Stay in El Portal if you can't get a room in Yosemite.
If you can get 1 night in Yosemite, take it. Tahoe is OK but I would not pass up Yosemite to see it.

Thanks! I'm leaning towards Yosemite if I can find somewhere to stay. There's nothing available in the park that I can find so far, I'll do some wider research.

Keep checking for in park cancellations which are common due to people making their reservations a year in advance:

www.yosemitepark.com

Also El Portal:
http://www.yosemiteresorts.us/

Yosemite West is in park but privately owned:

http://www.yosemitewest.com/

Thanks. So far availability even outside the park seems non-existent. I'll keep doing some research and thinking. Any votes for Lake Tahoe? Or other recommendations? We've done wine country before. We like to hike and would be happy with beautiful scenery and relaxation even if it's not Yosemite. (I would hope to get there at some point if we have to miss it this time due to it being such a peak travel time.) I appreciate the help.

You could go to Tahoe. I love Tahoe. It's very nice. Lots of great hiking. Jewel of the Sierra and all but Yosemite is still #1.

Exactly - Lake Tahoe is my favorite get-away-for-the-weekend place. The lake is gorgeous, and there is, as suzie said, excellent hiking. But for sheer "spectacularness", Yosemite should be your first choice.

Your chances at this late date for Yosemite are slim to none (though cancellations pop up all the time)

If it was me, I'd book something at Tahoe - at a place w/ a generous cancellation policy. Then keep trying for a room at Yosemite Lodge or one of the two motels in El Portal (not any of the towns farther from the Valley).

If you luck out - cancel Tahoe and have a WONDERFUL time in YNP. If you aren't 'lucky' you'll still have a WONDERFUL time at Tahoe

Thanks everyone, this is all sound advice

Yes, I think this is a no-lose proposition. Either way will be wonderful.

Keep trying for cancellations at Yosemite. And Curry Village is fine - if you can't get in anywhere else on the Valley Floor - and they have the most accommodations/most cancellaions. http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/yosemite_curry_village.php?gclid=CL_n_OnbgLACFXQeQgodt1DlUA

A bit farther from the Valley compared to El Portal but still within reason is the "BUG" Hostel with 2 room cabins with shared bath. http://www.yosemitebug.com/lodging.html
There is a YARTS bus stop at the foot of the driveway if you didn't want to drive into Yosemite.

OK -- we've been through this before. DON'T stay at the BUG.

It isn't a 'bit' farther, it is practically all the way to Midpines. It is a looooong drive and even worse in the summer. A minimum 90 minute drive each way, but even longer w/ traffic or on YARTS.

Isn't there a road issue between Midpines and the entrance that slows down the trip? 1 way controlled traffic 20 miles east of Mariposa 24 hours per day 7 days per week due to slide repairs. This may be ok for some times of the year but not so great during the high volume summer. Also ok to do one time going into or leaving the park but twice per day, in and out?


Try Evergreen Lodge at least it's only about 45 minutes into the valley but closer to Hetch Hetchy and Tioga Raod/Tuolumne Meadows.

http://www.evergreenlodge.com/

The link that tomsd posted is NOT the official concessionaire for Yosemite it's a reseller made to look official. www.yosemitepark.com is the official concessionaire.

You can look on this page for information about National Parks not being affiliated with the National Park Service. The difference is that yosemite park will not charge you the non-refundable fees that national park does.

http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/terms.php

Yes Suzie - there is that section of Hwy 140 that is 1-way traffic due to that big slide. Traffic in each direction has to wait at a traffic light until it is that direction's turn. It can take awhile. I've only been up in the spring since that was implimented, and even then we had about a 20-30 minute delay going in. On the way out we hit is just right and only had to wait a couple minutes. I imagine summer would be much worse just because there are so many more people.

Suzie - glad to know that. I just liked the pictures better in that page but rather have the visitors use the officil page.

Yosemite hands down. A wonder of the world.

I would agree with going to Yosemite. It would be easier on a return trip to get to Lake Tahoe, and actually - if you were energetic - in one long driving day - you could drive around Lake Tahoe on the way to Yo:

Say 4 hours to Tahoe from SF (or even fly into Sacramento? and save 2 hours)- and an hour from North shore to South shore and then 3 hours (less is you make good time driving) - down 395 going in the back way to Yo - up the Tioga Pass - and maybe even stay a night in Tuolumne Meadows, or push on another hour and half to the Yosemite Village area.

Or you could leave Yo early one day - and do this in reverse - winding up in SF.