Yosemite National Park

By June, the Yosemite Valley is warm and verdant and wildflowers are blooming everywhere! Like all National Parks, Yosemite provides a look at a place that is both unique and quintessentially American.

Fly into Fresno Yosemite International Airport, located 65 miles from the park and rent a car.  Yosemite provides a wide variety of lodging from rough camping to luxury hotels or you stay in a nearby town.  While staying in the park provides a deeper, more immersive experience, it does tend to be more expensive than lodging in El Portal or Wawona.

Yosemite provides a shuttle service within the park you should take full advantage of.  After all, the park is huge and has so many different offerings!  In addition to viewing the fantastic  Sierra Nevada mountains, plan on spending time hiking, horseback riding, white water rafting or fishing. You can even take a flight tour!

From mid-June through mid-August, a permit is required to drive into the park between 6am and 2pm.  See https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745  to make a reservation ahead of time.  Plan to spend anywhere from 2-5 days, depending on how much exploration you are interested in. 

When planning a visit to Yosemite, think about what else can be added to make the trip truly exceptional.  An itinerary that includes visits to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon, Death Valley or Mono Lake State Natural Reserve would provide a multitude of different vistas and experiences.  You could also combine a trip to San Francisco to the park visits.  The biggest problem could well be deciding what to delete from your California journey!