Yosemite or Yellowstone in Winter?
 

Hello, <BR>I am planning a surprise for my wife's 40th birthday. She absolutely loves the great outdoors, National Parks and wildlife. I want to take her to Ahwahnee in Yosemite for a romantic getaway or possibly to Yellowstone. We are from Chicago and all I can gather from the internet is that there isn't that much going on in Yellowstone in the winter and the accomodations aren't like Ahwahnee. I think the wildlife at Yellowstone would be better, but I want it to be special and romantic also..any advice?

Since you're from Chicago, I assume you won't mind the cold or potential snow in either place. They are both absolutely beautiful in winter. However, IMHO Yosemite is the most romantic of the two, and the Ahwahnee is a very special place to stay. There is nothing equivalent to it in Yellowstone.

Yes, the accoms. in Yosemite are orders of magnitude better than the &quot;snow lodge&quot; in Yellowstone. However, I think it's hard to beat cross country skiing among the geysers and bison at Yellowstone. In the winter, the steam from the geysers is all the more spectacular, and the wildlife tend to hang out around their warmth. A previous poster mentioned the weather. The weather at Yellowstone can be quite extreme. It could be sunny and as warm as, say 40F in the winter, and it could be sunny and as cold as -40F, so you need to be prepared for that. It's not as bad as it sounds and it really is possible to ski on a sunny and very cold day, but you won't want to linger very long on your lunch break.

That brings up another good point, the weather. Which park is colder in the winter? I assume Yellowstone. Or are they about the same? and thanks for the feedback so far.

Yosemite is warmer, and the temperatures are not as extreme as Yellowstone. www.weatherbase.com<BR>The Ahwahnee would be wonderful, and being outdoors would be more enjoyable weatherwise, in addition to Yosemite's grandeur.

Thanks for all your advice. I think it's a done deal.

FYI - the Ahwahnee is usually booked almost a year in advance. My friend used to work there and comment about it. Maybe now with the economy in a slump, most people are opting for cheaper accommodations.<BR>Yosemite is amazing. Been to both and Yosemite is miles ahead of Yellowstone.<BR>

Thanks for the note. I have called and the Ahwahnee is available for the nights I was planning.<BR><BR>Does anyone know if staying in the hotel or in a cottage would be better..both are available?

Don't know about the difference, but judging from what I've seen at the Ahwahnee you can't go wrong either way. It is very nice (lodge style, of course).<BR>Enjoy, it's a magnificent view!

Well, the cottages are 20-40 yards from the main lodge, so it can be a cold or wet walk to breakfast (good time to choose room service, I suppose). A few of the rooms in the main lodge have pretty poor views (service yard); they still charge full price for them. <BR><BR>The Ahwahnee is a neat experience, but don't expect perfection, despite the price.

We spent our anniversary at the Ahwahnee last February and loved Yosemite in the winter. I personally would rather stay in the lodge itself. The rooms are small but very nice. <BR>P.S. what a wonderful surprise for your wife!