Death Valley is a very unique and fascinating park. It is a land of stark contrasts and great natural extremes. It is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and as a national park, only dates from 1994. Synonymous with California - a small part of the park is actually in the state of Nevada. Death Valley National Park is 3.4 million acres - as a result visitors need at least 3-4 days to get a "feel" for the park and to visit and … [Read more...]
Death Valley, CA – Accomodation
CAMPING Death Valley National Park features a variety of campgrounds, some quite large like the 1000+ Sunset campground near Furnace creek (only open in the winter months), to just a few camp spaces. Many campgrounds close for the summer season - approximately mid April through mid October. For the campgrounds that do stay open in the summer months, often the prices will be cheaper. We have often found campgrounds closed in the park due to … [Read more...]
Death Valley, CA – Restaurants & Food
If you set your expectations low for culinary options prior to visiting Death Valley you won't be disappointed at all. In our experience, the food tends to be average and over priced. But you have to remember, this is in the middle of the desert - it's not like you can just walk out and pick fresh lettuce in the 120+ heat at times! PANAMINT SPRINGS Restaurant & bar review coming soon! STOVEPIPE WELLS Badwater Saloon - like the Tollroad … [Read more...]
Wagon Wheel Saloon, Santa Rosa CA – October 2003
Wagon Wheel Saloon Santa Rosa - This unique and almost historical bar is located in the midst of sprawling Urban Development in North Santa Rosa, CA. This old time bar remains despite all the development in the area including the fancy residential and business park in the Fountaingrove District in the nearby hills and tiny homes that back up almost to the bar itself. This bar is not short on character and it is worth a visit for that. To … [Read more...]
Pozo Saloon, Pozo CA – May 2002
Pozo Saloon is located about 40-45 minutes by car from downtown San Luis Obispo. This saloon is located in the thriving metropolis of Pozo - at last count population 52. The town's population wasn't always this low - gold was discovered in the late 1870's in La Panza (east of Pozo) and the population of the town had swelled to over 850 by 1882. The saloon is a historic landmark dating from 1858; the building is a fine example of old 'western' … [Read more...]
Willow Steakhouse, Jamestown CA – January 2002
Willow Steakhouse Jamestown - When in the historic mining town of Jamestown, California be sure to swagger up to the bar at The Willow Steakhouse, Restaurant & Saloon located at corner of Willow & Main Street. This is an authentic looking western style (gold rush era feel) bar & restaurant with a rich history (be sure to read the history section on their menu). The building dates back to the early 1860's and was named for the willow trees growing … [Read more...]
Mammoth, CA – Bodie
Bodie (8,379 feet) is well-worth a visit; this is one of California's best preserved old mining towns. At the height of the mining days (1872-1882), Bodie's population swelled to around 10,000 people. In the early 1900's it was plagued by fires and earthquakes. Eventually gold ran out of the nearby mines and the town slowly died, like so many other California mining towns. However, Bodie, unlike so many other California mining towns - still … [Read more...]
Hopland, CA – Restaurants
While Hopland is small, it does feature a surprisingly number of good restaurants. Here are a few we have visited to date: Blubird Cafe has been located in downtown Hopland for years and is our go to restaurant when we find ourselves in town. The service is friendly, the food delicious. Recommended items include the elk burger and the Tuscan salad with the addition of ahi tuna on top. Many ingredients are sourced locally including local beef … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Groveland
Groveland is a town of about 3,000 people located on Highway 120 about 20 miles from the Yosemite Park entrance. There are several small restaurants, hotels and one hostel in this town. The center of town basically consists of the narrow Main Street with historic buildings located on both sides. Because of its small size, one can easily park and spend some time strolling the picturesque Main Street. The Iron Door saloon (one of California's … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Lodging
Some of these mining towns are relatively small so lodging is limited. Some of these hotels listed below are historic. The prices vary somewhat depending on the season. Prices subject to change without notice. Our readers often email us concerning a specific property. If we hear anything specific about a particular hotel we will be sure to mention it here. These towns are alphabetized. All Phone Numbers unless otherwise noted are 209 area … [Read more...]