What to do with 13, 11 and 5 year old in Yosemite area

[sydenhamhiller]

Hi all - there seem to be lots of thread on California on here , but I was hoping for specific recommendations on things to do in Yosemite with 3 kids aged 13, 11 and 5.

We've booked our accommodation in the Park for 4 nights in mind-August (not in the busy Valley) months ago, and then time has rushed by and we have started to look at what we would actually DO there.

It seems that if we're not careful we could spend a lot of time in traffic jams? Or is that just to get into the park? Should we leave the car parked at our accommodation and take the free Park bus about (YARP or something like that)?

Also - if I understand correctly, there won't be any white water rafting available in August, due to water levels, but could we do regular rafting? With a 5 year old? Horse-riding? Any tips on specific places/ companies! I've spent hours googling, and feel a bit over-loaded, would be so grateful for some top tips.

We went a few years ago for three days in August. The information centre gave us ideas and we went on an organised family walk with a guide, hired bikes, drove up to see the main viewing points, went to a couple of lectures and swam. We absolutely loved it; DC were 7 and 8. The whole place was very well organised for families taking short breaks and coped with the numbers of visitors well

I think your 5 year old might be too young to horseride.
There are loads of short hikes.
Lots of canoe hire etc at Curry Camp.
You can play the car/bus thing by ear. You'll soon get the Valley sussed as it's not that big.

Sorry Curry Village now called Half Dome Village.

They have had very heavy snow this year and some roads higher up are still closed. Well worth liking their FB account. Lots of useful info and photos there. We spent a lovely afternoon swimming in Tenaya Lake. Very cold water but stunningly beautiful with pine trees, sandy beaches and high mountains plunging down into the lake. There are only picnic tables and loos there so you will need to take a picnic with you.

Also nearby are the Tuolumne Meadows. In the spring it is a lake when the snow melts and in the summer heathland.

Also worth going to is the Tuolumne Grove to see the Giant Sequoia Trees.

Was talking to my SIL about this the other day, as we will be there in a fortnight - eeek!!! She and niece did a mule ride, which she said was lovely and relaxing, not as hard as horse riding.

They also said the views from Glacier point were stunning. You can walk up, but it is strenuous, so they advised driving there.

The highest road in the area, the Tioga pass, opened today, according to the research my DS was doing earlier.

We are staying at Wawona, and also intend looking at the public transport.

I will message you at some point after our visit, Op, tell you how we found the transport and parking and what we did.

Tioga Pass is the most stunning place I've ever been in my life x

Plan to spend at least one day exploring by car! Enter via Tioga if you can, it's insanely beautiful. Also make sure you go up to Glacier point and watch the view. We saw bears there and also watched a thunderstorn from above.

All the waterfalls in the valley also. Visitor centre is great to tell the story of the place and that will have some organised sessions with animals/nature walks etc.

If the 5 year old is fairly used to walking and won't mind a bit of a hill or can be carrier then walk up to Nevada falls, breathtaking.

Also find yourself in the meadow in the valley at sunset. The way the light falls is simply stunning and you are likely to get up close and personal with a dear.

If you're coming from Mammoth (Tioga pass entrance) then make a detour via Mono Lake where the salt towers are amazing!

Drive to Glacier Point and you'll easily fill time walking around and taking in the views. Combine with a walk up Sentinel Dome as the trailhead is near to GP. We did with a 5 year old, two four year olds and a three year old.

www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point-road/sentinel-dome/sentinel-dome.htm

In August most waterfalls are dry but Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls are the exception. I'd recommend walking to the top of Vernal via the Mist Trail and if you are doing okay, take the John Muir trail down. You'll initially climb towards Nevada Falls and get great views and then head back down. Too much for the three year olds but the four year olds did it.

www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/mist-trail/mist-trail.htm

Lots of other good suggestions on the Yosemite Hikes website.