We are traveling to Northern California in late August - early September and will spend the first part of the trip visting Yosemite. Any suggestions on which area just outside the Park is best - Fish Camp (near the Southern entrance), or El Portal and environs (near the Arch Rock entrance)? We are not planning to stay in the Valley for various reasons, but our plans include attempting Half Dome, so we don't want to be too far.
The next leg of the trip is to spend a couple of days visiting the wineries and other sites in Amador and El Dorado counties. Any recommendations for a nice but not too pricey B&B in that general area? Thanks for any help!

Sorry, but for a short trip to Yosemite staying anywhere but in the valley doesn't make a lot of sense. Especially in July/Aug. The traffic into/out of the valley makes even the closest out-of-park places an hour or more drive each way. try for Yosemite lodge - you MIGHT still be able to get a room.

Can't help too much w/ B&Bs in Amador or El Dorado because I am within an hour+ of te wineries so seldom stay over. A couple I have heard good things about Grey Gables and Foxes which are both in Sutter Creek. The Robin's Nest in San Andreas is less expensive and less posh but is in a historic bldg.

oops I meant to say Aug/Sept (not July/Aug).

But my suggestion goes double for that period. Labor day and the week either side of it will be a zoo if you are staying outside of the valley and trying to commute in.

I'll disagree with the previous poster. If you can get a room at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal, grab it. It's actually closer to Yosemite Valley than most of the accommodations within the park. And, if you leave the hotel early enough, the traffic is fine. It's about 10-12 miles from the valley and is the closest sleeping facility to the valley from outside the park. And, the driving time is far less than an hour.

El Portal, Fish Camp, and Groveland all work for bases. The El Portal area seems kind of cramped down in the canyon to me, but it is a bit closer to the valley. The biggest nuisance factor (for any of the areas) is if you hit a big delay at the entrance station. Avoid the weekends if you can, and try to get an early start (especially for Half-Dome).

Other than staying in the valley itself, for what you are looking for, El Portal is your only real choice. The other areas mentioned are much longer drives. I'd also agree that if you get up early, the drive from El Portal into the valley won't take that much time.

Just returned and were glad we chose to stay in the Valley. However,if cost is a factor, Curry Village in the park has rooms from 59.00 to 109.00 (I imagine depends on if they are ensuite or not) and you can see Half Dome from there. The views are awesome! Here is some info we picked up: Top of Half Dome is 10-12hrs round trip (17miles) and extremely strenuous. July to September- trail restrictions 1/2 mile from summit due to trail repair. However, the flyer I have is not dated, so don't know if that was last July-Sept or this.

Two years ago we stayed in Yosemite West - which is just inside the park with easy access to the Valley. We rented a home there. There are also condos to choose from in that area.