Yosemite & Monterey, CA
In March 2022 my friend Susan and I joined the REI trip “Yosemite Winter Adventure.” We also added in some days on our own before and after the REI portion, spending time exploring Clovis, CA (outside Fresno) and then a few days on the coast in Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea.
The meeting point with REI was in Clovis and we went a day early to get over jet lag a bit and to allow for flight delays. Old town Clovis has loads of restaurant and vintage and antiques shops.
Yosemite With REI
The next morning we met our REI group for the 5 day trip. There were 11 of us with 2 guides. We started driving to Yosemite with a stop at Badger Pass to spend a few hours snowshoeing out to Dewey Point which has stunning views of Yosemite and the High Sierra including views of Half Dome and Clouds Rest.
Then we continued on to our lodging which was at private homes in West Yosemite. The group was split into a few different homes and ours was gorgeous. I wish it was my permanent house!
Because of the lack of snow over the next few days we hiked and explored around Mirror Lake, the Merced River, the Yosemite falls viewpoint, and Mariposa Grove to see the Giant Sequoias. There was also another snowshoe trip at Badger Pass to Glacier Point. Overall, this was a great trip with wonderful people and guides, and fun activities. This was my first trip with REI adventures and I was very happy with the experience.
Trip to the coast
At the end of the trip we rented a car to drive to the coast. The rental agency gave us a Mustang which made Susan very happy. The drive to Monterey was less than 3 hours and we stopped in Gilroy, known as the garlic capital of the world. We wandered around the downtown historic district and of course had lunch with a lot of garlic in it.
Monterey was beautiful. We stayed at the lovely Victorian Inn. Over the next few days we walked around Cannery Row, the waterfront street with shops and restaurants; Pacific Grove with its shops, Victorian Houses, and views to the ocean; and drove along Ocean View Boulevard. We also got tickets to the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium and spent hours in this amazing place. Note that tickets must be purchased on line. Finally, we made the 15 minute drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Fortunately, we managed to get a parking spot on the street (which isn’t easy) and walked along the beautiful beach and through the picturesque downtown. I don’t think I’ve even seen anyplace so dog friendly. They even get their own menu items (see pic below).
Want to know more?
For more information on the REI trip check out Yosemite Winter Adventure- Lodge Based
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