yosemite/SEKI/la jolla
Jul 1st, 2018, 05:14 PM
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yosemite/SEKI/la jolla
My husband and I just got back from a great trip. We flew into LAX and drove to Yosemite (Yes I know it is not closest airport but it worked for us for various reasons) all in all including stops it took about seven hours (on a sunday) to get there. Try to get to your hotel bvefore dark the roads are very windy. If you have time a nice place to stip on the way, especially with kids is Pyramid lake-they has tons of interactive activities for kids and also were giving out coloring books and some other stuff for them in the visitors center and if you want a longer stop there is an entire beach area. we just stopped to stretch and then continued on. we stopped for gas and groceries in fresno but could have also waited to do so in oakhurst. YOU MUST FILL UP with gas before getting to yosemite valley there is very few gas options there. The first night we stayed at the Yosemite View lodge which is the closest hotel outside the park. It was even nicer then it looked in the pictures and we even had a room with a balcony overlooking the Merced River. You will lose phone service on the drive up and if you want internet, it is 10$ a night. We did have some phone servive(At and t) and wi-fi in the parking lot of Yosemite's visitors center. For some reason the visitor center in the valley is only open 9-5 so don't count on getting advice from them early in the morning. Day one we hiked up to Vernal and Nevada falls -going up with the mist trail and down with the John Muir trail. It was a difficult but amazing hike to do. We saw the two falls and also a few rainbows on the way. One thing to keep in mind is that, the second half, going down is much less streneous. day two we hiked to Mirror lake which was beautiful then to the bottom of yosemite falls which was amazing. Then we drove to glacier point(about 45 minutes away) stopping at bridveil falls and tunnel view. Once we were at glacier point we hiked up sentinel dome which was one of the highlights of the trip. From the top you have a great view of the valley below you!!! Day three we went to kings canyon saw the large seqioas and drove into the canyon. We stopped at some a beautiful waterfall where you werte able to safely sit on rocks and put your feet in down stream. Also at roads end at the bottom of the Canyon we also hiked to the beach area whewre you can swim and put your feet in. Unfortunately the cave there was not open doue to a fire. Then we headed to three rivers. To avaoid the construction delays we took an alternate route which we think may have even been shorter. We stayed in the comfort in which was nice and clean-as you'd expect from a comfrot inn.The whole construction thing is not a big deal if you time yourself wisely. In the morning we made sure to get there about 15 minutes before we thought they would let cars thru-the wait was no big deal because we got out of our car and had a great view. Also the flag man was more then happy to talk to all of us about the general area and history. In Sequoia we hiked the hike around the general grant tree which was humbling-just to see those huge trees, Then we tried to do the hike to moro Rock but never made it because there is a short walk to it which we meant to take and a much longer hike there. By accicent we took the longer trail and ran out of time before our cave tour. Crystal cave was very cool-the only complaint I have is that the tour could have been longer because ib felt like there was so much kmore to see. On the way out we stopped at a few more highlighted spots like where you can driv thre a fallen tree. Then we had to leave to get to the construction before 8(they close from 8-11 pm)
Next day we drove to laJolla went to the coves and balboa park over the weekend before heading home.
Next day we drove to laJolla went to the coves and balboa park over the weekend before heading home.
Jul 1st, 2018, 06:05 PM
#3
My husband and I just got back from a great trip. We flew into LAX and drove to Yosemite (Yes I know it is not closest airport but it worked for us for various reasons) all in all including stops it took about seven hours (on a sunday) to get there. Try to get to your hotel bvefore dark the roads are very windy. If you have time a nice place to stip on the way, especially with kids is Pyramid lake-they has tons of interactive activities for kids and also were giving out coloring books and some other stuff for them in the visitors center and if you want a longer stop there is an entire beach area. we just stopped to stretch and then continued on. we stopped for gas and groceries in fresno but could have also waited to do so in oakhurst. YOU MUST FILL UP with gas before getting to yosemite valley there is very few gas options there.
The first night we stayed at the Yosemite View lodge which is the closest hotel outside the park. It was even nicer then it looked in the pictures and we even had a room with a balcony overlooking the Merced River. You will lose phone service on the drive up and if you want internet, it is 10$ a night. We did have some phone servive(At and t) and wi-fi in the parking lot of Yosemite's visitors center. For some reason the visitor center in the valley is only open 9-5 so don't count on getting advice from them early in the morning.
Day one we hiked up to Vernal and Nevada falls -going up with the mist trail and down with the John Muir trail. It was a difficult but amazing hike to do. We saw the two falls and also a few rainbows on the way. One thing to keep in mind is that, the second half, going down is much less streneous. day two we hiked to Mirror lake which was beautiful then to the bottom of yosemite falls which was amazing. Then we drove to glacier point(about 45 minutes away) stopping at bridveil falls and tunnel view. Once we were at glacier point we hiked up sentinel dome which was one of the highlights of the trip. From the top you have a great view of the valley below you!!!
Day three we went to kings canyon saw the large seqioas and drove into the canyon. We stopped at some a beautiful waterfall where you werte able to safely sit on rocks and put your feet in down stream. Also at roads end at the bottom of the Canyon we also hiked to the beach area whewre you can swim and put your feet in. Unfortunately the cave there was not open doue to a fire. Then we headed to three rivers. To avaoid the construction delays we took an alternate route which we think may have even been shorter. We stayed in the comfort in which was nice and clean-as you'd expect from a comfrot inn.
The whole construction thing is not a big deal if you time yourself wisely. In the morning we made sure to get there about 15 minutes before we thought they would let cars thru-the wait was no big deal because we got out of our car and had a great view. Also the flag man was more then happy to talk to all of us about the general area and history. In Sequoia we hiked the hike around the general grant tree which was humbling-just to see those huge trees, Then we tried to do the hike to moro Rock but never made it because there is a short walk to it which we meant to take and a much longer hike there. By accicent we took the longer trail and ran out of time before our cave tour. Crystal cave was very cool-the only complaint I have is that the tour could have been longer because ib felt like there was so much kmore to see. On the way out we stopped at a few more highlighted spots like where you can driv thre a fallen tree. Then we had to leave to get to the construction before 8(they close from 8-11 pm)
Next day we drove to laJolla went to the coves and balboa park over the weekend before heading home.
The first night we stayed at the Yosemite View lodge which is the closest hotel outside the park. It was even nicer then it looked in the pictures and we even had a room with a balcony overlooking the Merced River. You will lose phone service on the drive up and if you want internet, it is 10$ a night. We did have some phone servive(At and t) and wi-fi in the parking lot of Yosemite's visitors center. For some reason the visitor center in the valley is only open 9-5 so don't count on getting advice from them early in the morning.
Day one we hiked up to Vernal and Nevada falls -going up with the mist trail and down with the John Muir trail. It was a difficult but amazing hike to do. We saw the two falls and also a few rainbows on the way. One thing to keep in mind is that, the second half, going down is much less streneous. day two we hiked to Mirror lake which was beautiful then to the bottom of yosemite falls which was amazing. Then we drove to glacier point(about 45 minutes away) stopping at bridveil falls and tunnel view. Once we were at glacier point we hiked up sentinel dome which was one of the highlights of the trip. From the top you have a great view of the valley below you!!!
Day three we went to kings canyon saw the large seqioas and drove into the canyon. We stopped at some a beautiful waterfall where you werte able to safely sit on rocks and put your feet in down stream. Also at roads end at the bottom of the Canyon we also hiked to the beach area whewre you can swim and put your feet in. Unfortunately the cave there was not open doue to a fire. Then we headed to three rivers. To avaoid the construction delays we took an alternate route which we think may have even been shorter. We stayed in the comfort in which was nice and clean-as you'd expect from a comfrot inn.
The whole construction thing is not a big deal if you time yourself wisely. In the morning we made sure to get there about 15 minutes before we thought they would let cars thru-the wait was no big deal because we got out of our car and had a great view. Also the flag man was more then happy to talk to all of us about the general area and history. In Sequoia we hiked the hike around the general grant tree which was humbling-just to see those huge trees, Then we tried to do the hike to moro Rock but never made it because there is a short walk to it which we meant to take and a much longer hike there. By accicent we took the longer trail and ran out of time before our cave tour. Crystal cave was very cool-the only complaint I have is that the tour could have been longer because ib felt like there was so much kmore to see. On the way out we stopped at a few more highlighted spots like where you can driv thre a fallen tree. Then we had to leave to get to the construction before 8(they close from 8-11 pm)
Next day we drove to laJolla went to the coves and balboa park over the weekend before heading home.
Hope that helps a little
You had a hectic itinerary (but you knew that going in and you managed a LOT . . .
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Jul 4th, 2018, 06:23 AM
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Jul 4th, 2018, 06:31 AM
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wtm003..one tip is to head up to Glacier Point EARLY..or you will be forced to shuttle there from the bottom of the road. I went during the chaos last summer (never again) and think if you got to the base of the road before 9am you were okay. The view of both Vernal/Nevada falls from one of the parking pullouts before the main one is super.
Jul 5th, 2018, 03:54 AM
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We went to glacier point later in the day maybe 2pm and it was fine but maybe we were there before the real tourist season rush. On a related note we got to the visitor center parking area in the valley by 8/830 and there was plenty of parking . You also reminded me that on one day they said they were short on shuttle drivers and there might be long lines for a shuttle back to tHe visitors center after our hike up to the falls but of course we did the hike anyway. When we got to the shuttle stop later in the day we got a shuttle back with no problem. (Also keep in mind the walk between many shuttle stops is not that long if you need to walk)
Jul 5th, 2018, 10:49 PM
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Jul 9th, 2018, 04:25 AM
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