Last minute trip - is this itinerary ok?

Hi all

Got a chance for a last minute trip from Scotland and went for it. Driving up from Las Vegas on 29 Sept and planned on spending 2 days in Yosemite before heading to SFO. I%26#39;m happy to do the long dribve from LV in one go but I%26#39;m not certain wher emy best destination is.

I thought about staying in Mammoth Lakes overnight then heading through the pass to El Portal for a night. However I think I%26#39;d prefer to stay 2 nights in the same place but most of the accommodation seems to be in the South or West of the park which means a really really long drive and I%26#39;ll be falling asleep while all the best scenery is going past.

Any suggestions on route and accommodation would be readily accepted

Cheers

John

Last minute trip - is this itinerary ok?

How fortuitous that you are able to make some last minute plans for a US trip!

I have never driven from Las Vegas to Yosemite, so that is not my area of expertise, but I would say that you will want to be fresh and perky as you make your entrance into the park, and you will want to get there early in the day to make the most of your sightseeing time. So this would tend towards a recommendation for staying in Mammoth Lakes.

For your night in the park, either motel in El Portal or the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls in the park itself would serve you well. Fortunately, it looks like you will be arriving mid-week so reservations should be available. There were some special fall deals at the yosemitepark.com website that you might be able to take advantage of.

Have a great visit!

Last minute trip - is this itinerary ok?

Thanks for the feedback. I%26#39;m going to do a bit more reseach today before I decide for sure. Any more ideas or tips?

Thanks

John

Mammoth is of course, a beautiful area. If you want to maximize your time actually in Yosemite, you might consider staying in Lee Vining. Small town, but the closest to the east entrance of the Park. It%26#39;s also right next to Mono Lake which is an interesting sight in itself.

This would put you just under a half hour drive away from the Yosemite gate, and close to the Tuolumne Meadows area which is a great place to meander through. You might stop at the Mono Lake Visitor Center in Lee Vining to pick up Yosemite information, as the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center will be closed at the time of your visit (the Tuolumne Meadows grill/store will also be closed so keep that in mind when planning food).

Macjack gives good advice about staying in El Portal or the Valley. It appears that on sept 30th Curry Village in the Valley has a cabin with bath available. These cabins have had mixed reviews...but they are nice for the location, as they are smack in the middle of Yosemite Valley.

When I drove from Vegas to Yosemite Valley, it took me 9 hours including a lunch stop and gas stop...and I followed the directions from google maps...if you type in maps.google.com, and then Las Vegas NV to Lee Vining CA, you%26#39;ll see the route I took. There%26#39;s another way, cutting over to 395 south of where google maps will send you...I just haven%26#39;t been that direction. The route I traveled had two lane roads, but nothing overly windy, and everything was well paved.

Happy traveling!

Hands down try to get a room or a cabin, with a bath, in Yosemite Valley.

Hands down try to get a room or a cabin, with a bath, in Yosemite Valley.

Nearly there guys. Have now booked up for Mammoth Lakes for one night, exactly how did people plan trips before trip advisor??????

Last step of the trip before I head for Canada from SFO. Not certain about the cabin/tents, so if I whimp out and say I would prefer a hotel which is the best location to be based at for a couple of days? Timing is everything and low and behold I twisted my knee pretty badly today and now don%26#39;t know how the well i%26#39;ll be able to to cope with moderate climbs/decents on trails. Any tips on great outlooks with non too challenging walks? Still determined to get in some highlights but moderate walks may be beyond my joints now :0(

Thanks again for all the help! |Very honestly and sincerely appreciated.

Make sure you let me know if any of you plan on a trip to Scotland!

Cheers

John

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