I love getting to visit California’s National Parks, and two that pair very easily are visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They are right next to each other, and you actually exit one into the other, so it’s perfect. You don’t have to stay within either park though, as the city of Visalia is less than an hour from either entrance and it’s a fun hub full of restaurants and a great vibe downtown. We’ve got an easy plan to enjoy visiting both National Parks and not having to rough it with camping or cabins, but an actual cool town with a little nightlife.
Like with any road trip or National Park visit, it’s a good idea to plan your days so that you can see and do the things that are most important to you, but also keep in mind that weather, crowds and your own energy can have an impact on each day, so we’ve added some ideas to keep things flexible. If you have any questions about visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks or the city of Visalia, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an awesome adventure in California!
Exploring Sequoia and Kings Canyon from Visalia
So why should you visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks when you’ve got Yosemite National Park also, and clearly it’s more famous and more popular? Easy. Yosemite may be more famous and get more visitors annually, but that’s also one of the reasons to plan a trip to the SEKI parks. Yep, SEKI is how the National Park Service sometimes refers to Sequoia and Kings Canyon because they’re joined at the hip. The SEKI parks are quiet, peaceful, full of epic sights and fun hikes, and you get the chance to feel like it’s just you and the wilderness. There are some spots in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon that attract a lot of visitors, but in comparison to Yosemite, the crowds tend to be much more mild.
If you’re planning a big West Coast National Parks road trip, Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs are near the start of your trip (after Death Valley and Joshua Tree). Going from the other parks to these heavily forested, high elevation areas, you’ll see just how diverse California is.
Why Stay in Visalia When Visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
And why should you stay in Visalia instead of within the SEKI parks? Well, firstly you should do what you want to do, but you’ll find that Visalia is a fun city with a small town feel and the nightly room rates are typically much more affordable than staying either at the Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia or the John Muir Lodge in Kings Canyon. We’ve stayed at both, and it is wonderful to wake up in the parks, but both for budget and fun, it’s nice to stay in Visalia. Also, I actually love the drive into each of the National Parks from Visalia, as you get to go through all kinds of fruit orchards and some small, vintage California spots.
Visalia is located in the San Joaquin Valley and its proximity to the western entrances of Sequoia and Kings Canyon make it an easy place to return to after a long day in the parks. I really like that instead of just having the option of an expensive mediocre meal within the National Park, each day we stayed in Visalia we got to enjoy a nice, locally sources, top-notch meal in downtown. Whether it was amazing Mexican food or our rooftop dining at sunset, each night we were able to enjoy something different. And I also love that there are several breweries in downtown Visalia. It’s just such a good home base for visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Getting from Visalia to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
It’s an easy, beautiful drive from Visalia to both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ entrances. To Sequoia NP, it’s less than an hour to the entry booth through the town of Three Rivers. Once you’re through, the road up to the groves of giant sequoia trees is pretty windy, but there are lots of stops to make so nobody gets too nauseous.
For getting to Kings Canyon NP from Visalia, it’s about twenty minutes further to get to the Big Stump Entrance. I don’t mean that the two entrances to the two parks are just twenty minutes apart, but that when you drive from Visalia it takes twenty minutes longer into Kings Canyon NP.
Whichever park you’re going to, keep in mind that there are NO GAS STATIONS within the park borders. Kings Canyon NP does get split up with a stretch driving through Giant Sequoia National Monument, but there still is no gas station. On the road to Hume lake, there is a gas station at the summer camp, but you should still fill up your tank BEFORE you enter either park.
Priorities in Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Which park should you start with though… As you’re planning your visit, consider some of the more famous sites in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and then decide which you want to explore first:
| Famous Site | National Park |
| General Sherman Tree | Sequoia NP |
| General Grant Tree | Kings Canyon NP |
| Morro Rock | Sequoia NP |
| Tree Tunnel | Sequoia NP |
| Boyden Cavern | Kings Canyon NP |
| Crystal Cavern | Sequoia NP |
| Zumwalt Meadow | Kings Canyon NP |
| Crescent Meadow | Sequoia NP |
| Giant Forest | Sequoia NP |
| Cedar Grove | Kings Canyon NP |
Top Things to Do in Sequoia National Park
I love spending time in Sequoia National Park. The hiking and the trees are just so beautiful and dreamy. It’s what I first think of when I talk about California National Parks, even before Yosemite, the Redwoods or Joshua Tree National Park. You will fall in love with Sequoia NP too… I just know it.
See the General Sherman Tree
The famous General Sherman Tree is the world’s largest tree by volume. It’s a short walk from the parking area down into the grove, and there are additional accessible options for parking more near the General Sherman Tree in the summer. While the namesake tree is the main attraction of visiting the Sherman Grove, walking through the Congress Grove or continuing onto Crescent Meadow from here can make this part of your visit extra fun and special. There are so many giant sequoia trees!
Explore the Giant Forest
What I love about visiting the Giant forest is the concentration of giant sequoias. I recommend checking out the visitor center, aka the Giant Forest Museum, walking among the enormous trees and exploring the forest trails. You can go off on several different spur trails, so if you have the time and energy, explore away from the crowds. The Giant Forest has plenty of space along its trails and still, it doesn’t get too busy, but if you can break away to see some of the more off-the-beaten-path sequoia trees, do it.
Visit Moro Rock – Seaonal
If you don’t like heights this is your activity to skip. I think hiking Moro Rock is one of the best things to do in Sequoia National Park, but it’s not for everyone. Its panoramic views of the Great Western Divide are incredible, but it means that you’re climbing 300+ steps that are carved into the granite dome, sometimes without much guardrail. The path is tight, and there are spots that you’re going through narrow walkways between boulders. I think it’s awesome, but between the view from 6,725 feet of elevation and the physical requirements, some people may choose to sit this one out.
Note: parking is very limited at Moro Rock. Stop and do the short Hanging Rock trail if it seems busy, or continue up to Crescent Meadow for a picnic and then come back to Moro Rock when there are fewer people.
Drive Through the Tunnel Log
Located in the same area as Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow, the Tunnel Log is a pretty cool roadside attraction within Sequoia National Park. It’s a fallen giant sequoia that a tunnel was carved into as a fun thing to drive to when personal vehicles started to grow in popularity (Tunnel Rock was created for the same reason). The thrill of driving through a tree is minimal, but it’s cool for really grasping just how big a sequoia tree is.
Visit Crescent Meadow
I like Crescent Meadow for having a picnic and bird watching. It’s an easy trail that leads you around the meadow and through the forest, and if you want to continue on from here, the trail system actually connects to the Giant Forest and the General Sherman Grove. You can spend time here relaxing or letting kids get out their energy and then either hike through to other sites or drive back down to the main road to continue exploring. Be sure to stop at the different pullouts along the Moro Rock Road because there are some incredible trees to appreciate, and that’s why you’re here in Sequoia National Park!
Crystal Cave – Seasonal
There are several caves and caverns to visit in the Sierras, but Crystal Cave is extra special. This is a beautiful quartz cave and it’s only accessible in the summertime. The tour takes about an hour, but the road to get to the cave takes about a half hour down and half hour back, so give yourself two hours for the experience. While the rest of Sequoia National Park is easy to visit with an open schedule, cave tours are ticketed and you do need them in advance.
Explore the Foothills Area
The Foothills area just inside the Three Rivers entrance to Sequoia National Park is kind of cool to explore. You’ve got sites to visit like Hospital Rock, Tunnel Rock, the Foothills Visitor Center, and the iconic Sequoia National Park entrance sign. I recommend saving all of these stops for the end of your day, as you don’t want to be rushed while you’re actually up in the beautiful sequoia groves. The Foothills Visitor Center does open early though, so if you need to stop here on the way in to get your National Park Passport stamp, do it.
Top Things to Do in Kings Canyon National Park
Even though Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are right next to each other, they’re very different places. The geology, the forests, the sights: all very different. When you’re staying in Visalia, it is easiest to drive to the Big Stump entrance of Kings Canyon and begin exploring at the famous Grant Grove.
Visit Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree
The General Grant Tree, one of the world’s largest giant sequoias, is pretty cool to see in person. It’s a different experience than visiting the Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park next door. The Grant Tree is huge too, but it has an incredible fire scar climbing from its base. Surrounded by many other giant sequoias, the Grant Tree is visibly more huge than its neighbors. The trails through the grove are easy to navigate and take you to many other cool trees, including one you can walk through, the Fallen Monarch.
Near the Grant Grove you’ll also find the primary Kings Canyon NP visitor center. It’s a good spot to learn about the trees, of course, but it’s also got exhibits about the history of the park, the surrounding National Forest, and the beautiful Kings Canyon itself. There are food options here in the Grant Grove Village too, and a very good gift shop.
Note: if you’re researching beyond this info, “Grant Village” will bring you to information about Yellowstone National Park, but “Grant Grove Village” will focus on Kings Canyon National Park. Be careful as you’re using other resources for planning.
Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
The dramatic descent into Kings Canyon is awesome! The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway is what connects the two parts of the park, separated by Giant Sequoia National Monument. When you’re in Grant Grove Village and the surrounding area the park doesn’t seem that phenomenal, but once you’re on the scenic byway and descending into the canyon, it’s a bib wow. There are lots of viewpoints to stop at, and it’s a good time to enjoy the changing landscape, because the towering forests give way to multicolored canyon walls and a beautiful river at the bottom, and it’s just nothing like other sights you’ve seen in either Sequoia NP or the rest of Kings Canyon NP.
Explore Cedar Grove
The scenery in Kings Canyon, especially leading to Roaring River Falls and Grizzly Falls, is really rugged and beautiful. The drive is windy (it’s a theme of Sequoia and Kings Canyon) but it’s fun and when you reach the bottom at Cedar Grove, you’ll be glad for some time to walk around. There is a visitor center at Cedar Grove (limited hours/seasonality) as well at the Cedar Grove Lodge and restaurant. It’s set right on the Kings River, so after your drive on the byway, take time here to loosen up and enjoy the surroundings.
Enjoy Zumwalt Meadows
Near Road’s End on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway is the Zumwalt Meadows area. Here you’ll find trails around the river, a cool suspension bridge, a granite rock-fall, and some of the most beautiful reflections of the surrounding cliffs. This is a wonderful picnic spot or a great place for hiking and looking for wildlife. I was hoping that our most recent visit would give us a ringtail sighting, but nope. Still no luck of seeing one here.
Do the Boyden Cavern Tour
In the Giant Sequoia National Monument part of the Scenic Byway is the Boyden Cavern, just off the Kings River. Like visiting Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park, the Boyden Cavern requires that you reserve tickets (maybe you can get onto a tour last-minutes). The tour starts with a short hike up away from the river and then you head into the mountain. I love cave tours, and this one, for being a smaller cavern, showed off some absolutely beautiful formations. The sparkling crystals, the blue marble, the cave bacon… I love it all!
Visit Panoramic Point
Located off the Hume Road, so you do have to leave the Scenic Byway area, Panoramic Point gives you an amazing view of the actual Kings Canyon and surrounding area. Since there are lots of short hikes and stops to make throughout the day, you might not have anything planned for the last part before you head out of the park and back to Visalia. Stop here at Panoramic Point before sunset and you’ll get a gorgeous view and the light will be hitting the canyon just right!
How to Plan Your Time: One-Day and Two-Day Itineraries
Now that you know what lies before you with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, let’s put together an itinerary. We’ll keep it easy to digest, thus easy to do with suggestions for one, two or three day itineraries visiting the parks from Visalia. If you think you need to stay within the parks, that’s totally your call, but having done trips staying in town AND in the parks, I do prefer to be in the city. Your call though.
Easy One-Day Sequoia National Park Itinerary
If you only have one day, we recommend visiting just Sequoia National Park. I think the forests and hikes are more interesting and since the sites are all closer together, for just one day it makes more sense to only try to tackle Sequoia. You’ll love it!
- Depart Visalia early
- Enter through Three Rivers, do NOT do the Mineral King road
- Stop at the Foothills Visitor Center for NPS passport stamp and a t-shirt
- Visit General Sherman Tree area and the Congress Trail (if you like)
- Explore Giant Forest and museum
- Visit Moro Rock, the Tunnel Tree and Crescent Meadow
- Return to Visalia, stopping at Hospital Rock, Tunnel Rock and the viewpoints on the way down.
This is a very easy plan and you shouldn’t feel rushed while still feeling like you were able to take in the best of Sequoia National Park.
Simple Two-Day Sequoia and Kings Canyon Itinerary
For day one of this two-day Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs itinerary, basically you’ll do the single day plan from above, and add Kings Canyon for day two.
Day 1: Sequoia National Park
- Explore the Giant Forest.
- Visit General Sherman Tree.
- Drive to Moro Rock.
- Stop at Crescent Meadow.
- Return to Visalia
Day 2: Kings Canyon National Park
- Visit Grant Grove Village and visitor center
- See the General Grant Tree and hike the loop
- Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to End of the Road, enjoy Zumwalt Meadows
- Explore Cedar Grove and its river access areas
- Do an afternoon Boyden Cavern tour
- Return to Visalia
Three-Day Central Valley and National Parks Itinerary
For three days of fun in Visalia, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, you can actually set aside time to enjoy the city. Visalia is really cool with interesting architecture downtown, lots of great restaurants, and community events that it seems like everyone participates in. Also, Visalia has a very vibrant and active LGBTQ+ community, which we always love to support and engage with when we’re visiting new places!
- Day 1: Explore Visalia and nearby agricultural area – see what events are going on, including minor league baseball games, Pride events, foodie events and downtown crawls of sorts
- Day 2: Spend a full day in Sequoia National Park – enjoy hikes and huge trees, returning to town for dinner
- Day 3: Explore Kings Canyon National Park – take in the scenery, do a few short hikes, watch for wildlife, and come back to Visalia for a nice meal
Agritourism: California’s Agricultural Heartland Around Visalia
Visalia sits in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States. We love when we get to enjoy agritourism, and usually in California it’s really easy to find. Visalia is a bit different though, as all around the city are major farms that are producing huge amounts of food for all around the country. Most agritourism opportunities in other towns happen with small farms and orchards, so there is very little commercial industry involved in the farming. Literally America’s food comes from the San Joaquin Valley, so things are more locked down for safety reasons.
Visit Local Farms and Farmers Markets
Having said that, there are a few local farms and orchards around Visalia that you can put into your plans to visit. There are some U-Pick farms that are always fun with kids, and as an adult, I like to do U-Pick while traveling because the produce from it becomes our snacks on the road.
- Visalia Farmers Market: year round Saturday morning market from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, local growers, seasonal produce, baked goods, honey, and other locally made products, located west of downtown, Google Maps link here
- Big L Ranch (Woodlake): seasonal U-pick organic blueberries, opportunities to pick other produce, and special Harvest Nights with food vendors and live music.
- Ford Farms (Lindsay): seasonal public Open Farm Days, educational experiences, pumpkin patches, and holiday activities.
- Vossler Farms (Visalia): very seasonal but amazing! Corn maze, pumpkin patch, fall festival from mid-September to November 1
- Sunmaid Raisins (Kingsburg): if you grew up with Sunmaid Raisins, you have to stop here on you way into or out of Visalia. Buy all the raisins!
Even though farm tours and U-Pick are few and far between, there are lots of roadside fruit stands scattered throughout Tulare County (Visalia area). You can make stops like Sweet Girl Farms, Blossom Trail Fruit Stand or Phan’s Strawberries and see what’s seasonally available. Discuss the appeal of buying directly from local growers. When you arrive in Visalia, check out Local Harvest to see what farm stands are operating.
Things to Do in Visalia Beyond the National Parks
When you’re planning your time and looking for things to do in Visalia, there are lots of good ideas for some low-key fun and interest directly in town. Your National Park days will be busy and wear you out, so when you’re in town, plan to enjoy some chill time at the Mooney Grove Park, which is huge. This is where you’ll find the Tulare County Museum. It’s just outside of downtown and it’s closed on Tuesdays, but it’s pretty cool. Also, if you’re lucky enough to be in Visalia during baseball season, you can catch a minor league Rawhide game at the Valley Strong Ballpark.
Walking around downtown, you’ll find lots of shops and cafes, a whole brewery district, and tons of restaurants. One of the coolest places in downtown Visalia is called The Mix. Here you’ll find a collection of dessert shops, casual local food (food truck style, but indoors), and even trendy cocktails. Scoops on Main is located within The Mix and has some of the best ice cream I’ve had in a long time.
Note: Visalia Pride happens in October and is an amazing community event. There are all kinds of vendors, service organizations, food, drinks and performances. It’s wonderful.
Where to Eat and Stay in Visalia
Since the National Parks are what’s brought you here to Visalia, you might think that finding a hotel closer to the parks is the way to go, but in reality, choosing a place downtown is actually going to work out best for your visit. Traffic isn’t a problem in the Visalia area typically, so you might as well stay around the downtown core so that you can walk to restaurants or coffee in the morning.
Yes, you could stay in Three Rivers to be closer to the Sequoia National Park entrance, but it’ll only save you a half hour of driving and then you’ll miss out on Visalia. There’s not a great selection of places to stay just outside of Kings Canyon National Park either, so it makes sense just to choose one comfortable place in the city for the duration of your visit.
Where to Stay
There’s a wide variety of accommodations in Visalia, including national hotel chains (Holiday Inn), full-service hotels (Marriott), budget-friendly accommodations (Comfort Suites), boutique lodging (the Darling Hotel), and even extended-stay properties. I like being within the direct downtown area because walkability matters to me. You also could look for a short term rental (vacation rental) around Visalia, but that’s not typically my recommendation because after visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks during the days, you’ll likely not be in the mood to cook, so it’s nice to be near restaurants and just be able to relax when you return to your accommodations.
Where to Eat is Visalia
Dining out at Visalia restaurants is wonderful because they’re usually serving locally sourced Central Valley ingredients and there are quite a few farm-to-table dining opportunities. Downtown has lots of casual restaurants, family-friendly dining, and fancier places to enjoy dinner after a day of hiking. For breakfast and coffee options, you can easily walk around downtown and find some great picks. Here are our favorites from having four days of fun and good food in Visalia:
- La Piazza Visalia
- The Elderwood Rooftop at the Darling
- El Terasco
- Bravo Farms Restaurant
- Component Coffee Co
- Kaweah Brewing Co
- Lublu Bakery
Best Time to Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon from Visalia
Visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is best in the autumn, I think. We’ve been in spring, summer and fall and while each visit was fun and beautiful, fall offered the best weather and most reliable National Park experiences.
Spring
Spring is nice in the areas around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks because it’s breezy and there are lots of wildflowers in the foothills. Within the parks, there are waterfalls and snowmelt is making things come alive. There are blooming orchards in the Central Valley and it’s just cooler temperatures than in the summer. The risk though is that until the middle of May you actually still have potential snow and road closures at higher elevations in the parks.
Summer
Summer is the busiest time in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but not so much in Visalia. This is when you’ll have the best opportunity to access the full range of park sites and trails. There are REALLY warm temperatures in Visalia and the foothills, but then when you get up into the parks it’s usually pretty comfortable conditions in the higher-elevation sequoia forests. The challenge within the parks in the summer is parking, both for trails and for the most popular sites. Like I mentioned, it’s still not as busy as Yosemite, but you can feel the increase in visitors in summer.
TIP: during the summer there are shuttles within Sequoia National Park so you can park your car and then not jockey for a spot the rest of the day. You can even get a paid shuttle from Visalia into Sequoia NP in the summer.
Fall
I love fall in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon. As you drive up into the parks you see changing colors at higher elevations. Pleasant temperatures for hiking and picnicking make it much easier to manage if you’re not used to the heat. One bummer though is that you do start to see seasonal road closures beginning later in the fall. Crystal Cave is the first to close, then the Kings Canyon Scenic Byways, then Hume Lake Road…
Winter
I’ve not gotten to visit either Kings Canyon or Sequoia in the winter but it looks beautiful. We’ve encountered snow in both parks in the spring, and the way the white on the ground sets off the red-orange bark of the giant sequoias is amazing. Having said that, most services in the parks are completely shut down and only the primary road, the Generals Highway, remains open for most of the winter season, but even that will close depending on conditions.
I hope you’re excited to visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon with Visalia as a home base. It’s such a fun trip and staying in a city makes each day end with easy relaxation and convenience, and the town of Visalia is pretty great too. If you have any questions about planning your adventure, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’ve been here many times and are happy to share more and help you put together an awesome California trip!
