San Francisco to Yosemite

I am so confused. I%26#39;ve read lots and lots of posts, but just can%26#39;t seem to know what to do. 3 of us (2 teens) will be traveling from San Francisco to Yosemite in June. (We are spending 3 nights in San Francisco). I%26#39;ve checked with lodging in the park and not much is available. We plan on staying 3 nights during the week near Yosemite and then returning to San Francisco to the airport. I really don%26#39;t want to spend a ton because we are rather frugal, however I know that prices are at least $100-$200 per night. I basically am looking for a safe, clean place to stay. We usually have a cooler with food, so nearby restaurants aren%26#39;t so important. Any advice would be truly appreciated.

San Francisco to Yosemite

There are only a handful of places to stay in the Valley, of course, because it%26#39;s a national park. There are a few more places outside of the park, such as in in El Portal. I personally love to stay inside the park.

Best to check on this site, but whatever you do, remember you%26#39;re going during during the most popular tourist season, so book sooner, rather than later:

http://www.yosemite.com/

www.yosemitepark.com/Accommodations.aspx

And, if you%26#39;re frugal you might want to try the tent cabins at Camp Curry:

yosemitepark.com/Accommodations_CurryVillage鈥?/a>

San Francisco to Yosemite

shadefarm,

Check out Groveland for accomodations. Please be familiar with the park guidelines about food stored in your car.

you might try priceline if you don%26#39;t mind staying outside the park. i got the comfort inn just outside the south entrance for $75 in june, on their website it%26#39;s $140. i might have been able to get it cheaper, i just named my own price and it accepted.

Definitely DO NOT leave ANY food in your car. The bears will rip it open like a sardine can to get you food

If you are heading out from San Francisco and visiting Yosemite Valley, Groveland and Big Oak Flat are the closest places outside the park with lodging. Farther away, but with better variety is Sonora. While Yosemite Valley is something you must see at least once in your life, it can be quite crowded in the summer and fall. I would personally recommend spending some time in the rest of the park, such as Tuolumne Meadows. The drive there takes you through some of the parks best scenery.

hi!! i am also planning a trip to sf and yosemite in late may/early june.i found a neat place to stay with good reviews in midpines ca near yosemite. it is called the ';yosemite bug';. it is a sort of lodge type place-they offer rooms or tent cabins. we booked a room for four of us for 85 a night, there is a swimming hole there and a good restaurant. at the very least look at their website yosemitebug.com. i have called several times and the staff has always been very helpful and friendly. good luck and have fun!!!

www.yosemite-motels.com/cedarlodge/index.htm

try this place it%26#39;s between Mariposa and the park entrance, I%26#39;ve stayed there a couple of times and never been unhappy, usual stuff, swimming pool indoors, shop, diner and bar, altho if you don%26#39;t mind an hours drive each way Mariposa is a really pretty little town with plenty of motels at a lot less bucks than the Park

If you%26#39;re coming from SF, don%26#39;t look to stay in Oakhurst or near the Southern entrance- it%26#39;s too far out of the way and you will spend much of your time ';commuting';

Since you are going in June, I would try to stay as close to the center of the ';action'; as you can afford, to avoid both sitting in and adding to traffic in the valley. If you can manage the cost of a tent cabin in Curry Village, then do so, but be aware that you will have to keep all your food and cooler in a food locker. If you were able to get a hard-sided cabin, you could keep your cooler there. (Wherever you stay in the mountains, keep all food and food containers including coolers out of your car at night.)

The next closest location is El POrtal, and the Cedar Lodge as already mentioned is the cheaper of the 2 motels there. After that, Yosemite Bug is probably your best bet.

While you may be dismayed at the cost of lodging in the park, remember you are hours away from any large populated area, and the lodging in the park is, by necessity, limited. So you are paying for location, location,location, and believe me, there%26#39;s no other location like it on earth!

If you have any more questions, you may wish to check us out over at the Yosemite National Park forum, including the Inside Pages section.

Happy travels!