Hi.
Mid April we are heading to SF for 2 nights then we have a campervan we have rented for a week. We have one free day and night possibly to head to Lake Tahoe?
Or somewhere else worth visiting?!?
Then we have booked 3 nights at Lower Pines and 2 nights at Wawona on the campsites.
Then one more free night to play with before returning the camper to SF.

My questions are:
Bearing in mind the Tioga Pass will be closed what is the route to Yosemite and would going to Lake Tahoe enroute be possible or should we think of an alternative stop?

Any suggestions of somewhere to stay on the way back to SF or a reasonable detour?

We are travelling with our 18mnth old daughter so looking for natural beauty and places of interest rather than nightlife.

Thank you in advance.

If your daughter travels well, you could drive from South Shore Tahoe down to Placerville (hour plus) and then take the hiway (49 is it?) through Gold Country to Yosemite. Very pretty drive through the Sierra foothills and the Victorian themed/old mining towns.

Hope the weather is better than today. I live in the Sierra foothills and it is pouring down rain today...snowing at the higher elevations.

Rather than travel to Lake Tahoe, I would stay the night somewhere on Hwy 49. Take a look at http://www.historichwy49.com/mainmap.html

Coloma, where gold was discovered has a campground. It is along the the American River across from Marshall Gold State Historic Park. Check out:
http://www.colomaresort.com/
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=484

I definitely would take BarbAnn's suggestion. Avoid Tahoe -the higher elevation, the loooooong drive around to Yosemite. (Southshore to Placerville takes much more than an hour in a motorhome)

I'd stay somewhere between Placerville and Yosemite along hwy 49and visit all the gold rush towns, maybe a vineyard or two (some have picnic areas) and definitely Columbia State Park.

Oh -here is one option for camping along hwy 49

http://www.angelscamprv.com/ (but there are many others)