We were there in May and they only did stagecoach rides on the weekend. You can go to their website and check it out, they may have more information. They do have a calendar of events there

It has been years since I did the stagecoach ride, but it is not terribly long... maybe 20 minutes or so.

Hi. No i dont think there was but still worth the visit. You can cool down with a drink in the saloon or an ice cream from the authentic candy shop

Only at the restaurants and shops...otherwise, most activities are outdoors.

We took ours this week without any difficulty; she was on the leash obviously and in our arms inside the stores for convenience.

Depends - first it is not "on the way" - it adds about an hour detour compared to going straight to Yosemite from SFO. Secondly, it doesn't take that much time to visit the park - a couple of hours more or less should do it. It is a small compact couple of streets park. So personally, I would not plan on staying overnight just for this. There should be time to go to wherever you were planning to stay for the Yosemite trip. As to whether it is "worth the effort" I guess it depends on interests, how much time you have, how interested everyone is about the "old mining town" etc. I found it interesting and fascinating largely because we went with friends who grew up around the area and was familiar with the history etc. I feel that without that historical background, it would become just a walk through an old town. Read the comments in the review section to get a feel for the place. Just my opinion, if pressed for time, I would skip this, but if interested in exploring off the beaten track, this could be interesting! Happy Travels and welcome to California!

Up yes they are open 7 days a week certain business close different days, you might find that info on park website

It's only 3 miles to Sonora, there are several hotels there

I'd say one day is all you'll need. Check Trip Advisor for other attractions you might enjoy seeing. It is also a big wine area and lots of old gold towns near by.

Sorry I cannot tell you about the stagecoach, but I can say that even if you plan to eat there the longest you would need would be 2-3 hours.