I am trying to plan a trip to Yosemite around the week of 09/08 (second week after Labor Day). Is the park overcrowded during the week even at that time of the year? We are planning on spending a couple of days hiking (day hikes).

Are there any other good areas near Yosemite to visit (we have about 5 extra days)?

No, it won't be crowded midweek after Labor Day. In addition to hiking in the valley, be sure to go up top. With several more days you could either head north or south. To the south you could go to Sequoia and Kings Canyon to get in some more hiking among the giant sequoias. To the north you could go to a nice state park with redwoods (name escapes me at the momemt) as well as Lake Tahoe. You could also combing a trip to the north with the gold mining towns and the California gold discovery site. All good choices.

Why not spend the entire five days in Yosemite? There is so much to see and do there.
It'll be less crowded, but I'd recommend making reservations now just to play safe.

September after Labor Days is not bad as far as crowds go. The waterfalls won't be as spectaular at this time of the year.

You might find that you want to spend a little more time in Yosemite!

Other things to do in the area:
Bodie State Historical park is the best Ghost town I've ever been to.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=509

Mono Lake http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=514

Devils Post Piles National Monument.
http://www.nps.gov/depo/index.htm

All are found on the east side of Yosemite on Hwy 395.

And as someone else mentioned there is Lake Tahoe.

Utahtea

Consider following highway 49 along through the Gold Country. Columbia is a fun gold rush town that is now a State Park. Also, Twain Hart, Sonora, Angels Camp... are fun.

I am planning the trip to be 10 days total with a couple of days spent in Yosemite. We would like to do some hiking almost everyday. Glacier NP, Tetons, and Olympic NP had great hiking. We are looking forward to visiting Yosemite.

Does anyone have suggestions for places to stay? We are looking for something basic, but clean. We really liked the log cabins in the Grand Tetons, but don't see anything like that in Yosemite.

If you like hiking I would spend more time in Yosemite. You won't find a more beautiful setting.

I've never stayed at the Cabins at Curry Village but they have them there.

Utahtea

There won't be many crowds after labor day. If you like the high country, check on the Tuolomne Meadows "High Sierra Camp" Barring early season snows, it could provide you with a great experience in the high country. Check their web site yosemite.org for details. From the Valley, you could take a picnnic up to Tenaya Lake (A picture of which is one of Ansel Adams most famous), then check out Tuolomne.

Reservations are a must almost any time of the year. For hiking, take the bus up to Glacier Point and walk back down to the valley floor.

We love staying at WoWana (sp?). It is part of the part system. It's a 19th century hotel, very charming, had the first swimming pool in a Western hotel, big porches with rocking chairs. It is at the southern entrance to the park. Only half the rooms have private baths so the other rooms are quite cheap. Yosemite is my favorite place in world. Truely beautiful even with lots of other people. Reservations through the park system.

Re: Wawona -- just to add to Elainee's reply, the meadows surrounding Wawona are so serene in the morning with deer walking around...lovely. Although it's been many years, I recall the dining room was also very nice with high windows and beautiful draperies.