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03
Aug
Whitney Goes To Snag Lake Campground
Last minute camping trip with my sister and her family? DON'T MIND IF I DO!
Secluded campsite with lakefront tent sites? I'M ALL ABOUT IT!
When I was invited to a last minute camping trip with my sister, I was more than excited. We headed to Snag Lake Campground in Plumas County at the base of the Sierra Mountains.
Having never been there before, I didn't know what to expect. Right off of Highway 49, there is one small sign that reads Snag Lake Campgrounds and it's very easy to miss. This particular campground has a bulletin board right past the entrance that says "Fees for this site start in April 2012" but there was no drop box, envelopes or park ranger we saw throughout the weekend so we camped for free! Another bonus!
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This campground has five or six sites, all very spacious and abundant with beautiful trees and plants. They include a fire pit and most of them have their own picnic tables.
All around the sites are beautiful places to explore and hike. The altitude was definitely a factor I had forgotten about when I took my hike because I got winded after about 20 minutes but the picturesque surroundings kept me going.
Considering our group had two infants and two rambunctious dogs, we had to be careful about where we stayed so we weren’t obtrusive to other campers. This site was perfect for those parameters. Also, being right on the lake, we got plenty of fishing in. The boys pretty much only had to cast their lines before they were reeling in decent sized trout.
About a mile before the entrance to Snag Lake, there is a bigger lake with a boat dock called Salmon Lake. There are two smaller lakes that connect (Upper and Lower Salmon Lake) and we spent Saturday at Upper Salmon Lake. It had an island just off the boat dock that we were able to get to by wading in the water up to our stomachs. The water wasn’t too cold and it was a bit of an adventure getting the babies, chairs, food and beer across to the island.
On the island was a rock perfect for jumping in the water with more adventurous jumping rocks nearby that I wasn’t brave enough to delve in to.
We passed through the most adorable “town” if you can call it that on our way up to Snag Lake. On our way out of town, we stopped at the only restaurant in town for breakfast. It was the best biscuits and gravy I have ever had. Imagine: this hole in the wall of a place that had about six tables inside was a secretly delicious spot! Also, breakfast wouldn’t be complete without a cookies and cream milkshake to take on the road (also amazingly delicious!).
I ended my weekend at Snag Lake with only a few mosquito bites, a mild hangover and a full belly. I would go there again, knowing that a spot like this would accommodate a family group, my rambunctious friends or provide the ideal romantic excursion.
20
Jul
Sweet Tooth on a California Road Trip?
An awesome place to stop and smell the chocolate-covered roses is Casa de Fruta. I have only been here twice now, but each time I was literally like a kid in a GIANT candy store. Ok, ok, so they don't really have chocolate roses, but they do have almost everything else in a chocolate covered form. Raisins, almonds, strawberries and sunflower seeds are only a few of the many sweets at this place. But of course, they also have a plentiful supply of fruit and fruit products to choose from. It truly is exciting when you come across things like Guava Syrup, wasabi covered peas, or tequila-flavored pistachios! I took my family here on our way back home from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and my mom's eyes lit up when she saw the chili tamarind mangoes.
I could go on an on about how amazing this place is, but why not just visit for yourself. I'm positive that the kids WILL NOT be disappointed and you cannot leave this place empty handed. They even have and assortment a wines for theadult sweet tooth.
What's more cool, is if you love this place so much an want to stay a bit longer than you anticipated, they have The Peacock Inn next door for you to stay. Or if you want to make it a stop on your RV trip, they also have the RV Orchard Resort on the grounds. Be sure to mention myCampmate if you're planning to stay there and ask about their deals!
Perfect, right? =)
Oh, and they have peacocks roaming around outside!
Whether you're coming from Northern California to Southern California, or vice versa, it's a quick detour South East of Gilroy (between 101 and I-5 off the Pacheco Pass Hwy). You can also find the exact location and other cool things in the area using the myCampmate app!
-Jesús, myCampmate iOS developer
13
Jul
Coloma Resort Bound for my Wedding Anniversary
So I was thinking about my anniversary with my wife Lyndsey, I had to take a lot of things in to consideration. For one, we have two beautiful girls staying at Grandma's house so we couldn't be too far away from home. We also had to make sure we would be comfortable and not overwhelmed by the dead heat of summer.
Located less than an hour away from Sacramento (home), we knew Coloma Resort would be worth checking out. We had heard they have a pretty remarkable ropes course on site that our girls would love so we wanted to check that out.
Sherry, the manager of Coloma Resort, was awesome and put us up in a cabin right on the south fork of the American river. The decor in the cabins were very rustic and Western influenced with a type of charm we found very welcoming. The cabins looked modern and well kept, surrounded by trees and well groomed landscaping.
Here are a couple shots for ya:
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The staff there was very accommodating and took the time to get us everything we needed. After we got settled, we bought some local prize-winning El Dorado County wine at the General Store on site and had a candle lite dinner overlooking the river. It was quaint, sweet and the perfect place I would want to spend the evening with my wife.
(no cant see pictures of the dinner!)
Here are some more:
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As we looked around, we saw that they were right next to the Trouble Maker Rapids where they offer half and full day trips for whitewater rafting! We settled for the on site pool this time, but next time (when we're up for a challenge) that would definitely be something we would want to look in to.
If we would have had more time, we would have loved to check out the Marshall Gold Discovery State Park. Marielle Faieta, the owner, told us all about it! It's right down the street and it's where the gold rush first began in California. It's chalked full of land marks, artifacts and working black smiths to give you a hands on experience.
We'll have to plan another trip for that too!
I think next time, we'll bring our girls and tent camp right along the river. And I'll bring my fishing pole since the tent sites are so close to the water, I can literally fish from inside my tent. Either way, I know with the friendly staff at Coloma Resort and the beautiful weather and surroundings, I would come back here any chance I get!
A special thanks to our clients Marielle, Sherry, Nicole and the whole staff for the wonderful hospitality.
You really made my anniversary something we'll always remember!
-Tyler
04
Jul
Happy 4th of July!!!
myCampmate would like to wish you and your families a Happy Independance Day!!
We hope you are having a great time today and we know many of you are out camping, RVing, boating or hiking today and all week so be sure to post your photos to our Facebook page and show us where you were! Feel free to pin those favorite spots on the map too.
May your day be filled with lots of fun, laughs, good food and much celebration!
Happy 4th of July from all of us here at myCampmate!
