Rustic log cabins, idyllic glamping, motels, snug cottages—Sequoia and Kings Canyon has plenty of lodging options. Grant Grove, at the park’s northwestern entrance, has the most options in one concentrated area. Its historic log cabins look and feel like a throwback to the 1920s. There are also budget-conscious tent cabins, and the comfortable, 34-room John Muir Lodge, where you can curl up next to the stone fireplace in the inviting great room. Three campgrounds (Sunset, Crystal Springs, and Azalea) provide more options.
Heading out the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to Cedar Grove, consider the 21-room Cedar Grove Lodge, where patios and balconies overlook the Kings River (open May through mid-October only). Or pitch a tent in one of four riverside campgrounds: Sheep Creek, Sentinel, Canyon View, and Moraine.
In the Lodgepole/Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, the place to stay is Wuksachi Lodge, a complex of three buildings with a total of 102 guest rooms. Its casually elegant 90-seat restaurant is housed in a separate structure that has soaring ceilings and huge windows overlooking the forest. Two lodgings are also found nearby in Giant Sequoia National Monument: Montecito-Sequoia Lodge and Stony Creek Lodge. Montecito-Sequoia is a High Sierra version of we-take-care-of-everything Club Med, with an emphasis on organized activities for children. Guests stay in private cabins (some with private bath) or motel-style rooms. Stony Creek Lodge is much smaller, with only 11 rooms. Campers can choose between two family-favorite campgrounds: Lodgepole and Dorst Creek.
For a splurge, book a stay at Sequoia High Sierra Camp, in Giant Sequoia National Monument. Tricked-up tent cabins feature comfy beds, colorful rugs, and modern furniture. A restaurant serves three meals a day, and boxed lunches for the trail. Alpenglow on the side is free.