My son, Evan, and I had the privilege of going on an Adventure by Disney in July.  We choose Yosemite the Golden Path because we wanted to experience the natural beauty of a National Park as well as the hustle and bustle of the city of San Francisco.  This was the first trip west for Evan and he was excited to explore San Francisco and the great outdoors. I was looking forward to sharing this amazing journey with my oldest child.

We flew into San Francisco a day early so we could spend the first day touring Alcatraz.  The tour was very educational and both of us truly enjoyed the history and stories. 

Our stay at the Sir Francis Drake hotel in the Union Square area of San Francisco exceeded our expectations on every level.

 On the first evening, our Adventure guides, Frankie and Mike welcomed our group of 18 people.  Adventures by Disney can take up to 40 people on this tour.  It was nice having the small group because we became friends with everyone quickly.  We were treated to a trolley tour of San Francisco. It was a thrill to see the city and it's landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge.  Our evening ended with a delicious meal at Fior d' Italia, America's Oldest Italian Restaurant for a wonderful welcome dinner. 

The next morning our Adventure included a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.  We had some free time to explore Fisherman’s Wharf before lunch.  When we returned to the Sir Francis Drake, dinner was on our own.  We decided to tour Chinatown and enjoyed the local cuisine including some of the best sushi ever!

The next morning, we awoke with thoughts of our destination, Yosemite National Park. After a quick stop in Columbia, California for lunch and some Gold Mining, we arrived at the Yosemite Lodge.  We had a perfect view of Yosemite Falls.  The mountains, waterfalls and forest were absolutely breathtaking.

We spent 2 days in Yosemite and our days were filled with laughter and learning.  We sang songs and munched on smores at a cozy campfire under the stars.

 We hiked on a nature walk with a professional photographer and learned the art of capturing landscape photos. 

We listened to  an actor portraying Jon Muir, the father of the National Park System tell tales of the history of this untamed land. The junior adventurers learned about the extensive wildlife and nature around them.   I was sad to leave Yosemite and hope to return soon with my entire family.

Our final stop was Lake Tahoe.  We stayed at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley.  Upon our arrival, we made our own Adventures by Disney Tie Dyed shirts.  The evening was on our own so Evan and I traveled into Olympic Village and enjoyed the sites and another Sushi dinner. 

My favorite part of our adventure was kayaking in Lake Tahoe.  It was a beautiful day, the lake was calm, and the scenery could not have been majestic.  In the afternoon, we traveled in a Gondola for a ride to the top of the mountain where the 1960 Winter Olympics were held.  We could see for miles!  Believe it or not, there is a pool on the top where you can swim as well as snow for the kids to play in.  We got a kick out of seeing snow in July!

We made some great friends during that week. The kids bonded and so did the grown-ups. Our guides Frankie and Mike put together a slide show of memorable pictures taken during the week.  When we returned home, Adventures by Disney sent us a DVD of these pictures set to music. We will cherish the memories forever.   

Our first Adventure by Disney was truly a trip of a lifetime.  Evan and I enjoyed the bonding time together as well as meeting new people.  I am already daydreaming about my next Adventure destination.... maybe London, China, Eqypt? Who knows?

You can contact Jodie at Jodie@SmallWorldVacations.com for more information on Adventures by Disney. Or, go to www.smallworldvacations.com for a no-obligation price quote today.

Jodie Ball