National Parks are the perfect COVID-friendly vacation, even when everyone has the same idea, it’s not hard to stay socially distant. So up we drove, on the CA-99 all the way up to Mariposa, where we settled into a 3-bedroom Airbnb for a four day trip. Stopping by Lodge Bread on the way up to pick up lunch and bread and a pizza kit, we got to Mariposa in the late afternoon with a car full of food, just in time to go out to the patio for a killer sunset view. Much of the town was closed, and we were tired from the drive, so we stayed in. That night, we had pizza for dinner and an espresso almond pie hauled all the way up from Republic of Pie.
While there are many lodging options closer to the park or in the park, we opted for a house in Mariposa for more space and more distance from other travelers. It was about an hour each way to get into the park, but with no traffic and a lazy itinerary, it was the perfect home base.