Wondering what the Fall colors look like right now in Yosemite Valley? I spent the last week exploring my top spots in Yosemite National Park for enjoying the autumn foliage, and I'm excited to share the current conditions today for this first week of November 2024. I'm rating the park as a "Go Soon" with a mix of vibrant colors at spots like Bridalveil Fall, Cooks Meadow, and Yosemite Chapel.
Read MoreWhat are the best spots in the Eastern Sierra for Fall photography? Today I'm sharing a travel guide for the top 10 photo spots near Bishop, California to see the Fall colors. We'll be heading into Inyo National Forest to find perfect locations to set up the tripod, including North Lake, Bishop Creek, Aspendell, Lake Sabrina & more, along with valuable photo tips to prep you for your 395 trip.
Read MoreLooking for the ultimate family fun road trip to Yosemite National Park? Play the Fossils to Falls scavenger hunt and collect all 10 trading cards, starting at the Fossil Discovery Center in California's Central Valley, taking you thru Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Bass Lake & more Madera County gems, ending in the Yosemite Valley...and then enter to win a great Yosemite Adventure Vacation Prize Package!
Read MoreThis week we're taking a road trip along the California Central Coast to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, nicknamed "mini Yosemite". With its hiking trails, towering coastal redwood trees, abundant wildlife, and lodging options (including camping and Big Sur Lodge cabins), this CA state park along Highway 1 is one of the top places to go in Big Sur. Read this travel guide for all the park details.
Read MoreJoin me at Andrew Molera State Park along the Big Sur coastline for a complete visitors guide to help you plan your next Central California road trip. This comprehensive travel guide shares detailed information on hiking trails, camping, wildlife, and historic structures. Want to know where to find beach access in Big Sur? Molera beach is one of the best beaches along Highway 1 in Big Sur.
Read MoreThe Tioga Pass Entrance is open for the 2024 Summer season in Yosemite National Park. Connecting Mono Lake, Lee Vining, and US-395 with Big Oak Flat Road, Tioga Road features some of the best views and things to do in and around Yosemite, including multiple waterfalls, lakes, and trailheads to easy & strenuous hikes. Read this travel guide to explore the current conditions on opening week.
Read MoreThe Big Sur coast is home to several California State Parks, and they are all worthy of a stop on your next Highway 1 road trip. Check out this travel guide to explore the best hiking trails and what wildlife to see on your Big Sur adventure in each state park, including Garrapata, Point Lobos, Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Limekiln, Point Sur, and Hearst San Simeon.
Read MoreToday I'm sharing a comprehensive visitors guide for Glacier Point, one of the most iconic clifftop viewpoints in Yosemite National Park. This famous overlook provides the perfect spot to photo Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Nevada Fall, Vernal Fall, and the Yosemite Valley below. Read this complete travel guide for preparing your hiking or photography adventure, and learn about its rich history.
Read MoreToday I'm sharing the best spots to escape the crowds when Yosemite National Park gets too crowded. This top vacation destination in California can get very busy, especially in Summer, but there are so many places to go and things to do to enjoy Yosemite in solitude. Check out this travel guide for my top 10 Yosemite spots to avoid crowds, which includes great hiking trails and waterfall views.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for hiking the easy 3.5 mile trail along the Wawona Meadow Loop. This is the perfect hike to avoid the busy Yosemite Valley crowds and escape the hot Summer sun. This family and dog friendly trail circles the historic Wawona Golf Course and is found right off Highway 41 near the Wawona Hotel just a few miles north of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.
Read MoreThe Bridalveil Fall Trail is now open after years of being closed for a massive restoration project, so this week we're hiking the easy family and kid friendly path to the base of this iconic Yosemite waterfall. This travel guide explores one of the top things to do in Yosemite Valley, especially during the Spring and early Summer seasons, when the Yosemite National Park waterfalls are raging.
Read MoreToday we're checking out the top 10 photo spots in San Fran, California. This Flying Dawn Marie travel guide will take you all over SF to the best viewpoints for photography, such as Palace of Fine Arts, Presidio of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, and Lombard Street. We'll capture great Instagram shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, and many other iconic landmarks in the Bay Area.
Read MoreBeach access is hard to find in Big Sur, but today we're taking the Creamery Meadow Trail in Andrew Molera State Park to a secluded beach for a king tide. Molera Beach is one of the best beaches in Big Sur, especially during sunset and low tide in the off season when the it's not busy. This California state park is found south of Monterey near the Big Sur Lodge, Nepenthe, and Pfeiffer Beach.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to visiting Trona Pinnacles located near Ridgecrest, CA in the Searles Valley. This is a perfect stop when taking a road trip from Los Angeles to Death Valley National Park. This BLM land is filled with unique rock formations that have been used as a filming location for many TV shows, commercials & movies, and currently there are wildflowers blooming.
Read MoreThis week we're taking a long day trip from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park to see Firefall, the natural phenomenon also known as the Horsetail Fall Event. This travel guide covers a one day itinerary with recommendations on driving directions, points of interest, where to park, and how to access one of my top spots to view Firefall from across the Yosemite Valley along Four Mile Trail.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide about hiking the Nature Trail & River Path Loop in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The trailhead is right next to Big Sur Lodge off of Highway 1, and this easy family friendly hike takes you along the Big Sur River, through an old growth grove of coastal redwood trees, and by old structures & cabins build by the CCC. This is an easy trail with great views.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to hiking the Mosaic Canyon Trail inside Death Valley National Park. Along this moderate hike we find narrow slot canyons & unique rock formations, making this one of the top things to do in Death Valley. This is one of the best hikes on any road trip to Death Valley because the 2 mile gravel road leading here means it's a lesser visited area in the park.
Read MoreCurrently there are 16,000 western monarch butterflies at the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove along CA Highway 1. If you're wondering where to see monarchs in California, this butterfly colony is one of the largest in the state and can be enjoyed every November thru February during the monarch winter migration. This is one of my top things to do in Pismo Beach & along the central coast.
Read MoreYou can hike to an arch rock in Death Valley! Check out this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for hiking the Natural Bridge Trail in Death Valley National Park, which leads you through slot canyons to the largest natural arch in the park and to a dry waterfall. Enjoy views of Badwater Basin and its temporary lake along this easy to moderate hike, which is one of my top things to do in Death Valley.
Read MoreIs Death Valley open? YES! Death Valley National Park has reopened after a 2 month closure, but many roads and features in the park remain closed to the public. Read this Flying Dawn Marie complete travel guide to taking this desert road trip now. Learn about current conditions, traffic delays, and the historic road damage & flooding, including pics of the Badwater Basin lake from Dantes View.
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