We will be traveling in early September with our children and grandchildren to Kings Canyon Sequoia National Park for three nights. We will have three young children with us - all under the age of three. (We will be booking three rooms in total.) We're debating whether to stay at Wuksachi Lodge or the John Muir Lodge.

From what I read, the rooms at Wuksachi are more spacious, allowing the toddlers more room to play, but the restaurant may not be appropriate for the toddlers. The John Muir Lodge seems more centrally located for both parks, but I believe that the rooms are smaller.

Does anyone who has stayed at either lodge have recommendations for us?

I can't comment on john muir lodge but we spent two great nights in wuksachi lodge a few summers ago. As you said, the rooms are farily spacious and much more updated than many of the national park lodges. Our room had a private balcony which was great for morning coffee.

We've stayed in many nat'l park lodges and this was the only one where a bellman took us to our room in a golf cart! We were quite surprised by this very nice touch!

The dining room was also nice enogugh but not any nicer than other nat'l park lodges. In other words, your grandchildren will be fine there, if you are.

We loved sequoia and kings canyon. Have a great time.

I don't know anything about the Wuksachi Lodge, but we stayed at the John Muir Lodge a couple of years ago. The rooms are pretty normal size from what I remember, but we were just 2 adults without kids. It was a pretty new building at that time. You checked in by the restaurant (for all the accomodations), so it didn't have a lobby, but did have a common area/lounge. We didn't spend much time in the lodge itself. Be aware that there are not televisions in most of the area rooms (only one had them at the time we were there), cell phones generally don't work and to use the phones in the rooms is very expensive. There are some rustic cabins and an area for camping also, so it is definitely a family friendly place.

The restaurant is very basic and definitely appropriate for kids of all ages. I think there is also a place to get pizza on the outside of the restaurant/gift shop building, but it wasn't open yet when we were there (early in the season). There is also a store to buy groceries and such and a visitor center in the complex.

It is definitely the most central place to visit both parks. Takes about an hour to get to the Kings Canyon area (a beautiful drive) and about an hour to get to the main part of Sequoia. Grant's Grove (another sequoia grove) is right there also.

Montecito-Sequoia Resort was recommended here by Kimamom for families.

Montecito is very family-oriented. The rooms include 3 buffet meals a day and 24 hr. hospitality bar which my kids loved when they were young. The pool area is very nice with a jacuzzi and there are tennis courts, a small lake there where you can sail or canoe and guided nature walks. ***kim***

Thanks for all the advice. We've decided on Wuksachi and made our reservations there, since there was a big price savings over the John Muir Lodge in September. Hopefully our little grandkids will behave well at the restaurant. They're usually pretty good, but of course unpredictable.

Is the Wukachi Lodge anywhere near the Lodgepole campground? My memory is telling me that it is, but I am not certain. There is a fairly well-stocked grocery and a fast-food type of place where you can get burgers and things at Lodgepole. You might be able to get sandiches there too. So, if the grandkids aren't in the mood for restaurant dining - LOL - that is another option if indeed it is close to the Wukachi Lodge. You could get stuff for a picnic supper.

It is only a few miles from the Lodgepole campground, so that is a definite option. Thanks.