Yosemite National Park is located in east central California in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Yosemite Valley is known worldwide for its amazing rock formations including Half Dome and El Capitan.  Highlights of the park also include giant sequoias, waterfalls, rivers, and alpine meadows which are mostly accessible by car or bus year round.   The dark skies also provide visitors an opportunity for star gazing.  If you want to relax, there are guided tours available. Or, if you want to be more active, the park has miles of hiking trails for day hikes or overnight backpacking.

Model Itinerary

Day 1:
The park has five main entrances, four of which are located on the west side of the park.  South of the park there is Fresno-Yosemite International Airport which is a 2 ½ hour drive from Yosemite Valley, and there is Merced Airport with a 2 hour drive.  North of the park, Sacramento International is about 4 hours from the Valley and about a 5 hour drive from the San Francisco Bay area airports. 
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Day 2:
The Yosemite Valley area of the park is the most popular and offers the most facilities.  There are hotel options within the park, but rooms are limited; definitely make reservations before you arrive.  We booked a room at Yosemite Valley Lodge.  The best place to start your visit is the Valley Visitor Center to get a park map, buy a hiking guide, see the exhibits, and find out about any Park Ranger activities for the week.  Park Rangers offer a variety of programs, such as guided hikes, narrated walks, and talks about various topics.  Some Ranger programs require a reservation in advance or a small fee.  We signed up for the Green Dragon Interpretive Tour, which takes visitors on a narrated tour of the valley on an open air tram.  After lunch, it is a short walk over to see Yosemite Falls.  Spring is the best time to visit to see the waterfalls.  We also signed up for the Astronomy Program that takes you on a bus to Observation Point at night for an Astronomy talk.   
Day 3:
The Green Dragon Tour leaves in the morning and takes about 2 hours.  After lunch, take the shuttle bus to Happy Isles/Shuttle Stop #16  to hike on the famous Mist Trail.  The first part of the trail is paved and takes you to the foot of Vernal Falls (1.6 mile moderate hike).  If you continue past the bridge, you can climb a stone staircase to the top of the Vernal Falls (2.4 mile strenuous hike) where you get a nice view of the gorge and see Nevada Falls.  The trail continues on to the top of Nevada Falls (5.4 mile strenuous hike).  The John Muir Trail also goes to both falls and can be combined into a loop with the Mist Trail.  If you are not staying at the famous Ahwahnee Hotel, you can make dinner reservations there, where there is a dress code (collared shirt, long pants, sweaters for ladies.)  There is no dress code or reservations needed there for breakfast.  
Day 4:
Yosemite Valley is a great home base, but there are other areas of the park that are definitely worth visiting.  Leave the valley today and take the 1 hour drive to Glacier Point.  Glacier Point offers Ranger and Astronomy programs and paved walkways that provide stunning views of Half Dome and the valley below.  On your return drive, stop at Sentinel Dome (5 mile moderate hike) and climb to the top of the Dome for great views and hike to the fissures before looping back to the parking lot.  When driving back to the valley, stop at Tunnel View for the famous Ansel Adams view of the valley.  Then stop near Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River for another great view of Half Dome. ​
Day 5:
Take the 45 minute drive south to Wawona and visit the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  Giant Sequoias are the largest and longest-living trees on earth.  Check the park newspaper to find a time to walk through the grove on one of the park ranger tours.  After lunch, stop at the Pioneer Yosemite History Center to ride on a stage coach or horse-drawn wagon and visit historic buildings from Yosemite’s past that have been relocated there.  ​
Day 6:
Drive to the other side of the park on the Tioga Road to explore Tuolumne Meadows and Mono Lake.   Tuolumne Meadows gives you a different perspective of the park and the surrounding mountains.  You can walk through the mostly flat meadows and see wildflowers in bloom in the spring and summer.  It’s a 1.5 hour drive from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows.  If you continue on another 45 minutes to the park exit you can visit Mono Lake, which is definitely worth the time.   The lake is formed in a natural basin with no outlet which causes high levels of salt to accumulate, forming unique geological features that look like something you would see on the moon.   You can also walk around a nearby volcano.   There are hotel accommodations available in the nearby town of Lee Vining, where you can stay, or you can start heading back to the highway.
Day 7:
Return home and start planning your next adventure!
Or continue your trip with the San Francisco & Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary