How would you do both Yosemite and Disneyland?

So glad I came across this thread. September 2019 I am planning a vacation in CA.
We will start the trip in Monterey, the short list is:

Monterey
Sacramento
Yosemite
Disneyland
Universal Hollywood

The number of days for each location is open.
We would be flying in from Texas.
Any tips, suggestions would be helpful. Thanks
 
So glad I came across this thread. September 2019 I am planning a vacation in CA.
We will start the trip in Monterey, the short list is:

Monterey
Sacramento
Yosemite
Disneyland
Universal Hollywood

The number of days for each location is open.
We would be flying in from Texas.
Any tips, suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

Starting in Monterey is kind of tough because the airport there has limited flight options, although American Eagle will start seasonal flights from DFW next year. San Jose is pretty close however. I'd recommend a major airport (Oakland or San Jose) because you'll probably have better/cheaper car rental options and probably more/cheaper flights.

And research food storage in Yosemite. The bears there are known to rip car doors open.
 
Hello
How long do you have for the trip?

We did this a few summer's ago. We did the complete circle road trip. We flew into LAX and then drove up the coast (hwy 1, PCH) and hit Monterey, SF, Yosemite, and then down to Disneyland. A lot of driving and a lot of fun.

We are headed back this year and are thinking of driving long distance this time. We usually fly so this is a big deal for us.

Yosemite needs 2-3 days to fully enjoy. Also this late in the season the waterfalls will be pretty dried up.

Yosemite is Heaven on Earth.

Feel free to ask any questions.
Hello Mike , i am planning to go to Yosemite in August. You mentioned it takes 3 days to fully enjoy the area could you please recommend some things to do in that three days or just on vacation out there. Thank you
 
I am in the VERY early stages of hopefully planning a late June/early July trip to California. DL would be the main attraction, but I also want to do the Warner Bros. tour, an LA tour and spend a day at a beach (Huntington?). DH mentioned visiting the Grand Canyon, but that's at least an 8 hour drive. I was looking into Yosemite, but I guess that's at least 6-7 hours away. If you were going to do both the Anaheim area and Yosemite, how would plan it? Would you fly into somewhere more northern, like San Francisco and then fly out of Orange County airport? Or would you fly into and out of the LA area and drive up to Yosemite for a couple of nights? I'm not sure if hitting both is really doable, but we'd like the kids to see a National Park, if possible. Thanks for any thoughts. :)
I am a San Francisco native and we go to Disneyland and Yosemite almost every year. We did have a record amount of snow this last winter in the Sierra's. The waterfalls in Yosemite right now are spectacular! Yosemite is a must! Can you fly in to Fresno, California? You must fly in to the Fresno/Yosemite Airport. Get a rental car and drive to Yosemite from the Airport. Than drive back to the Fresno/Yosemite Airport. Take a flight in to the John Wayne Airport. Than get an Uber to your Disneyland hotel. Here is the link to the Fresno Airport. https://flyfresno.com/Mom & Seth Yosemite.jpg
 


Hello

Hello Mike , i am planning to go to Yosemite in August. You mentioned it takes 3 days to fully enjoy the area could you please recommend some things to do in that three days or just on vacation out there. Thank you
I'll give you my three top things to do:
Visit Glacier Point - 4,000 feet above the valley with spectacular views.
Mariposa Grove
Visiting the valley points of interest - base of Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls - hiking to Awahnee Hotel area - you can do this the same day you visit Glacier Point. Note: If there is a new moon and the night sky isn't too bright, being up at Glacier Point to see the stars at night is incredible.
Another possible thing to do is drive up to Tuolomne Meadows and maybe have a picnic at Tenaya Lake - spectacular views.

If you like hikes, a popular one is to Vernal Falls and then Nevada Falls. That will take a day, though
 
Wondering if any of the posters in the past few pages can report on their experiences doing DLR and Yosemite in same trip. I’m thinking of flying to SFO or SAC, driving to Yosemite for 3 nights at Tenaya (for resort amenities) then driving to DLR for 5 nights.

The alternative is San Diego in place of Yosemite , it’s so hard to decide
 
It’s absolutely no contest, San Diego is a very nice city but it doesn’t compare to the majesty and grandeur of Yosemite.
Tenaya is a lot further from the valley than I like to be, first trip I stayed at Oakhurst and it was a mistake. TBH hotel facilities are secondary to location for Yosemite, you want to be in or close to the valley. Accommodations are basic but clean and comfortable which is all you need. If you want higher end accommodation in the Valley, Ahwahnee Lodge in the Valley is worth the splurge.
 


Wondering if any of the posters in the past few pages can report on their experiences doing DLR and Yosemite in same trip. I’m thinking of flying to SFO or SAC, driving to Yosemite for 3 nights at Tenaya (for resort amenities) then driving to DLR for 5 nights.

The alternative is San Diego in place of Yosemite , it’s so hard to decide
Since the last post here was 4 years ago it's kind of a dead thread. Doubt you'll get many of the posters of 4 years ago reporting back.

I'm with sjmac42, no contest between San Diego and Yosemite. Unless you're looking for a beach/zoo/city stay before your DLR trip. No zoo, no beach and no big city sights in Yosemite.

SFO > Yosemite> DLR sounds like a great trip to me!
 
Wondering if any of the posters in the past few pages can report on their experiences doing DLR and Yosemite in same trip. I’m thinking of flying to SFO or SAC, driving to Yosemite for 3 nights at Tenaya (for resort amenities) then driving to DLR for 5 nights.

The alternative is San Diego in place of Yosemite , it’s so hard to decide

I don’t have any experience yet, but next summer we are visiting Yosemite and Disneyland. We’ll be in CA for two weeks and our itinerary looks like this although things could change:

Day 1-3: San Francisco
Day 4: Monterey, overnight in Merced
Day 5-6: Yosemite
Day 7: Drive to Disneyland
Day 8-10: Disneyland
Day 11-12: Los Angeles
Day 13-15: San Diego

This is my boys’ “graduation trip”. I use that term loosely as my DH and I asked them where they wanted to go since it’s the summer after they graduate. It’s really just our yearly vacation. My boys and DH are trying to get to all the MLB stadiums and that’s really how this trip was born. Of course, we can’t come all the way from PA and not visit Disneyland and we love national parks, so Yosemite was a must, too!
 
I don’t have any experience yet, but next summer we are visiting Yosemite and Disneyland. We’ll be in CA for two weeks and our itinerary looks like this although things could change:

Day 1-3: San Francisco
Day 4: Monterey, overnight in Merced
Day 5-6: Yosemite
Day 7: Drive to Disneyland
Day 8-10: Disneyland
Day 11-12: Los Angeles
Day 13-15: San Diego

This is my boys’ “graduation trip”. I use that term loosely as my DH and I asked them where they wanted to go since it’s the summer after they graduate. It’s really just our yearly vacation. My boys and DH are trying to get to all the MLB stadiums and that’s really how this trip was born. Of course, we can’t come all the way from PA and not visit Disneyland and we love national parks, so Yosemite was a must, too!
Sounds like a great trip
 
Wondering if any of the posters in the past few pages can report on their experiences doing DLR and Yosemite in same trip. I’m thinking of flying to SFO or SAC, driving to Yosemite for 3 nights at Tenaya (for resort amenities) then driving to DLR for 5 nights.

The alternative is San Diego in place of Yosemite , it’s so hard to decide
Book Yosemite but be ready to pivot last minute to San Diego if weather or fires look like they will interrupt enjoying Yosemite (smoke sucks, if you are asthma prone it will wreck you and if you are not asthma prone you will have tons of beautiful vistas to look out at- that you can’t see) and depending on how close you are cutting it to spring/winter the weather can surprise you (the Sierras can see blizzards in April, it is not unheard of, and if it isn’t raining or snowing it’s fire season. Welcome to CA!!). So, do not book non-changeable airfare, car or hotel. Pay up a bit for the changeable stuff just in case.

If you have no interest in SF, FAT is the best airport for Yosemite. And for Sacramento you mean SMF for normal flights. SAC is the executive airport.
 
Book Yosemite but be ready to pivot last minute to San Diego if weather or fires look like they will interrupt enjoying Yosemite (smoke sucks, if you are asthma prone it will wreck you and if you are not asthma prone you will have tons of beautiful vistas to look out at- that you can’t see) and depending on how close you are cutting it to spring/winter the weather can surprise you (the Sierras can see blizzards in April, it is not unheard of, and if it isn’t raining or snowing it’s fire season. Welcome to CA!!). So, do not book non-changeable airfare, car or hotel. Pay up a bit for the changeable stuff just in case.

If you have no interest in SF, FAT is the best airport for Yosemite. And for Sacramento you mean SMF for normal flights. SAC is the executive airport.
Thanks for the feedback, still sitting on fence. Aware of the weather/climate issues and talking about august. The San Diego cultural things and overall variety of things to do, as well as proximity to DLR are its selling points to us. Have max 10 days available including travel days from northeast 🧐
 
I'm with sjmac42, no contest between San Diego and Yosemite. Unless you're looking for a beach/zoo/city stay before your DLR trip. No zoo, no beach and no big city sights in Yosemite.

You'd be surprised what used to be in Yosemite (or that is still there). The Ahwahnee had tennis courts and even a 9-hole par 3 golf course. And there's still a 9-hole golf course in Yosemite.

https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/golfing/
 
You'd be surprised what used to be in Yosemite (or that is still there).
Not too surprised. I go there two or three times a year. And my first visit was in 1966. I was there in April. I know the park and the area pretty well.
 
Thanks for the feedback, still sitting on fence. Aware of the weather/climate issues and talking about august. The San Diego cultural things and overall variety of things to do, as well as proximity to DLR are its selling points to us. Have max 10 days available including travel days from northeast 🧐
Ooh, yeah I get that. I live in the Central Valley so keenly aware we don’t hold a candle to the happenings of SD 😂
 
We're planning DLR, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite April 27-May 4, 2024. Doing DLR 4/27-4/29, then renting a car and driving to an AirBnB in Lemon Cove (near Three Rivers) and touring Sequoia/Kings Canyon/Yosemite 4/30-5/3, then driving back to LAX to fly out 5/4. I hope to see just the highlights, anyone care to share if this is doable?
 
We're planning DLR, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite April 27-May 4, 2024. Doing DLR 4/27-4/29, then renting a car and driving to an AirBnB in Lemon Cove (near Three Rivers) and touring Sequoia/Kings Canyon/Yosemite 4/30-5/3, then driving back to LAX to fly out 5/4. I hope to see just the highlights, anyone care to share if this is doable?

Sure it's doable. You don't have to do a lot of hiking, which is where trips get longer. The only caveat now is that there will be entrance reservations required for vehicles to enter Yosemite, but your time is on weekdays and reservations won't be required for weekdays during that period. The 7-day reservation period starts July 1. But if you have to change plans on short notice to a weekend or holiday, there won't be the flexibility to do so.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm
  • April 13 through June 30: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and on holidays (May 27 and June 19).
  • July 1 through August 16: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm every day.
 
Our 2019 itinerary covered most of your stops. It was intense but great.

Fly to San Francisco
Stay 4 nights in San Francisco and visit the city with a Metro-Bus-Cable Car pass. Add an Alcatraz Cruise tour and a Muir Woods tour.

Pick-up a car and drive to Oakhurst (near Yosemite. Stay three nights there.
The first morning, hop on the tour bus (we used Discover Yosemite) and visit the park all day (having a driver, a guide and lunch made that day truly enjoyable).
The next morning we went canoeing on a nearby lake.

Drive to Monterey, visit the town, stay the night.

Drive down the coast, visit Carmel and have lunch at Big Sur along the way. Stay in Cambria.

Visit Hearst Castle. Drive to LA.

We choose Venice Beach to stay the next two nights. That gave us enough time to enjoy Santa Monica, Hollywood Boulevard, do the Warner Bros studio tour and Griffith Observatory.

Drive to Anaheim, check in at a hotel near the gate for 4 nights and drop the car off.

Three days DL tickets with PH.

Check-out and town car service to the airport.
 
Our 2019 itinerary covered most of your stops. It was intense but great.

Fly to San Francisco
Stay 4 nights in San Francisco and visit the city with a Metro-Bus-Cable Car pass. Add an Alcatraz Cruise tour and a Muir Woods tour.

Pick-up a car and drive to Oakhurst (near Yosemite. Stay three nights there.
The first morning, hop on the tour bus (we used Discover Yosemite) and visit the park all day (having a driver, a guide and lunch made that day truly enjoyable).
The next morning we went canoeing on a nearby lake.

Drive to Monterey, visit the town, stay the night.

Drive down the coast, visit Carmel and have lunch at Big Sur along the way. Stay in Cambria.

Visit Hearst Castle. Drive to LA.

We choose Venice Beach to stay the next two nights. That gave us enough time to enjoy Santa Monica, Hollywood Boulevard, do the Warner Bros studio tour and Griffith Observatory.

Drive to Anaheim, check in at a hotel near the gate for 4 nights and drop the car off.

Three days DL tickets with PH.

Check-out and town car service to the airport.

We are doing this trip this summer except when we leave San Francisco we are driving along the coast to Big Sur and then inland to Yosemite and then heading to Disneyland from there. I think the way you did it, SF to Yosemite and then to Big Sur makes more sense as we’ll be doing a little back tracking but it’s how things worked out for us as far as lodging inside Yosemite. After we leave Disneyland, we are spending two nights in LA before heading to San Diego which is where our trip will end. Do you have any tips? We have 14 nights and I know it will be a lot, but we’re so excited!
 

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