Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California protect ancient giant sequoia forests and vast Sierra Nevada wilderness offering spectacular hiking and awe-inspiring natural grandeur.
California: Yosemite National Park
🌄 Into Yosemite – Sunshine, Waterfalls and Getting Absolutely Soaked
Our first morning in the Sierra Nevada mountains was, I am delighted to report, absolutely splendid. The sun was blazing away with considerable enthusiasm, there was not a single cloud to be seen anywhere — not even a suspicious-looking wisp on the horizon — and the temperature was a thoroughly agreeable warmth that made you feel the world was essentially a decent place after all. Which, for those of us who have spent rather too many summers in the English Midlands watching rain slide down a caravan window, was quite a novelty.
We were still about 35 miles from the centre of Yosemite Valley itself, but on this particular morning that didn’t matter one jot. The Sierra Nevada range — whose name, incidentally, is Spanish for “snowy mountain range,” though nobody had thought to warn it that it was supposed to be snowy in late spring — stretches some 400 miles along the eastern spine of California, and even the foothills offered scenery that made you want to pull over every five minutes and simply stare at things. Which is, as any motorcyclist will tell you, not entirely practical.
The road wound along the banks of the Merced River, a name the Spanish missionaries gave it in the late eighteenth century, translating rather poetically as “River of Our Lady of Mercy.” There was nothing particularly merciful about the river itself on this day — it was charging along at a considerable pace, its white foaming water tumbling over boulders with the sort of cheerful indifference that water has when it knows perfectly well it has gravity on its side. The bright sunlight caught it beautifully, turning the foam into flashes of silver and the deeper pools into something approaching turquoise. It was the kind of scenery that makes you feel slightly guilty for not being more artistic.
We passed through the entrance to the Yosemite National Park — one of America’s oldest, established in 1890 largely thanks to the considerable efforts of the Scottish-born naturalist John Muir, who essentially badgered President Theodore Roosevelt into protecting the place during their famous camping trip together in 1903 — and made our first proper stop at Bridalveil Fall. The Americans, bless them, have dropped the second word of “waterfall” throughout the park, presumably to save time.
Bridalveil Fall has been dropping off the edge of its cliff for considerably longer than anyone has been around to watch it. The Ahwahnechee people, the indigenous inhabitants of the valley for at least three thousand years before the Gold Rush brought everyone else tramping through, called it Pohono, meaning “spirit of the puffing wind,” which is rather more evocative than the name the Mariposa Battalion gave it in 1851 when they became the first non-indigenous people to enter the valley. The fall leaps — and “leaps” really is the right word — off the edge of a sheer granite precipice and plunges 620 feet straight down to the valley floor below. That is, for those of us still stubbornly operating in proper measurements, roughly the height of a 55-storey building. It is, in short, quite a lot of water going quite a long way down.
You cannot stand directly underneath the fall, which is probably just as well, as doing so would likely result in what the medical profession would call significant blunt force trauma. However, you can get impressively close to the pool at the base and the stream that flows away from it — and we did, because apparently that is what you do. The sheer volume of water tumbling over the cliff created a perpetual light mist of tiny droplets, and when the sunlight caught this spray at the right angle it produced a genuinely beautiful rainbow effect. It was, I will grudgingly admit, rather magical.
The tiny droplets, meanwhile, were falling on us with quiet persistence, working their way into every gap in our Modula waterproofs with the methodical determination of something that has been doing this for millions of years and sees no reason to stop on our account. Fortunately, we had come prepared. The waterproofs did their job admirably, and we emerged from the experience merely damp around the edges rather than absolutely drenched — which, given our subsequent experience with Yosemite’s other waterfalls, was probably good practice.
🏔️ El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and the Valley in Full Spring Bloom
And then came the main event. As we continued down the valley towards the Visitors Center, there it was — El Capitan. Three thousand feet of sheer, smooth, utterly vertical granite, rising from the valley floor like nature had simply decided to show off. It is, without question, one of the most jaw-dropping things we had ever clapped eyes on.
El Capitan — or El Cap as the climbers rather casually call it, as if it were a mate down the pub — is a magnet for the world’s climbing community, and has been ever since Warren J. Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore first managed to haul themselves to the top back in November 1958. That first ascent took 47 days, spread over 18 months of attempts, making it one of the most gruelling climbs in American history. To put that into some perspective, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had only stood on the summit of Everest six years earlier, in May 1953, so the 1950s were clearly a busy decade for men doing things the hard way up very large lumps of rock. Nowadays, with modern equipment, ropes, cams, and whatever else these people hang off cliffs with, a competent team can summit El Cap in two or three days. Some lunatics even do it in a single push without sleeping. Each to their own, I suppose.
We, sensibly, were doing none of that. We were there to admire it from the flat, comfortable safety of the valley floor, take some photographs, and feel appropriately humbled. Which we did. Thoroughly.
And what a day it was to be doing precisely that. The sky was a deep, cloudless blue, the air was fresh and sharp, and all around us the first proper signs of spring were breaking through. The meadows and forest edges were alive with wildflowers — yellows, oranges and blues bursting up through the grass in great cheerful drifts. California’s Yosemite Valley sits at roughly 4,000 feet above sea level, and at this time of year the season arrives later than in the lowlands, which means the spring flowers arrive with a particular intensity, as if they’ve been holding their breath all winter. Set against the great silver-grey walls of granite and the almost impossibly dark greens of the pine and fir forests, the effect was, frankly, rather special. It is no wonder that naturalist John Muir, who campaigned tirelessly for Yosemite’s protection in the late 19th century, described the valley in near-religious terms. Plenty of people since have called it a cathedral, and standing there in the spring sunshine, it was difficult to argue with them.
We pressed on to the Yosemite Visitors Center, which sits within the sprawling complex of Yosemite Village — a sort of small town of shops, museums and facilities that has grown up to serve the four million or so people who visit the park each year. The backdrop to all of this very sensible infrastructure is anything but ordinary. Right there, framed above the treeline, were Yosemite Falls.
These are not just any falls. Yosemite Falls are the highest measured waterfall in the United States and among the tallest in the entire world, dropping a total of 2,425 feet in three dramatic stages from the granite rim down to the valley floor below. The upper fall alone drops 1,430 feet in a single plunge — taller than the Empire State Building. The water feeding all of this comes from the snowmelt off the Sierra Nevada peaks above, and in spring, with the snowpack at its deepest after winter, the falls are at their thundering, roaring, soaking best. By late summer, rather anti-climactically, the snow is largely gone and the falls slow to a trickle or dry up entirely. So we had timed it rather well, even if that was mostly by accident.
Also visible from the Visitors Center, rising with its unmistakable flat-topped silhouette above the eastern end of the valley, was Half Dome — Yosemite’s other great granite icon. Its sheer north face rises more than 4,737 feet above the valley floor, and its distinctive shape comes from the fact that, geologically speaking, it was never actually a full dome — glaciers simply never carved the other half away in the first place. The name is technically a bit misleading, but nobody seems terribly bothered about that.
We stood there for a while, looking at all of it. Sometimes that’s really the only sensible thing to do.
🦅 Crows, Woodpeckers and a Ranger Called Eric
Our timing, for once, was absolutely spot on. Just as we rolled up to the Visitors Center, a Ranger-led nature tour was getting underway, and we promptly attached ourselves to the back of it like lost sheep. Our guide was a chap called Eric — an enthusiastic, thoroughly knowledgeable fellow who clearly loved his patch of valley with a passion that most of us reserve for a decent Sunday roast.
Eric set about introducing us to the fauna and flora of Yosemite Valley with admirable gusto. One of his first topics was the corvid family — that’s the scientific genus encompassing crows, ravens, rooks and their similarly argumentative relations. He explained how to tell them apart in the field, which is frankly harder than it sounds, and then treated us to a rather impressive series of impressions of their calls. Whether he was entirely accurate, I couldn’t say, but he committed to it fully and deserved points for effort alone.
Then came the pub quiz moment. He asked if anyone knew the collective noun for a group of crows. Well, nearly all of us got that one — it’s “a murder” of crows, which is one of those brilliant English language quirks that makes you sound faintly sinister at dinner parties. Ravens, however, were a different matter. Nobody had the faintest idea. As it turns out, a group of ravens is called “an unkindness.” Marvellous. Someone, somewhere, clearly had strong feelings about ravens.
The timing of our visit did rather work against us in one respect. It was spring break for parts of California, which meant the area around the Visitor Center at midday was considerably more populated with children eating crisps than with actual wildlife. Hardly ideal conditions for spotting anything majestic. Still, Eric soldiered on undeterred and introduced us to the acorn woodpecker, which is a genuinely extraordinary little creature. These industrious birds work in cooperative groups — family groups, in fact — pecking holes into dead trees and then filling each hole with precisely one acorn. A single tree, called a granary tree, can hold literally thousands of acorns stored by the same extended family of woodpeckers. The collective noun for woodpeckers, incidentally, is “a descent,” which seems oddly modest for a bird doing something that clever.
Other common sightings in the area included the Steller’s Jay — a handsome, assertive bird with a crest and a deeply unimpressed expression — and ground squirrels, which were absolutely everywhere and seemingly unbothered by the human chaos around them. Nothing that was going to make the front page of a wildlife magazine, admittedly, but we came away having actually learned something useful about animals we’d previously walked straight past without a second glance. Which is, I suppose, rather the point of a ranger-led tour.
💧 Yosemite Falls: Ignoring the Signs Like Proper Tourists
Before heading off, we took the short trail down to where the lower section of Yosemite Falls finally meets the valley floor. The lower fall alone drops around 320 feet — which sounds relatively modest when you consider that the upper fall above it plunges a rather more dramatic 1,430 feet, making the full cascade one of the tallest waterfalls in North America. But modest or not, standing at the base of it with the roar of the water filling your ears and the cold mist settling on your face, it was quite spectacular.
We ignored the signs. Well, everyone did, to be fair — we weren’t alone in clambering across the rocks to get closer to the falls. There’s something about a waterfall that makes perfectly sensible adults abandon all caution and scramble about on wet boulders like overexcited teenagers. The National Park Service would be unsurprised. A truly wonderful place. A truly wonderful day.
🎨 Watercolours, Steve and the Humbling Reality of Art
On our final morning in Yosemite, we decided to do something a little different. No hiking. No driving. No staring at maps arguing about which direction is north. Instead, we signed ourselves up for a watercolour class.
As part of the National Park’s broader arts education programme — a rather enlightened initiative that the Park Service has been running in various forms since the 1980s, when it established formal artist residency programmes to celebrate the relationship between American art and the national parks — the Arts Center, located just down the way from the main Visitor Center, runs free art classes open to all visitors. The only cost is for materials: brushes, paints and paper. Which, by any measure, is an extraordinarily good deal.
The session on our day was watercolour landscapes, led by an artist called Steve Curl, a resident of the Bay Area who brought both genuine skill and the particular patience of a man who has watched many, many beginners ruin many, many sheets of expensive paper without losing his composure.
The course ran for four hours in total. We spent the first half inside the Art Center, working through the fundamentals of watercolour technique — how to control the water-to-paint ratio, how to work wet-on-wet versus wet-on-dry, how to let the medium do some of the work rather than trying to bully it into submission. Given that none of us had ever picked up a watercolour brush before in any serious capacity, this instruction was not merely useful — it was absolutely essential. Steve walked us through everything with calm methodical clarity, and by the time lunchtime arrived we were, in our own minds at least, veritable experts. Our subject for the morning practice session was Yosemite Falls, painted from a photograph. Our first attempts were, genuinely, not so bad. Which surprised us considerably.
For the afternoon session, we moved outside. Steve led us to a spot on the path near one of the park ranger buildings, where we set up and tackled the classic view of Yosemite Falls — live, in real light, with actual weather doing its thing around us. Painting from life is, predictably, rather more demanding than painting from a photograph. The light shifts. The shadows move. A squirrel walks across your eyeline at a critical moment. But having drilled the basic techniques all morning, we found we could actually translate them to the real subject in front of us without completely falling apart. Overall, our paintings turned out to be genuinely credible — the sort of thing you could hang on a wall without immediately having to explain yourself.
Steve was, without question, a wonderfully patient teacher — unhurried, encouraging and full of practical advice that actually worked. We learned an enormous amount in a single day. Whether watercolour painting becomes a lasting hobby remains to be seen, but it’s on the list of possibilities. Which is further than it was when the day started.
Planning your visit to Yosemite National Park
🌲 Yosemite National Park — A Visitor’s Guide
Yosemite National Park is one of the most celebrated natural wonders in the United States, drawing millions of visitors from around the world each year. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, the park is renowned for its dramatic granite cliffs, ancient giant sequoias, thundering waterfalls, and vast wilderness. Whether you are an experienced hiker, a wildlife enthusiast, or simply looking to immerse yourself in breathtaking scenery, Yosemite offers an unforgettable experience.
📍 Location
Yosemite National Park is situated in the central Sierra Nevada of California, approximately 200 miles east of San Francisco and 300 miles north of Los Angeles. The park covers nearly 1,200 square miles (around 748,000 acres) of diverse terrain, from the famous Yosemite Valley to the high-altitude Tuolumne Meadows.
The park has five main entrance points:
- South Entrance (Highway 41, from Fresno)
- Arch Rock Entrance (Highway 140, from Merced — the most accessible year-round)
- Big Oak Flat Entrance (Highway 120 West, from the San Francisco Bay Area)
- Tioga Pass Entrance (Highway 120 East, from the eastern Sierra — seasonal)
- Hetch Hetchy Entrance (via Evergreen Road)
Because Yosemite covers such a vast area, there is no single postal address for the park. Visitors should plan their route carefully in advance, as GPS devices do not always provide accurate directions within the park. The postal address for general correspondence is:
Visitor Information Office PO Box 577 Yosemite, CA 95389 United States of America
🌐 Website
The official website for Yosemite National Park, operated by the National Park Service, provides up-to-date information on conditions, permits, camping, and visitor services:
📞 Contact Telephone Number
General visitor enquiries can be directed to the park’s main telephone line:
+1 209-372-0200 (then dial 3, then 5)
Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Pacific Time, and are closed during the lunch hour.
For wilderness-related enquiries — such as hiking Half Dome or backpacking routes — a dedicated wilderness line is available:
+1 209-372-0826
This line operates Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm Pacific Time. It is in service from May through September only.
✉️ Email
Yosemite National Park does not publish a direct general enquiry email address. Visitors wishing to contact the park electronically are directed to use the online contact form available through the official National Park Service website at:
🎟️ Entry Fees
Entry to Yosemite National Park always requires payment of the applicable entrance fees. Please note that the park does not accept cash — only credit and debit cards and mobile payment services are accepted at entrance stations.
Standard Entrance Fees (valid for seven consecutive days):
- Private vehicle (car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats): $35.00 USD — covers the vehicle and all passengers inside
- Motorcycle (up to two motorcycles with up to four passengers total): $30.00 USD
- Individual on foot, bicycle, horse, or non-commercial bus (aged 16 and over): $20.00 USD per person
- Children aged 15 and under: Free
Important — Additional Fee for Non-US Residents (effective from 1 January 2026):
Visitors who are not US citizens or permanent residents and are aged 16 or over must pay an additional fee of $100.00 USD per person, on top of the standard entrance fee. This applies unless the visitor holds a valid America the Beautiful Annual Pass.
Annual and Multi-Park Passes:
- Yosemite Annual Pass: Provides unlimited entry to Yosemite for 12 months from the date of purchase (US citizens and residents)
- America the Beautiful — National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass: Covers entry to Yosemite and all other US national parks and federal recreational lands. This pass is available to non-residents as well and removes the additional non-resident per-person fee.
Discounted or free America the Beautiful passes are available to seniors, active military personnel, visitors with a permanent disability, and families participating in the Every Kid Outdoors programme.
Group and Organisational Fees:
- Non-commercial group (16 or more persons): $20.00 USD per person, up to a maximum of $300.00 USD per vehicle
- Educational and accredited academic groups: Free (subject to application for an educational fee waiver)
🕐 Opening Times
Yosemite National Park is open 365 days a year, every day of the year, including public holidays. All main entrance gates — with the exception of Hetch Hetchy — are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If the entrance station is unstaffed when you arrive, you may enter and pay your fee on the way out.
Please note that certain roads, facilities, and visitor services within the park operate on seasonal schedules. In particular:
- Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) is typically closed from November through to late May or early June, depending on snowfall
- Glacier Point Road is also subject to seasonal closure during winter months
- Some visitor centres and facilities operate reduced hours outside the peak summer season
Visitors are strongly advised to check current road and facility conditions on the official National Park Service website before travelling, as closures can occur at short notice due to weather, snow, or other circumstances.
No Reservations Required in 2026:
In a significant change from previous years, no advance entrance reservations are required to visit Yosemite at any point during 2026. However, given the volume of visitors the park attracts — particularly during summer weekends and public holidays — arriving early in the morning is strongly recommended to secure parking and make the most of your visit.
🏕️ Getting There
By Car: The majority of visitors arrive by private vehicle. The most popular and reliable year-round route is via Highway 140 through Merced, entering through the Arch Rock Entrance. Highway 41 from Fresno via the South Entrance is also well-travelled.
By Public Transport: The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) operates scheduled bus services into the park from surrounding towns including Merced, Mammoth Lakes, and Sonora. This is a particularly practical option for visitors wishing to avoid the challenge of parking in Yosemite Valley.
From the UK: Most international visitors fly into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), then travel to the park by hire car or connecting bus service. The drive from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley takes approximately three to four hours depending on traffic and road conditions.
🗺️ Planning Your Visit
Within the Park: Once inside, a free shuttle bus service operates throughout Yosemite Valley, connecting car parks, trailheads, visitor facilities, and accommodation. Use of the shuttle is encouraged, as private vehicle access to certain parts of the Valley may be restricted during peak periods.
Accommodation: Lodging within the park ranges from the historic and grand Ahwahnee Hotel to more modest cabins and camping facilities at sites such as Curry Village (Half Dome Village). Accommodation and campsites within the park book up extremely quickly — often months in advance — so early planning is essential.
Permits: Certain high-demand hikes, most notably the Half Dome cables route, require a permit obtained through a separate lottery system. Wilderness permits are also required for overnight backpacking trips. These should be arranged well ahead of your travel dates via the official National Park Service website.
What to Pack: Weather in Yosemite can change rapidly, particularly at higher elevations. Layers, sturdy footwear, sun protection, and plenty of water are essential. Bears are present throughout the park — food must be stored in bear-proof containers or lockers, which are provided at campsites and many car parks.
♿ Accessibility
Yosemite National Park is committed to providing access for all visitors. Many of the Valley’s most popular sites, including Yosemite Falls (lower trail), Mirror Lake, and the valley floor loop paths, are accessible to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. Accessible parking, restrooms, and shuttle buses are available throughout the Valley. The Access Pass — a free America the Beautiful pass for US residents with permanent disabilities — provides free entry to the park.
Best time to visit California
California is one of the world’s most diverse destinations, offering everything from sun-scorched deserts and alpine peaks to misty redwood forests and Pacific coastlines. The state’s sheer size means that weather can vary dramatically depending on where you are, but understanding the seasonal rhythms will help you plan the trip that best suits your interests and budget.
🌸 Spring (March to May)
Spring is widely regarded as one of the finest times to visit California. Temperatures are mild and pleasant across most of the state, typically ranging from 15°C to 24°C, making it ideal for outdoor exploration without the oppressive summer heat. The winter rains have transformed the landscape: wildflowers carpet the hillsides of the Antelope Valley and the Carrizo Plain, the Sierra Nevada snowpack reaches its peak for skiing, and national parks such as Yosemite and Joshua Tree are at their most photogenic and manageable before summer crowds descend.
Coastal destinations like San Francisco and Big Sur are particularly lovely in spring. Fog is less persistent than in summer, offering clearer skies and spectacular ocean views. Wine country — Napa and Sonoma — is also a delight, with vines budding and tasting rooms far less crowded than in peak season. Rainfall is still possible through April, especially in Northern California, but generally diminishes as the season progresses.
What to pack: Lightweight layers including a waterproof jacket and a warm mid-layer for evenings, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light scarf. Bring waterproof footwear if visiting Big Sur or the northern coast. A hat is advisable for sunny days in the deserts or parks.
☀️ Summer (June to August)
Summer is California’s peak tourist season, and with good reason — long days, reliably sunny skies, and a full calendar of outdoor events and festivals make it enormously appealing. Coastal cities such as Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Los Angeles enjoy warm but rarely extreme temperatures, usually between 22°C and 28°C, tempered by sea breezes. Beaches are at their liveliest, and the Pacific is at its warmest for swimming.
However, inland and desert regions can become genuinely extreme. Death Valley routinely surpasses 45°C, and even the Central Valley and parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills can be uncomfortably hot. Yosemite Valley gets particularly crowded in July and August; advance reservations for accommodation and even park entry are essential. The northern coast, including the areas around San Francisco, often sees what locals call “June Gloom” — a persistent marine layer that can keep temperatures deceptively cool and grey well into the morning, sometimes all day. Budget travellers should note that accommodation prices peak in summer.
What to pack: Lightweight, breathable clothing, swimwear and a beach towel, high-factor sunscreen (SPF 50+), a wide-brimmed hat, insect repellent for woodland areas, a reusable water bottle, and comfortable sandals or trainers. Even in summer, pack a fleece or light jumper for San Francisco evenings, which can be unexpectedly chilly.
🍂 Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is arguably California’s best-kept secret for visitors. The summer crowds have thinned, hotel prices drop noticeably, and the weather across much of the state remains warm and stable well into October — a phenomenon locals call the “second summer.” Inland areas cool to more comfortable temperatures, and the Central Coast and wine country enter their most spectacular period. Harvest season in Napa and Sonoma from September to October brings a celebratory atmosphere with crush events, barrel tastings, and food festivals.
The national parks regain much of their serenity. Yosemite is glorious in autumn, with golden oak and dogwood foliage reflected in the Merced River. The Eastern Sierra, particularly around Bishop and the June Lake Loop, offers brilliant golden aspens in late September and early October. Surfing conditions along Southern California improve as autumn swells arrive from the north. By November, the first snows cap the Sierra Nevada, and the ski resorts begin to prepare for the season.
What to pack: Layering is key — T-shirts and shorts for daytime, with a medium-weight jacket and trousers for cooler evenings. Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots for park visits, sunscreen, a compact daypack, and a light waterproof layer as rain becomes possible in November. Driving the coastal highway? Pack a camera and a warm scarf for clifftop viewpoints.
❄️ Winter (December to February)
Winter in California is a study in contrasts, and for the well-prepared traveller, it holds tremendous appeal. While much of Northern California receives rainfall — San Francisco averages its wettest months from December through February — Southern California enjoys mild, sunny weather with temperatures in Los Angeles typically between 14°C and 20°C. San Diego rarely dips below 12°C and remains one of the most pleasant winter city escapes in the country.
The Sierra Nevada transforms into a world-class ski destination. Lake Tahoe’s resorts — Palisades Tahoe, Heavenly, and Mammoth Mountain — attract skiers and snowboarders from across North America and beyond, and the snowpack is often spectacular after a good winter storm. Whale watching reaches its peak along the coast, particularly in Monterey Bay, as grey whales make their annual migration south to Baja California. National parks are quietest and often hauntingly beautiful; Death Valley, paradoxically, is at its most comfortable in winter, with temperatures ideal for hiking.
Accommodation prices outside ski resorts are at their lowest, and popular attractions require no queuing. Christmas and New Year bring vibrant festivities to cities, whilst January and February offer the most uncrowded experience of all.
What to pack: For Southern California, bring light layers, a versatile jacket, and comfortable shoes. For Northern California and the coast, waterproof outerwear, warm jumpers, and sturdy waterproof footwear are essential. Heading to Tahoe or Mammoth? Pack proper ski gear or plan to hire it locally, along with thermals, waterproof salopettes, a warm hat, gloves, and UV-protective goggles. Always carry a blanket and emergency supplies if driving mountain roads.
🌟 Overall Best Time to Visit
If pressed to name a single best time to visit California, late spring (late April to mid-June) and early autumn (September to mid-October) stand out as the outstanding sweet spots. Both periods offer warm, stable weather, manageable crowds at major attractions, and more competitive accommodation prices than the peak summer months. Wildflowers and fresh landscapes define the spring visit; golden light, harvest festivals, and vivid foliage define the autumn one. That said, California’s great size and climatic variety mean there is truly no “wrong” time to visit — only the right season for the experience you are seeking. Those chasing snow should come in winter; beach lovers will find summer hard to beat along the coast; and anyone drawn to the desert should target the cooler months from October through April. With thoughtful planning, California rewards visitors in every season.
Where to stay near Yosemite National Park
1. Ahwahnee
The Ahwahnee shines as the crown jewel of the national park lodges. Known for its stunning interior design and architecture, The Ahwahnee was specifically designed to highlight its natural surroundings, featuring Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and Glacier Point. The hotel holds a historic heritage as it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. The destination of queens and presidents alike, this distinctive Yosemite hotel offers a perfect balance of history, hospitality and elegance.
The Ahwahnee offers a gift shop with a focus on local artisans, a decadent sweet shop, a comfortable bar and a heated outdoor swimming pool. The Ahwahnee Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
2. Yosemite Valley Lodge
3. Curry Village
Curry Village Operating Schedule:
Winter 2022: Open for weekends only (Friday/Saturday nights). Curry Village lodging is available Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights during Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.
Spring 2022: Lodging and guest services are scheduled to open daily from mid-March
Beneath the grandeur of Glacier Point, Curry Village is known for the same warm, hospitable feeling that was instilled by its founders, David and Jennie Curry in 1899. Curry Village features standard hotel rooms, wood cabins and canvas tent cabin accommodations. Numerous dining options and activities are available at Curry Village.
More to Explore
