Hi We (myself and husband) will be in Yosemite for 4 nights around Labour day week-end. arriving from L.A. some time in the late afternoon of Wednesday .
I can either (1) rent a property in Yosemite west and be very comfortable in a small apt and be able to prepare all my meals (or not) and have an okay location ( But be locked into that reservation) -- or--
(2)spend the first and last night outside of the park -let us say Oakhurst where I have accomodations reserved and 2 nights -the thursday and friday ' at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls where I was able to find reservations - --I have not not been able to get the first and last night of my stay there, (although I hope to get lucky)
what do you think Thanks
I

You were lucky to get a room at the Yosemite Lodge just before Labor Day. Labor Day weekend is going to be a zoo. It sounds like you are leaving Sunday which is better than trying to get back on the Monday.

What you might do is spend Wednesday night in Oakhurst, then Thursday and Friday nights at the Lodge, and then spend Saturday touring the high country, visiting Lake Tenaya and Tuolumne Meadows and then spending the night in Lee Vining near Mono Lake on the east side of Yosemite. Then you can drive back to LA via US 395 which is a very scenic drive until you get into the desert but then you will be close to LA.

Oh, I would do anything to stay at the Lodge!

OK, almost anything

Definitely stay at the lodge! You were very lucky to get a reservation.

There is nothing like staying in the valley. It will be warm, you will be able to walk around the valley after dinner, stand on the edge of the meadow and watch the sunset behind Half Dome. It will be magical. I would definitely go for the Yosemite Lodge accommodations no matter what I had to do.

On the fourth day, if you follow teh suggestion to spend it on the high country (an excellent suggestion, IMO!), you might try to get a reservation at the Tioga Pass Resort. Our own iamq stayed there recently and wrote a lovely trip report and also posted some fantastic photos.

http://www.tiogapassresort.com/index.html

I would normally recommend against packing/unpacking and moving too much. But this situation is a no brainer IMO. Definitely tay at Yosemite Lodge if you can. Just no comparison to staying outside the valley.

I choose #2 and keep trying to get the other 2 days. Hoping for a cancellation for you! BTW, make your dinner reservations ASAP for both The Yosemite Lodge restaurant,(Mountain Room) and the Ahwahnee, they will get booked fast.

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Dining_MountainRoom.aspx

"Definitely stay at Yosemite Lodge . . . "

Thank you everybody!! so we will stay at the Lodge and I have just added one more day to the reservation -we are in on day one , two and three. I will check out Tioga Pass and Lee Vining Many thanks Sandy