait to visit again!

The Mariposa Museum and History Center is a gem of a place--and a great way to stave off the…read morepost-meal slumber after lunch at 1850! There is SO much information available, and it's stunningly coordinated and handpainted; an art installation on it's own. We learned so much about the local history and area, and it was neat to see it presented in a way that really brought the history to life. The staff were all very warm and welcoming. I would DEFINITELY come back because there's just no way to read everything in an hour. I highly recommend.

The Mariposa Museum & History Center was founded in 1957 and filled with exhibits featuring Native…read moreAmericans, Spanish settlements, the Gold Rush, Yosemite, and Mariposa history. I admired the cool artifacts outside. Inside were stories and more artifacts from the old days. Great place to learn about Mariposa's past.