national park lodges - Pitstops for Kids

Kings Canyon lodging pick: John Muir Lodge review

Kings Canyon National Park’s John Muir Lodge is located in the heart of the park’s Grant Grove Village. Bustling in summer with campgrounds and tent cabin units, the village is nearly empty in the off-season (any time between September and May). The lodge registration is located at the main complex with convenience store, gift shop, and the Grant Grove Restaurant (more on that soon) but the lodge itself is set back about a five-minute walk from the village center.

The John Muir Lodge lobby is comfortable and spacious, with a big roaring fireplace, plenty of couches and tables with chairs, and complimentary wifi. Rooms are along the ground floor and second floor, with nice deck and patio space on the end of each hallway.

Rooms:

You won’t find a lot of frills here (though the lodge interior is scheduled for a facelift). Standard rooms like the one I experienced include two queen beds and room for a rollaway (sleeping a total of five). Deluxe rooms include one king bed and a pull-out couch to sleep a total of four. As stated, the rooms need some sprucing up, but are perfectly comfortable and adequate. I appreciated the iPod docking stations, allowing me to keep my USB cords packed for the night, and the wifi in the lobby proved fast and easy to connect to. Tip: I heard that some first floor rooms adjacent to the lobby have a wifi signal that will save you the trip to the lobby to connect.

Dining:

As mentioned, there is a small convenience store in Grant Grove Village, but this is primarily for the campers in the summer months; guests at John Muir Lodge don’t have fridges or kitchenettes to do much meal preparation. The Grant Grove Restaurant is causal but upscale, and offers nice meals for families. Their breakfast features standards like egg and breakfast meal combos, omelets, and pancakes or French toast, and dinner fare includes a kids’ menu and wonderful local fish and grass-fed beef options. The included bread course at dinner is to die for: the new chef makes his assorted nut and fruit breads from scratch daily, and if you’re not careful, you’ll fill up on them!

Family-friendly package deal: the Junior Ranger Package will be available May 15 through September 1, and includes a one-night stay at Wuksachi or John Muir Lodge and a Junior Ranger vest, tee-shirt, hat, and compass. It encourages checking out the parks’ Junior Ranger programs, which introduce kids to what makes the national parks so special and how to become great environmental stewards. Most programs are free! At the end, each participant will earn a Junior Ranger badge. Rates start at $299 in spring and $365 in summer at Wuksachi and $249 in spring and $339 in summer at John Muir Lodge.

Tip: if you’re looking for a quieter, more upscale lodging experience, we recommend Wuksachi Lodge in adjacent Sequoia National Park.

Directions:

John Muir Lodge is centrally located and within easy driving distance to all points in Kings Canyon or Sequoia national parks. From Fresno, it’s an easy (though windy) drive up Highway 198 to the General’s Highway. Follow signs to Grant Grove Village.

As I disclose whenever applicable, my stay at John Muir Lodge and meals at Grant Grove Restaurant were complimentary, for the purpose of review. All opinions remain my own.

5 Western mountain lodges for family summer stays

We love mountain lodges! Whether your family enjoys hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or just swimming in a cool mountain lake, a stay at one of the following Western mountain lodges for families will provide much needed summer time R&R.

1. Lodge at Suttle Lake, Central Oregon:

Whereas much of Central Oregon is surrounded by high desert, the small town of Sisters is located in the heart of the Deschutes National Forest, where pine trees shade lakes, streams, and even cinder cones. The Lodge at Suttle Lake is located about 15 minutes from town, on the shore of Suttle Lake. It’s easy for families to hike around this small lake, or kayak or canoe straight from the marina.

Fishing is good at Suttle Lake, or families can mountain bike from Sisters. Lodging ranges from lodge rooms to multi-family cabins, and dining is lake side near the marina. We love the complimentary happy hour and peaceful gazebo where we can spot eagles and paddle boarders alike while rocking in rocking chairs.

Read our full review of the Lodge at Suttle Lake.

2. Gray Eagle Lodge, Northern California:

Truly ‘away from it all’, Northern California’s Gray Eagle Lodge is tucked away deep in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range above the town of Graeagle, California. While visiting, families are at least one hour’s drive from the nearest McDonald’s, or even a traffic stop light, and are instead surrounded on all sides by mountain lakes, forests, and streams.

We love that families can book one of over a dozen lodge-side cabins, all of which are within feet of Graeagle Creek and nearby waterfall. Families can embark on hikes to remote, foot-access-only hikes directly from the lodge, and can return at dusk for gourmet meals in the dining room.

3. Many Glacier Hotel, Montana:

Located in the heart of Glacier National Park, the Many Glacier Hotel just may be the most stunning location in which you’ve laid your head. It certainly may have been for us. The hotel sits right at the edge of Swiftcurrent Lake, which sports a backdrop of, you guessed it, glaciers. The hotel’s expansive upper story deck draws a crowd every evening for the sunset, and afterward, star-gazers linger. We loved that we could hop on a guided boat and nature walk directly from the hotel dock, and were steps away from local hikes.

The best rooms in the Many Glacier offer a view of the lake, but even if you have a rear-facing room, such as we did, you’ll still look out upon mountains and woods…not bad! We liked sitting out on our small wooden balcony, or setting up a board game at a table in one of the lodge’s many public spaces.

Read our full review of the Many Glacier Hotel.

4. Timberline Lodge, Oregon:

For an experience that’s 100% Pacific Northwest, Mt. Hood Oregon’s Timberline Lodge will not disappoint. Yes, if you visit in winter, you can ski the slopes of Timberline, but in summer, hiking reigns…as well as wildflower blooms. Families will be wowed by the large beams and high ceilings of the lodge’s main lobby; we always appreciate the authenticity of the creaking stairs and worn wood. The fireplaces are just as cozy in summer, as well as the outdoor hot tubs.

Rooms at Timberline lodge are cozy (read, small), and a family of four or five may need to book two rooms. This is definitely a downside, but the meals in Timberline’s Cascade Dining Room, especially the hearty breakfasts, will more than make up for this. Plus, Timberline is almost always running a family vacation deal that includes food and lodging, or activities.

Read our full Timberline Lodge review.

5. Redfish Lake Lodge, Idaho:

At Redfish Lake Lodge, it’s all about lakeside living. The life of the lodge is centered around the lake shore, where the Redfish Marina offers fishing boat rentals, canoe rentals, and stand-up paddle boards. You can fish, boat, horseback ride, or swim directly from the lodge, and within a short driving distance, families can try mountain climbing in the Sawtooth Mountains or hiking in the White Cloud Wilderness Area.

Dining at Redfish Lake is both rugged and upscale…at the same time. The dining room is decidedly country and comfortable, and yet the Northwest cuisine served is anything but everyday. Best of all, for large party events, your $250 deposit for lodging is applied as a dining credit in the dining room. Lodging ranges from rustic cabin stays to very comfortable lodge rooms, and all options are affordable for families.