Vegas to Yosemite

I'm not a local, but was very impressed with Tioga-Sequoia Brewing in Fresno when I went to Kings Canyon. Tasty IPAs and barrel-aged Stouts.

 

Plenty of good recs in this thread

Also worth knowing what route you plan to drive so you can get more specific recs.

 

Detour from I15 to hwy 395 to 178 and head to Kernville (Kern River Brewing Company). Spend the night and head down 178 to Bakersfield before heading north towards Yosemite.

 

While we would certainly appreciate you dropping into Kernville, I have to strongly recommend a different route.

Go up the 395 and cross over Tioga pass into Yosemite. This drive is one of my favorite on the planet. You can swing by Mountain Rambler in Bishop or Mammoth Brewing in Mammoth. There is also a cool little gas station restaurant on the Turn towards Tioga - the Whoa Nelly Deli (76 station) with good food, a decent beer selection as well as Mango Margaritas.


This drive is much more scenic, way less hot and across the board a more memorable and enjoyable route. If there are other reasons for taking the 58 to 99, then so be it, but otherwise, head my advice.

Cheers,
Eric

 

Also, you might want to check out South Gate Brewing in Oakhurst. Leaving the Park through the South entrance is a nice alternative to the main gate. If you feel like a fun mini-adventure, do the Dewey Point hike along the way. Maybe 3 miles round trip to the top edge of the valley.

Feel free to PM me for more info.

 

Yes, what Eric said. 395. Scenic eastern Sierra’s. Hot springs along the way. Mammoth. Tuolumne Meadows. You can always take the boring route back.

 

Thank you Eric for your brewery suggestions. I just missed out hitting Kernville last trip because of CA COVID restrictions and absurd car rental prices (just stayed in Nevada), but definitely want to hit your brewery next trip to CA. I've taken 395 twice, and would also highly recommend as the best way to get to Yosemite from Vegas. Manzanar NHS is a good stop for 1-2 hours for folks staying in Lone Pine or Bishop along the way.

Also love Death Valley, much less crowded than Yosemite, even during their "slow Winter" months. Want to hit Death Valley, than Kernville, and then either So Cal, Kings & Sequoia or back up to Yosemite (perhaps just after roads clear and kids are still in school). Will definitely stay a night in Kernville when I do this, to avoid drinking and driving (want to sample several, since you brew many styles), so any local hotels allowing a walk to / from your brewery would be appreciated if you are comfortable (public or PM).

Thanks

 

Good idea on staying in town and not driving. No straight roads out of here.

All Kernville lodging is walkable since it is a very small town. There is a lodge next door, but it has changed hands a couple of times lately and since Covid, I have no recent info. Pine Cone Inn is a Stone's throw and nice. Really can't go wrong with anything in town, however, the only "upscale" place is Whispering Pines.

Glad you enjoyed your trip and hope you can swing by next time you are in the area. One positive about Yosemite right now is that the only ones allowed in are those with reservations, so the crowds are much smaller than normal...

 

Thank you! I appreciate your suggestions. Not personally looking for "upscale", just clean and comfortable, though this also helps others who are. Sounds like I gave plenty of options, with Pine Cone Inn the best place to start.

I also forgot to mention to the OP, if they are spending time in Vegas, there is a dedicated Vegas thread in the Mountain Folder. For the three types of places you asked in the OP (assuming you are open to many beer styles, not exclusively haze).

• Beer Bars: The Silver Stamp is my favorite in Vegas (Arts District), & one of the best on Earth, IMHO. Aces and Ales is also worth visiting (Tenaya Creek location has more taps).
• Bottle Shops: Beer Zombies (three locations) and Khourey's (Henderson) are the best bottle shops; they also have draft beers onsite. Speede Mart Gas Stations (several locations) carries good regional craft options.
• Breweries: Tenaya Creek (Downtown), Able Baker & Beer District Brewing (Arts District) are my favorite local breweries. Mojave Brewing in Henderson worth checking out as well. CraftHaus & HopNuts (Arts District), Banger (Fremont Street), and Lovelady (Henderson) would be next tier, worth hitting if you have more than a couple of days in Vegas.

 

I have to agree with the others that taking 395 up is the best choice if coming from Las Vegas. You'll wish you had planned more time to explore on the way!

For anyone passing through Fresno, though, there are some good options:

Tioga-Sequoia is always solid, and will have the largest, most style-diverse taplist. They have the best barrel-aging program, if that's something you're looking for. Full Circle has a location just around the corner from T-S, and is worth a stop. If you like lactose, fruit, and other adjuncts, this is your spot, but there's plenty of other stuff too. Procreations is close by, as well.

My personal favorite is House of Pendragon. I like the taproom in Clovis, but you can also visit the brewery in Sanger. Pretty much everything they make is good, but their taplist can run a bit IPA-heavy at times, so check what's on before going if that's not to your taste. Not far from the Clovis location, you'll find MachineHead and Crow & Wolf, two newer breweries that I think are starting off well.

There are some other decent breweries, but I think those are most worth your time.

If you'd rather go to a bar, there are a few I'd recommend. Spokeasy has my favorite environment and bartenders, but they have far fewer taps than the others. Goldstein's Mortuary & Delicatessen (yes, the name is dumb, no, there aren't any sandwiches) has a great blend of local and non-local options. Tap & Cellar and Out of the Barrel are generally more focused on out-of-town breweries.