It would've been a better attraction if the vocals came from the bear vs a speaker behind it…read more The script was loaded with information but it did not keep my interest.

This is a nice stop to visit the information center and to hear a background on the California…read moreGrizzly Bear. It's more educational than entertaining, but low maintenance and easily found on the east side of Highway 41. I was hoping that the bear would move or provide some insight into the Yosemite Valley, but free is hard to beat!

If Elvis were an Imperial Stormtrooper, he would be the Elvis Trooper. I'm not sure there's…read moreanything more one could add to that, except: WORSHIP THE ELVIS TROOPER. Because it's inevitable. Many Bothans died to bring you this information. They didn't have to; I just don't like Bothans.

All the times I've visited Kingsburg, and only this year did I stumble upon the Historic Kingsburg…read moreJail! I was wandering down the main street, Draper Street, which has many alleys that cut through mid-block, some of which are being turned into dining areas or covered walkways where one can just sit for a moment. In one of the alleys, George Boyle Way, there was an informational sign which led me to the other end of the short alley. This opened up onto an area where I found the base of the Coffee Pot Water Tower, a large public park and the back of the fire department. And, the Historic Kingsburg Jail! A small white block building, with a delightful and well done painting of an escape in progress, I found a building that's a small museum of local law enforcement in the early 1900s. The building is open apparently 24 hours a day, and is video monitored for security - but it is the original jail, and is as hard-looking to break INTO as it was to break out of, mural notwithstanding . . . The building consists of a whole 2 jail cells and a small office, all off a small hallway heated by an old fashioned stove. Thick - VERY thick! - walls give a cool environment when sunny out - probably as cold in the winter?! The cells and office have been turned into dioramas by volunteers, and the effects are cool! A few articles posted around the walls flesh out the early history of the jail and a few of the local law enforcement men who kept Kingsburg safe in those early years - two of whom lost their lives in such service. Overall, the Kingsburg Historical Society has done a great job of keeping a small, out of the way building from simply being closed up and left to decay. Their efforts are worth a quick side trip, and I'm glad I stumbled upon this hidden gem of history!

This historic jail is right beneath the water tower that looks like a coffee pot and behind the…read morefire station. I think the jail is open 24/7. There appears to be a security camera that must be connected with the fire station. It's an adorable little place with period specific furnishings.

Just amazing to see what life was like back then during the Civil War how they lived , cooked what…read morepeople wore as clothing fun to hear the cannons go off

After experiencing this really exciting, beautifully organized and macabre "Civil War Reenactment…read moreevent" I cant help but whisper to god and thanked the heavens for not bring me to life in the 1800's and in America" because I would have shit in my pants like literally if I was alive during those dark times. It wasn't just a step back into time when you attend this civil war reenactment, it was literally like I jumped into a "back to the future car" and went way back in time during the scary and violent civil war era. Everything felt so real and authentic: the dressing, the music, the horse poop, the shootings, the gory sights, the tent housing and even the style of speech. The best part of course was the reliving the great battle acting, which was a burst of loud cannons, guns and smoke, and of course the believable death casualty of war. It was the ultimate sweet dreams for a gun loving republican. Remember to bring ear plugs, because the war reenactment is very loud. While bringing your own chair to sit would be helpful or maybe a blanket to sit down. For $25 which I paid in advance via online, I got parking, catered food, and also entrance to the event- quite a good deal in my opinion. I really enjoyed myself and I truly felt assimilated into the american culture. Ive always seen western american people or white people travel to my country and engulf into my culture enjoying it and being awed and fascinated- oh how I always wanted that same experience, well now I got to do the same exact thing with their culture. The experience felt real ! People were not only dressed with such minute details, but they were also acting as if they were part of that era- people lived in cloth tents, with whole families- women, kids, men all dressed up and lived in small tents. The way they ate, talked, and lived was eerily similar to the civil war era, even the civil war casualty hospital had the sights of gory war casualties of blood and guts. Question could be asked to the actors, and they would educate you with the finest details. These people were highly passionate about the civil war. Even Abraham Lincoln came back to life and made an appearance for this 2 day event once a year event- Sat and Sunday. The parking was fantastic, very organized and they even had parking attendants to guide me. There were numerous stores that sold authentic drinks such as sarsaparilla for $11, brick oven pizza, cattle corn and etc. The meal plan I bought was a perfect combo of trip sandwich, biscuits, beans, and coleslaw. It was delicious and well worth every penny. Plenty of memorabilia and souvenirs could be purchased on these grounds. They were highly affordable and authentic to the market sale of the civil war period. They sold civil war clothing and accessories, toys, and even macabre home decor such as crocodile head. Overall an amazing civil war reenactment that can't be missed, because its simply unique and a great american cultural experience especially for tourist. Make sure to dress comfortably, bring water, and also wear comfy shoes. Don't forget to bring ear plugs for the loud war noise, and also a foldable chair or blanket to sit. Ideal time to visit would be as early as possible since the weather is cooler. Getting here is easy, just input the GPS to Kearny park, there will be plenty of direction posted which would lead to the free parking zone. I would however check the day itinerary before coming, so that I would be in time for the reenactment (which happens only twice a day) and other events.

Super fun hike to these little hot springs located along the mountainside.read more

Always beautiful since I've been going over here!! The water level this year is high so can only go…read morethrough the bridge path..

A must stop! Great view of the falls and the Merced River from the bridge. A nice place to…read morepicnic, but if the weather is good, you will have lots of company. At any rate, the view is fantastic from the bridge, and there is a walking trail where you can take gorgeous photos of the surrounding area. By the way, there is no "swing" in the Swinging Bridge. The original swinging bridge was replaced with a permanently fixed bridge after being damaged in the 1965 flood.

Came here mid November w/ old snow/ice on the grounds. Small parking lot. We got here probably…read moreafter 10a. We're able to get parking. The bridge doesn't swing anymore. Beautiful view of Yosemite falls in the background I believe. Was able to walk down to the water which was shallow and had some ice in it. The kids had fun playing around in the little beachy area. There are restrooms here but my husband said it's those port spotty styles with a hole in the ground. I didn't even want to attempt it. Luckily we drove maybe 5mins out to base camp eatery (Yosemite valley lodge) and use the rest rooms there.

We toured the Fresno County Blossom Trail the last weekend in February 2026, and the flowers were…read moreout in full force, and the agriculture along the trail was absolutely impressive. I saw somewhere that the trail is about a 2-hour drive. That pace seems to me to be at race speed, and way too fast to enjoy the sights. We took about five hours to drive the trail, and that was a comfortable speed. Given how much business and pride the Blossom Trail could drive to Fresno County, the trail appears to be a bit neglected. First, the Google Map download from the Fresno County website is practically useless for navigation using the Android Google Maps app. The app continuously tries to optimize the point-to-point travel, which too often takes one off the preferred and official route roadways for seeing the maximum number of blooms. Occasionally, there are Blossom Trail signs marking the route and turns, but some are either hard to spot or missing: more signs are needed to enhance route navigation for visitors, most of whom are not familiar with the area. Lastly, the map downloaded and printed from the Fresno County website is at such a small scale that it is very difficult to read, and if enlarged, gets blurry and even harder to read. Clearly, Fresno County has done a "government" job at the simple task of marking a route. Lastly, I would highly encourage Fresno County or the Farm Bureau to work with the landowner to put up signs that identity the type of orchard, vineyard, or crop. There used to be blue signs along the fences on I-5 that identified crops, and those were appreciated. The landowners and farmers benefit because the signs instill knowledge in the public and a public that knows about agriculture will support agriculture. Overall, despite the navigation challenges, the Fresno County Blossom Trail provides for a beautiful roadtrip.

The trail is all across Fresno. You'd have to have a car and find one of the "landmarks" on the map…read morethen pay close attention to the streets to know where to turn. The map is confusing and took a lot of time to comprehend. Throughout the trail, you may find orange blossoms, cherry blossoms, almond blossoms, and pear blossoms, however it really varies based on the season for its full blossom. The website recommended Mid February to Mid March. Additionally, some areas may look better than others. If you look at my photo, it looks fairly empty. BUT we did see some pretty full ones in other areas... a lot of them are fenced off. If you're able to find some that aren't blocked, you can easily pull over and take photos. So be prepared to do some searching.

Columbia CA is a find in and of itself, and this gold panning activity is just one of the reasons I…read moresay that so confidently. The attractions here are super affordable and, in some cases, free, and they're truly captivating. For about $20 you get a bag of dirt to pan with guaranteed gold in it, a panning lesson, and access to the panning area for the whole day. That's right. This isn't one and done. It's for the entire day. The lesson is fast and furious, but you get the idea by the end. If you don't, just wait for someone else to get theirs and listen in for a refresher. The speed of the lesson and the fact there's no one there to ask questions after is the only reason I'm taking a star off. That said, you can go inside and ask for help, but that takes you away. The man who taught us was kind and gentle with the lesson, and he made sure the kids found their gold. The look on their faces was priceless! I truly thought they'd be done after that one pan but they were so captivated by the idea of finding treasure that I'm sure we spent at least an hour sifting through the sand for gems. This was money well spent, and if you're vacationing in the area, I would highly recommend this be in your plans.

A good time for all. Grab a pan and start panning. Left with garnets and citrine gemstones (panned…read morereally hard for them). Kid friendly activity, there is a park nearby, a small old town to walk through and plenty of public restrooms and parking available.

3.5 Stars I have to…read morerevisit this place as our first time visit didn't satisfy my curiosity. After reading more about it there was more to this historic place than the old buildings and ruins on Main Street! Hubby and I enjoy visiting ghost towns and seeing ruins. This is a semi ghost town as is the town of Goldfield in Nevada (along U.S. Route 95) with a population of 268. Chinese Camp has a population of 150 on the town sign but 2010 census showed a population of 126 and not a single Chinese person or person of Asian descent for that matter living in town. We walked along Main Street, the part of the street where old unoccupied buildings remain standing. Clearly they look like buildings not fit for living space but many of them say Private Property or No Trespassing so I'm not sure if we were invading people's privacy. We walked up to the State Historical Marker No. 423 located on Highway 120 and read the inscription. The old ruins were fascinating to see (if you're into this stuff). My favorite ghost town thus far was Bodie! Interesting history. It's obvious how the town came by its name as it is estimated as many as five thousand Chinese populated the town at one time. In 1856 a disagreement among Chinese miners ended up in a battle challenge between two local secret Chinese-American societies (these are called tongs). 2,500 Chinese fought using just knives and pitchforks, four were killed before one side retreated. No Chinese person has lived in this city since 1930. This semi ghost town is a remnant of the California Gold Rush mining town and located at the junction of Highway 49 north and Highway 120 west. Review #0596

Mark Twain Bret Harte Trail California Landmark 423…read moreChinese Camp "Reportedly founded about 1849 by group of Englishmen who employed Chinese as miners. Much surface gold found on hills and flats. Headquarters for stage lines in early 1850's, and for several California Chinese Mining Companies. First Chinese Tong War in state fought near here between Sam yap and Yan Woo Tongs. Present stone and brick post office built 1854, still standing. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church built 1855, restored 1949, First Pastor, Father Henry Aleric."

This place is incredible! Not only is the staff incredible, but the different chocolates are…read moreincredible! This is a cute little store front that is really a place to just grab what you want and go. But they always have it super clean and organized. I got two types of gelato: cookies and cream and matcha. The cookies and cream was rich yet super well balanced. Good cookie to cream ratio. The match was incredible. The base for their ice cream was super rich and they obviously put a lot of matcha in it to get that strong of a flavor. I was super happy and devoured it. All in all, if your haven't been here, please try it, it's worth it.

This place is inconspicuous and unassuming from the outside, but go inside and talk to them and…read moreyou'll find a legitimate operation. They produce their own chocolate from cacao beans sourced from different areas of the world. You can get chocolate on its own or a number of drinks featuring chocolate. We did both, and it's now one of our favorite places.