Adventure Meets Luxury at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

The one-hour drive transitions from level farmland to undulating hills of olive groves and vineyards, and then ascends through the Sierra National Forest to emerge at the doorstep of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite at an elevation of 5,288 feet -- over a mile high in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

We've never been to Yosemite and are excited to take a peek, so we decide to continue past the lodge into the park. The crescendo of our climb is Tunnel View. Nothing prepares for the epic beauty of this iconic vista -- I imagine the entrance to heaven! We look across at the towering granite cliffs of El Capitan (the world's largest rock monolith), Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Fall. I’ve been around the world and can’t remember a more majestic sight.

Tenaya Lodge Contemporary Suite living room

My husband and I have come seeking a romantic weekend in a natural setting. This year, on its 25th anniversary, Tenaya Lodge is undergoing a complete room renovation and has introduced a tranquil, adults-only area with Garden and Contemporary Suites. These new luxury suites feature a Scandinavian-inspired design with hardwood floors, area rugs and limited-edition art by photographer, Michael Ambrose. Our 850 square foot Contemporary Suite has a living room with sectional sofa, 55” flat panel TV, and modern in-wall fireplace. There is a dry bar with refrigerator & microwave, dining table and desk, huge bath and dressing area, and a gorgeous bedroom with natural wood, sliding barn door, another 55" TV, and a private patio.

Contemporary Suite bathroom

After celebrating our arrival with specialty house drinks (a Pack Mule and a John Muir Mai Tai) in Jackalopes Bar, we choose the Sierra Restaurant patio for dinner. Here we get our first taste of Tenaya’s exceptional cuisine. Executive Chef Frederick Clabaugh masterfully caters to our vegetarian preferences with one deliciously creative course after another. Our entrée is a risotto stuffed eggplant. My husband is a beer lover so we try some brews from local South Gate Brewing Company located just 20 minutes down valley in Oakhurst. They've even created an ale exclusively for the lodge called Tenaya Red IPA. My favorite is a "dessert" beer called Oak Town Brown – brewed with pecans, brown sugar and chocolate malts.

Sierra Restaurant patio

Later in the evening, we venture out into the dark forest for a guided flashlight hike to stargaze and learn about the flora and fauna. Janelle, our guide, points out edible and non-edible plants. We find berries, nuts, and even some zesty pine needles to chew on. After a little taste of adventure, we’re happy to retreat to luxury in our Contemporary Suite for a restful night's sleep.

At daybreak, we join a Vinyasa Flow Yoga class on the hotel’s north terrace overlooking the forest. The sun reaches for the trees while the moon fades from view. We breathe in the cool mountain air and let go the stresses of work. I wish we could live like this all the time! After breakfast, we depart for Yosemite National Park. We book a guided tour through the Concierge with Discover Yosemite so we can enjoy the scenery without having to worry about logistics and driving.

Merced River, Yosemite Valley

We've packed a picnic lunch from the hotel and our driver takes us to Yosemite Village where we pick up bikes for a couple of hours to enjoy the incredible scenery and make leisurely stops for photographs. The glaciers that carved Yosemite Valley left many hanging valleys that spawned the waterfalls that pour into the Merced River below. Yosemite boasts two of the world’s top ten tallest waterfalls. By late summer many of the waterfalls dry up until the next spring snowmelt. We pass the picturesque Yosemite Valley Chapel that was built in 1879. It’s the oldest standing structure in Yosemite National Park with Half Dome as its backdrop. We also stop in at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel built in 1927 sitting directly below the towering granite cliffs. Before returning our bikes we visit the Ansel Adams gallery in Yosemite Village.

Our driver picks us up and we start our ascent to Glacier Point. On the way we stop to marvel at the climbers on El Capitan. We can see these “rock stars” only with high-powered binoculars because of the sheer size of this granite monolith that extends over 3,000 feet from base to summit. This is higher than the world's tallest skyscraper, Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Glacier Point

Glacier Point provides one of the most spectacular vistas on earth. You can go to the railing's edge and look absolutely straight down 3,214 feet to the valley floor. Across the valley we can see Half Dome and two waterfalls that are still running at the end of August – Yosemite Falls (the 5th highest waterfall in the world) and Vernal Fall. The sunset and stargazing must be amazing from up here but it's getting near dinner time so we must start our descent back to Tenaya Lodge.

Back at the lodge we make a beeline for their outdoor Summerdale BBQ -- a taste of the "Old West." It harkens back to the day when people gathered around an open campfire for a hearty meal, storytelling and songs after a day of adventure. Even here we’re able to eat vegetarian with veggie burgers, salad, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and more.

Ascent Spa reception area

Today we decide to just relax and enjoy the resort starting with a leisurely breakfast. We try our hand at archery and rock wall climbing after breakfast and then head to the spa. Ascent Spa at Tenaya Lodge is a luxurious, full-service spa, fitness center, and spa boutique with local and organic product lines. We choose a 90-minute body scrub and wrap which turns out to be the most relaxing spa treatment I’ve ever experienced (I even fell asleep). After the spa, we reserve a cabana by the adults-only pool and Jacuzzi and order lunch and drinks from the pool bar. This is the life!

Rock wall climbing

We top off our leisurely day with dinner in Embers, the lodge’s intimate fine dining restaurant. Again the food is incredible. The chef starts with an amuse bouche followed by a Brussels sprout and date salad. Our entrée is a delicious Grilled Vegetable Phyllo Roulade. The pièce de résistance is Bananas Diablo, a decadent flaming dessert prepared tableside. We don’t indulge but see the impressive preparation at another table.

The new Garden and Contemporary Suites at Tenaya Lodge provide the finest lodging that Yosemite has to offer. The lodge has purchased adjacent land and will be building 53 stand-alone luxury cabins for the total "glamping" experience to open in 2017. We can't wait to return for that and to explore more of this spectacular place on earth!

Visit website: www.tenayalodge.com

Garden Suite living room, Scandinavian-inspired design