jent103

I'll be in Palo Alto for a conference the last week of June, and am thinking about going a few days early to visit Yosemite (I've never been). So I've got a few questions!

1. Am I right in assuming that flying in/out of SJC would be easier for car rental and getting to Yosemite than SFO? Flight prices look fairly similar from my home airport.

2. If that's right, and I drop off a rental car back at SJC before I head to Palo Alto, is it easy to get to Palo Alto via public transport? It looks like it's possible (from the SJC/Caltrain web site), I'm just looking for some on-the-ground experience. Dropping off a rental car in Palo Alto is over twice the cost of dropping it off at SJC.

3. Since this is relatively last minute, naturally lodging inside Yosemite seems to be booked up (at least anything close to my budget). Any suggestions on good places to stay outside the park would be welcome (budget: definitely

J62

For both Yosemite & Palo Alto either SJC or SFO will work. Pick the airport/airline that gives you best fare & routing. Flying from the east coast I pick a non-stop to SFO over a connection into SJC every time.

As for lodging in park, keep checking back. There are cancellations every day, up until right before schedule arrival. So if you are open to any kind of lodging including Curry Village (or whatever it is called now) tent, then if you are persistent in checking your chances are good something will open up.

I don't follow you regarding traveling solo and crowds. What's the connection? For me traveling solo and no crowds = good. More space, peace and quiet for me. ymmv.

Also look into flying into Fresno / out of SFO or SJC. On my last trip to San Jose I flew into Fresno, rented a car there via AutoEurope (using Budget) and dropped off at SFO. You may need to be creative but it'll get you to Yosemite quicker.

J62

As for public transportation SJC to PA, I find google maps is as good as any other source.

J62

Mammouth Lakes - sorry no. It's on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite. I encourage you to become familiar with google maps.

The farthest away I'd ever like to be for multiple days is El Portal.

jent103

J62, I'm quite familiar with Google Maps, actually. What I don't know is the summer traffic, the best way to get into the park, or other aspects of the area that algorithms can't tell me, which is why I wanted to ask humans.

I searched for Yosemite NP on hotels.com, to get a preliminary idea of prices, and a few near Mammoth Lakes popped up; telling Google I want to travel in June puts me at under an hour's drive from there to whatever it considers the park, which seems quite doable. But I can't tell from Google Maps if that puts me close to the main attractions or not. Hence the question. I'll plug in El Portal specifically and see what I can find, thanks.

Solo and crowds - yes, peace and quiet is amazing, and I hike alone at home pretty regularly, but as a young-ish single female, I don't love the idea of being completely isolated in unfamiliar territory. Too much watching the news, maybe, but when hiking alone I'd rather be in at least a semi-populated area. Definitely a tradeoff.

Good to know on the park lodging, thanks - I may find a hotel outside the park that I can cancel and keep checking.

MichelleY

Look at El Portal. Yosemite View Lodge is recommended by many here. Yosemite is a very large park but Yosemite Valley is where park lodging and attractions concentrate. Mammoth is on the east side of the mountains. Not convenient for any day trips.

sf7307

It's not hard/far to get from San Jose Airport to Palo Alto, but it's a few steps --- shuttle to Cal-Train, Cal-Train to Palo Alto, cab to your hotel (unless you're staying right downtown, in which case you can walk to your hotel).

Or about $30 on Uber.

jent103

Thanks, Michelle. Yosemite View Lodge is booked on my dates except for rooms that are over my budget (though the "Majestic Suite" sure does sound lovely!). I'll keep checking though, and will look on the west side of the park.

I know that trying to go on a weekend in the summer is probably going to make things tough - unfortunately it's my only option! I'll try to get as close to the park as possible, of course, but realistically, how far away would be workable to base and drive into the park for a couple of days, since my options may be limited due to budget and availability?

And thanks, sf7307! That's really good to know. I'm staying at the Cardinal, which Google tells me is a six-minute walk from Caltrain, so that should be fine. But that Uber fare is a lot less than I would have thought - very good to have that as an option just in case! Thanks!

janisj

OK -- there is one other motel in El Portal - the Cedar Lodge. It isn't as nice as Yosemite View but is just as convenient. Do NOT stay farther out than El Portal.

(MichelleY -- why the heck they don't change the name is BEYOND me!!??)

jent103

Thanks, janisj. I just booked one of the last rooms at the Cedar View - it's more than I was hoping to pay if I end up going solo, but it's cancellable (minus $7.50!) if my plans change or if I find something else that will work. I can deal with thin towels for a couple of nights!

(Weirdly, booking.com had a room but hotels.com, Expedia and the hotel's web site did not. I've used that site before with no problems at all, but will definitely plan on confirming the booking with the hotel directly!)

MichelleY

Just don't book the Cedar Lodge. Bad vibes. Yeah, Janis, they should change their name.

jent103

Eeesh - that's making me nervous, MichelleY! I have the Cedar Lodge booked but am definitely still looking at other options.

I just booked flights in/out of SJC; I land at 4:35pm Thursday, and will be back in Palo Alto Sunday. Is there anywhere fun/pleasant to stop for the night, or should I just push on to the Yosemite area that night? I'm on Central time, so by the time I get all the way there it would feel pretty late, but I can certainly do it if it's the best option.

Thanks for all the input!

janisj

Jent103 -- that is what I meant when I made the aside to MichelleY about changing the name. You will be totally fine - honest.


It is only us old time Northern Californians who can't bring themselves to book there because of what happened 20 years ago. We lived it for months. (DON'T google it -- that will only put you off and that was a generation ago.) Nothing to do with the current owners/workers/visitors. It is the only place available for your dates so keep your booking. Then just keep trying for a cancellation in the Valley.

Bad things have happened lots of places that are still OK . . .

jent103

Oh, okay - I didn't realize there was a back story and wasn't totally sure what the name conversation was about! I will take your advice to not Google.

happytrailstoyou

I didn’t read the other responses, but I travel from SEA to SJC four times a year.

CalTrain provides excellent service between SJC and Palo Alto.

The #10 Free Airport Flyer takes you from SJC to the CalTrain station in Santa Clara. (Be aware that some #10s go to CalTrain and others go a completely different direction to the Metro.)

If your conference is at Stanford University, free busses at the Palo Alto Transit Center will take you there.

HTtY

PS If you need a meal while at SJC, The Brit serves good, hearty food.

jent103

Thanks so much, HTtY! That's all really helpful.

tomfuller

It is possible but probably not practical for you to get from San Jose to Yosemite or El Portal without a rental car.
Amtrak bus #3912 leaves the station (65 Cahill St.) at 6:35AM enroute to Stockton to get on the San Joaquin train.
Ride the SJ train south to Merced where you get on a YARTS bus which goes into Yosemite. You can get off near your hotel in El Portal and catch the next YARTS bus into the valley.
The last bus out of the valley that meets a SJ train back to Stockton leaves the Lodge at 4PM. You would be back to SJC about 9:50PM.
If you buy the tickets 2 weeks in advance you can make this trip for $39 each way.

janisj

>>It is possible but probably not practical for you to get from San Jose to Yosemite or El Portal without a rental car.will have a rental car for Yosemite - so . . .

cfc

SJC is infinitely easier to manage than SFO, in so many ways -- re: getting there, dealing with car rental, dealing with surrounding traffic, navigating security, etc. etc. If you have that option, take it.

jent103

Yes, planning on a rental car, though do plan to look into YARTS options as well.

Thanks, cfc - I booked flights into SJC yesterday!