How to Spend a Weekend in Mariposa With Extended Family

Nestled in the shadow of Yosemite National Park and all that goes with it is the quaint Gold Rush town of Mariposa. It’s the perfect blend of accessible hiking trails and nature, plus fun cafes and bakeries.

When I conceived of this family vacation, I dreamt of waking up to mountain views, smelling crisp fresh air, and taking a leisurely stroll to a bakery for breakfast. Mariposa was the town that had it all for us: walkability, nature, food, and relaxation.

On this trip to Mariposa I was so lucky to be able to have my parents come along with us. I’ve been taking multigenerational family trips for the last couple of years with my parents, kids, and partner (check out our multi-gen, multi-fam trip to Portugal on the BBA blog).

My goal in these trips is to get ourselves out of the daily hustle of life and take a weekend to enjoy each other’s company and make the memories that I want my kids to grow up with. I can imagine that not everyone wants or can take their parents on trips, but for us, it works.

My mom, the beloved “Abuelita,” is amazing at making little things feel like magic, whether it’s finding a beautiful leaf on the ground or just taking the time to admire everything A, my 4-year-old, wants to point out. She has the patience to stop every step and look at this or that when I can’t seem to slow down. And my dad can regale us with stories from his childhood that fascinate A to no end.

I’m looking forward to sharing more of my multigenerational trip reflections in a future post. For now, read on to find tips on taking your family to Mariposa, CA this year.

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Unless otherwise noted, photos courtesy of Krista L.

The town of Mariposa is on the ancestral lands of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation.

Trip Purpose

Multi-generation family trip (my family of four, plus my parents) designed to make memories—naps included

About Our Visit

AGE OF THE KIDS: 5 months; 4 years (plus my parents in their 70s and 80s)

LENGTH OF VISIT: 2-3 days

TIME OF YEAR: February (lovely mild weather)

COSTS TO CONSIDER

Lodging: ~$850 total for 3 nights
Groceries & takeout: ~$300+ (or roughly $20/adult/day)
Gas

Add-Ons

Souvenirs: ~$25
Ice cream: ~$5/person

Top Tips to Make the Most of Your Visit

Before You Go

Check for reservations if you want to tack on a trip to nearby Yosemite National Park
Find lodging early. Airbnb’s can fill up in the spring to summer months, but availability opens up during the rest of the year.

What We Packed

Standard diaper bag essentials
Standard hiking essentials (especially water, hats, and sunscreen)
Ergobaby or soft baby carrier, or hiking backpack, if needed
Groceries for meals and snacks

How to Get There

The town of Mariposa is about a three-hour drive from the East Bay, with a distance clocking in at 160-190 miles.

Note that the town is not to be confused with Mariposa Grove, which is another 40 miles east; nor with Mariposa County, one of California’s original counties in which both Mariposa and Yosemite National Park are situated.

Where to Stay

The area around Yosemite National Park has no shortage of hotels and Airbnb’s to choose from.

I chose this AirBnB on a whim and I was so delighted. It’s considered a two bed, two bath but they have a flex room in the middle which could function as another bedroom. One of the bathrooms had a Japanese-style shower and soaking tub which was amazing for me and the kids. There was a super cozy corner full of books and toys that A fell in love with.

The AirBnB was also in a fabulous location. It was one road back from the main street so it is walkable to any cafe, restaurant, and shops. There were a couple of trailheads within a 10-minute drive. The host also had a super generous check-in and out time which is amazing for groups!

Recommended Activities

Hike the Stockton Creek Reservoir Loop

Great for getting fresh air and moving those muscles
~2-4 hours; free

The trailhead for this more than 3-mile loop to the Stockton Creek Reservoir was within walking distance from our Airbnb and Downtown Mariposa.

There are a couple of different trails you can explore within the Stockton Creek Preserve. Hiking with my partner and our kids, we chose one completely at random and were pleasantly surprised with the views.

The trail, though very well-maintained, is along a mountain, so keep a close eye on those little ones. We turned around well before the end of the hike, but a number of reviews on AllTrails cite the Lower Trail loop as the easier bet.

Visit Downtown Mariposa

Great for souvenir shopping, local restaurants, historic buildings, and museums
~3+ hours

There are so many fun little shops to wander in Downtown Mariposa, featuring everything from antiques, to gems, to home goods. I could’ve spent the whole afternoon browsing each store.

My mom, A, and I went on another downtown walk to continue to get our zoomies out.

Our first stop was to The Mariposa Gem and Mineral Club where there was endless fascination over the gems and rocks and the millions of other goodies. As I mom I spent the majority of the time worried A was going to knock something expensive over, while Abuelita was able to make up stories and admire each rock and their color with A .

The gentleman running the store gave A two free rocks, which was a wonderful gesture, even if the rocks ended up in my pockets.

While we didn’t get to visit on this trip, the Mariposa Museum & History Center is not to be missed for its California historical exhibits, according to the travel blog, California Through My Lens. Downtown is also home to many 19th century Gold Rush-era buildings, some of which are still in use today!

Drive to Visit Yosemite Bug

Great for a spa day and dining in
~4+ hours

Yosemite Bug (or “The Bug”) is a mountain retreat located in Midpines, about a 15-minute drive from Downtown Mariposa.

The Bug offers spa and food services. We were a huge fan of their breakfast at June Bug Cafe. Next time I hope to see what the spa has to offer.

Where to Eat

We didn’t eat out many times in our stay, but every meal out was absolutely amazing.

June Bug Cafe at Yosemite Bug

Great for breakfast
~$12/plate

For breakfast our first morning, we didn’t realize our top walkable breakfast spot would be closed for the holiday weekend.

So instead we drove 15 minutes to Yosemite Bug’s June Bug Cafe and were delighted by the food and prices. The total breakfast for five plates was about $60 including tip!

Little Shop of Ramen

Great for a date afternoon
~$25-$50/person

One afternoon the grandparents offered to take the kids and let my partner and I enjoy a kid-free date afternoon. We walked to a nearby ramen restaurant, which felt very out of place for a mountain town but was a blast.

Little Shop of Ramen served up delicious ramen, and to our surprise, were offering free sake tastings on the day we arrived. I initially thought they would bring out tiny cups or little shot cups to share, but we spent the meal tasting six very generously poured sake shots per person.

Between four bowls of ramen (we took some back to the house) two beers, one bottle of sake to go, and tip, the total came to $120ish. Well worth it.

Vista Ranch, Merced

Great for wine-tasting, outdoor picnics
~$25-$50/person

We are big fans of Vista Ranch, a venue in Merced that’s along Highway 140 and a great stop along the route to Mariposa, a 30-minute drive away.

We love coming here to eat fire-cooked pizza, taste local wines, and purchase locally sourced crafts and other goodies.

Check out the wine tasting and snack foods available daily. Weekends offer a larger menu, such as fire-cooked pizzas and seasonal salads.

Places to Skip

I did have one less-than-stellar Google Maps experience trying to get to Mariposa County Park.

The Google Maps app directed me to a weird private road that was so difficult to drive that I wasn’t sure if our car would make it out in one piece.

It’s a good reminder to double-check you are going to a legitimate address before you start driving with an impatient toddler.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Mishaps

When we arrived at our Airbnb, I realized that I forgot eggs and milk so my mom and I went to the liquor store that also claimed to have groceries. The $16 eggs did not come home with us.

Wishlist for our Next Visit

If I had a little more time just for me, I would have enjoyed the spa at Yosemite Bug. I was really eyeing the soaking tub but the timing just didn’t work.

We also didn’t go into Yosemite at all and considering how close it was, that was a bit of a bummer. But our Stockton Creek Reservoir hike gave us the nature fix we were looking for. I did see that for February we would have needed reservations to get into Yosemite so that’s something to consider.

Mariposa is a beautiful town, surrounded by great hikes and nature. What was most important to me was slowing down, making connections, and getting away from the set roles we have at home.

I was impressed with the diversity of travelers Mariposa brought in. When I was wandering downtown, I saw many other families with kids of all ages, Yosemite Bug appeared to bring many international travelers, and on the trail were women hiking or families with dogs.

Have you been to Mariposa? Share your favorite spots in the Yosemite area in the comments below!

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Krista L

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I’m Krista, a mixed-race (Mexican & White) mother of one toddler and am a expecting another. Traveling locally and internationally has always been a passion of mine fueled by what the local cuisine of the area is. Feeling like a more experienced parent has led me to exploring different areas with my family and learning where my children fit into a life of adventure. I will always stop at roadside fruit stands and eat riceballs.