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Yosemite National Park Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia

Posted on by adm
14
Jan



Yosemite – an American story unlike any other. Follow us through the national park from its high country to its waterfalls, its towering sequoia groves to its valley …

adm

27 thoughts on “Yosemite National Park Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia”

  1. Lee Green says:

    Learned to ski at Badger Pass, just off the Glacier Point Road, as a child in the late 1950's. My family went there for the next several years to ski after that first trip. Later, I worked at the Lodge Cafeteria for a few months in 1969 before the service. Went to Vietnam. Returned to the park in early 1973 after the military and worked at The Ahwahnee Hotel Dining Room. Soothed my soul so well. Left at the end of 1974 as Dining Room Manager. Some of the best times of my life. Still miss the place.

    Winter may be the best time to visit due to the snow and the small crowds though the high country is not accessible due to the snow. May is the best time for the valley as the falls are at their fullest and the crowds haven't gotten too big. Once school is out it gets very crowded.

    We stayed in the Wawona area, not mentioned in this video but well worth the visit, near the Redwood Estates (cabins available though it is a commute to the valley). Several of the old buildings and cabins from the very early days of non-native people living in the park have been moved nearby and fixed up as a self-guided tour. They have complete interior furnishings so you can see what the pioneer days were like.

    The Wawona Hotel is close to there and styled like an old southern mansion. It is only open in the summer. It has excellent food. There is a golf course across the road from the Wawona Hotel if you play. (There is also one at The Ahwahnee Hotel in the valley.) It's on the road (Highway 41) to/from Fresno, a few miles in from the Southern Gate and on the same road as Inspiration Point, which is a large turnout/parking area at the end of the looooong Wawona Tunnel.

    Inspiration Point is immediately on the left as you emerge on the valley side so exit the tunnel slowly to turn off the road. The first white men to view the valley, Captain Joseph R. Walker and party, saw it from just above the turnout and coming in on 41 is your first view of the valley when you exit the tunnel. It is breath taking and you WILL want to stop! The valley is a left turn just inside the 41 gate. A right turn takes you to The Mariposa Big Trees, which are more than worth seeing. That's where the "tunnel tree" used to stand. It's still there but fell several years ago after a severe winter. My family drove through it on a summer trip when I was a child.

    Three tips:
    First, once in the valley park your car and ride shuttles whenever possible. Buses even go to The Mariposa Big Trees and Glacier Point and tour rides are available at "The Trees". There are traffic jams in the valley during the summer. The large number of cars and the campfires in the summer cause smog to form in the valley. Help both the park and yourselves and ride the shuttles; saves gas (the gas in the valley is very expensive), wear and tear on you and your vehicle, and, most importantly, the air. Ask at any of the hotels and other lodging facilities about shuttles and tours. You need to sign up for many of the tours and some may cost a few dollars. They are worth every penny. Take one of the open air tour rides around the valley. They are narrated and you will learn a lot. As an alternate for getting around the valley there is a bicycle rental shop open in the summers. It's in The Lodge area.
    Second, if you want to have dinner at The Ahwahnee there is a coat and tie policy for men. When I was there a few "loaners" were available but they were ugly, ill fitting, and gross. Also, make dinner reservations early, which have limited time slots for non-hotel guests. Any front desk should be able to call for a reservation so you don't need to go there just for that. But a trip there will amaze you with the hotel's beauty and how well it fits the environment. Rules are more relaxed for breakfast and lunch. Be sure to check out the dining room floor. I'll leave that as a surprise.
    Third, if you have small children and don't want them to swim in the river, which is very cold and the water can move quickly, both the Ahwahnee and The Lodge have pools. The one at The Ahwahnee is small and for hotel guests. The one at The Lodge is much larger and open to the public. It even has a diving board.

    Hope I helped you and have fun.

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  16. Larry Maniccia says:

    You guys and gals nailed this video and the essence of Yosemite! It truly is a magical placed filled with beauty no matter the direction you choose to look. I was in Yosemite recently, but couldn't help but watch this video. Will definitely return again for a future visit.

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  22. Thomas Emmanuel says:

    Stunning and breathtaking views never seen before.This place has a charming pull and mystic appeal, which leaves your soul yearning to come back again. Truly one of the top must visit places in your lifetime.

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