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Big Sur River Inn

Address: 46800 CA-1, Big Sur, California 93920

The Big Sur River Inn is a very unique Inn with an Adirondack chair situated on the river. So you can sit down on the chair, eat and play in the water. It’s very relaxing and has a great ambiance. It’s great scenery for a photo opportunity. We also had ice cream on their small Ice cream truck situated near the gas station.

We purchased their famous homemade apple pie at the Restaurant which costs us $40 dollars for a whole pie with 10 slices or $8 a slice. The pie was so delicious that we ate half of it while driving along Big Sur. LOL… The River Inn is the next area after the Andrew Molera State beach. We got lost the first time since our car GPS routed us to Andrew Molera State Beach. Make sure you wear your slippers or water socks to enjoy the river and watch out for the slippery and sharp rocks. The river water is cold but you will get acclimated after a few minutes. Just sit back, enjoy and relax in the chair while you put your feet in the river. Enjoy Mother Nature at its best!

Tips: There is also a gasoline station located onsite and an ice cream truck. If you want to see Redwood Trees, explore trailheads, and enjoy the creek. There is a State Park called Pfeiffer Big Sur that is close to the River Inn. Or visit Pfeiffer Beach famous for its purple sand.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about The Big Sur River Inn after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel/room close to Big Sur River Inn in Monterrey County.

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Tenaya Lake (Yosemite National Park)

Address: Tioga Pass Road Yosemite National Park Ca. 95389

Tenaya Lake is located in Yosemite’s high country region between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows with an elevation of 8,150 feet. It is a high sierra lake surrounded by granite domes, forests, and vast wilderness. Tenaya Lake is the largest lake in Yosemite’s high country. Tenaya lake is also referred to as “Jewel of the High Country”. It is about an hour and 17 minutes and 49 miles drive from Yosemite Valley to Tenaya Lake via Tioga Pass Road. Tenaya Lake is a popular spot for kayaking, sunbathing, swimming, and boating.

Our drive from Yosemite Valley to Tenaya lake is very scenic, with lots of winding roads and switchbacks but well worth the effort. We pulled over to some of the Vista Points and took some amazing pictures of the gorgeous views. We also stopped over at a few places such as Tuolumne Grove Trailhead to use the public restroom, Tenaya Lake picnic area, Olmstead Point, Lembert Dome, and Tuolumne Meadows. Our stopover at Olmstead Point with an amazing view was one of the highlights of our trip to Tenaya lake. We first pulled over at the Tenaya lake picnic area and stayed there for an hour to eat and relax. This area is slightly rocky with a different view or angle of the lake and the granite domes. After eating we then drove for about 10 minutes and parked on the side of the road at the Tenaya lake beach area close to Murphy Creek Trailhead. There’s also a parking lot and public restroom available by the Trailhead. From the parking area, we carried all our snacks, foldable chairs, drinks, and picnic blanket to the beach area. We all played in the clear, refreshing, cold water which we later got acclimated to the coldness. A few people were swimming in the water, brought their own paddleboards, inflatable kayaks, smaller boats, and explored the amazing Tenaya Lake. We were amazed by the crystal clear water of the Lake with a backdrop of the huge granite domes surrounding the lake. There were a few trailheads to choose from around the area and it’s also the base camp for the hike to Cloud’s Rest which is about a 6-8 hours hike.

Overall, it’s a very big lake with clear, cold, and refreshing water surrounded by picturesque granite domes. We would definitely come back again and stay overnight in the future. It is a great place for the entire family to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Tips: Don’t forget to fill up with gas at the Chevron in Crane Flat which is the only gas station going to the Lake. They have ample parking and public restrooms available on site for visitors near the trailhead. The water is refreshing and cold so try to bring water shoes to protect you from rocks. Go there early to find parking and don’t leave food or drinks out in the open to prevent wildlife from eating your food. The west bank is spectacular while the east bank has a nice beach and picnic areas. Don’t forget to stop by at Olmstead Point which is before Tenaya Lake coming from the Valley. Watch out for bears that may be around the area.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Tenaya lake after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Upper King’s Creek Meadows/Lake Helen/Lake Emerald/Lake Manzanita

Address: (Park Headquarters) 38050 Highway 36 East Mineral, California 96063

All these 4 tourist spots are located within Lassen National Park and are all within a few minutes away. Upper Kings Creek Meadows is a great spot to take pictures with the brownish/yellowish color of its meadows. There is also a small creek on the right side of the meadows for a great photo opportunity. Lake Helen is situated 8,000 feet above sea level and is located South of Lassen Peak and west of Bumpass Mountain in Shasta Cascade. Lake Helen is a great place to relax, enjoy the crystal clear water, the stunning views of Lassen Peak, and the surrounding forest.

Lake Emerald’s green-colored pristine water is due to it being shallow. It is near the south entrance into the park. We even saw a deer eating, enjoying the shade and beautiful summer weather. Lake Emerald is located after the Bumpass Hell parking area. Lake Manzanita is a popular destination for camping, fishing, and kayaking. There is also a 1.5-mile hiking trail for people to enjoy and watch the sunset.  

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Lake Helen, Manzanita, and Emerald after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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June Lake

Address: June Lake Loop, Ca. 93529

June Lake Loop is about 6 hours and 30 minutes drive from San Francisco and about 254 miles via CA-120 East. June Lake has eight restaurants, 17 lodges, four lakes, and an abundance of opportunities for an outdoor adventure. The June Lake Loop is composed of June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake, and Grant Lake. The June Lake Loop is situated in the two-lane highway 158 on the southern rim of the Mono Basin in the Eastern Sierra. The Lake’s Parking lot area was full at the time of our visit.

June Lake has a loop for 16 miles and it follows a horseshoe-shaped canyon containing four lakes (June, Gull, Silver, and Grant). We drove around the town and bought some souvenirs. We parked at an area near the campground for day use only. There is also an additional parking area closest to the lake but it only allows a 4×4 or SUV due to its sandy area and off-road condition. And we even saw a car got stuck on the sand in that area due to an accumulation of sand. We walked for 5 minutes and found a good spot to stay. The water is not too cold and there were some gravel and small rocks along the beach. So try to wear aqua or water socks for safety and comfort. The water is crystal clear with a bluish and greenish color combination with the view of the mountain in the background. The views of the surrounding mountains around the lake made its beautiful scenery. We drove to a small area where we ate a late lunch on outdoor seating at a reasonable price before you hit Hwy 395.

Tips: I had a minor headache while playing in the water due to its higher elevation (7,600 feet) so be careful not to do anything strenuous activity if you are not used to higher elevation areas. Please bring bottled water to keep hydrated and aqua socks due to smaller rocks in the area.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about The June Lake after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Mono Lake South Tufa National Reserve

Address: US-395 Lee Vining, Ca. 93541

Mono Lake Reserve was established to preserve the unique “tufa towers”, calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by the interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It’s two and a half times as salty as the ocean and very alkaline. We took highway 395 and near the town of Lee Vining California. We drove through the paved road towards South Tufa and hit a rough road with gravel and sand for at least a 5-10 minutes drive. We even saw a deer jumped in front of us but was quick enough to run to the bushes before my wife could take a picture. The entrance fee is $3 per adult and you just self-pay using an envelope due to Covid. When we arrived at the gravel and sand parking lot we had to walk through a wooden path to the lake for at least 5 minutes.

The lake view is unique and amazing with all the different shapes and sizes of the tufa towers. There was a strong smell of salty ocean scent and lots of alkaline flies all over the water. My family and I drove there again at 6 am the next day to capture the mesmerizing sunrise which reflected the sun’s Rays over the tufa towers which created a great orange sunrise reflection in the water.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about The Mono Lake South Tufa after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Shasta Lake Cave Tour

Address: 20359 Shasta Caverns Road, Lakehead, Ca. 96051

     This experience is a first for us. Getting there is a little bit trickier because you have to drive through a narrow and winding road for at least 15-20 minutes. It will be a faster process if you reserve tickets online. The facility has a lot of parking spaces and a clean public restroom inside the gift shop. The boat dock is located in the lower area of the lake. After we get off from the other side of the mountain we walked uphill and rode a shuttle bus going up to the mountain. The shuttle took us towards the top of the mountain via a winding and narrow road. Try to sit on the left side of the shuttle if you have fear of heights.

     The cave tour was self-guided during the time of our visit and we ended up finishing the tour within an hour. You can take pictures and bring a water bottle inside. You will see a few bats flying in certain areas and you have to go through a flight of stairs. It’s warm and not too dark inside and there were staff members available to answer your questions. Don’t forget to take a picture after exiting the cave as you will go through stairs going down to where you started. The view of Lake Shasta from the top is amazing and beautiful. There is a public restroom available near the bus stop or waiting area. Oh, don’t forget to take a picture with Yogi the bear in the museum area.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Shasta Lake Cave Tour after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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South Lake Tahoe Private Boat Tour

Address: 2435 Venice Drive, South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150

This is the main highlight of our Wedding Anniversary trip. We tried on a new experience for us by doing a Private boat tour around the Lake in South Tahoe. The location is in a secluded Marina boat dock called Tahoe Keys Marina. The Private boat tour costs $195 an hour and we were greeted by a professional and friendly Captain named Troy. He even provided us with a bottle of special champagne for our 15th Wedding Anniversary. The Captain toured us around the south end of the lake such as the Emerald Bay, Fanette Island which used to be a tea house, Vikingsholm Castle, Rubicon bay, and many more. The best part is my daughter and I get to swim in the shallow end of Emerald Bay with clear and turquoise-colored water.

A few minutes away, we docked and anchored his boat on a secluded private property called Rubicon Bay. We swam in the bluish-green colored crystal clear water of Rubicon Bay which is called the Caribbean of South lake Tahoe. The beaches belong to the property owners of Rubicon Bay. The crystal clear waters reminded us of Bora Bora, but just a reminder that the water can get cold but you will eventually get acclimated. And in the end, Captain Troy took us to the middle of the lake which is where the Stateline is located between California and Nevada. The entire 3 hours were fun and exciting experience for us and made our Anniversary memorable. We will surely recommend the service to our friends and families. And don’t forget to bring your own towels, food or snacks, and swimming trunks. Fyi, the boat also has its own medium size clean restroom for the guests.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Private Boat Tour after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.