Hotel at a Glance: Yosemite Gold Country Lodge

Yosemite Gold Country Lodge’s looks are deceiving. On the outside, it looks like a rustic forest retreat, with a timbered front porch studded with wooden benches. But inside, the lodge has been fully renovated from top to bottom to provide a cushy, modern stay in the great California landscape.

• Driving time to Yosemite: 25 minutes
• Nearby attractions: Lake McClure and Historic Jamestown and Sonora
• Revamped guest rooms feature refrigerators, fireplaces, and microwaves.
• Soothe sore muscles with a dip in a hot tub.
• Share vacation pictures with family and friends using lodge’s WiFi.

Yosemite National Park, California: Waterfalls, Half Dome, and Giant Sequoia Trees

Yosemite National Park is a place of superlatives. The massive swath of wilderness in central California is home to one of the world’s tallest waterfalls, the largest piece of exposed granite in the world (climb to the top on a Half Dome hike), and a grove of ancient sequoia trees that are among the largest living beings on the planet. The park is also one of the country’s most popular natural destinations: nearly four million visitors pass through each year.

Spring and early summer are the best times to see the waterfalls, thanks to the snowmelt brought on by warmer weather. Yosemite Falls—a three-tiered cascade considered the highest in North America—transforms into thundering cataracts each spring. Serious hikers can trek to the top on a strenuous hiking trail, which gains 2,700 feet in elevation in just 3.5 miles.