Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular travel destinations in California. But did you know that beyond Yosemite, there are roads less traveled, with the most gorgeous backdrops including hidden lakes, waterfalls, mountain ranges, open farmland, and a load of geological history of the land? If you haven’t toured the Eastern Sierras, add that to your bucket list.
You might be wondering how you’ll ever manage a lengthy road trip with kids, let alone some of the walking and hiking required to see some of the hidden gems we just mentioned. Well, we felt the same way. Road trip vacations can be hard, especially when you’re at the tail end of potty training with your toddler, or your older child is hungry all the time, or they just complain about being bored every ten minutes. But, trust us when we say it gets easier when it becomes more of a “thing” for your family. Encouraging your children to appreciate the outdoors and helping build excitement about an adventure is what will help them look forward to what they will learn and experience next. So, after you’ve tested out a few shorter road trips, maybe an hour or two out, then perhaps they will be ready for this one, which is typically a four hour drive from the San Francisco bay area.
Not sure where to start? Here is our itinerary and a few travel tips for a quick three day trip we made this past summer. We encourage you to do as much planning as possible beforehand, as wifi and phone service is little to none, and a blessing in disguise if you ask us.
Know Before You Go
Know that things don’t always go as planned. Originally when we planned for this trip, we wanted to pass through Yosemite and take Sonora Pass or Tioga Pass, but due to the wildfires in those areas, those roads were closed. So make sure to check for road closures and the best route options! We ended up taking the route through Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe, then down 89 to 395. At first, we were dreading it. We even discussed the idea of canceling the whole thing. But that’s what doubt and worry does to you. You end up cancelling out, and missing out. But with a new mindset, we agreed to just make it work, and I’m so glad we did. You’ll see why soon!
Note to Parents: Consider planning for places to stop along the way, whether it be for a children’s activity, or for a meal or special treat. It helps keep kids active, excited, and to give them a break from the long drive. But of course, you can always opt to brave the straight drive out.
Reference this post for suggestions on places to stop along the way, traveling through the Sacramento area.
DAY 1
Arriving to Paradise Shores
For this last minute road trip, after hours of research, we came across Paradise Shores RV Camp in Bridgeport, CA. It just had the most quaint photos overlooking the reservoir and the sierra mountains and it was close to Twin Lakes (our primary purpose for the trip). We learned that they have trailers for rent on site, and each trailer has a cute little theme. We loved the Baja themed trailer, but for our family size, we chose the Denali.
Upon arriving, the hosts were very welcoming, the trailer was super clean, and the views did not disappoint. Since it was late afternoon when we arrived, and it had already been such a long day, we opted for a mellow evening in, just unpacking, a little riding, winding down, some dinner, and a movie.
DAY 2
Twin Lakes
Luckily for us, we had relatives staying at Annett’s Mono Village on Upper Twin Lake, so we planned to spend the entire day with them from breakfast to dinner, and every activity in between. If you do not have access to the resort, you can always opt for day use, or plan to stay at this camping resort instead. They do offer cabin and trailer rentals at this location as well, so check their website to plan accordingly.
After our early morning hellos, coffee, and a hearty breakfast, we headed straight for the lake for a quick little fishing lesson for our son, water splashing for our daughter, and some kayaking. It was just so peaceful and the views are breathtaking.
Here are some additional photos to give you a sneak peek.
Read our upcoming post on things to bring on road trips with young kids.
R&R and Craft Time
The afternoon called for some lunch, and a little R&R. While the kids took a nap, the adults got to do their own thing. One of our favorite things to do is collect natural materials to craft something unique and beautiful for us. It just so happens that our aunt is a professional crafter, and she brought her mini craft room with her to the site.
After collecting pine cones, and some drift wood pieces, we played around with some ideas for a bit, and then got right to it. We broke off bits of pine cones and made flower pieces, and turned some drift wood into a shark and tealight candle holder! For more info on how to set up a crafting station for kids at camp, we will be posting some ideas here soon.
Here is a sneak peek.
Twin Lakes Waterfall
Kids are up, and it’s time for a late afternoon snack and a walk to the waterfalls. It was about a 25 minute trail walk/hike from the site we were at, and definitely easy enough for kids. Ask around if you did not get a map at the front. Everyone seems to be super friendly. We stayed on the resorts dirt road trail towards the back of the village. From there, you can already start to hear the falls. In August, there was still a decent amount of water trickling down, but I can imagine that in late spring it would be more full. Nevertheless, its a great short hike to a waterfall for kids.
The evening came quick. We headed back to the site, enjoyed a lovely dinner with relatives, met some hungry deer, and called it a night. We headed back to Paradise Shores for sunset and a community campfire with s’mores.
DAY 3
Bridgeport Reservoir at Paradise Shores RV Camp
Our little bambinis always wake up early, typically by 7am, so we planned for an early (quiet) morning walk around the camp resort, and down to the reservoir for a little boat time. They offer paddle boards, paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. The kids wanted the paddle boat, so off we paddled onto the reservoir. It was just so serene. We still can’t get over the peaceful environment we found ourselves in. And coming from the SF peninsula, with all the hustle and bustle, and what high tech life brings, it was such a nice treat for us to sit here with only the sound of rippling water.
After returning to our trailer, we packed up the car to head back out on the road. We stopped at a restaurant in Bridgeport for a quick breakfast, and off we went.
Note for Parents: With little phone reception, make sure you have a general idea of where you are going or pick up a map. Our GPS worked fine in some parts of Bridgeport, and it led us to the road that takes you up to Travertine Hot Springs. When the paved road turns into a dirt/gravel road, you are heading in the right direction. 🙂
Travertine Natural Hot Springs
A true hidden gem, this natural hot springs is so close to the town of Bridgeport, you have to check it out! When you arrive to the parking area, you’ll see a small pool right there, but we suggest heading down the path a bit, and see more pools set in nature, like these.
Note to Parents: When we began our walk down the trail we quickly realized that this hot springs is clothing optional. Ha. We obviously packed our suits, but, not everyone did. Is this a thing for all natural hot springs?
We made it all the way there, and obviously wanted to teach our children about hot springs and how it got there, etc. So, before we continued down the hill, we had to have a quick chat with my older child about it, just to understand why some people choose to be naked. As we got closer, most young adults were kind enough to cover up, or turn away, and well, some did not. And that’s fine. Completely natural, right?
On to the important part…We made it! It was such a short walk down, easy for kids, great views, amazing geological information to be taught. You’ll get questions like, how did this get here? Why is it so hot? Is it always this hot? Are there snakes inside? Can I climb up there? Haha!
Here are a few more photos to give you an idea of the area.
And, well, that was it for the quick three day trip to the Eastern Sierras. We could have easily spent a week or two out there, exploring further south into Mono County, but we’ll save that for our Eastern Sierras Road Trip, Part 2.
To learn more about our road trip back home to the SF Peninsula, we decided to take another detour, this time, through Lake Tahoe. We just didn’t want the trip to end! We will be sharing those details on a future post, so check back soon.
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