Day 1 - Arrive and set up camp. Go down to the lake and cool off, swim, and wait for the others to arrive. Cook dinner, talk while sitting around the camp fire, stay up late. Day 2 - Arrange family spot on beach, set up shade cover, blow up floaties, swim and play. Check out the fishing across the lake at the upper bridge at Willow Creek, then go to The Pines Village and get a snack. Back at camp, make a sandwich and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and playing at the lake. Get ice creams and snacks at Miller's Landing. Day 3 - Drive up to Gray's Mountain, Soquel, and Fresno Dome to fish Upper Willow Creek and the Upper Fresno River. Jump in the ice cold mountain stream under the waterfall, slide down the natural rock slide, be on the lookout for ladybug swarms, deer, and free-range cattle. Back at camp, cook the fish caught that day for dinner. Day 4 - Yosemite if family boat did not arrive. Avoid Happy Isles, get off at Mirror Lake bus stop, try to find the old 'Indian Caves' (natural rock grottoes formed by fallen boulders the size of my house). Wander around Yosemite Village, eat lunch at Degnan's Deli. Go for a swim at Swinging Bridge off the bike path from Yosemite Lodge. Maybe eat Pizza at Yosemite Village, maybe drive back to Oakhurst for better pizza at the Pizza Factory. Day 5 - hang out at the lake. Drive to Oakhurst to browse the fun thrift stores, look at sandals at the shoe stores, ring the 8 ft. long windchimes in the store at the Plant Nursery (Western Sierra Nursery, also has awesome garden sculptures), don't forget to buy ice at the supermarket. Dinner at El Cid, a Mexican restaurant there that is better than it has to be. Day 6 - pack up to go home. Get in one last swim at the lake before heading out. Go out "The Back Way" (turnoff at "The Forks" to avoid incoming campers.)Drive down the mountain and back to home.
Day 2 - Arrange family spot on beach, set up shade cover, blow up floaties, swim and play. Check out the fishing across the lake at the upper bridge at Willow Creek, then go to The Pines Village and get a snack. Back at camp, make a sandwich and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and playing at the lake. Get ice creams and snacks at Miller's Landing.
Day 3 - Drive up to Gray's Mountain, Soquel, and Fresno Dome to fish Upper Willow Creek and the Upper Fresno River. Jump in the ice cold mountain stream under the waterfall, slide down the natural rock slide, be on the lookout for ladybug swarms, deer, and free-range cattle. Back at camp, cook the fish caught that day for dinner.
Day 4 - Yosemite if family boat did not arrive. Avoid Happy Isles, get off at Mirror Lake bus stop, try to find the old 'Indian Caves' (natural rock grottoes formed by fallen boulders the size of my house). Wander around Yosemite Village, eat lunch at Degnan's Deli. Go for a swim at Swinging Bridge off the bike path from Yosemite Lodge. Maybe eat Pizza at Yosemite Village, maybe drive back to Oakhurst for better pizza at the Pizza Factory.
Day 5 - hang out at the lake. Drive to Oakhurst to browse the fun thrift stores, look at sandals at the shoe stores, ring the 8 ft. long windchimes in the store at the Plant Nursery (Western Sierra Nursery, also has awesome garden sculptures), don't forget to buy ice at the supermarket. Dinner at El Cid, a Mexican restaurant there that is better than it has to be.
Day 6 - pack up to go home. Get in one last swim at the lake before heading out. Go out "The Back Way" (turnoff at "The Forks" to avoid incoming campers.)Drive down the mountain and back to home.