The Best Places to Stay & Eat Inside the Parks

  • The Ahwahnee Hotel: No surprise here -- the Ahwahnee's knockout restaurant is the best in any of the parks. But expect to pay for it -- it's also the most expensive by far.
  • Mountain Room Restaurant at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls: Some people like the Mountain Room even better than the top-rated restaurant at the Ahwahnee. Not only is the food here top-notch, but you also can't beat the views of Yosemite Falls.
  • Wawona Hotel: Located outside the valley, this spacious, classic Victorian-style hotel was constructed in 1879. Don't be surprised if a horse and buggy rounds the driveway by the fishpond -- it's that kind of place.

The Best Places to Stay & Eat Outside the Parks

  • Yosemite Bug (Midpines): Born as a hostel in 1996, the Yosemite Bug is now much, much more. The place has something for everybody, with accommodations that range from tent-cabins to delightful private rooms, plus a good restaurant, a spa, and loads of personality.
  • Evergreen Lodge (Groveland): A rough-and-tumble Prohibition-era destination for the workers who built the dam that flooded nearby Hetch Hetchy Valley, Evergreen Lodge has been reborn as one of the best cabin resorts in the Sierra Nevada.
  • Sunset Inn (Groveland): Just 2 miles from Yosemite's entrance, the Sunset Inn is the perfect antidote to the hubbub you encounter in the valley. Surrounded by old-growth forest, the inn's 2 acres are a world apart, complete with a frog pond, chicken coop, and hiking trails in every direction.
  • Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite (Fish Camp): Set on 35 acres surrounded by Sierra National Forest and featuring a full slate of organized recreational activities, Tenaya Lodge seems to have one foot in the Adirondack Mountains and another in the Southwest.
  • Château du Sureau & Spa (Oakhurst): One of the standout small resorts in all of California, the lavish Château du Sureau is as close as you can get to Europe on this side of the Atlantic. The restaurant, Erna's Elderberry House, is similarly outstanding.
  • Savoury's (Mariposa): Chic but casual and featuring well-oiled service, this is our favorite restaurant in Mariposa, with a menu of simple, fresh dishes that meld culinary traditions near and far.
  • Sequoia Village Inn (Three Rivers): Just outside park boundaries, the Sequoia Village Inn offers charming cabin-style units. Stylishly decorated with lodgepole-pine bed frames and hardwood floors, they're great for couples and families alike.
  • Vintage Press (Visalia): A good pick for a romantic dinner, this stalwart's three dining rooms are elegant in the spirit of an upscale gin mill in Gold Rush-era San Francisco.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.