Carol_H

Please suggest a travel plan for me. We are renting a car in San Jose and have one week to check out the area. I am open to tent camping or lodges/hotels even a rental home. I noticed some of the campgrounds don't open until July 1st and we are going in mid to late June. Are there any don't miss spots or activities we should do. Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction I really don't have a clue where to begin! Oh, no kids...new empty nesters enjoying life!

Wellvis

Here's some information on camping in Yosemite:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/camping.htm
and here's some for Sequoia:
http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

boom_boom

If you'd like a little more than just Yosemite, not that that's a bad idea, but...try a drive to Placeville on Highway 50 out of Sacramento and then south on the Golden Chain of Highway 49, Sutter Hill, Plymouth, Jackson, Angels Camp and Sonora for the Gold Rush era towns. If you do so, take a side trip to Murphys on Highway 4 out of Angels Camp and maybe even all the way to Big Trees State Park.
Also depending on time, leave Yosemite via Highway 120 over Tioga Pass (if it's open) and drop down to Lee Vining and Mono Lake. Then stay on US 395 through Bridgeport past Lake Topaz on the border and into Garderville/Minden. At the north end of town turn to Highway 88 over Carson Pass back down to Jackson and thence to the Bay Area. OR, go all the way to Carson City and take 50 again into Lake Tahoe and then to Sacramento...on a Sunday afternoon traffic on 50 into Placerville will be heavy on the mostly 2-lane road.

spirobulldog

Well any of it is good. Just depends on what you want to do. Waterfalls are Great in Yosemite. The Sequoia Trees in Yosemite are nice(I would give them a 9). But the trees in Sequoia are better (10+). You could easily spend a week in either place.

Don't miss The General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail in Sequoia. Don't miss The Valley in Yosemite. Don't miss The Mist Trail in Yosemite. Many other worthy hikes and things to do at each place, but those are the really stand outs.

How adventurous are you and how much hiking do you like to do in a day? Halfdome would be something to consider if you are into that sort of thing.

tomfuller

Another empty nester here-both boom_boom and spiro have good ideas. After you leave the Yosemite Valley please don't miss the Mariposa Grove in the south end of the Park.
If you can't get/afford lodging in the Park, there are places in ElPortal or you could stay where my DW and I spent our anniversary- the HI "BUG" Hostel near Midpines. They have double cabins with the bathroom in the center (shared).
The "bug" is a metal sculpture, not things crawling around the rooms. You can use their kitchen or visit the onsite restaurant.
Enjoy your visit to one of the most beautiful places in the US if not the world.

enzian

Lodging is the key. Campgrounds in Yosemite likely booked solid on February 15 when reservations for late June opened up. You can check on recreation.gov. Lodging in hotels in the valley booked up long ago. You may, however, find something at Curry Village ( tent cabins) or at Wawona Hotel, which is outside the valley. Or there are cabins and condos from private owners et Yosemite Wesr, whichnis a 20 minute drive from the valley floor, and a good option.

As for Half Dome, if you didn't get a permit when the went onnoffer today, you will have to forget that. They were all gone for all of June in less than an hour.

Carol_H

I love taking pictures so the waterfalls and beauty of nature are appealing to me. I'm not sure I could climb Half Dome, that looks intense! We like to hike but prefer the shorter trails instead of the all day events...my husband gets blisters on his feet pretty quick. I heard there are some campgrounds which are first come first serve. I will look into the suggestions...thanks everyone! I didn't realize there would be so much to see and do. I feel like there could be a new college major here...Yosemite Travel Plans.

november_moon

Yes, Half Dome is intense. It is an all day plus hike - to get back before dark most people start before dawn. Another Fodorite recently posted that they just got permits to climb to the top and have started training for the hike.