Yosemite Snow Trip for Melanie’s Birthday
This year i didn’t want to put in all the effort to throw a birthday party, and so decided to plan a weekend snow trip since Vincent kept asking during Christmas “when is it going to snow?” We normally drive up to Tahoe for snow/gambling, but figured maybe Yosemite might be closer (it is by a couple hours), and Jeff had not visited there before.
My parents and my sister from AU came up to visit. We stayed at Tenaya lodge which was beautiful and really kid-friendly.
The snow level at the hotel was not to great. When i planned the trip i was hoping that the kids could just play in the snow at the hotel (they had a sledding area), but since the weather was unseasonably warm the last week, most of it had melted off, despite getting a good amount the week prior. Our hotel room was on the sunnier side. The other side of the hotel did have a fair amount but not really “playable”.
That’s the biggest chunk we could see from our room! And it was gone by the time we left.
The kids had fun running around in the grass though, and my parents were in the room right next to us.
The first day we were there we drove to Badger Pass to play in the snow. Being President’s day/ Valentine’s day weekend, IT WAS SO BUSY. The sledding and kid activites were pretty much booked for the day since we got a late start (lucky we even got a parking spot i think we literally got the last one!)
But it ended up being fine, the kids just played in the mountain of snow, had enough, and we drove around the Valley a bit to take in the sights. Best of all, according to Vinny, is we went through a long TUNNEL!
Here are some photos of the snow play:
Melanie loved playing in the snow. She was so cute, and got really excited if we mentioned it or played with it.
We found a spot on the side of the road to play on the next day, and had the kids try sledding. They loved it!
After playing in the snow during the day, it was back to the hotel for food, and to chill. They had a good amount of activities to do like ice skating, to do though, like an ice skating rink, an indoor pool, arcade, flashlight nature walks (though Vinny was too young) and during the Christmas season, sleigh rides. Vincent, Jill and Jeff rented some skates. It was pretty shaky! I think he had a good time though.
Vinny after skating — “that was rough!”
The food at the restuarants there were really good! They had 3 different options, but we only tried 2 of them. The kids didn’t really eat too well, but whats new there? They actually did OK. Vincent liked the breakfast buffet! Melanie ate all her oatmeal when Aunty made it up for her, but didn’t like it from anyone else. In fact she really liked Aunty Jill. She didn’t want to go to Grandma really at all this whole trip. And she kept sticking her tongue out at Grandma! Funny girl.
Aunty Jill gave Vinny and Melanie stuffed animals. Vinny really liked his bear “Brownie”
The kids loved the arcade in the hotel, which was next to the indoor pool (too cold to play in though), and had billiards table.
LOL, melanie says “i did it!” and she’s in her favorite monkey ballerina PJs she is obsessed with (banena)
On the last night we made smores! Vincent’s first time. He had been asking for smores ever since he saw it on an episode of Calliou. He didn’t really eat the whole thing, though, surpringly – he just wanted the CRACKER! LOL!
I think we would like to make a “snow” trip an annual event. It would have been more fun if it were snowing/colder, for the “full effect” but at the same time it was pretty nice to just be in a long sleeve with no jacket playing in the snow!