The train trip sounds like a lot of fun but I think we have decided to skip it because of the drive. I have spent the afternoon trying to find lodging in and around the west side of Yosemite and it is a chore. I think that we have decided on Westgate Lodge. Looks to be somewhat of a motel (not my kind of lodging) but reviews promise it to be clean. I was going to look into some of the little towns a bit west of the park but so far no luck. If you all know of any please pass it along. Thanks for all your help so far!

Westgate lodge will be fine since you aren't using it as a base for touring Yosemite, but as a sort of 'crash pad' after leaving Yosemite.

If you wanted to drive a bit farther, you'd have more choices in Sonora.

Here is one of several there http://www.gunnhousehotel.com/

Makes so much more sense to spend the night just outside of Yosemite, rather than the long drive to Berkeley. Westgate Lodge will probably be fine. Friends have liked the Evergreen Lodge and also the Groveland Hotel in Groveland. We have stayed at the Best Western in Sonora and it has been quite comfortable.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Thanks you all, I am going to check out these hotels right now. You have no idea what a help these suggestions are. It is really difficult when you are not at all familiar with the area. Sights like Orbitz and Expedia are not much help when you don't know the names of little towns and going to 2 and 3 star hotels is kind of scary :/

Yet another question...
I have found hotels that we are familiar with in Modesto. We plan on leaving South Lake Tahoe early, early to get ALL of the day in Yosemite but since we have no idea what we are going to do it is difficult to plan. If we leave the park around sunset and head to Modesto does this make sense. DH said he would rather drive a little further after dark so that we can make the most of our next day. As usual time gets in our way...ahhh, for the days of retirement when we can take our time. Hoping for advice, thanking you in advance :)

If you take 120 out of the park you will land in Modesto about 2.5 hours later.

IMO - it's really not that hard of a driving route. And I would also try to maximize my time in Yo.

Didn't read all the posts - but it will take you the better part of half a day to get down 395 to the Tioga Pass and up/into Tuoloumne Meadows - and if there is traffic - another couple hours to get over to the village floor, where you can finally park the wheels and ride the buses - or walk - or rent bicycles to get around. :) http://tinyurl.com/85hevg6

So - if it were me - I would leave SLT at Oh Dark Thirty to get the most time in the park.

Maggie has already said she was leaving Tahe "early, early"

South Lake Tahoe to Lee Vining is 2.5 hours. The drive is really nice and not difficult. It will pass quickly.


Lee Vining to Yosemite Valley will be 2 hours.

If you leave at 6 am you'll be in the vally no later than noon if you stop a couple of times on Tioga Road. Then you'd have a good 6 - 8 hours in the valley to look around.

Here's a distance and time chart that shows how long the drives are from the valley:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisi...ages9-2007.pdf

"early early" to moi is 4 am. :)

Are you the OP? Whenever the OP leaves or thinks is early early, she should be fine. Not everyone can visit on a timetable that is suitable for some. This is what she has and she's going to give it a shot. I say, go for it.

Geez Louise. Again, different strokes for different folks, but if it were me - I would leave SLT before sunrise - and stop about an hour later at the Casino/Resort overlooking Topaz lake and have a nice breakfast - watching the sunrise/early sun over the lake - and then it's just a little over another hour or so the turnoff up the Tioga Pass. http://tinyurl.com/7v86xev

And on other threads - some have maligned Topaz Lake (a great fishing lake BTW) - so here is a traveler's U-Tube showing the view of the lake from the hotel/casino - which sits right alongside 395. Just saying that is what I would do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPXTixqHLYY

Oh looky Tom is trying to hijack yet another thread. Maybe he can get another one locked with his near constant posting to make sure the OP takes only the vacay Tom has in mind. UGH!

4AM?? - and miss all the scenery in between?

As suzie says 6:00-ish is fine.

(and please tom . . . don't screw up yet another thread!)

Thanks friends! I was getting panicky and DH reminded me that this was supposed to be a relaxing road trip to just be together and see some of the beautiful sights our great country has to offer, RELAX!! Man, did I marry right or what!!!! We are going to book this thing this evening an consider it an adventure...whatever happens - happens!! Thanks again for all the wonderful advice. It certainly sounds as if I will be returning to plan another trip to this part of the country when we have more time to explore!

You'll probably be fine just winging it after leaving Yosemite. You could find last minute lodging in Sonora or Oakdale if you are leaving the park via Hwy 120. Modesto is a slight detour.

If you leave the park by way of Merced, you could find lodging there or in Turlock or Modesto.

I was going to suggest Merced but when I did the drive time it's relly quite similar to Modesto. Even the Yosemite mileage/drive time chart has them only 30 minutes difference:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisi...ages9-2007.pdf

LOL. Missing what scenery between SLT and Topaz lake? Beautiful downtown Minden and Gardnerville?

And didn't hijack anything. Just responding to Suzie's apparent ownership of when the travelers should leave from SLT. She set the time at 6 AM. :)

I did no such thing. I provided an example. You should really read all the posts so you'd have a better grasp of what's going on:


<<Tomsd on Jul 9, 12 at 8:33am Didn't read all the posts ->>


There is some spectacular scenery along the route. Along the Walker River is very pretty, also when you are at the north end of the Bridgeport Valley coming out of that narrow canyon with the wide open space in front of you and Sawtooth Ridge to your west. Amazing!