My first night I spent at the Tenaya Lodge, right outside the park. The Tenaya had the feel of a Park Lodge, animal heads on the common room walls, giant beams and an outdoorsy style, but was considerably fancier than a rustic lodge. The bed was big and comfortable but unfortunately I slept poorly due to the altitude and a late night specialty coffee (decaf) that I suspect had more alcohol in it than I could tolerate. Elk was on the menu (which my kids were excited about) and I would love to take my family back to explore all the Lodge’s offerings.

The Tenaya is very family friendly and even welcomes pets! The holiday schedule at the Tenaya sounds magical; horse drawn sleighs, gingerbread house making workshops and Santa on Ice to name a few. Although not guaranteed, there is often snow on the ground here from December through February.

Next we took a whirlwind tour of the Wawona Hotel. This Victorian-style lodge in Yosemite is a favorite of those who prefer a more authentic Yosemite stay. Walking the grounds I felt like I could be carrying a parasol and negotiating the narrow walkways with a big hoop skirt. It is a National Historic Landmark and worth a visit just to get a taste of what it was like to visit the park in the early days.  I met a couple who were celebrating their 20th anniversary and were relishing the slow place and the lack of technology. The facilities really seeks to maintain the 19th century feel but the fare is purposely 21st century, offering local, primarily organic products.  We had breakfast there and the homemade ginger granola and frittata were scrumptious. Renovation work was going on which distracted from the Victorian charm and I discovered the Wawona is closing its doors for parts of 2009/2010 season so make sure to check the website for details.

No trip to Yosemite would be complete without at least a tour of the famed Ahwahnee Lodge. Built to blend into the granite cliffs, this is a premier National Park lodge and has welcomed many a statesman and celebrity. If you can’t swing a stay, at least cozy up by the giant hearth with a good book and a hot toddy or treat yourself to lunch in the majestic dining room.  The Ahwanee chef is a charismatic wizard and a tour of the kitchen was a high point of my trip. There are a number of special holiday events at the Ahwahnee, the signature event being the Bracebridge dinner and performance. Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this yuletide ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.  Both the Tenaya and the Ahwanee are not cheap but there are deals to be had and for what you can experience they are worth the splurge.

If you’d like the Yosemite experience at an affordable price you might consider the tent cabins.  All guests who book the Temp-RATE-ture Special will receive a reduced rate in a tent cabin based on the previous night’s recorded low. If the temperature is 17 degrees, you pay $17 per night. And yes, if the Fahrenheit temperature falls below zero, they’ll pay YOU the difference to stay overnight. This sounded like an adventure to me but for my money I was most excited about The Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. Run by a dynamic Bay Area refugee who has whipped an old Boy Scout camp into shape, this spot captured my fancy. Maybe it was the Euro-hostel feel infused with California panache, or maybe it’s my desire to travel like I did in my twenties (not really). Nestled in the forest, the Bug as it is called, offers quirky but very comfortable accommodations, a yoga studio and lovely spa and the biggest surprise… phenomenal food. I had eaten so much meat I went for a butternut squash risotto. It was topped with Asian pears and paired with a local red and a green salad it made a yummy meal! The place had a bit of hostel feel, probably because a busload of SF Art students had just arrived for an annual retreat. I found the atmosphere appealing; nice lighting, lots of board games and laughter in the main room. I noticed this guy setting up his dominoes run; certainly not something you see in every hotel lobby. Rates are affordable and although not for everyone, I will definitely head back there, maybe for a big birthday bash as there is a newly remodeled common room which is used for parties and weddings.

So if you’d like to visit Yosemite, there are accommodations for every budget or taste, but most importantly, get out and witness the incredible national treasure that is Yosemite! I recommend Ken Burns’ PBS documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea to really learn the history of the Park.

For years my wife and I have talked about spending a night or two in a local hostel, but until this weekend we didn’t find the time to do so. But a pre-New Year’s hike in the Marin Headlands just north of San Francisco, where we live, took Paula into the hostel to see what was available and voila, we were booked for two nights in early January.

At this time of year—winter in Northern California—we could be subjected to dense fog, lashing rain, heavy winds, temperatures in the 40s. I know, this would be positively balmy by the standard of much of the U.S. in winter, but friends from Calgary, Alberta who’ve lived in San Francisco for many years told us when they returned from their annual holiday visit home, “No matter what the temperature is in Calgary, it always feels colder here.”

I grew up in Minnesota and won’t get into that discussion. But whatever the weather, we figured a cold, wet hike would be rewarded with cozy conviviality, hot chocolate, and family board games in our hostel home.

It turned out we had perhaps the mildest weekend in months. A nearly full moon basked in the setting sun over Alcatraz as I cycled across the Golden Gate Bridge to the hostel, a ride that would have taken about an hour and ten minutes if I hadn’t stopped repeatedly to take photos. Paula and the girls had driven ahead with our three other bikes and I arrived at dusk, coasting the last mile downhill through the deepening chill, listening for owls as the wind rushed past my ears.

We knew the hostel would be close to full but we didn’t know it would be taken over by a convention of kayakers. The inaugural Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium was under way, with dozens of kayakers from across the country converging on the hostel to train in the challenging surf outside the Golden Gate. They were looking for rough seas and stormy weather, but what they got was, well, California Dreamin’.

They nonetheless got plenty of training in and they were welcoming to those of us who had nothing to do with the meeting. In fact, on Saturday night after a cycle to the beach and a long hike in the hills, we got to watch some extraordinary videos of kayaking in Alaska, and participated in a raffle to benefit the nearby Marine Mammal Center. There were so many donated prizes, all related to kayaking or the outdoors, that almost everyone who bought a ticket won a prize, even us, who picked up a windup flashlight/radio/charger that never needs batteries. It was worth the $10 donation! Plus, our girls got to be part of the show and pick all the winning tickets out of a saucepan.

The next morning we joined a guided bird-watching tour around the lagoon led by Jane Haley, and added quite a few new birds to our life lists. It was a fine way to wrap up a travel experience that required just a 15 minute drive or a little more than an hour by bicycle. Truly a close-to-home experience that felt like a long escape.

When we got home our eight-year-old Érne said, “The next time we go to the hostel can we stay for a whole week? We can go when school’s out.”

“What would we do for a whole week,” Paula asked.

Érne thought barely an instant before replying, “Have fun!”

Which is true. I’m sure we could fill several days with fun even that close to home.