Yosemite Spring Fling

Day 1 – Welcome to the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite!

From our departure points this morning we’ll travel by deluxe motorcoach into California’s fertile Central Valley. Following a morning rest stop and a stop for lunch on your own, we’ll begin our journey from the Central Valley into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Here, two miles from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park, situated on 35 secluded acres amongst a noble evergreen forest at 5,300 feet in elevation, is the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. We’ll enjoy a two-night stay at this elegant, AAA Four Diamond mountain retreat that offers an experience that is classic, yet perfectly modern. This full-service resort features an expansive lobby with a roaring fire in the giant stone fireplace, an indoor pool and spa, room service and a full-service restaurant offering a wide range of cuisine. Enjoy the balance of the evening at leisure with dinner on your own.

Day 2 – Yosemite National Park

Following an included breakfast, we’ll be joined onboard our motorcoach by a local guide for a full day of touring in Yosemite National Park. Preserved as a national park in 1890, Yosemite is home to a grand collection of picturesque waterfalls, peaceful meadows and historic structures amongst a pine forest and unique, glacier-shaped cliffs and rock faces. At Tunnel View we’ll get our first view of the spectacular Yosemite Valley including one of the west’s most photographed landmarks, Half Dome. Opposite Half Dome, towering 3,593 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor is El Capitan, the undisputed king of the granite monoliths – in fact it’s Earth’s largest single piece of granite! We’ll continue into Yosemite Valley, the prized jewel of Yosemite National Park. This eight- mile long, geologic marvel is a 4,000-foot deep trough lined by towering cliffs and glacially sculpted, polished rock. Although glacially carved valleys with similar features exist elsewhere in the world, none can compete with what legendary naturalist John Muir called the “Incomparable Valley.” We’ll take a short, leisurely walk to the base of the 620-foot Bridalveil Fall, one of Yosemite’s iconic waterfalls. At Sentinel Bridge we’ll take in the breathtaking view of Half Dome and its mirrored reflection in the Merced River. We’ll see a number of picturesque and historic buildings, none more famous or spectacular than the Ahwahnee Hotel, an architectural gem combining grandness and intimacy. We’ll enjoy time at leisure for lunch on your own at Yosemite Lodge before we explore Yosemite Village, home to the new national park visitor center, Ansel Adams Gallery of photographic art, the Village Store and a variety of historic buildings. This afternoon, join your guide on an leisurely walk to the base of the thunderous Yosemite Falls. Tumbling down an enormous rock face, Yosemite Falls is impressive not so much because of the volume of water but the sheer height from which it falls. Split into three sections, the cascade plunges 2,425 feet and is the highest waterfall in North America and fifth highest on the planet! We’ll return to the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite in the late afternoon with the balance of the evening at leisure to take advantage of the swimming pool and spa, restaurant and expansive lobby. (Breakfast)

Day 3 – Ride the Rails, Fresno, Journey Home

After an included breakfast, we’ll travel the short distance to Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and take a scenic trip back in time as we ride the rails through the Sierra Nevada Forest’s majestic tall trees. “The Logger” is an historic, three-foot narrow gauge steam train with open cars that travels on the same track used by logging trains in the 1800s. As we enjoy the stunning views from the open cars, the train conductor will provide narration about the area’s amazing history and we’ll see where lumberjacks once felled mighty trees for the nearby town of Madera. We’ll continue south by motorcoach to Fresno, located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and home to a large population of Basque people. When the Basque immigrants who came to California during the Gold Rush weren’t successful at mining, they soon migrated from the gold fields to the ranchlands in the San Joaquin Valley where many of them became sheepherders. We’ll enjoy an included, traditional Basque meal at a locals’ favorite. This family-style lunch includes fresh bread, homemade soup, fried chicken, charbroiled lamp chops, a variety of sides, ice cream and house wine, providing for a hearty and memorable finale to a spectacular journey. This afternoon we continue south toward Southern California making a rest stop later this afternoon. We return to our departure points this evening with many fond memories of the giant granite cliffs, peaceful meadows and thundering waterfalls on our “spring fling” in Yosemite. (Breakfast, Lunch)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.