You can do a lot in 8 days. Are these 8 full days? 8 nights?
How about 3 or 4 nights in San Francisco, 3 or 4 nights in Yosemite? You can do Sonoma in a day trip from SF if you like. Or:
* 3 nights in San Francisco
* 1 or 2 nights in Napa/Sonoma area ( or zero -it's a nice day trip- it depends on how much relaxing you want there)
* 3 nights Yosemite (You need a minimum of 2 nights here, but 3 is better for hiking)
* Spend the last night in SF or better yet, plan a late night flight so you can just drive back from Yosemite, drop off the rental car, and fly home.

Yes, the Alcatraz Tour is interesting, but it isn't essential. There is much to see, do and experience in San Francisco!

I certainly think this can be done in 8 days. You should go to www.yosemitepark.com to see what is available for lodging in the park during your 8 day window. Try dates at the beginning, middle and end of your trip.

If you get lodging in the beginning of your trip you can go from SFO directly to Yosemite, then to Sonoma and then drop off the rental car and stay in SF for the rest of your visit.

If you get lodging in Yosemite in the middle you can stay in SF, pick up a rental car, drive to Yosemite then to Sonoma and back to the airport.

If you get Yosemite lodging at the end of your trip you can start in SF, pick up a rental car, drive to Sonoma and then end in Yosemite. You can return the car and fly out.

If you can’t get suitable lodging inside Yosemite try Yosemite View along the Merced River or other resorts: http://www.yosemiteresorts.us/yosemiteviewlodge/index.htm

I agree with everything elnap suggests. We did the night Alcatraz tour and thought it was great!!

In Yosemite you will need a day to see the trees in Maripossa Grove. A day to see The Valley-I would hike the Mist Trail.
Then you would need a day to see Tuolumne Meadows area and a day to see Hetch Hetchy. I think the "do not miss" areas are The Valley and Maripossa Grove. I would have a meal at The Awahnee. We enjoyed the Sunday Brunch.

It might be tough to get lodging in the park. It fills up months in advance. The negative thing about going in August is that the waterfalls might not be going that great and Yosemite Falls might not be going at all. I think this is a heavy snow year, so I don't know how that plays out on how long the falls run nicely.

We pretty much stuck with the tourist attractions in San Fran. Fishermans Wharf, Cable Cars, Chinatown(had dim sum meal there), Segway Tour, Golden Gate, and the main park(i am blank on the name right now).

We didn't do Sonomna, but we did enjoy Point Reyes and Muir Woods. Which you could do those if you don't do Yosemite.

BTW, I have been to 27 National Parks(including rafting the Grand Canyon, Alaska, and Yellowstone). Yosemite is my favorite. The crowds are annoying, but I can understand why. Hard to believe so much beauty just one after another. I hope to go back next summer(2012).

This could be a really nice circle trip in 8 days. I would suggest that you find jackson ca. on a map. This is in gold country of amador county which has a lot of wineries that are famous for zinfindel and other big reds.

With a snowpack at 178% of normal I would expect that the falls will be nothing like Augusts in the past. You shoudl still be able to view some nice falling water in August.

Wow! Thanks everyone for these great insights! I will defnitely check out Jackson on a map and will check yosemitepark.com and the other resorts ASAP to see what we can do, when. When I said 8 days I meant leaving on the 8th day, but, as someone suggested, could see if I can get a late enough flight to just make that a "driving" day straight to the airport if needed... will see. I'll keep you posted! Thanks!

If you choose to stay overnight in the Sonoma area, I would look into staying in Healdsburg. Cute town. Great restaurants and close proximity to many wineries.

I would start in SF. Go to Sonoma Take 12 and 88 to Jackson for the Zinn. You will take more time than you plan for on 49 in the Gold Country to Groveland which makes a good base camp for Yosemite and is closer to SFO for the trip home. You could spend 8 days in all 4 places (49 is a place.) So split it up the way you want. Staying in Yosemite valley is overrated unless you can afford, get into, and appreciate the Ahwahnee, check for last minute cancellations.

Don't automaticly pick SFO as your airport. You may find Oakland, San Jose or Sacramento will have comparable airfares and cheaper car rentals. I really like the Sacramento airport for its quick access to I-5 and I-80.
elnap's suggestion works well flying into and out of Sacramento with the last area of Yosemite.

Groveland is over 50 miles from Yosemite Valley. Google says it would take an hour thirteen minutes. My guess is longer. This, in my opinion does make it a "good base camp for Yosemite."

"Staying in Yosemite valley is overrated unless you can afford, get into, and appreciate the Ahwahnee

oops, posted too soon. Let's try this again.

"Staying in Yosemite valley is overrated unless you can afford, get into, and appreciate the Ahwahnee..."

Overrated? I couldn't disagree more.

Wow. I just read what I wrote.

"This is my opinion does make it a "good base camp for Yosmeite."

Should have wrote: This is my opinion does NOT make it a "good base camp for Yosemite."

I need a nap.

Yosemite Valley is over rated . . and '49 is a place'?? Okaaaay. (There a other places besides the Ahwahnee.)

"I will defnitely check out Jackson on a map"

What you actually want is Plymouth -- All the Shenandoah Valley vineyards are about 15 miles north of Jackson. There are really no vineyards/wineries in Jackson.

http://amadorwine.com/
http://amadorwine.com/new/pages/winery_map.cgi

Staying in Groveland for Yosemite Valley makes no sense on any level.

Thank you janis for saying in one concise post what it took me three to do! Jeezuz.

That's OK -- happy to help out. (some posts give me 'Lordy Jeezuz (!) moments' too )