Eating & Sleeping
Lone Pine 1
5 Alabama Hills Café & Bakery Diner $
(111 W Post St; mains $8-12; h6am-2pm Mon-
Fri, 7am-2pm Sat & Sun; v) Swing by early in
the morning to line up for lumberjack-sized
breakfasts (think eggs with corned-beef hash,
or whole-grain pancakes), then grab a deli
sandwich stacked on home-baked bread for a
trailside lunch or linger for the hearty soups and
scratch-made fruit pies.
Mammoth Lakes 6
4 Tamarack Lodge & Resort Resort $$
(%760-934-2442, 800-626-6684; http://www.
tamaracklodge.com; lodge r $99-169, cabins
$169-599; iW#) A charming year-round
hideaway on the forested shore of Lower Twin
Lake, its 1924 lodge building sports a dozen
cozy homespun rooms with creaky floors, and
the wood-beamed lobby is a spiffy setting for a
nighttime book by the fireplace. Privacy-seekers
can choose between cabins ranging from the
very simple to simply deluxe.
4 USFS campgrounds Campground $
(%877-444-6777; http://www.recreation.gov; tent &
RV sites $21; #; hmid-Jun–mid-Sep) Sleep
under the twinkling stars at one of the dozen or
so 15 US Forest Service (USFS) campgrounds
(see ‘Recreation’ at http://www.fs.usda.gov/inyo))
scattered in and around Mammoth Lakes. Many
sites are available on a first-come, first-served
basis, and some are reservable, and all have
flush toilets but no showers.
Mono Lake 9
5 Whoa Nellie Deli Deli $$
(www.whoanelliedeli.com; near junction of Hwys
120W & 395, Lee Vining; mains $8-19; h7am-
9pm mid-Apr–Oct) Great food in a gas station?
Come on... No, really, you gotta try this amazing
kitchen where chef Matt ‘Tioga’ Toomey feeds
delicious fish tacos, wild-buffalo meatloaf
and other tasty morsels to locals and clued-in
passersby. Portions are huge and the views
from the outdoor patio are as great as the food.4 Yosemite Gateway Motel Motel $$
(%760-647-6467; http://www.yosemitegatewaymotel.
com; Hwy 395, Lee Vining; r $169; W) Think
vistas. This is the only motel on the east side
of the highway, and the views from some of the
rooms are phenomenal.Reno b
5 Silver Peak
Restaurant & Brewery Pub $$
(www.silverpeakbrewery.com; 124 Wonder
St; mains lunch $8-10, dinner $9-21; h11am-
midnight) Casual and pretense-free, this place
hums with the chatter of happy locals settling in
for a night of microbrews and great food, from
pizza with roasted chicken to shrimp pasta and
filet mignon.4 Peppermill Casino Hotel $$
(%775-826-2121; http://www.peppermillreno.com;
2707 S Virginia St; r Sun-Thu $50-140, Fri & Sat
$70-200; aiWs) Awash in Vegas-style
opulence, the popular Peppermill boasts
Tuscan-themed rooms in its newest 600-room
tower, and is completing a plush remodel of its
older rooms. The three sparkling pools (one
indoor) are dreamy, with a full spa on hand.
Geothermal energy powers the resort’s hot
water and heat.CENTRAL.CALIFORNIA.20
.EASTERN SIERRA SCENIC BYWAY