Mariposa Recommendations

Image credit: YMCTB


After you've experienced the beauty of the National Park, we invite you to explore the unique activities around the charming gold rush town of Mariposa.


Here are a few of our favorites:

Water

A river with a sign that says merced wild and scenic river

Tastings

A bottle and two cans of beer are sitting next to each other on a table.
  • Beer: We love the wide variety of tasty brews at 1850 Brewery
  • Wine: Definitely stop by and do a tasting (or grab a bottle) at the tasting room for local winery Casto Oaks, just 1 mile from us
  • Cider: Take a short country drive to sample the tasty offerings at Sierra Cider. Enjoy their petting zoo, tours, and beautiful orchard views
  • Mead: Yes, mead! Swing by the Twisted Cedar taphouse to try their tasty locally-made options

Family

A family is sitting on the grass in a park.


Adrenaline

A group of people are in a raft that says ziprite on it
  • Rafting: Run the scenic Merced river in late spring and early summer just 20 minutes from us with our friends at Zephyr Whitewater, the closest option to Yosemite Valley. Use code WILDHAVEN for 10% off.
  • Skydive: Get a bird's eye view of the Sierra Nevadas and Yosemite with Skydive Yosemite.


Dining & Bars

A close up of a plate of food with beans and tacos on a table.
  • Breakfast: Grab a treat from Happy Burger or High Country Health Foods on your way into the park
  • Lunch: Swing by the giant outdoor patio at the Grove House for their ever-changing menu of well-crafted comfort foods
  • Charcuterie: We highly recommend swinging by The Californian Commissary and picking up one of their tasty cheese and meat platters to go.
  • Dinner: We love the delicious elevated comfort food options at 1850 Brewery.
  • BBQ: Definitely swing by the new BBQ spot in town, Smokin Oak BBQ, for a post-hike pulled-pork or brisket sandwich
  • Bars:  Can't beat the Grove House (& their kid & dog-friendly beer garden), the Alley, or the dive-bar ambience at the Hideout. Also check out the wide variety of beer/wine/mead at the new Twisted Cedar Taphouse right next to Smokin' Oak BBQ


Other Fun

A man and woman are walking down a street in front of a store that is open.
  • Hiking:  A beautiful spring or winter hike is Hite's Cove, which follows a scenic section of the Merced River.
  • Live Music:  Hands down, the Grove House wins the award for best acts.
  • Climbing Museum:  Learn about the history and evolution of climbing by exploring the photography, artifacts, and hardware at the Yosemite Climbing Museum.
  • Shopping: There's some fun window shopping to be had in town, such as the the rocks, gems, and gifts at Yosemite Gifts.
  • Hornitos:  This local "almost ghost town" makes for an easy drive for history buffs

Image Credit: Patrick Pike Photography