As you may have seen, we recently traveled to Yosemite with our kids. This is the fourth time our family has traveled to Yosemite, and three of them have been in the winter or early spring. Although it may not be the most popular time of year to travel to Yosemite, I think it’s one of the best! Today I’m sharing five reasons why you should plan a winter trip to Yosemite.
1. Lodging is less expensive.
The first time we went in the low season, we went during spring break, which for my kids is always the first week of April. I booked the Lodge at the Falls and we were offered an upgrade to the Majestic for just $30 per night! Of course we took it! I recommend getting on the Yosemite email list. Prices vary greatly and they run specials throughout the year, especially for the low season. I recently saw a special in which rooms at the Majestic were going for $332 per night (including taxes). Considering it is often closer to $500 (or more!) during the peak season, that price is a steal! The Majestic is the most expensive property inside the park, but there are other less expensive options that are equally well located.
2. It’s not crowded.
This year, we went right after President’s Day, which is one of the busiest winter weekends in Yosemite. However, we were not overwhelmed with crowds! We didn’t have to wait at any of the restaurants, parking was easy, there were always places to sit, and the hiking trails were practically empty. Delightful! In contrast, when we there over Labor Day weekend a couple years ago, it was packed!
3. If you time it right, you can play in the snow!
Chances are, when you plan a winter trip to Yosemite, there will be snow in the valley! This year the valley had more snow that we had ever seen due to the unusually high precipitation. Even in an average year, there’s typically a bit of snow which is a treat for us Bay Area folks! The boys always enjoy making a snowman, though some years are more successful than others! Ha.
4. You can enjoy outdoor ice skating in a beautiful setting.
The ice rink has amazing views and it’s such a neat experience to be able to skate outdoors. They unfortunately had an issue with one of the pipes when we were there, so the ice rink was closed, but we really enjoyed ice skating during our last winter trip. You definitely can’t do that in the summer!
5. The skiing is inexpensive.
I think many people are unaware that there’s a ski hill inside of the park. My husband learned to ski there when he was a kid, and it’s a great beginner hill. The lessons are affordable, the lift tickets are a fraction of the price of other California resorts, and 90% of the mountain is beginner and intermediate runs. One thing to consider is that the hill closes March 31st, regardless of how much snow there is. We loved going in April but have scheduled our last two winter trips for February in order to take advantage of the skiing.
Don’t get me wrong, Yosemite is absolutely gorgeous anytime of year, and I definitely loved sitting outside in a t-shirt when we were there over Labor Day. But if you’ve been wanting to go, I highly recommend that you plan a winter trip to Yosemite! It will be a unique and beautiful experience that you’ll remember forever!
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These photos are lovely and this looks like a great trip!