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Mariposa Recommendations

Image credit: YMCTB

After you've experienced the beauty of the National Park, we invite you to explore the unique activities around the charming gold rush town of Mariposa.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Water

A river with a sign that says merced wild and scenic river

Boating: Visit Bass Lake near Oakhurst for boat rental on a beautiful lake, and finish with a snack and drink at the marina's scenic waterfront bar
Swimming: The Merced River in the Briceburg area has many great summertime swimming holes
Fishing: Check out the best spots for fishing and fly fishing.

Tastings

A bottle and two cans of beer are sitting next to each other on a table.

Beer: We love the wide variety of tasty brews at 1850 Brewery
Wine: Definitely stop by and do a tasting (or grab a bottle) at the tasting room for local winery Casto Oaks, just 1 mile from us
Cider: Take a short country drive to sample the tasty offerings at Sierra Cider. Enjoy their petting zoo, tours, and beautiful orchard views

Family

Hike: Nearby Stockton Reservoir offers a scenic family-friendly hike
Museum: Entertain the little ones at Mariposa's museums devoted to History or Mining
Diner: Kids (and adult kids too) will enjoy the relaxed dining ambience at local favorite Happy Burger
Waterpark: Visit Lake McSwain in the summer for North America's largest floating inflatable waterpark

Adrenaline

A group of people are in a raft that says ziprite on it

Rafting: Run the scenic Merced river in late spring and early summer just 20 minutes from us with our friends at Zephyr Whitewater, the closest option to Yosemite Valley.
Skydive: Get a bird's eye view of the Sierra Nevadas and Yosemite with Skydive Yosemite.

Dining & Bars

A close up of a plate of food with beans and tacos on a table.

Breakfast: Grab a treat from High Country Health Foods on your way into YNP
Lunch: Swing by the giant outdoor patio at the Grove House for their ever-changing menu of well-crafted comfort foods
Charcuterie: We highly recommend swinging by The Californian Commissary and picking up one of their tasty cheese and meat platters to go.
Dinner: We love the delicious elevated comfort food options at 1850 Brewery.
BBQ: Definitely swing by the new BBQ spot in town, Smokin Oak BBQ, for a post-hike pulled-pork or brisket sandwich
Bars: Can't beat the Grove House (& their kid & dog-friendly beer garden), the Alley, or the dive-bar ambience at the Hideout. Also check out the wide variety of beer/wine/mead at the new Twisted Cedar Taphouse right next to Smokin' Oak BBQ

Other Fun

A man and woman are walking down a street in front of a store that is open.

Hiking: A beautiful spring or winter hike is Hite's Cove, which follows a scenic section of the Merced River.
Live Music: Hands down, the Grove House wins the award for best acts.
Yoga: If you can't make our on-site summertime classes, check out Yogasemite, especially their guided yoga and meditation classes inside the national park.
Climbing Museum: Learn about the history and evolution of climbing by exploring the photography, artifacts, and hardware at the Yosemite Climbing Museum.
Shopping: There's some fun window shopping to be had in town, such as the the rocks, gems, and gifts at Yosemite Gifts.
Hornitos: This local "almost ghost town" makes for an easy drive for history buffs