Central California Hostels

Feeling adventurous? Central California is known for its hiking trails, rafting, and breathtaking sights. Among one of the region’s world-famous attractions is Yosemite Valley, the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park, located just twenty miles away from the Midpines hostel. A seven-mile stretch of breathtaking streams, waterfalls, and hiking trails, the Yosemite Valley is home to natural beauty found nowhere else in the state. Yosemite National Park is open year-round – but if you are planning your trip around seeing Yosemite Falls, the highest measured waterfall in North America, visit in late May, when water flow is at its peak.

Feeling one with nature? Stay at the Monterey hostel and take in its year-round whale watching - or participate in the conservation events held at the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium . The Cambria-Bridge Street Inn hostel is the perfect half-way point between San Francisco and Los Angeles, with each city four hours away – the annual Cambria Art & Wine Festival, held in late January, is a relaxing weekend of tastings, auctions, and demonstrations, all celebrating the Central Coast’s most celebrated wineries and artists. Located near the “gateway of Yosemite,” the Merced hostel is a treat in March, when Merced’s annual cycling classic event brings international bicycling to California, featuring former Olympians, National Champions, and some of the world’s best professional cycling teams.

Known for its diverse climate, central California has a hot Mediterranean climate – hot and dry in the summer, while cool and damp in the winter. Average summer temperatures are in the mid to upper 90s, while winters are snowy and cold. Spring and summer are variable, ranging from sunny and warm to the occasional winter storm.