My parents want to go to Yosemite for a few days this summer with me. Which hotel should I book?

Question

I am 29. My parents are in their mid 50s. They like to travel, but a 2 hours walk will be as active as they will be.
Around $200/night should not be an issue - more than that - only if it is really worth it!

Answer 1

It appears that the Yosemite Valley accommodations are booked and I doubt that you'll find anything suitable in the park this summer. To get accommodations in the valley you pretty much have to make your reservation eight months to a year in advance. Summer is a very, very busy period in many US national parks. Especially, the big three - Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite.

However, I can recommend both Cedar Lodge and Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal just west of the park boundary along the Merced River. I've stayed at both of these lodges many times and find them quite comfortable and the price reasonable. My preference is Cedar Lodge although Yosemite View Lodge is the
newer of the two and in better condition. Cedar Lodge has two large 3 bedroom / 2 bath units and a 3 bedroom / 3 bath unit available but you won't find them listed on their web site. To get those you have to call and inquire about price and availability. I've stayed in a 3/2 unit that has a private outdoor jacuzzi and in the 3/3 unit that has a private pool, jacuzzi and deck. They are great.

El Portal is conveniently located about 15 to 20 minutes drive from Yosemite Village. It makes a good base of operation if you can't get accommodations in the park.

Answer 2

Staying in Yosemite Valley would probably be your most convenient and scenic option. There are several short walks there (lower Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, the Vernall Falls footbridge, Mirror Lake). The Yosemite Lodge is in your price range (under $200 per night), and is just across the road from the lower Yosemite Falls trailhead. The Ahwahnee Hotel is gorgeous but pricey (rooms start at $400). The cabins at Curry Village are in the same price range as the Yosemite Lodge, but are fairly small and spartan.

You might also consider the Wawona Hotel, in southern Yosemite. It's close to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and just across the road from the Wawona Meadow, which is a pleasant walk and, in case this interests your parents, contains a golf course.

Yosemite Valley can be crowded in the summer, especially on holidays and weekends, so it's best to reserve as far ahead as possible (you probably already know this, since you're asking so early), and if you want to spend most of your time in Yosemite Valley, you'll probably be happiest to book your time there for weekdays rather than a weekend.

If the inside-Yosemite options are booked up or too expensive, you can probably still book something close to the park. El Portal is just outside the 140 entrance and only a few miles from Yosemite Valley. Fish Camp is only two miles from the southern (highway 41) entrance and has a large lodge (the Tenaya) owned by the same company that runs the hotels inside the park. If you want cabins, you can find them at the Evergreen Lodge in Mather, which is near Hetch Hetchy, or at Bass Lake, which is still only about 15 miles from the park entrance but has attractions of its own.

More info about Yosemite Lodging: http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-info/lodging/yosemite-lodging.htm

Answer 3

You can stay in one of several lodges in the park or you can stay outside the park, a short distance away, in some motels like Ramada Inn. You may not have much choice as the lodges fill up real fast for the summer and you might have to settle for a nearby motel. Go to the yosemite website to see the lodges. You can either book them thru your computer or call them direct. Don't wait or it will be too late to get anything in the park or close by. Yosemite park never promotes itself thru travel agencies, newspaper ads, etc. as they are usually full all the time and doesnt need to advertise.

Answer 4

You need to make reservations ASAP. Check out this site:
http://www.nps.gov/yose