Yosemite in August

Hello

I%26#39;m just wondering if it is worth taking a day trip to Yosemite in August? I know it%26#39;s summer and not too sure if it will be too hot and awful at this time of year.

Does anyone know of any good tour companies that do day trips from San Francisco?

Thanks

Yosemite in August

I personally would not advise taking a “daytrip” from San Francisco to Yosemite. You should stay at least one night and two nights would be best. It is a 4 to 5 hour drive from SF to Yosemite pending the traffic, your route and where in SF you start your trip. You will be on the road most of the day. That said, I would recommend a tour company out of Oakhurst (www.yosemitetours.com) or just take the tours the Park’s concessionaire offers daily. It all depends on how much you want to spend. If you have the money for a private tour, you will see most of the key attractions and it will be a great introduction for a more extensive visit another time.

As for the time of year, August can be hot and the Park can be crowded. September would be better as there are fewer crowds then. It just depends on what you like.

Yosemite in August

thanks for the info - i think we will give it a miss this time as we could only afford 1 day out of our trip and would rather see the park when the waterfalls are at their best.

Hi Manda,

I took a day tour to yosemite and although it was about 4 hours to get there, we got there a little before 11 am and stayed until 4 pm so that was pretty much a full day in the park. The drive out there is also beautiful going up the mountains. On the way back from our tour, the driver stopped at Treasure Island and we saw the sunset over San Francisco, amazing! We went with Extranomical to Yosemite and the driver Gavin was fantastic and full of information. We did not regret it one bit.

Thanks Betty - just wondering, what time of year did you go there?

Hey

Yosemite-Tours have day trips available daily from San Francisco. I travelled to Yosemite with 11 other people along with my wife and I was just blown away with the experience of Yosemite!

http://www.yosemite-tours.com

Our tour guide Ralph was amazing, he stopped at El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Yosemite Falls for amazin photographs. He also took special requests from us and the other people on the van by stopping at certain places etc.

The day started off by Ralph collecting us at 6.30am at the Mark Twain, and collected the rest of the guests along the way. We arrived at yosemite around 11am, but the adventure started the moment we got into the van! Interesting facts about the bay bridge, oakland, dublin pleasonton, San Joaquin valley and Sierra Nevada range were amazing. We weren%26#39;t able to see the Giant Sequoias grove due to the snow levels, but we didn%26#39;t mind because we just seen more parts of the park!

The tour lasted all day, but it was an unforgetful day, and it will always be remembered on how good it was!

TS

Sounds like you had a great time, the tour sounds like it was a smashing success! We were in Yosemite on New Year%26#39;s Day this year, it was awesome. El Capitan, Half Dome, brunch at the Awahnee Hotel, the Village and the Ansel Adams Gallery and a hike to Lower Yosemite Falls were highlights of our day trip there.

Glad you had fun and thanks for the report! :)

miss manda-

while I would always recommend that someone spend at least one night in the park if at all possible, if you are coming all the way from Australia and won%26#39;t be back our way again for some time, then by all means take a day tour, even in August. While the waterfalls will not be as impressive, the sheer granite monoliths that surround you are always impressive, and unlike anything else in the world. Don%26#39;t miss it.

Extranomical tours has gotten some good reviews here, and if you%26#39;re with a tour, then the summer crowds will be less of a problem for you (since someone else gets to do the driving and parking!)

August does have a window of opportunity where it isn%26#39;t too crowded. That would be the last 10 days or so. Most familys with children have returned home for school, which starts earlier each year it seems....and the travelers that wait until the kids are back in school tend to hit the park after labor day.

Do try to get more than a one day in-out trip.

Have fun!

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