San Diego-SNP-Yosemite-San Jose
 

Good evening! Newbie here...

Our family of four doesn't travel too often, but I have planned a whirlwind 8-day trip to California for next week (we live on the east coast). I have already warned the husband and kids that this is NOT going to be a relaxing trip...no sleeping late, no sitting down. :-) It is jam-packed with activity (probably too much), but there is no turning back now. I think I'm looking for a pep talk that this will turn out okay. ***AND, please, oh please offer suggestions of a good driving route to take from San Diego up the coast to Sequoia National Park***!! Please be kind....I know I might be in over my head. Many thanks in advance!!!

Summary:
San Diego - 2 nights
Sequoia National Park - 1 night
Yosemite - 3 nights
San Jose - 2 nights

Tuesday: Arrive in San Diego at 11 am
Wednesday: Zoo
Thursday: Drive to Sequoia National Park in the morning & spend the remainder of the day there
Friday: Spend some more time in SNP & then head to Yosemite
Saturday: Yosemite
Sunday: Yosemite
Monday: Drive to hotel in San Jose & then tour Alcatraz at 3 pm
Tuesday: Winchester House & stay in San Jose
Wednesday: Depart back to east coast from San Jose Airport

Welcome to Fodor's! Have you checked actual driving times because you have a lot of time in the car with your plan (I used Google estimates):

Thur AM - San Diego to Sequoia - 7 hour drive
Fri AM - Sequoia National Park to Yosemite - 3 hour drive
Mon AM - Yosemite to San Jose is a 3.5 hour drive + San Jose to Alcatraz - 1.5 hour drive, so 3 hour round trip - another 7+ hour driving day
Winchester House & stay in San Jose - that works... LOVE Winchester house by the way :-)

If you skip Alcatraz would be a huge improvement.

Your Thursday/Sequoia day is REALLY difficult (sorry :( ) What with the 7+ hour drive - that is without a single stop/break.

And Monday is horrible. Assuming you are staying IN Yosemite Valley. YNP > San Jose will easily take 4.5 hours. Then after checking in to the hotel the drive up to Fisherman's Wharf will likely take two hours.

Specifically where are you staying in 1) San Diego, 2) Sequoia, 3) especially important - Yosemite, and 4) San Jose? The answers could make very big differences in the drive times.

The drives time might be even longer but they aren't going to be any shorter than what we've outlined.

True but they could be significantly longer. And especially the Monday drive in to San Jose is on a Monday morning so could take FOREVER, except if you are staying outside Yosemite Valley - you'd be a long drive from the Valley but that could put you 90 minutes closer to San Jose (but again traffic into the Bay Area on a Monday morning can be Gawd Awful)

I think your plan is just not workable. The distances are too great, the driving beyond tedious, and I fear you've created a set of dominoes - one glitch and the whole shebang falls over.

Let me recommend that you skip Sequoia National Park and go straight to Yosemite (and by "straight" I mean two days.) The reason is that there are stands of giant sequoias in Yosemite NP (the Mariposa Grove is the most accessible) and with three days in the park area you would have time to visit them as well as other attractions.

Accommodation around Yosemite is booked up months and months in advance. Where are you staying? If the answer is that you don't have anything booked, then you're going to be in a world of hurt and need to reconsider the whole scheme. However I presume you already have something, and if so I'd probably try to cancel the Sequoia booking and spend that night someplace on the way to Yosemite. You could visit the Mariposa grove in the morning before heading into the valley.

As for coastal routes to Sequoia or Yosemite, there aren't any. You head north on I-5 from San Diego, endure the LA area, and keep the right pedal firmly depressed until Bakersfield, where you divert to "old" CA 99. Expect the drive to be hot, boring, and really, really long.

In fact, and while not trying to re-plan your vacation for you, think about the possibility of flying to San Jose (around $110 per person next week) and renting a car from there. You'd probably save a lot of money on the vehicle since it wouldn't be a one-way rental, and you could spend your days more productively than driving through LA and the California central valley in the heat of the summer, playing tag with the big rigs.

Google the places on this map and see what you think - https://goo.gl/maps/ZbyLHPYrbhbbjaXt6 . This route would add a lot of fascinating history and cool old towns to the trip, which I'd bet you and your family would find very interesting.

Just some thoughts, anyway.

I agree - skip Sequoia. You could easily find a hotel in Fresno which is only a "short" drive from the sequoia groves in Yosemite (Mariposa). If you stayed on the north side of Fresno as I have done before it's ~1.5hr drive to the S. entrance to Yosemite park.. Even closer there are several hotels in Fish Camp which is just outside that entrance.

You could spend the morning seeing the Sequoias, then stop at Glacier Point on your way to your lodging in Yosemite Valley (hoping for your sake that is what you've booked). You could then add one "it's ok to sit down for a minute kids & just soak in the beautiful scenery" into your vocabulary.

I see there are 3 daily non-stop flights from San Diego to Fresno so if you're considering the option mentioned above of flying, that's also an option. I've rented one way @ Fresno to San Jose or SFO before and didn't have to pay a 1-way drop off fee. I don't recall who I rented from.

>>hoping for your sake that is what you've booked<<

Ditto. That's why I asked where they are staying -- if they are in one of the 'Gateways' to YNP they may be in for a big surprise.

Have you already booked lodging in Yosemite? If not you can call Aramark but are probably SOL for this coming weekend. If you had posted earlier I would have advised to avoid it entirely on the weekend and go during the week instead (eg arrive Sunday and leave Tuesday).

The other posters who have commented on the drive times are missing the bigger problem, that it isn't so much the time driving to the park entrance but rather the time waiting in line to get into the park, as well as the very bad traffic congestion trying to move around.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/traffic.htm

We didn't miss anything. The OP needs to fill in a lot of the blanks before we can explain in detail how difficult the plan actually is.

Just the basic framework junebug posted is hard enough, but the devil will really be in the details . . .

Yes, there is an awful lot of driving time. I actually did a happy dance when I realized tonight that we have an entire two days in Yosemite...maybe I should do one less day in Yosemite? Head back to San Jose on Sunday evening instead and that way we will have all day at the hotel before Alcatraz? Can we do Yosemite in two days? Thanks so much for your response!

OK -- you are new so on sort of 'probation' and are limited to how often you can post - and you have used your limit for todaywithout answering our questions. :(

It wasn't an idle question, we really do need to know where you are staying.

>>Can we do Yosemite in two days?<<

Not if you are driving up from Sequoia one of those days and especially not if you are staying some distance from Yosemite Valley. How long the drive from SNP to YNP also depends on where you are staying for each park. Could make a two hour difference in drive times.

(The drive in to the Bay area on Sunday afternoon is pretty bad too)

Sooooo - first thing tomorrow as soon as you can post again -- post the details of where you are staying and any other info you think is important. Otherwise we are just shooting in the dark.

oh - and how many kids/how old. That may seem unnecessary -- but a BIG difference between 2 pre-teens and 4 kids aged 2 to 18 . . . Do they want to hike or more just look?

And there is no way you can fit in a drive up the coast as things are laid out now.

(You must be from one of those teensy states back east ;) Out here things are far apart)

The OP sent me a PM with a lot more details (may have PM'd others too). She gave me permission to post this to fill in the blanks - a BIG pro is they are staying at Yosemite View Lodge which will make the YNP leg easier. Here is the rest of their plans:

Additional info: Traveling with two (very easy) kids, ages 11 (girl) & 16 (boy). Enough of an age difference that it's a bit of a challenge to find common interest, however I know the zoo, ziplining, Alcatraz and Winchester will appeal to both. We are all very fit and healthy and love to walk. And, yes, I am not familiar with the great expanse of California...small town east coast girl here.

Everything is booked...here is more detail....this is the original plan that scares me.....I made a revised plan down below based on suggestions...

Tuesday, July 30 - Fly into San Diego Airport (FANTASTIC rental car deal for the entire trip...super cheap) & stay at Hyatt Andaz, San Diego
Wednesday, July 31 - San Diego Zoo & stay at Hyatt Andaz
Thursday, August 1 - drive to Sequoia National Park & stay at Comfort Inn, Three Rivers
Friday, August 2 - drive to Yosemite & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Saturday, August 3 - Yosemite all day (ZIPLINE TOUR BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Sunday, August 4 - Yosemite all day & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Monday, August 5 - drive to San Jose (afternoon ALCATRAZ TOUR BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Hyatt Downtown San Jose
Tuesday, August 6 - (WINCHESTER HOUSE BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Hyatt Downtown San Jose
Wednesday, August 7 depart from San Jose Airport

So, as you see, the only three things that are booked and paid for (besides the hotels) are the Yosemite zipline tour, Alcatraz and Winchester House. Those three things can not be changed.

*UPDATE: just had a thought...after reading our plans above, please tell me if the revised plan below makes any more sense....I could take SNP out altogether (which seems to be the consensus....and I have until July 30 to cancel the hotel with no penalty). I can switch the three Yosemite nights to Thursday, August 1, Friday 2 & Saturday 3, departing for San Jose on the morning of Sunday August 4. I could extend San Jose to three nights (August 4, 5, 6)...this would allow us to wake up there Monday morning and not be rushed to get to our 3 pm Alcatraz tour. **Side note: meeting with my oldest and dearest friend and her family in San Jose...this is why we are staying for a few nights...worked out great with the Winchester House tour plan.**

MY REVISED PLAN: (have not revised plans yet, waiting to hear feedback!)*
Tuesday, July 30 - Fly into San Diego Airport (FANTASTIC rental car deal for the entire trip...super cheap) & stay at Hyatt Andaz, San Diego
Wednesday, July 31 - San Diego Zoo & stay at Hyatt Andaz
Thursday, August 1 - drive to Yosemite & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Friday, August 2 - Yosemite all day & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Saturday, August 3 - Yosemite all day (ZIPLINE TOUR BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Yosemite View Lodge
Sunday, August 4 - drive to San Jose & stay at Hyatt Downtown San Jose
Monday, August 5 - (ALCATRAZ TOUR BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Hyatt Downtown San Jose
Tuesday, August 6 - (WINCHESTER HOUSE BOOKED & PAID FOR) & stay at Hyatt Downtown San Jose
Wednesday, August 7 depart from San Jose Airport

IMO this is a much better plan -- especially if you can cancel the night in Three Rivers w/o penalty. San Diego to YNP is a loooooong a$$ drive but will be the only really long drive. Leave San Diego a 0 dark 30 and it would be doable.

Again, not addressing traffic congestion in Yosemite. Yosemite is big, not just one place (Yosemite Valley is what most people think of) and has a complex geography and road network. Getting in and around is a big mess in summer.

Since you are not staying inside the park, with parking, read this

If you are planning to visit Yosemite Valley by car for the day, arrive before 9 am, after which parking is usually full. If you arrive after 9 am on weekends—especially Saturdays and holiday weekends—be prepared to multiple delays followed by inability to find a place to park.Parking is available at Yosemite Village, Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village), and near Yosemite Falls. If you find a parking space, plan to leave your car there; you will not be able to find another parking spot. Use the free shuttle to get around Yosemite Valley. If you have lodging or campground reservations, park your car at your lodge or campground and use the shuttles to get around. Do not create a new roadside or off-road parking space; violators may be towed and/or cited. Once all parking in Yosemite Valley is full, you may be redirected to other areas (which will also have limited parking).

Last summer they were directing people to actually leave the park... Good luck.

El Portal, where you are staying, is not convenient for Mariposa Grove. You'd have to drive in to the park, and then make the turn and head back toward the south entrance. A better location for the south end of the park is Yosemite West, although it's expensive and may be full.

Note that traffic on Thursdays afternoons is often just as bad, if not worse than Fridays. You will likely arrive after dark. Since you are coming from the south anyways, Oakhurst may be a better lodging option for that switch for Thursday night. Then Friday you'll be nearer to the Wawona entry and Mariposa Grove. Friday morning, I'd still I'd try to leave Oakhurst by 6:30-7:00 am to be sure to get through the entry booth and find parking, get on the shuttle for Mariposa Grove, and then head in to Yosemite Valley or Glacier Point (I prefer GP, actually) and hopefully find a parking spot (better chance on a Friday morning than a Saturday, for sure).

Mariposa Grove

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mg.htm

Shuttle Hours

• May 15 through October 14: 8 am to 8 pm. Buses pick-up about every 10 minutes (last bus leaves Mariposa Grove at 8 pm).

Free Shuttle A free shuttle provides service from the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza, near South Entrance, to the Mariposa Grove. There is no shuttle service between Wawona and the Mariposa Grove for the general public. The welcome plaza has about 300 parking spaces and may fill up by late morning. Arrive by mid-morning to increase chances of finding a place to park. Limited parking is available for cars at the Mariposa Grove Arrival Area when the shuttle is not in operation (see shuttle hours, above). At 7:30 am, the gate at the bottom of the Mariposa Grove Road are closed to keep vehicles off the road as the shuttle operation begins.

Glacier Point
If you are planning to visit Glacier Point (typically open May to November), plan to arrive by 9 am. If the parking lot is full, you may experience delays up to two hours.

Yosemite Valley
For the visit in to Yosemite Valley, I'd consider using YARTs from El Portal, rather than trying to find parking inside the Valley. Also, be prepared to walk rather than ride the Valley shuttles. They are often horrendously overcrowded and can't always stop.

Zipline
Is the zipline located in Mariposa? If so, that isn't in Yosemite Valley. So you won't be in "Yosemite all day" but rather "Mariposa and driving all day"... Staying in El Portal isn't ideal, since you're stuck using Hwy 140 going back to your hotel, along with everyone else trying to get to Yosemite NP. What time is the zipline booked for? If it's the afternoon, maybe you could spend that night in Mariposa. If not, be prepared to sit in the car for a while if traffic backs up approaching El Portal.

I looked up zipline near Yosemite and the only one I could find is in Mariposa - which is 1 hr drive from Yosemite Valley when there is NO traffic, possibly far longer drive back in due to the jam getting into the park. https://yosemiteziptours.com/zipline-tour/ Looks like it's $109 per person for the 2 hr / 7 zip line adventure, but it's definitely NOT in Yosemite. According the website they offer a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before your tour time.

There is so much natural beauty to see and experience in Yosemite - visit the park, not some tourist attraction as fun as it may sound.

At Yosemite, if you want to see the giant Sequoias then consider staying near Fish Camp after your long drive from SD. Then you could see the trees as well as stop at Glacier Point on the way north to the valley on Friday.

Whether you go to SJ on Sun or Mon depends on your interests. Besides the Alcatraz tour you haven't given yourselves any time in SF - that's fine if it's what you want. With all the cars and buses traveling from silicon valley (incl the mega employers FB, Google, Apple) back to SF at rush hour (~3pm to 7pm every weekday) be careful what route you take into the city from SJ. Both 101 and 280 can be horrible for hours & depending on where in SJ you start one or the other may be better and there's not a single direction to the traffic flow - pinch points (long backups) can be everywhere around silicon valley. If you are driving straight from Yosemite then do NOT drive to SJ first as you risk getting stuck in that mess.

I agree with J, either Fish Camp or Oakhurst, both are better for your first night coming up from San Diego. Fish Camp is about about 30 minutes closer to Yosemite, have a look at a map....

I would cancel that zipline but it's your vacation. Just want to make sure you know it's not really "in" Yosemite.

Also, I think it would be worth calling Aramark and see if you can get anything inside Yosemite Valley itself. Sometimes there are cancellations (7 days ahead). Especially since lodging comes with parking. Camp Curry, Yosemite Lodge. There's also a place called Housekeeping Camp.
888 413 8869

I got the same (original) PM from junebug1117 but not the supplement.

While an improvement I still think the Aug. 1 plan sucks. Even with a very early departure from San Diego the group will be faced with transiting the San Diego, Orange County and LA metro regions under horrendous traffic conditions. It would not surprise me one bit if it took them six hours just to get to Bakersfield, with another several hot, boring and trafficky hours still ahead of them. By the time they got to Yosemite View I'd imagine "shattered" would be an operable word.

So I thought about what might be an off-the-wall alternative, just as a thought. What if they got to Yosemite from the east side instead? Look at it this way: Thursday will be shot no matter how you cut it. By the time they'd get to their lodgings, all they'd want to do (I'm guessing) would be to get a meal (is there a restaurant in the hotel?) and maybe a dip in the pool, then lights out. The next morning they could line up at the park entrance (early enough and they MIGHT not be in a huge queue) and spend the day in the park.

But what if they spent Thursday night on the east side of the park, say in Mammoth Lakes or Lee Vining, then on Friday morning entered the park via Tioga Pass? This might have some benefits, most importantly a lot less time spent in southern California traffic, and possibly an earlier evening. Find some motel with arctic-level air conditioning and a big pool, have an early night and an early entrance into Yosemite on Friday morning. It would probably give about the same amount of hours in the park overall, but without - maybe - nearly as much time spent in the company of a lot of cars. They could also see the Mariposa Grove on the way OUT of the park, rather than doubling back.

Here's a map illustrating this route - https://goo.gl/maps/j3ZsqrMZXc5PKtAV8 . To be sure, the drive along US 395 through the desert will be hot as hell, but right now the high temperature forecast for Fresno for next Thursday is 101°F while for Bishop it's five degrees cooler (not to mention probably considerably less humid.) Then on Friday morning, the (fairly spectacular) drive over the mountains into Yosemite would be with the sun to their backs, making for an even more scenic drive. I'd also imagine that the backup at the park entrance station would be considerably less than coming from the west side.

​​​​​​​Anyway, just a thought.

I also received a PM as Junebug is under the "newbie" restriction and can't post as much as she would like to.

Cutting Sequoia makes it somewhat more reasonable. I'm still not understanding Alcatraz. Don't you have to go into San Francisco to do that? To deal with the city to get there for that one activity/tour? Yes I see it is already paid for.