The Mariposa Museum and History Center is a gem of a place--and a great way to stave off the…read morepost-meal slumber after lunch at 1850! There is SO much information available, and it's stunningly coordinated and handpainted; an art installation on it's own. We learned so much about the local history and area, and it was neat to see it presented in a way that really brought the history to life. The staff were all very warm and welcoming. I would DEFINITELY come back because there's just no way to read everything in an hour. I highly recommend.

The Mariposa Museum & History Center was founded in 1957 and filled with exhibits featuring Native…read moreAmericans, Spanish settlements, the Gold Rush, Yosemite, and Mariposa history. I admired the cool artifacts outside. Inside were stories and more artifacts from the old days. Great place to learn about Mariposa's past.

If you're interested in the history of mineral's & mining then this is the place!…read more Boasting California's official mineral collection containing over 13,000 objects from California and around the world. While taking a tour you will find many gems, mineral specimens, crystalline gold, mining artifacts and a mine tunnel you may walk through. This collection has been in Mariposa since 1983. Prior to that, San Francisco was its home for over 100 years. We spent most of the morning & afternoon exploring this spectacular place. Very informative about each specimen and the history surrounding it. The two rangers hosting this site are full of information and colorful stories. A must see! My only caveat is they don't allow anyone to take photographs inside for security reasons. I sure would have loved a close up picture or two... No worries, I still had fun. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=588

We all really enjoyed it! I've never seen so many gorgeous minerals and rocks in one place! It's a…read morefairly quick trip but even my 7-year-old enjoyed it!

Brought my sister here while she was visiting from the bay! Nancy was so incredibly sweet, she…read morechatted with us the whole time about climbing and Yosemite and Mariposa, and informed us that parts of the famous plane that crashed were on the back of the building ! She even let my cat walk around inside :)) overall great experience, Nancy was the best

Small but delightful! I really enjoyed the photographs of amazing athletes in an amazing…read morelandscape, many of the photos taken by professional photographers. I'm not a climber: the docent patiently explained the different pieces of equipment on display and interactive displays allowed you to see how they really worked. Ropes too. Nice layout, well lit, well maintained. Quality t-shirts, hats, etc. for sale. I'll be back!

Railtown State Historic Park is extremely cool and fun for all ages! We got to stand on the caboose…read morebuilt for Back To The Future III, viewed the train smoke stack from Little House on the Prairie train, coal powered steam engines, and we saw the Well from the olddddddd show Peticoat Junction: We also were able to see some old trains including ones with wooden grates in the front, and lots of train parts!! He enjoyed explaining things to me.. For a very small fee you can take a ride on a train. Walk around the grounds and see old engines, workshops with all sorts of parts, machines of all sorts. A map is providing for easy understanding of the grounds. It is a trek to get across the grounds and would be difficult for someone with mobility issues. Both of my children grew up coming to not only this park, but to Columbia also. Our family has made many trips here over the years. We love combining, education, history and adventure. They host Christmas events here like the Polar Express train ride to North Pole. This was such a spectacular event I brought my daughter to when she was little. We watched the movie the night before. When we arrived in our pajamas for our VIP seat, we stood in line where we were lovingly harassed by actors. We boarding the train after getting a golden ticket! We sat in the back car. Actors were dancing and singing and chasing hobos off the train while we enjoyed a ride and spilled hot cocoa out of polar express keepsake mugs. Arriving at North Pile and seeing the elves and Santa pushed it over the edge for my young daughter. She was beyonnnnnd excited!! Will I return: We always do. There's something incredibly nostalgic about this place!

This review is strictly for the 'Polar Express' holiday ride…read more Our family had high expectations for the polar express train ride. We were looking forward to a "magical" evening for the kids but the experience turned out to be what a huge disappointment and waste of money!! 45 minutes of the one hour ride was a slow churn in darkness through unkept brush. for $80 a person ($720 for the family), it is an insult to people and to the holiday! Shame on these people! Wow!! Wow!! Wooow!! That is what we kept saying as we approached the 'north pole' which was some farm equipment with lights on them, crudely painted wood and cardboard cutouts of reindeer and other christmas figures, horrible lighting, and a couple of people standing in costumes waiving. At $80 a person, this is a complete RIP OFF! We all agreed that at best it is not worth more than $20, Avoid this scam at all costs.

Having never tempted your family from this direction, I stopped at the visitor center in Mariposa…read more So glad I did, Jacob was full of information, knowledge, and tips for both things local and for Yosemite. Got a bunch of brochures which I always love, and save, and got to look at and purchase some cool merch. Bonus: there is an awesome looking escape room right there. Do not miss this stop!!!

READ FOR PRO TIPS!!!…read more DO THE SCAVENGER HUNT! It's super fun (did it with our 9 & 10 year olds). It is normally $15 but you get a $5 discount if you ask for one. PLUS you get a free coupon per participant for ice cream at Happy Burger Diner and the ice cream scoop is HUGE!!! And 10% off your entire meal if you get anything else :) STAFF IS FRIENDLY They will hook you up! :) Enjoy!

This is a really cool place to spend the day with kids. The staff was very kind and helpful. They…read moreplayed a short film for us that explained how the fossils were found in the area. There are many fossils and replica of fossils. You guide yourself on a tour, they give you a booklet to use to guide yourself. Each station has information on the fossils, history,etc. There is an outdoor area with replicas of the homes of the native Yokuts tribe that was originally in the area. There is also an outdoor pond with plaques in front of each different plant that surrounds the pond. It was a really cool learning experience. You can pay a bit extra for fossil digging. There are 19 fossils to dig up, that can take about an hour. We spent about 3 hours there. They also have a cool little gifts shop area.

We've taken our dinosaur loving grandson there a couple of times and he is always delighted. They…read morecontinue to add sights and experiences as the exhibit grows and the excavation continues in the back 40. Go there and measure yourself next to the Wooly Mammoth and you'll be glad you didn't live when they roamed the Central Valley!

Fresno Flats, Oakhurst: 2025 Dec 20 (5 of 5) Community…read moreHoliday Fair & Market In the little town of Oakhurst, where people are few but hearts are big, I noticed the folks here try and support each other in the little things they do. Today, a community holiday fair was held at Fresno Flats. I joined the lucky folks and did a walk-about. Holiday music fills the air on this gorgeous morning, while animals made their debut. I made friends with a couple of goats - actually, it was mama and her kid. As her kid nuzzled up to visitors and chewed on some treats, mama stood guard. I even managed to pet the kid and persuade it to eat out of my hand. Present were two food trucks. Chef Yuji and his lovely wife, Veronique are known to everyone in this little town. Their food truck emblazoned with Matsumoto Samurai's Kitchen parked in its usual spot, offering several Japanese delights to choose from. Their sushi is always fresh and delicious. The chefs take pride in what they serve. Of course, I couldn't walk away without getting my favourite. Poki Bowl: fresh tuna and salmon over sushi rice and two sides. I stopped by a stall manned by Stacy (she gave me permission to take her photo and post it on social media). Stacy said she makes all the natural products herself: soaps, candles, lip gloss, etc. The items looked clean and well packaged. I think they're perfect as stocking stuffers, or just a sweet gift to someone special. It looks like everyone there was having a lovely time: children dressed up and playing in the park, while adults chatted under the tent. There were folks in period costumes handing out candy canes, even Santa was on hand to 'ho-ho-ho' his way. Overall, this is a lovely place to spend a few hours.

Fresno Flats is a must‑see stop in Oakhurst for anyone wanting to understand the roots of the…read morecommunity. Donations are welcomed and help the dedicated docents continue sharing their knowledge and personal stories. We found it fascinating to learn how a logging community grew, lived, and thrived here for generations -- and how Native Americans and Chinese residents played essential roles in shaping the area's development.

Such a beautiful museum so friendly so much to see. Wed-sat summer time takes cash or card. Winter…read morehours change - think they close on wednesdays in winter. Very beautiful gift shop as well. The bison when you walk in takes your breath away. $9 to enter

We came took us an hour to visit this place and it said open and we get there it was close on a…read moreWednesday we came 40 min before closing it's disappointing I had my two girls and my 6 month baby and it was a waste of time and gas please call them before going to avoid any of this

I had expected a little more than we found there. The basket displays are remarkable, the dispaly…read morethat allows visitors to feel is interesting. The hand-made costumes are beautiful, but not typical of the region. The best thing was the live display of a man mKing rope from the natural fibers found in the park. He explained to onlookers as he worked. The space is quite close with little room to move around.

Featuring the cultural history of native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 onward…read more The Miwok/Paiute baskets are just exquisite. Each one detailing a different pattern and shape. Very impressive work as it takes many years to finish one basket. The depiction of native peoples in the far area of the museum, specifically the recreations with mannequins, is in dire need of improvement. Other than that I enjoyed taking in the beautiful artwork. The gallery was not open when we visited. Perhaps it will be next visit.