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Miner’s Inn
Thursday, April 10th, 2008A magical stop on the way to Yosemite is the Miners Inn in downtown Mariposa. This 78-room motel on state highway 49 offers double queen and king rooms and luxury suites at very reasonable prices. Don’t miss dining at the Miners Inn Restaurant with its gold rush decor and substantial fare. A tiny steam engine travels on track overhead past dioramas of Mariposa during the gold rush. A drink in the the Miners Inn lounge is not to be missed. The lounge is a local hangout where you will be welcomed by Mariposa County characters. The lounge recreates a fantasy gold mine, but no 49er ever enjoyed entertainment like that presented here: live music (Sat.) or Karaoke (Wed. and Sun.).
A short walk away is the Mariposa County History Museum, declared by The Smithsonian to be one of the best rural museums in America. Inside, you’ll walk past interactive exhibits that recreate the atmosphere of what it was like in Mariposa during the gold rush. Outside, you can see a working stamp mill, oldtime newspaper office, Mono Indian lodge and a 49ers camp with hydraulic mining monitors, ore carts and other authentic mining equipment.
Beyond the museum, you’ll find charming Mariposa which has changed little since the late 1800s and early 1900s. Tour the oldest continually operating courthouse in the west, look for souvenirs and fine art in downtown Mariposa’s one-of-a-kind stores or enjoy a free open-air concert (Fri. and Sat. nights in summer) at the Mariposa Art Park. When you return to the Miners Inn, refresh by the motel’s pool with views of the Sierra foothills and plan your trip to Yosemite National Park, just 40 minutes away along the nationally designated “Wild and Scenic Merced River.”
CLICK HERE for more about staying at the Miners Inn.