Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park is the best place to stay if you’re looking for luxury in a peaceful, forest setting. Located only two miles from Yosemite’s south entrance and 25 minutes from the small town of Oakhurst, where you can find gas stations, grocery stores, and delicious restaurants (looking at you, Smokehouse 41 BBQ!). Tenaya at Yosemite makes for the best lodging option!
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- Staying at Tenaya at Yosemite
- The Lobby at Tenaya Lodge
- Tenaya Lodge – Lodge Rooms vs Cottage Rooms
- Tenaya Lodge Deluxe 2 Queen Bed Room Tour
- Dining at Tenaya Lodge
- Activities at Tenaya Lodge
- Family Game Room
- Ascent Spa at Tenaya Lodge
- How Much Does it Cost to Stay at Tenaya Lodge?
- What’s Included with Your Stay at Tenaya Lodge?
- Best Snow Play Areas near Tenaya Lodge
- Best Attire for Tenaya Lodge in the Winter
- Best Snow Gear & Toys to Bring to Tenaya Lodge
- Will We Be Returning To Tenaya at Yosemite?
My husband and I had the pleasure of staying at Tenaya at Yosemite this past winter as an adult getaway and it was the most perfect place to be when visiting Yosemite, especially in wintertime. It was the coziest, winter wonderland! We enjoyed our stay so much, that we visited a month later with our 3 children for the night! While the hotel is currently undergoing some refurbishments (this should be done by the summer of 2023!), this did not take away from our experience whatsoever. I’ll be sharing with you my own personal review of our room at Tenaya Lodge along with the rest of what Tenaya at Yosemite has to offer.
Staying at Tenaya at Yosemite
Before we get into detail about our stay at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park, I thought I would briefly touch on some quick reasons why you might choose Tenaya as your best option for lodging on your next trip to Yosemite.
1) Location
You really can’t beat the location of Tenaya at Yosemite. I mentioned it is only a short drive to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park which gives you easy access to all of the offerings within the park. It is located in Fish Camp, CA where the elevation is 5,000. It’s high enough to see lots of snow, without having to drive to far up into the mountains. Also, staying lower could potentially mean you won’t run into bad road conditions.
California has seen some wicked winter storms that block and damage roads getting into Yosemite. The further up you drive, the more likely you are to see road closures. But staying lower will still get you into nature without ruining the trip you’ve been planning. I briefly mentioned that Oakhurst is the closest town to more eating and shopping options. There are other nearby towns, but Oakhurst will be your best bet if you’re wanting to gas your vehicle up, get snacks or groceries for your stay, or take in a movie at their local movie theater.
2) Family-friendly fun!
Tenaya Lodge is one of the best places to bring your entire family! They have lots of fun activities including ice skating (open seasonally), a fun game room, indoor and outdoor pools, guided hiking tours and so much more!
3) Amenities
Tenaya Lodge offers modern amenities including free (and fairly fast!) Wi-Fi, a Fitness Center with, wait for it, Peloton bikes, a full-service spa that includes massages and facials, and lots more.
4) Accommodations
Tenaya at Yosemite offers many types of rooms based on your needs. They have several standard rooms, deluxe rooms, cottage rooms, family suites for large groups, and premium suites which are the largest suites that offer a separate living room if you’re really wanting to stay in luxury!
5) Pet-friendly
Want to bring your furry family member? And no, I’m not talking about your hairy uncle haha! If you’re wanting to travel with your dogs, make sure to make a note on your reservation that you’ll be bringing your pet with you so that they can provide you with the best hotel room for you and your pet. Also note, there may be an additional pet fee added to your reservation. Check out Tenaya’s website regarding their pet policies.
The Lobby at Tenaya Lodge
Before entering the doors that lead you into Tenaya Lodge, you’re greeted by the absolutely wonderful smell of a wood burning fire in their massive outdoor fireplace. There is no other way I want to be greeted than by the warmth of a cozy fire and the smell of fresh woodsmoke. You’ll often find lots of guests standing around chatting near the fire, roasting marshmallows, or simply just sitting on one of the red adirondack chairs in front of the fireplace, listening to the crackling of the wood.
As I mentioned, the lobby area is currently being renovated to give the lobby a more updated and fresh look, which I’m very excited to see. Because of that, when you first open the doors to enter the lobby, you’ll see lots of plastic sheeting and scaffolding to keep the construction dust and equipment out of the way.
There are several rendition photos surrounding the construction area showing what the refreshed lobby will look like once it’s complete. As of now, it is scheduled to be completed for the summer season which is just around the corner.
In the meantime, you will find the check-in area in a large conference room that they’ve made into a temporary lobby area which works out just fine!
Tenaya Lodge – Lodge Rooms vs Cottage Rooms
We booked one of the lodge rooms that was categorized as a Deluxe Room with 2 Queen Beds. If you’re looking to stay in the ‘lodge’ itself, you’ll want to make sure you book a lodge room. However, if you’re wanting a more secluded stay, booking a Cottage Room or Suite is what you’ll want to book. While not attached to the lodge itself, it is on the grounds of Tenaya and is a short walk away from all the resort amenities, yet far enough away from the crowds.
Tenaya Lodge Deluxe 2 Queen Bed Room Tour
For this particular stay, we booked a room that fits 5 people so that our 3 children could join us. We had previously stayed at Tenaya Lodge about a month before just the husband and me for a quick, one-night getaway, and loved it so much, we wanted to bring the kids! If you want to see a patio room, check out my room tour at Tenaya Lodge on my YouTube channel!
Walking into our room, we loved how spacious it was! Two queen beds, a large dresser with a tv, a massive desk (that was positioned slightly awkwardly so I ended up pushing the desk in against the wall so my kids wouldn’t run into it), and a cozy chair with a tall lamp in the corner for reading or relaxing. There is also a very large open space along the wall that connects to an adjoining room that we ended up using for a crib that was provided to us by Tenaya Lodge for our 2 year-old.
The Bathroom Area
The Bathroom housed a mini-fridge which was great for our snacks and milk that we picked up from the grocery store in Oakhurst before checking in, a Keurig (they provided cups and San Francisco Bay K-cups in both regular and decaf coffee), tea, stir sticks, and sugar.
The large heavy rolling door is wonderful for separating the toilet and shower area from the sink and vanity so that many people can get ready at one time without impeding personal space from others using the toilet or shower. Ample towels and washcloths were provided for our stay which was great since we’re usually always needing to call down to housekeeping for more, but that wasn’t the case!
Our view was fine which was of the parking lot but we didn’t book the room for the view, since we knew we weren’t going to be in our room most of the day and only at night.
Dining at Tenaya Lodge
Jackalope’s Bar & Grill
During winter at Tenaya Lodge, there is really only one full dining option that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and that is Jackalope’s Bar and Grill. But let me tell you, that’s all you really need. We’ve dined here a total of four times, twice for dinner and twice for breakfast and they were all fantastic!
We had the opportunity to try several of their cocktails including their Rattlesnake Rita, the Sure-Footed Mule, and a High Sierra Bloody Mary, all of which were spectacular! That Bloody Mary is an absolute delight and a must when on vacation!
For dinner, we’ve tried the Buffalo Wings (pretty spicy so watch out!), the Curry Cauliflower Bites which has a nice curry flavor to them, Blackened Mahi Tacos (my favorite!), the Burger, and one of their specials that I can’t remember. Everything has been a solid choice!
For breakfast, they offer not only an a la carte menu but also a buffet! Which at the time of writing this post, was $25 for adults and $10 for children. I share a little bit of the offerings on my YouTube video if you’re interested! We’ve tried a breakfast burrito to-go, an All-American plate, and the El Capitan Omelette. Everything was absolutely delicious and super filling!
You don’t need a reservation if you have 5 people or under. If you have 6 or more people, however, call (559) 692-8985 to secure a reservation. Hours may vary, so check the website before making plans to dine here.
Parkside Deli at Tenaya Lodge
If you’re wanting something fast, head right across the hall from Jackalope’s to the Parkside Deli where they serve Starbucks Coffee (espresso drinks, drip coffee, and hot chocolates!) along with Grab & Go Foods and snacks that are available for purchase! You can also purchase pizza to go here as well.
However, the best part about getting a drip coffee from here is that your purchase is good all day long! If you purchase a small drip in the morning, you can return several times throughout the day for free refills! Just make sure you hang onto your cup so that you can take full advantage of this special offer.
No reservations are needed for the Parkside Deli and hours 7am-8pm Sunday through Thursday, and 7am-9pm Friday and Saturday. Hours may change so check the website before making your way to Tenaya Lodge.
Seasonal Dining
During peak seasons (summer, generally) they also have Timberloft Pizzeria which is located near the Cottages (not the lodge area, but just a short walk away) that serves pizza, salads, and desserts.
Additionally, there’s Gold Rush BBQ that is located outside the lodge which is a seasonal venue. At Gold Rush BBQ they serve up classic BBQ items like tri-tip, burgers, and apple cobbler. I’m really hoping to come back during summer so that we can try out these other dining options sometime!
Room Service at Tenaya Lodge
Tenaya at Yosemite offers room service from 5:00pm – 9:00pm nightly. Delivery of room service is only available to guests staying at the lodge. However, if you’re staying at the cabins or cottages, you can still place an order! You would just need to pickup your order from the Parkside Deli. Still a great option after a long travel or snow play day!
Activities at Tenaya Lodge
While Yosemite National Park has many trails and things to do, don’t overlook what Tenaya Lodge has to offer! Here are just some of the activity offerings at Tenaya. Note, some of these activities may incur a fee and you need to contact concierge at 559-692-8985 to book these activities.
- Indoor Pools, Hot Tub & Outdoor Pool – Indoor pools open year-round and outdoor pools are open seasonally.
- Horseback Riding – not located on the grounds of Tenaya, but is a short 5-minute drive away with Yosemite Trails Horseback Adventures. You must be 7 years and older and prices vary depending on the length of the ride. Open seasonally.
- Shopping – a small gift shop is located inside the lodge to the left upon entering the lobby.
- Guided Nature Walks – A 1 hour and 15 minutes guided walk through the Sierras are available year-round and is free for everyone 5 years and older. Snowshoes may be provided depending on the amount of snowfall.
- Fitness Center – Open from 6am – 9pm and offers a range of dumbells, stationary bikes, and more!
- Ascent Spa – Offers a range of services including facials, massages, body treatments, and more! Prices vary by service, and to book you must call 559-692-8954. Check out the Ascent Spa website to see their full range of services.
- Guided Mountain Bike Adventure – A 2-hour guided bike ride through the Sierras. Available Spring, Summer, and Fall, must be 10 years of age and older and is $50 per person.
- Mountain Bike Rentals – Available Spring, Summer, and Fall and is Free!
- Evening Telescopes – a fun activity where you can actually see the stars! Available Spring, Summer, and Fall and is Free!
- Guided Flashlight Hike – a 1-hour guided tour in the Sierras at night. Must be 7 years old and is $30 per person.
- Archery Lessons – Available Spring, Summer, and Fall for ages 5 and up, and is $20 per person.
- Ice Skating – Available in the Winter and is $25 for adults and $20 for kids 12 and under. They also provide ice skating walkers or trainers for kids that need help with ice skating.
Family Game Room
The game room located right next to the indoor pool is a great area for kids to play some games, watch a movie and hang out! In the game room, you can find two skee-ball machines, a pool table, two foosball tables, an air-hockey table, a seated table arcade game with hundreds of games, a ball pit for toddlers and infants, a couch to watch movies on the large flat-screen tv, and some magnetic tic-tac-toe games that you can find along the walls. There are also bathrooms located in the arcade room for your use as well.
To see a full tour of the arcade, check out my YouTube video on Tenaya Lodge.
Ascent Spa at Tenaya Lodge
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park offers both a sauna and a steam room as part of their Ascent Spa facilities and are included with your resort fee. To use these complimentary amenities, you need to head down to the lowest level by pressing “S” on the elevators. Head to the check-in desk of the Ascent Spa. Let the spa attendant know that you’d like to use the steam room and/or sauna and you’ll need to sign in with your name and room number. Then you head on in!
Steam Room & Sauna at the Ascent Spa
To access to the steam room and sauna, you will go into your respective restroom (so ladies head into the women’s restroom on the far left and men will go into the men’s restroom on the far right.
To see the full tour of the spa, watch my review of our stay at Tenaya Lodge.
The facilities are impeccable, large, and truly made to make you feel as comfortable as possible. They offer lots of seating rooms with vanity areas, lockers to store your belongings, showers that are completely private with a double layer of shower curtains in the massive stalls, and small, complimentary spa items like disposable razors, feminine hygiene products, combs, and shower caps. They also have shaving cream, shampoo, and conditioner in a wall-mounted dispenser with paper cups that you are free to use as well while you’re using these facilities.
Both the sauna and the steam room were both absolutely incredible! *Note: as it was getting close to the 15 minutes in the steam room, I noticed there wasn’t much steam. A minute later, I heard a fairly loud sound (sounded like a refrigerator rolling down the hallway haha!) but it was the steamer machine gearing up to spew out more steam in the room so just warning you so you don’t get alarmed too much.
If you’ve never used a sauna, it’s a heated room designed to promote relaxation, improve circulation, and detoxify the body. The dry heat of the sauna can help ease sore muscles, improve joint mobility, and reduce stress. The sauna at Tenaya Lodge is a traditional dry sauna.
If you’ve never tried a steam room before, it is a heated room with high humidity that is designed to soothe and relax your muscles. It can help detoxify the body, improve circulation, and alleviate stress. The steam room at Tenaya Lodge is a eucalyptus-infused steam room, which can help clear and open the sinuses and provide additional respiratory benefits. The eucalyptus was very subtle and not at all overpowering, which was very nice and calming.
While there is no correct order to use a steam room and sauna, I personally like to use the sauna first for about 15 minutes and then hop into the steam room for 10-15 minutes. Then I hop into one of the showers to rinse off. I highly recommend checking out Tenaya Lodge’s Ascent Spa for its steam room and sauna so that you can experience what it’s like before having to pay for it at a spa in the ‘real world’ lol!
How Much Does it Cost to Stay at Tenaya Lodge?
Rates can vary depending on availability and the season when staying at Tenaya at Yosemite. We stayed in February and March on the weekend and each time it was $189.00 for a Saturday night. With taxes and resort fee, it came out to a total of $246.27. I think this is a great price for a luxury stay in the beautiful mountains of the Sierras!
What’s Included with Your Stay at Tenaya Lodge?
The Resort fee of $30 per night gets you extra amenities that include:
- Access to the Family Game Room.
- “Dive-in” Movies – these are movies shown by the pools.
- Tenaya Reusable Water Bottles – two are included with your stay, however, we were offered 5 for our entire family but only accepted 3.
- Lawn Games – all depending on the weather.
- Mountain Bikes – during the summer months.
- Snow Shoes – during the winter months.
- Steam Room & Sauna – these are located in both the women’s and men’s locker rooms located in the Ascent Spa on the lowest level of Tenaya Lodge.
- Guided Nature Hikes – depending on the weather.
- S’mores Kit – Two s’mores kits were given to us on our first stay, but not on our second. They may have been out but one kit includes four graham crackers, 2 large marshmallows, and 2 chocolate squares. Marshmallow skewers are available for free from the front desk. You can roast your marshmallows at the giant wood-burning fireplace located at the entrance to the lodge.
Best Snow Play Areas near Tenaya Lodge
Tenaya Lodge makes it so easy to not want to leave! Where Tenaya Lodge is located, you can walk right outside of the lodge doors and instantly be immersed in snow! There is a dedicated snow play area on the grounds of Tenaya Lodge, where you can rent snow discs ($15 for 4 hours) or use your own! There is a walkway that takes you from the lodge itself to the cottages where I had seen several families sledding, making snowmen, and having snowball fights on what should be a very grassy area in the spring and summer. Ask concierge for the exact location before venturing out.
Goat Meadow Trailhead and Snow Play Area
If you’re looking for other spots, there are two more that are just outside of the gates to Yosemite National Park. Goat Meadow Trailhead and Snow Play Area is an 8-minute drive from Tenaya Lodge located right off the 41 freeway down Mt. Raymond Road. This area is perfect for younger children as there are no large sledding hills, but great smaller ‘slopes’ to get your thrills! There is a small parking lot and it is free to use.
Snow Play off Highway 41 Before Yosemite National Park
Another snow play location is located right off of the 41 highway about 3 minutes from the gates to Yosemite National Park. However, this snow play area seems a little less safe in my opinion, so we’ve never actually stopped. There is no dedicated parking lot, but to access the snow play area, you have to pull over onto the shoulder and park. We’ve personally seen lots of people doing this, but I didn’t feel comfortable with my small kids. The snow play area has lots of large trees and is fairly steep for sledding. But the combination of the incline and large trees just doesn’t seem like a combination worth trying. I might stop one day when my kids are a bit older. It is free to play here.
Snow Play inside Yosemite National Park
On this most recent trip, we found one of our new favorite places to snow play! While not exactly a dedicated snow play area on Yosemite’s website, this area is actually located within Yosemite National Park about 10 minutes once you’re entered the park. There is a golf course on your left-hand side that gets completely covered with snow and the golf course is located right across the street from the Wawona Hotel.
There were a lot of families parking in the empty parking lot of the Wawona Hotel (the hotel is closed from December through late March) and putting their snow gear on and taking their sleds across the street to the snow-filled golf course. It was the perfect place since the hills didn’t have too many trees, and you sled down into a very open area where everyone could spread out. It was fantastic!
Best Attire for Tenaya Lodge in the Winter
It’s best to bring lots of layers if you decide to visit Tenaya Lodge in the winter. Be prepared for cold, wet, and snowy weather conditions. Here are some recommendations on what to pack on your upcoming trip:
- Sweatshirts and Sweaters – To layer underneath your snow jackets.
- Jeans & Snow Pants – These insulated snow pants fit like a glove and I’m super dry after a long day playing and wrestling in the snow with my kids!
- Snow Suits & Snow Jackets – I absolutely love my warm winter waterproof jacket in pink! They have many other colors too.
- Waterproof Gloves – there is nothing worse than getting your hands sopping wet in the snow. Having a good pair of waterproof gloves are essential when playing in the snow!
- Beanies – I personally like to put my kids in really bright colors like this beanie when they play in the snow. I can see exactly where they are at all times and it’s a vast contrast amongst the white blanket of snow.
- Sunglasses – To protect your eyes from the sun and snow.
- Extra Underwear & Socks
- Snow Boots – I’ve used these snow boots for several years already and they’ve held up so nicely! My husband has these warm leather snow boots that he loves.
- Thermals Shirts & Leggings – This thermal shirt & pants set are perfect to wear under your clothes and helps keep your kids warm and dry during snow play!
Want to see the snow gear I purchase for my kids?
Check out my Amazon Storefront where I have all of the snow gear that I purchase for my entire family.
This may sound like a lot especially if you have several family members to pack for, but one of the other great reasons that make Tenaya Lodge one of the best hotels is that they offer free use of their washing machines and dryers! The guest laundry room is located in the East Wing near the outdoor pool on the first floor. I would recommend packing a few washing detergent pods and dryer sheets, as they don’t provide detergent, only the use of the machines.
Best Snow Gear & Toys to Bring to Tenaya Lodge
- Snow Tire Chains – You should carry chains with you in your vehicle at all times in the winter. These are the tire chains that we have and my husband became a pro at putting them on after one go. If you’ve never put chains on your tires before, it would be a good idea to try it at home first before being caught in a snow storm and attempting to put them on for the first time.
- Collapsible Snow Shovel – We have this collapsible snow shovel with ice scraper for snowmen and snow fort making!
- Snowman Decorating Kit – Do you want to build a snowman? Don’t just leave him naked, dress him up with this fun 16 piece kit that takes no room at all in your suitcase!
- Snow Sleds – We have these snow sleds that we bought on sale at our local Costco during the winter season and they have held up great!
- Inflatable Snow Tubes – Looking for something that will pack easily into your luggage? These inflatable snow tubes are perfect to sled in style.
- Kitty Litter – Yep, you read that right. Straight up Kitty Litter. My in-laws vehicle got caught in the snow (with chains no less!) and a very kind man helped them maneuver out (he was a pro!) and his advice was to always have a box of kitty litter in your vehicle to help gain traction underneath the tires that are stuck. Brilliant! Pick a box up in the grocery store with your other snack supplies before heading up to Tenaya Lodge.
Will We Be Returning To Tenaya at Yosemite?
Absolutely! We have so many plans for the upcoming year to see Tenaya Lodge in all its glorious seasons. I’m very excited to see the complete refurbishment of their lobby and conference room area when it’s done. I truly hope this helps you plan out your first trip to visiting Tenaya at Yosemite, and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment down below. I’d love to chat with you about your upcoming trip or your past experience!
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Yes! Winter time at Yosemite is a beautiful place to visit during winter. Always make sure to check Yosemite National Parks website when planning your trip. Winter storms can shut down certain roads within Yosemite, so their website will be helpful in knowing how to plan accordingly.
It is open year-round, however with winter storms, some roads may be closed during harsh weather conditions. Check their website before your trip to plan accordingly.
There are no free shuttles that take you from Tenaya Lodge to the floor of Yosemite National Park. You can purchase a day pass when you get to the gates of Yosemite National Park for $35 for a car, truck, rv, or van with less than 15 passengers. If you will be visiting Yosemite more than once during your trip or know you will return in less than a year, you might be better off purchasing an Annual Pass for $70 that is good for 12 months from the date of purchase.
Tenaya Lodge is located 2 miles South from Yosemite’s park gates. From the gates to the Yosemite Valley Floor takes about 1 hour depending on traffic and weather conditions.
If you’re traveling to Tenaya Lodge during the winter months, it’s always a good idea to carry chains with you in your vehicle, even if they’re not currently required. Weather and road conditions can change, and there are certain roads during winter that absolutely require chains when there is a lot of snow.
While there is so much to see and do in Yosemite, here are a few popular sites to see on your next trip. Yosemite Falls, Tuolumne Meadows, Arch Rock Entrance, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Yosemite Village, Merced River, Curry Village, and Glacier Point.
The closest airport to Tenaya at Yosemite is Fresno Yosemite International Airport which is located only 1 hour and 20 minutes from Tenaya Lodge or about 2 and a half hours to Yosemite Valley Floor.
Fresno International Airport: 1 hr 28 min (62.5 mi) via CA-41 N
San Francisco, California: 4 hr 54 min (207.3 mi) via CA-99 S
From Los Angeles, California: 5 hr 1 min (277.1 mi) via CA-99 N
Whether you’re visiting Tenaya Lodge for a business conference, a corporate retreat, or just need to stay connected while on vacation, Tenaya at Yosemite’s business services can help you stay productive while enjoying the beauty of Yosemite National Park. There is high-speed internet, a business center with computers and printers, large conference rooms, and audio-visual equipment including microphones, projectors, and sound systems.
Hi, my name is Ruben and I’m preparing my trip to Yosemite, I want to ask you if you know if we are 4 people and we reserve a cottage, is it all for us, or is it shared with more people. you can help? thank you so much!
Hey there Ruben! If you reserve a cottage, you get that entire cottage to yourself, no sharing with other guests. In your cottage you get a fully equipped kitchen, a living area, and a private desk. They are very nice and can’t wait to stay in one someday. Enjoy your trip!