The 49 best family-friendly hikes in Yosemite National Park (2024)

3.5 stars would be a better rating but I just can't give them 4 stars. The staff was nice and housekeeping was wonderful.However, the maintenance was really below par. I don't pretend to know the situation, whether the maintenance budget is really low, the aren't enough maintenance people, the maintenance people don't really care, they're not skilled enough, or nobody holds them accountable. I just don't know. But there are a lot of things that really need fixed.The dead bolt on it balcony door is completely useless as the latch has worn a groove through the jamb. The weather seals on the balcony doors are totally messed up, letting tons of bugs in the room.The toilet flush handle barely works.The heater could use a 21st century refresher.I do appreciate the fridge but I don't like driving my toe on it every time I use the sink.We arrived late at night and realized how difficult it is to navigate snow and ice when the pathways aren't lit up enough. There are some path lights but not everywhere they're needed.A couple things were also odd or lacking. For example, the bunk beds were a couple feet from the corner of the wall. It would have been nice to put our suitcase at the open end of the bed but being forced to put it in the cramped corner was frustrating.Also, they have a perfect opportunity to put a towel rack by the sink where there plenty of wall room. I wouldn't even care if it matched the other one, just put anything there.The one thing I did appreciate above everything else was the fact that there were no long hairs on our towels from past guests. Somehow they seem to get them all out before putting them in our room and that's a good thing.

We stayed for one night while we visited Yosemite on a trip around the parks. While the price is steep, we were pleasantly surprised with the room. We had read some poor reviews on here but our room was clean and that is what is most important to us. Our bed linens were spotless and bath linens were new and crisp. The location is second to none, check-in was quick and easy, parking was available, and the restaurant was good. The lodge is dated and rustic but is certainly reasonable for park accommodations.

I’m surprised the rating on this property is so high, maybe we just received a room in one of the neglected buildings. Our building was the one furthest from the check-in area and it was unbelievably dirty. Dust everywhere, including the fans which would have been useful as it was quite warm in the room. The location, however, was absolutely perfect. We like to be up to see sunrise so this allowed us to sleep in a little bit longer but other than convenience there weren’t many positives to this experience. Would consider staying here again for the location but would try the Ahwahnee Hotel first.

The location is awesome. The night time restaurant was very good and also the bar. I wanted to start out with positives. What we didn't like was the installations themselves. Was very run down. For over $500 a night I expected a lot better. No wifi in the rooms is kind of a bummer but I understand. The bathroom had a bad smell when water was running in the shower. Overall we just expected so much more. Friendly staff inside the bar ( Etel)

Employees were attentive and friendly, Our room was clean, had hot water and water pressure, Deck with table and chairs to eat outside. Very walkable to many sites in the park and to the shuttle all the basics you need, but the room is rustic and very dark, needs to be renovated not that Armark Cares.The food is terrible, this is not the employees fault it's Armark's but plan accordingly.

The location at the foot of Yosemite Falls was amazing. The rooms were rustic. There was heat, but the single paned glass meant we really had to crank it up. The mattress was not the best but was literally being switched out the day we left. I liked that all the windows could open in the summer, but be warned they tell you up front there is no ac.

I've stayed at the Cedar building at Yosemite Valley Lodge. The room was clean and acceptable - honestly it was a bit better than what I was expecting based on other reviews. The room is pretty dated but there weren't any major deal breakers. It's pricey but you are paying for the location - the lodge is next to the Yosemite Fall, Shuttle stops, Yosemite Village, and a number of trails. I would likely stay here again next time I visit.

We had such a wonderful time on our vacation to Yosemite National Park. We stayed for 5 nights. The staff was great, especially Cynthia, Steven & Mike. Cynthia was able to move our 4 separate bookings into one, which made it especially helpful while traveling with children. Steven was knowledgeable and able to help us when we needed assistance and was able to quickly answer our questions. We requested extra blankets twice during our stay and Mike was full of energy and very friendly. We stayed in Elderberry and loved the view from our back porch, where we could see Yosemite Falls. The Yosemite gift shop next to the front desk had such a friendly cashier too. The shuttle drivers were great and we especially loved the Valley Floor Tour. We mostly ate at Base Camp Eatery and made a reservation for our last night at The Mountain Room restaurant.

Good value for what you get. A bit old and funky, but not in a bad way. Nice balcony. Central location. Lots of stuff nearby, including Yosemite Falls. Easy shuttle access. Power did go out one night for about 3.5 hours, and if it hadn’t come back on I think the room would have been too cold to stay; nighttime temp was 13°

Room decore is dark wood, a bit rustic, with a patio, in room coffee maker, decent tub/shower combo. King, 2 queens or doubles. TV didn't work. The room had a stand alone fan, a space heater, and other amenities tucked into the close. People at the reservation desk most accommodating.

We were in the Juniper building. Our room was really 2 large rooms (1 king, 2 queen beds), 2 full bathrooms, balcony (even though we were 1st floor) and kitchenette. The grounds are beautiful. The beds and pillows were VERY comfortable. 3 adults and 3 kids. The kids loved it. If we'd have known, we would've stayed here for our entire Yosemite trip because it's closest to the valley and we didn't get a chance to use the game room or pools during our stay. The store had a lot of souvenirs and some food as well. We didn't try the restaurants because we brought food with us.

Getting very run down, badly needs to be renovated or better yet torn down and rebuilt. Motel quality rooms at expensive prices. Lobby was in shambles when we visited this week with old looking holiday decorations and shipping containers stacked in the common areas. The best part is the mountain room restaurant and the adjacent bar, which are both the best in the valley, which is why three stars and not one or two.

I was super excited to book my stay at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. I worked directly with Cynthia at the front desk regarding some questions about my stay, and she was incredible. I have never had such good customer service in my life! She was attentive, informative, and very kind. I will be coming back just because of my interaction with her and the beauty of Yosemite!

This place is one of the best locations to stay in Yosemite Valley—short walk to restaurants, Starbucks, gift shop, and Yosemite Falls. We stayed in the Laurel building, which is near the shuttle stop, making it convenient. There weren’t any leaves on the trees behind our place, so we could also see a few random falls and Sentinel Falls. We had our own bathroom, table, mini fridge, balcony with table/chairs. (This is a lot when comparing to Curry Village.) I could hear the neighbors, but we turned on a fan (they provided 2 plus a ceiling fan), and it drowned them out. The shower was clogged, and my husband fixed it so we could use it. I chose to overlook this because of our awesome location. The floors were not clean, including some food like popcorn and trail mix on the carpet…so wear socks? We were too busy hiking and sightseeing to let that ruin our trip. Again..location was great! After a so-so dinner at cafeteria (now we know to reserve at the restaurant for next time) we had a short walk to the meadow to watch the sunset on Half Dome and see waterfalls all around us. We could also hear the falls late at night. Despite some issues with the room, this is the place we will stay from now on.

Great location! Yosemite Valley Lodge is very well situated. Easy access to most of the main sights - lots within walking distance and the shuttle is conveniently outside. Everything was clean even though the facility was a bit old. The room didn’t have central heating but it had a small heater. There was no comforter, only a thin blanket, which was disappointing. We had to use our own blanket.Base Camp - the on-site restaurant has a good variety of food. From 6pm until it’s closing time, there was a consistently long line — the backlog seems due to having only a single cashier.Check In : 17:00Check Out: 10:00

Yosemite one of the wonders nature has given us. Beautiful monolithic granite stones rising into the sky and dwarfing us. Wonderful place Yosemite valley lodge is most ideal place to stay when you visit Yosemite. Inside the park and front desk staff are so pleasant smiling and knowledgeable. Lodge is neat and self contained It’s bit difficult to get reservations but once you get it you will love the place

If you've visited lodges in other national parks they can be very rustic. This one was not like that at all. I was really surprised that we had a refrigerator and a TV (not that we turned it on, I wasn't expecting one.) The bathroom in this room is nicer than mine at home!! We had plenty of nice hot water for four ladies to take showers back to back to back. I love that the sink is separate from the shower and toilet. There is plenty of room for everyone to feel comfortable. The beds are alright. Comfort wise i'd give them a 3/5. I can see a waterfall outside my room! What more could you ever want? Checking in came following a really rough tour and our group was pretty upset. We were taken care of so well. I don't think our room was really ready but they found us a place to get into to regroup.

In my opinion the best place to stay at Yosemite Vally. The location can not be beaten. Only short walk to Yosemite Falls and walking distance to Sentinel Bridge, and Swinging Bridge for example.The facilities and rooms that are located in multiple building are old like is typical in National Parks but my room that was located in Cedar Building was of adequate size with comfortable bed, chair, dresser, and table with micro-fridge. There is heating but no AC which is typical in parks. Room Service was very good.There are 2 restaurants one is fast food type called Eatery and the other more formal. Gift shop has many products with prices that are high as you expect in a remote National Park.The staff at the front desk is very friendly and professional. Parking is free for customers. You get a parking permit for the park from front desk at checking in.

The room had a large spider web over the light. The ceiling needed to be dusted, and the fans in the room were dirty, but the bed was comfortable. The Tran ride around the park was great. Dinner was great. The general store had a lot to choose from. Knowing what I know, I would still go again.

The restaurants and pool were great but the rooms are a little dated. The shower space reminded me of campground showers but shampoo/conditioner/body wash were all included, so that's a plus. There's a bone rental onsite which is really helpful. We had the misfortune of visiting during an extremely hot week so the lack of AC was felt but they had lots of fans we could use. If you get a family room you'll be nice and close to all of the amenities.

Quite frankly whoever redesigned the cafeteria has some explaining to do, because it is so far inferior to what it used to be. The modern food options at the lodge are either depressing or exorbitantly priced. It used to be so much better in its old layout and format.It’s also barely half the size it used to be which is perplexing.

I love this park, BUT the entire lodge area needs better lighting outside for when you arrive in the dark! It was VERY hard to find our way around the park and to our room after we checked in. The street signs are not lit, nor reflective, so you can't read them! Same with getting to our lodge unit and room! It is a safety hazard! Also, we weren't sure if we could check in late, and could not find any phone number to the front desk that worked! You need to include a working front desk phone number in your reservation confirmations!

Gotta admit came through here while hiking. I was absolutely stunned by the quality of service. Very helpful. I was directed to the restroom as I was hiking it was public. 10/10 would definitely use the facilities here again. Very warm, inviting, the smell of cleaner when walking into the restroom, cell service. Couldn't find anything to complain about. Thank you!!!

Visited just after spring break.Overpriced in every way. $300+ per night for a room out of 1959.Food in the Base Camp Eatery awful. Restaurant informed us kitchen backed up by a minimum of an hour. Can't imagine what the place is like high season.Staff friendly and Helpful.Not recommend in the slightest.

Eating here is always a wonderful experience, but what truly impressed me this trip was the great service, from getting us a seat on a busy night to being really welcomed by every staff member that interacted with our table. Such a professional friendly team. And the food was great

The check-in staff were super helpful and kind. They let me complete the check-in process way early in the morning, and then reached out to me to let me know as soon as my room was available. It REALLY helped me out with my time management, as I had some some reserved activities scheduled elsewhere in the park that day.The room was cozy and rustic! The heating/AC is not the most modern but... That honestly just improved the rustic vibe.

Spacious rooms, great location, next to the falls. Very friendly front desk service. Starbucks and eateries on the ground. Fair prices for food. The only big con : Wifi was terrible, super slow. Don't rely on it.

Not what we'd expected - no fault of theirs though. The first that comes to mind when you think about staying at the lodge inside the park is "waterfall views" or other such beautiful vista outside the window. And like another reviewer mentioned, we may have had the "cheap" rooms, but at $300+ total per night, I was expecting a bit more. Instead we had views of the supply closet, and walkway to the restaurant with a lot of foot traffic, so forget about keeping your window shades open either.The room was warm, clean and all that, and staying inside the park = great location automatically, and close to the Basecamp eatery and Starbucks. But we were left wanting for the "wow, this is awesome feeling"... Furthermore, we've stayed in better cabins at the Curry Village for much less money. Just something to think about.Again, no fault of theirs, but we'd much rather shell out extra for the views or stay at the Curry Village, or the best... get a wilderness permit and camp under the stars!!And, goes without saying, Thank you Yosemite Valley Lodge, and we'll save up more $ for the next time!!

Unreal. Yosemite national park is now officially my favourite place on earth, and I was able to explore it all at ease thanks to the valley lodge.Staff were friendly and welcoming, and the restaurant was amazing too. Genuinely not a bad word to say about it.It's also worth pointing out that obviously you're paying largely for the location, but the room was extremely spacious and extremely clear (not a guarantee given the captie audience). I've stayed in nicer hotels all being equal, but all is not equal... you're surrounded by the most incredible nature imaginable.

I recently stayed at Yosemite Lodge in room Alder 3621 and had a mixed experience. The room itself was good, with great access to the parking lot and a lovely view of Yosemite Falls. The interior was spacious, and the concierge was friendly and accommodating.However, there were a few drawbacks. The traditional keys provided don't have a hole for a keychain, so be careful not to misplace them. Additionally, there was no microwave in the room, which was inconvenient. Microwaves are available across the street in the lobby and gift shop. The fridge provided was tiny, and the layout of the bathroom was awkward, especially for those with larger body types.The cleanliness of the room left something to be desired, with dirty carpets, tables with dried wine stains, and dusty corners. To save money on dining, I recommend bringing a portable grill or French press for coffee, as restaurant prices are steep.One disappointment was that the lodge is no longer a shuttle stop, requiring a walk to the end of the buildings or across from Camp 4. Perhaps this is a recent off-season change.Overall, I would consider staying again, but the price was a bit steep for the amenities provided. Adding microwaves to the rooms would be a welcome improvement.

Great location near Yosemite Falls. Rooms are basic but comfortable. The check-in process was a mess. We waited for our rooms while others arrived and were immediately given rooms.

While the location was superb and I highly recommend staying in the valley if you have the opportunity, our room was definitely dated. The caulk in the tub had mold; the paint was chipped all over the walls, and the bed was rough. However, I didn’t really dwell on the lackluster room simply because the location was incredible. You can easily walk to a ton of incredible spots from here without having to get in your car. Yosemite falls is a 5 minute walk. Spectacular views of half dome, again 5 minute walk. There are plenty of amenities here as well (the lodge gift store with snacks, the cafeteria, Starbucks, the mountain dinning room, and a sweet lodge hangout room with a an epic fire place and bar). We got a cheaper room, and I understood why it was “cheap”. It didn’t put a damper our stay though. Highly recommend visiting during the holidays when we did. The decorations and overall vibe were super cute, cozy, and very quiet.

Yosemite Valley Lodge was a great value for the location, price, and amenities. It is in the main valley within walking distance of the restaurants, tour start location, and other shops. It is an easy drive or walk to many beautiful places. The room was comfortable and clean. I’d definitely pick it again!