Also: Hotels in Fresno | Hotels
in Visalia
Hotels in Three Rivers
Accommodations Inside
Kings Canyon National Park
John Muir Lodge
This new 30-room lodge in Grant Grove opened for the
summer of 1999, offering modern accommodations and
sweeping porches. The two-story pine building has a
beamed lobby with stone fireplace. Units include standard
rooms, and "suites" -- two adjacent rooms, one for
sleeping, and the other for sitting. These are the first
new accommodations in Grant Grove in 40 years.
Also at Grant Grove:
Rustic cabins and older standard units are found at Grant
Grove, with showers nearby.
Cedar Grove
This longtime facility in Kings Canyon National Park
offers a small lodge with 18 rooms, a snack bar and gift
shop.
For information and reservations for Kings
Canyon National Park accommodations, call (559) 335-5500.
Accommodations in Sequoia National
Park
Wuksachi Lodge
With 102 rooms and suites, this fine new lodge has
replaced Giant Forest Village, which is being torn down
to preserve the grove of Sequoias. This is a fine
building, somewhat reminiscent of the architecture of the
Awhanee Hotel at Yosemite, but with its own touches. A
central building has the main lobby, registration,
lounge, restaurant, and gift shop. It's all done in a
time-tested, stately stone and timber style. Guest rooms
are in separate buildings. Corner suites contain a
sitting room and a bedroom. All rooms have data ports and
a coffee maker. This is the first stage of a much larger
hotel complex -- to be built over several years. The
current restaurant (there will eventually be two) holds
100 diners.
For information and reservations for
Sequoia National Park accommodations, call
1-888-252-5757.
In the Sequoia National Monument
Stoney Creek Lodge is a small inn
with restaurant and store, located between the two parks,
on Generals Highway, in the Sequoia National Monument.
Hotels in Visalia
Visalia is 45 miles from the south entrance
to Sequoia National Park and 45 miles from the more
northerly entrance to Kings Canyon. The shorter route is
better for cars and light trucks. trailers and motor
homes should take the longer, northern route via highway
180 (from Fresno). For a listing of Visalia hotels,
Go
Here.
The Radisson Hotel (300 South Court
Street) is next to the city's conference center. The 201
rooms are large with "overstuffed" chairs and ottomans,
some have mini bars, and the hotel has a swimming pool,
whirlpool, and fitness center. There's an airport
shuttle.
Best Western Visalia Inn (623 W.
Main Street) is in the central downtown area. Within a
few blocks you will find several theaters, restaurants
and shops.
Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference
Center (9000 W. Airport Drive) is a large modern
hotel with two buildings. It has all of the normal
amenities you can find in other Holiday Inns.
Hotels in Fresno
Fresno has lots of hotels
and motels, almost all of them chain operations. You
can find Days Inns, Red Roofs, Motel 6s, and a host of
other brands. Here are several of these, and one local
operation with a nostalgic feel.
Four Points Fresno (3737 North
Blackstone) is a Sheraton hotel and the best one in
Fresno. AAA 3 diamonds, Mobil 3 stars. It's in the
business district with gardens around the building and
all the amenities of a first-class hotel. There's a
Manager's Reception every Tuesday and Wednesday with free
food and drinks. features include health & fitness
center, outdoor heated pool, restaurant, lounge, and
laundry and valet services.
La Quinta Inn Fresno (2926 Tulare
Street) is six blocks from downtown. Three restaurants
are adjacent to the hotel. A light continental breakfast
is served at the hotel. There's a 24 hour front desk,
pool, and modem lines in rooms
If you're a nostalgia buff, you might want
to look at the Piccadilly Inn at 2305 West Shaw Avenue.
Single level cottages are set on the 7.5 acre property.
Every room features a refrigerator, coffee maker, iron
and board,, hairdryer, and data port. Recliners are
included in rooms featuring a king bed. Complimentary
continental breakfast is served and there's an afternoon
happy hour with hors d'oeuvres. Pool, whirlpool, workout
room. The 194-room motor court was built in 1973 and
remodeled in 1999.
Hotels in Three
Rivers
Three Rivers, a small town on Highway 198
is just 12 miles from the entrance to Sequoia National
Park. It's a handy spot from which to start, or base your
visit to the parks. For a listing of Three Rivers
hotels,
Go
Here.
Best Value Lazy J Ranch (39625
Sierra Drive) is a standard motel with rooms at ground
level. It's set on 10 acres with scenic hills just below
Sequoia National Park as a backdrop. Continental
breakfast is served. Units include motels rooms and
cottages.
Holiday Inn Express - Sequoia Park
(40820 Sierra Drive) is a standard motel with some rooms
at ground level.
How to Get There
The parks are accessible from two
directions. The easiest road for driving is the northern
route, via Highway 180, which leads from Fresno. The
southern access route is Highway 198, from Visalia. The
extremely steep ascent on the southern highway has many
sharp switchbacks. For RV and Trailer owners, it's much
easier on the nerves (and the health of you and your
vehicle) to stick to the northern access road for coming
and going. For people with cars and pickups, the route
down the mountain from Sequoia National Park is a fine
adventure.
