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Travels with Baby Reviews: Curry Village Tent Cabins, Yosemite National Park, California
In this Review: Overview The Tent Cabins Dining Words to the Wise Bottom Line More Info & Helpful Links Read recent customer reviews at TripAdvisor
The main difference between tent cabin types are the walls. While both Basic and Signature tent cabins appear to be canvas on the outside, the Basic is only canvas over a wooden frame. The Signature tent cabins, however, have plywood walls on the inside, with some insulation in between. Since we would be staying with a baby at the end of April, when nighttime temperatures may still reach freezing, a Signature Tent Cabin was clearly the way to go. Though both Signature and some of the Basic tent cabins may be heated until around Memorial Day weekend, you can imagine the Signature tent cabin retains the heat much better than plain canvas! Uncertain of how warm we would actually be in a "heated tent cabin" with patches of snow still on the ground outside, we followed the park advice and carried in our own sleeping bags for extra warmth. Happily, as you can see above, our propane wall heater quickly turned our cabin to a toasty 80 degrees! We did turn it down...
The "Camp Curry" showers and restrooms were also very well heated, clean, and illuminated--though we were not alone in getting lost on our way to and from them in the maze of look-alike tent cabins. (No leaving breadcrumbs--it's bear country.) Since cooking is not allowed in Curry Village (imagine the bear traffic!), you'll want to bring along good cold camp fixin's like bagels and cream cheese, sandwich makings, granola bars, cereal, and fruit. Each tent cabin has its own bear-proof storage box just outside the door where you can store a small or medium-size cooler, food and all of your scented toiletries (don't forget the sun block). You can pick up some items at the Curry Village market, but don't expect a great selection of groceries there, or prices. Many
tent cabin guests simply eat at the Curry Village
complex, which is easy enough and doesn't have to cost
an arm and a leg. For breakfast, there is a large
buffet-style breakfast ($$), but you can also keep it simple
with coffees, pastries, and daily to-go specialties like
quiche (best value) from the Coffee Corner inside, next
t Later in the day during high season, other casual options like pizza and tacos become available at the Curry complex. There are many tables and benches scattered around this area where your family can sit and eat any combination of take-away options that suit. You are also just a short bike ride away from the Yosemite Village, where you can choose from other dining options including our favorite, the large and family-friendly cafeteria with lots of variety and healthy options like fresh fruit cups, salads, soups, sandwiches, and then some.
Staying right in the valley of Yosemite National Park is going to cost you--even if you sleep on an old mattress with canvas flaps obscuring your view. Still, there's no place to wake up to a new day like Yosemite Valley. That (shown left) was my view walking to get coffee, by the way. And to be central to the best biking and sightseeing in the park without the need of a car is worth a lot--especially when you have small children along for the ride. If Curry Village is the most viable option to make a Valley stay happen for your family--or if, like us, you simply enjoy new experiences and a rustic retreat where you can wake up to wild birdsong, by all means book a stay in a Curry Village tent cabin. Would we return? Knowing that we will eventually have to pay for FIVE people and the largest tent cabin, chances are slim for this family, so we are especially glad we did at this time. Would we recommend it to our friends? Certain friends, yes.
More Travels with Baby Hotel Reviews All photos, video, and content (c) 2010 by Shelly Rivoli. No compensation was accepted in exchange for this review.
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All
of the tent cabins have plywood floors and
screen windows that have canvas flaps for privacy and
retaining heat. We were also expecting cots, so the beds
with real mattresses, sheets, and wool blankets were a
nice surprise (make up your own beds on arrival). Our
cabin slept four, with a double bed and two twin beds,
with just enough room for our Peapod travel bed on the
floor between us. Five towels were also provided for us.
o the main restaurant. Don't forget your camera so you
can photograph your kids with this well-worn, genuine
Yosemite bear.
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