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Yosemite Travel and Lodging Info

(With a little bit about Catalina)

This page is not meant to be totally comprehensive, but I do have a few pearls of wisdom about traveling to Catalina and Yosemite.  (Mostly Yosemite.)  I am not a camping sort of person, so I have little info about campgrounds, but some of the many Yosemite Links I have given on my home page will elaborate more on that.

Overcrowded Yosemite?

I have observed that Yosemite has put many travelers off because of the misconception that it is always so crowded, that reservations for lodging are hard to come by.  While this is sort of true, with a little planning, there is no reason to avoid Yosemite!

First off, this photo of a Fall scene is Yosemite Valley taken in about November.   Yosemite is gorgeous in the Fall, and my point for bringing all this up is that the Fall is a "non-peak" season.  Which means, it is less crowded, and easier to get lodging, and there are a lot less people about.  Think about an off-season visit to Yosemite!

If off-season is off-limits for you at this time, plan ahead---way ahead.   A few months at least, and be flexible.  Try to arrange your vacation around Yosemite, as much as possible.  I have never had trouble getting lodging reservations at Yosemite, when I used this philosophy.  It is far from impossible, but not something to be planned at the last minute! 

Lodging:

I have stayed at most of the lodging in the Park.  I have not stayed in the Housekeeping Camp, so I cannot comment on it, and I have not (alas) stayed at the Ahwahnee Hotel.  (Though, I think the Ahwahnee's reputation speaks for itself!)

Yosemite Lodge:  I have stayed at Yosemite Lodge many  times.  They have cabins with bath, without bath, (you have to go to a shower/bathroom building usually located a short walk away) and they have "hotel" style rooms (with your own phone, even!)  The Lodge is located near Yosemite Falls, and you can hear the roar of the Falls day and night.  A glorious sound.  It is also a short walk away from Cook's Meadow, which has an excellent view of Half Dome.  It is also close to a very nice Cafeteria, restaurant, and shops.

Curry Village: Curry Village is a little more rustic than Yosemite Lodge.  It has tent cabins, and cabins without bath.  (I don't know if they have cabins with bath---I've never stayed in one.)  I would recommend the cabin rather than the tent!  Curry Village also has a little shopping/food area.  You can see a lovely view of Half Dome from the parking lot.  Curry Village has an extreme problem with bears, so make sure that no scrap of food is in your car overnight, or you may find it opened like a tin can by a bear in the morning!

Wawona Hotel:  Wawona is located about an hour's drive south of Yosemite Valley, on Highway 41, (from Fresno.)  It is a truly lovely old Hotel, but be careful that you specify what sort of room you want.  I have stayed only once at the Wawona, and when I visit it again, I will request a room with (if available) a bath.  Or, at the very least, a room with lots of space, and a big window with a good view.  The room I stayed in was (basically) a carpeted box.  A lovely carpeted box, but that is what it was.  With that mentioned, I want to expound on how glorious the Wawona is.  Lots of historical atmosphere and ambiance.  However, it is a twisty-hour's drive from the popular Yosemite Valley.  So, you might want to plan to stay at the Wawona when you are going to do things like visit Glacier Point (about half an hour North the 41 highway) and the Mariposa Grove.  (You can get a tram from the Wawona to see the grove.)  Driving up and down and up and down each day to see the Valley and then return to the Wawona at night is a drag.    The Wawona also has a nice restaurant, a grocery and gift shop, and even a post office.

Outside the Park:

If you cannot find any lodging in Yosemite Park, there are plenty of places to stay in nearby towns around Yosemite.  However, the "commute" to the Park each day will be a bit of a chore from one of these outlying places.    But, plenty of visitors to Yosemite do stay outside the park, so I would not discount it as a viable option!

General Travel Info:

For information on plane and train fares, car rental, etc., check out www.itn.com today!  Another good web page to check out would be www.priceline.com. 

Yosemite:  When packing, bring a sweater or light coat, even in the summer.  Those Sierra nights can be chilly.  Also (this is rather obvious advice) a flashlight, good sturdy shoes, and make sure to drink lots of water!

Catalina: If you get a boat ride out, be sure to take Catalina Express (www.catalinaexpress.com).  It is a lot faster, and a smoother ride.  The other Catalina Boats are a little cheaper, but they take a lot longer, and are a rougher ride, (more likely you will get seasick!)   Bring lots of film when you visit Catalina, film is expensive.  (Well, it is at Yosemite too!)  Think about staying overnight at Catalina, you can get a nice hotel room for about $100 a night.  But, (like with Yosemite) plan ahead.   However, you can have a nice visit of Catalina in just a day.