Yosemite National Park
Whether you're driving into the park from one of 4 entrances of the western side of the park, or coming in from the more remote Tioga Pass on the eastern side of the park, you'll have some beautiful and unique views.
Be sure to check road closure status when arriving between November - June as snow can often impact which entrances are currently open.
Yosemite is so expansive, many people are only able to see a fraction of the park during their visit. I recommend planning to enter the park at one entrance and exit through another to take in the various park views.
Example:
Enter or Exit through the Big Oak Flat Entrance via Highway 120 on your way to or from the Bay Area
Spend a few days exploring Yosemite Valley.
Enter or exit out of the South Entrance via Highway 41 and you'll be heading to or from LA/San Diego.
Because these are the more popular entrances you could consider trying another route during busy season.
Entering the Park
Before hitting the trails find your nearest Visitor Center upon entering the park. Ask a ranger for seasonal tips and must-see recommendations. They'll usually circle key spots on a map for you and point you in the right direction for the best spots based on your interests and trip timeline. Park Rangers are awesome! Spend some time in the Visitor Center and watch the films they have avaialable - sometimes they have specific show times, but these are definitely worth it.
Hikes
Mist Trail is a hike I think about often, it's the perfect trail during Yosemite's summer months, but can be slippery when icy and snowy.
You can see the famous bridalveil falls from various points in Yosemite Valley, but if you have time to get closer it's an easy and popular walk to stand beneath it and take in the true magnitude.
Lots to enjoy in the old growth forest trails in and around Yosemite. Mariposa is the best of the 3 groves and has various loops as short as .3 miles and and long as 7 miles.
Lower Mariposa Grove Trail is worth it if you want to check out the Grizzly Giant - the world's oldest sequoia (2,700 years old!!) and experience the California Tunnel Tree
Nice flat hike takes you through the valley and over an iconic swinging bridge, easy access to other trails like Lower Yosemite Falls and park amenities.
Cook's Meadow is where Ansel Adams took some of his most famous photos.
View Points
Not really a hike more of a place to stretch the legs at only 1 mile roundtrip, but truly a quintessential viewpoint that gives you a panorama vantage point of the most well know peaks. Great place to plan to watch the sunset and enjoy some happy hour provisions.
At .5 miles round trip, this is another quick access to the base of the tallest waterfall in North America. Best in spring/summer but still a nice snowy walk at other times of the year.
Notorious for the Mid-February phenomenon called Firefall that happens when the sunset's beans hit the waterfall at the perfect angle and lights it up to look like lava. The natural occurrance usually starts around 5:20pm and only last 10-15 minutes on a clear evening. The closest parking is the Yosemite Falls Parking Area next to the Yosemite Valley Lodge.
Walk around the Yosemite Village, check out the lodges, and even grab a shower in Curry Village after a long day of exploring.
Renting bikes is a great way to spend an afternoon, you can find options for rafting in the summer, but in the winter they also have other options like snowshoeing you can look into.
Packing layers is great as there are so many different elevations throughout the park, weather can quickly fluctuate, and you'll want some dry layers if you visit the misty roaring waterfall trails.
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