Now that the crush of summer tourists has passed, it’s a great time to make the yearly pilgrimage to Yosemite National Park, practically a requirement of residency in California, much like eating fish tacos, drinking Diet Coke, and casting your vote for the Democratic party. Even though our mercury-topping Indian summer has confused the flora and this downer of a drought forced the waterfall spigots to shut off much earlier than usual, Yosemite is still worthy of road trip. Last time we checked, it would take much more than a dry spell to adversely affect the park's sheer granite headliners, Half Dome and El Capitan.
Of course, a luxury home base always puts a shine on the dullness inflicted by global warming. Tenaya Lodge, located at the park’s south entrance, is sufficiently rustic—think double-height stone hearth in the lobby, plenty of Native American-inspired textiles, and antlers galore—but thoroughly modern after its recent double silver LEED certification and renovation: The new Contemporary suites have a strict grownups-only policy and skew Scandinavian in terms of design—think reclaimed wood floors, gallery-white walls with mountain murals, and sleek soaking tubs. It’s the type of decor that summons serenity, a concept the lodge apparently believes to be incomprehensible to anyone under the age of 18. They're probably right.
Once you step into the new 10,000-square-foot Ascent Spa—where pampering starts in the lounge with an herbal foot bath in a copper vessel—parched hiking trails and low lake levels turn into bygones: As a concerned environmental citizen, you’ve explored the nearby tracks (we recommend the Chilnualna Falls Trail, a moderately strenuous 8.5-miler with big-time views as you approach some would-be raging cascades), made the appropriate distressed observations about the state of the landscape, wearied your muscles in the process, and you now require some gentle kneading to reduce next-day soreness. Look no further.
Since adventuring is a largely a calorie-depleting endeavor (yes, even if you opted to stay on the Tenaya property for an archery class or to conquer their bunny slope of a rock wall), it’s important to replenish the burn. Tenaya’s fine-dining restaurant, Embers, serves a velvety lobster bisque topped with a dome of black truffle puff pastry, a luscious precursor to the Filet Oscar, a richer version of the classic surf-and-turf: filet mignon topped with dungeness crab—’tis the season!—and béarnaise sauce. Skip the table side preparation of the Caesar salad—it’s a lotta pomp for a truly anticlimactic dish. On the other hand, the Bananas Diablo, flambéed table side and served in a tuile cup with vanilla ice cream, is worth the theatrics. All that’s left to do is retreat to your adults-only suite for a hot soak and an onslaught of Frasier reruns. Next thing you know, you’re dreaming of those tossed salads and scrambled eggs.
