Never been to Yosemite before? Or, have you been but felt overwhelmed by everything you could do? I’ve been there. I know what it feels like to scavenge the internet for every possible list of “best hikes” and “places to stay” and “order of sightseeing” — there is a LOT out there. That’s because ~5 million folks trek deep into Yosemite valley every year! I’ve been to Yosemite a handful of times and each trip has been completely different. So far I have:
Camped in a tent
Stayed in a cabin on the valley floor
Stayed in an Airbnb in Yosemite west
Stayed in a hotel outside of the park entirely
Stayed in an Airbnb outside of the park entirely
I’ve also ventured to Yosemite in every season!
Building the itinerary —
Check out my post on building an itinerary here!
This isn’t a pre-set itinerary or list of everything you can do. Why would I put all that info in here when you can already access ALL of that on the Yosemite website?? Instead, this is a place for things I wish I knew, my favorite spots, and fun activities.
With Yosemite, you should split things up by location. Depending on where you’re staying, you could be in for a LOT of driving if you don’t note the distances and locations. There are three main spots that I’ve been to.
Yosemite Valley
Glacier Point
Tioga Road/North
If it is your first time visiting and you have limited time, I’d recommend sticking to Yosemite Valley.
NOTES:
ONE: If you’re staying outside of the valley, it will take you 30+ minutes to drive in, depending on where you’re coming from.
TWO: When planning your itinerary, try to group things by the location. Don’t do sunrise at Glacier Point, then hike in the Valley, then sunset at Taft Point. You’ll be wasting away your day driving!
Here are the things I think you should do.
It may not be possible to do all of these things in a trip. So, pick and choose! Anything you don’t get to, do it on your next trip.
Sunrise at Tunnel View
Rent a bike and bike the Valley floor