Staying at Yosemite

[stindall]

I'm having a hard time choosing a place at Yosemite National Park. I'd like to surprise my husband for his 30th birthday this year with a trip to Yosemite but I have no idea which lodging to choose? Ideally it'd be one of the cheaper options but I'm still not sure! Can anyone help me figure it all out? We've never been to California and Yosemite is a place he's always wanted to go!

 

[danaesacto]

This is outside the park, but right on the river: http://www.stayyosemiteviewlodge.com/

There is camping, those tents and cabins, lodges and the fancy hotels- have you been here: http://www.yosemitepark.com/lodging.aspx

You need to decide what is important to you- the valley is just a part of Yosemite- but the most famous part- do you want to be close to that or further out where it is less crowded?

More people will chime in with their experiences, but this should help you get started

 

[stindall]

Yes I've been on their site to look at it all and I'm just not sure! I know we don't really want anything fancy but we also don't really want to camp because we'll be flying from Indiana.

 

[bcla]

You're going to have a tough time getting anything this year from Spring to summer in Yosemite Valley. During that time it's booked solid if you want something with solid walls and a roof. You may have to stay outside.

Reservations for lodging can be made a year in advance, and they do often book within days of a window being available. There may be late cancellations.

Also - the Wawona Hotel may be available, and that's inside the park about 25 miles from Yosemite Valley. There are also "private inholdings" in Wawona and Foresta with some vacation homes for rent. Yosemite West isn't technically an inholding, but there are also some really nice condos and vacation homes for rent there.

 

[stindall]

I'm looking at October so that's not an issue

Thanks for the help so far!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My recommendation would be to stay at the Yosemite Lodge, if you can get a reservation there. It is in the valley, and the rooms are like motel rooms. Another option in the valley would be Curry Village cabins. The tent cabins are more rustic, but have lights inside. You do have to share the bathroom facilities, but to me it's just part of the charm of staying there.

Outside the valley you have Fish Camp with Tenaya Lodge - it's a bit expensive, but also a beautiful place to stay.

If you want to rent a cabin, I recommend redwoodsinyosemite.com - they have cabins in a nice area inside the Yosemite park, but outside the valley. It will take you about 45 minutes to drive along mountain roads to get to the valley or to Glacier Point, but it is beautiful there, and there is a stream close by these cabins.

If you want to stay in Okhurst, that is 19 miles from the park, and then you'd drive another 45 mins to get to the valley, but accommodations will be less.

 

[ILUVALASKA]

Try Housekeeping Cabins or Curry Village Cabins, They are on the valley floor and are three sided canvas structures with beds.

 

[bcla]

Try Housekeeping Cabins or Curry Village Cabins, They are on the valley floor and are three sided canvas structures with beds.

I checked a couple of random weekdays in October, and the Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge were still available. They typically sell out, but maybe a few months in advance rather than almost a year in advance like they would for a summer reservation.

Housekeeping is a little bit different. The Curry Village tent cabins are canvas on all sides. The Housekeeping Camp buildings are concrete structures with a canvas curtain. The other thing about Housekeeping is that they have grills and one is allowed to cook onsite. Those can also be really cold in October.

However, I'm not sure about October. I still think it's spectacular, but the waterfalls will be rather sad looking. Yosemite Falls will probably be dry. Yosemite is spectacular during winter, but there won't be any snow that early.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

DH and I stayed in Curry Village in Oct many years ago, and it was very lovely in the fall, even though the waterfalls weren't as spectacular as the spring. Yosemite is amazing no matter what the season.

The tent cabins in Curry Village were comfortable, but they are more like camping than a hotel. It does get quite chilly/cold there in Oct, and it was hard to have to go for a walk to get to the bathroom. Also, be aware that you will have to put anything with any scent in a locker near the bathrooms. You can't have any food or scented items (deoderant, shampoo, lotion, lip balm, etc.) in the cabins because they attract bears, mice, and every critter in between.

Yosemite Lodge would be vey nice if you can afford to stay there and want to be in the park. Otherwise, there are a lot of hotel options just outside Yosemite. You need to plan more time to get back and forth, but you'll save money.

Have fun! I love Yosemite any time of year.

 

[bcla]

The tent cabins in Curry Village were comfortable, but they are more like camping than a hotel. It does get quite chilly/cold there in Oct, and it was hard to have to go for a walk to get to the bathroom. Also, be aware that you will have to put anything with any scent in a locker near the bathrooms. You can't have any food or scented items (deoderant, shampoo, lotion, lip balm, etc.) in the cabins because they attract bears, mice, and every critter in between.

Now there's a bear box at each tent cabin. I suppose it might help if someone needs to get stuff, but a lot of people liked the ones at the parking lots because that was less distance to haul stuff from a particular vehicle. The other thing is that now more bears are coming into the tent cabin areas to test if they're properly closed. I think the ones in the parking lot are still there, but they're communal and you'll need to trust that someone else doesn't poach your stuff or just mistakenly takes something that looks similar.

The big advantage is that each tent cabin is assigned its own bear box (doesn't have to be shared like the communal boxes at the parking lot) and one can place a lock on each box. I'd actually recommend a padlock (or at least a carbiner) because occasionally the locking mechanism gets jammed. I've seen it at a campground where a bear got into someone's stash, and a lock would provide a second line of defense, as well as prevent people from randomly going into other people's bear boxes and/or deliberately unlatching them to see if a bear shows up.

 

[KCmike]

I highly recommend Yosemite View Lodge. It is a motel style place that sits just minutes from the south gate of YNP. It has good pricing but the location can't be beat for staying outside of the park. The Merced River runs right by the hotel.

 

[GrandBob]

I highly recommend Yosemite View Lodge. It is a motel style place that sits just minutes from the south gate of YNP. It has good pricing but the location can't be beat for staying outside of the park. The Merced River runs right by the hotel.

Second Yosemite View Lodge. Just a few minutes from the west (not south) gate of Yosemite, in the little town of El Portal. While I love Tenaya Lodge, YVL is much, much closer, and less expensive to boot.

-Bob

 

[bcla]

Upper Pines.

 

[gatorfreud]

We are staying this summer at evergreen lodge. About 45 min to valley but close to hetch hetchy. I haven;t been, but friends have stayed there are really enjoyed it.

www.evergreenlodge.com

Kim

 

[KCmike]

Second Yosemite View Lodge. Just a few minutes from the west (not south) gate of Yosemite, in the little town of El Portal. While I love Tenaya Lodge, YVL is much, much closer, and less expensive to boot.

-Bob

Your absolutely right Bob. South gate. Sorry for the confusion. I would strongly encourage you too look this motel up.

http://www.yosemiteresorts.us/

 

[bcla]

Seriously - some of the closest places to Yosemite Valley would be vacation homes or condos in Yosemite West. You also wouldn't have to deal with the entrance stations once you're in. That could be quite a bit of time in the peak season. I've actually gotten out of my car at an entrance station before because the line was so long.

You'd also be able to cook your own food.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Your absolutely right Bob. South gate. Sorry for the confusion. I would strongly encourage you too look this motel up.

http://www.yosemiteresorts.us/

Tenaya is just outside the south gate (Hwy 41), and El Portal is the west gate, which is what I think you're referring to, Mike.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Seriously - some of the closest places to Yosemite Valley would be vacation homes or condos in Yosemite West. You also wouldn't have to deal with the entrance stations once you're in. That could be quite a bit of time in the peak season. I've actually gotten out of my car at an entrance station before because the line was so long.

You'd also be able to cook your own food.

I've stayed at both redwoods in yosemite & yosemite west, and I prefer the redwoods in yosemite because the area there is flat, so you can go walking right there, and visit the river there, Wawona Hotel, pioneer center, and the stables. You can also take a nice little walk to the foot of the waterfall there, or a long hike to the top of it. Yes, it's farther away from the valley, but in my opinion a better place to stay.

When we stayed at Yosemite West, the cabins where we were at were on the side of the mountain, and you had to either go up or down to get anywhere.

 

[KCmike]

Tenaya is just outside the south gate (Hwy 41), and El Portal is the west gate, which is what I think you're referring to, Mike.

Thanks Mary Jo. Wish I could get back there soon.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

We rented a house from Scenic Wonders. It was located in Yosemite West. That was a good location to go to several places in the park like the trees tour and the valley.