To bypass Yosemite during California road trip?

[PissyDressingGown]

I know some of you are knowledgable on USA so I'm hoping to put forward my idea and ask if I'm being unreasonable to Miss off something that everyone raves on about.

We're flying to San Francisco in August. That's the only bit we have booked, the rest is still to organise.

Original idea was 4 nights in SF, 3 nights in Yosemite and then down to LA.

However I'm thinking now of scrapping Yosemite and just doing a straight line down - so it would be 3 nights in SF, 2 nights in Monterey, 2 nights in Big Sur and then on to LA.

I'm worried I'll be missing out if I don't do Yosemite though?!

Yosemite is my favourite place on earth, it's stunning . Doing the hike down from Glacier Point to the valley floor is the best.. also walking to the waterfalls, emerald pool etc.. I've been there about 10 times on either holidays or day trips, never get bored..stayed in log cabins and tents. Best off season although I've done all times of year.
LA I found boring and polluted, everything too spread out, no 'central feel'

Don’t miss out Yosemite...it is wonderful. We stayed in yurts outside the park and found it really easy to travel in and out.

Can I hijack!?
I'm also going to SF this summer, but not for a road trip, just staying in one place. I want to hire a car and do Yosemite either for a day trip or stay one night... my partner thinks this is too much driving for what we'll get out of it, and that the kids will hate it...

Should we go?

SF to Yosemite is quite a haul, the scale of US roads often catches people out. Depends on your time scale but 2 nights is probably plenty unless you're into some serious walking and climbing.

We've stayed in Mariposa and also in Oakhurst south of the park which we preferred, there are some wonderful side drives off the southern route. and it's less crowded. Accommodation is expensive by US standards in either, unless you've booked already then Park accommodation is unlikely to be available.

Personally I would give LA a miss, not a pleasant place to visit.
Don't try to do too much, as I said the scale if staggering and you need to leave something for 'next time'!

We saw a bear in Yosemite! Just as we were leaving (a long time ago, so I don't even remember which direction). It just toddled out in to the road in front of us, looked up at our faces and continued back into the woods at the other side. It was ace. Just the most amazing place though, not to be missed if possible.

We stayed in Yosemite View Lodge which is right next to an entrance to the park so super easy. It's an amazing place, gets very busy so best if you can get there early in the morning, or get the shuttle buses around the area so you don't need to try and find parking.
Views from Glacier point are stunning!
We did LA-Seattle (missed bits of the Pacific Coast Highway though due to landslides )
Wasn't fussed by Hollywood walk of fame, i thought area was kind of sad, looks so fancy at movie premiers but in real life, a bit naff.

NameChangeOnTheRegular, you'll not do Yosemite as a day trip from SF, this distance may look do-able but those are not good roads, it wouldn't give you much time and the 'Park' is vast, think in terms of a a county, Yosemite is about half the size of Norfolk.

Looking on airbnb, a new concept since we were last there, Oakhurst looks to be a far better prospect financially. I may have to go again.

fortysix why one's night in carmel?
Hasn't it got lovely Town and beach, wouldn't it be a somewhere to base and go to the monetary

Which part of August? Later half likely to be better as US schools start going back. But it will be busy so you want to get on with booking somewhere to stay round Yosemite asap. It's the only place in the US I've ever been where we've struggled to find somewhere to camp and that was in May.

The only half feasible way of doing Yosemite as a day trip from San Fran is to do an organised coach trip so you're not doing the driving and can sleep after a silly early start!

Yabu. Yosemite only requires one long day tho. So stay nearby on way to it, then rest point on way to next destination.
Too long in LA. It is a dump. Love Monterey but big sur = big meh. 2 days in San Fran is plenty.
YADBU to skip Palm Springs. Love that place especially for grown ups.
Ps I’ve seen bears in Yosemite, we had family live nearby, we saw them 50% of visits.
Pps we always saw more bears in sequia than Yosemite
Ppps extend the trip and go to San Diego. Go to temecula. Out of this WORLD!

What is Big Sur?
Is it a town or an area?

I'm thinking its on the pacific highway but I could be wrong.

We didn't bother with Yosemite. We went to Vegas instead. I don't regret my decision

I did a road trip and only managed one night at Yosemite. I felt like I missed out. From what I saw it looked stunning and I plan to go back one day. I would miss out San Francisco - not a fan.

where do you fly into for Yosemite and Big Sur?
San Francisco?

Yosemite will be super busy (think traffic jams). But it is a stunner if you can screen that out. I stayed in semi permanent rented accommodation in the park - lots of warnings about bears! I was a bit scared when I went out for my 2am tinkle!

Wow all the advise has been amazing, thanks guys! As a result of this thread I've told DH that the plans have changed again 😁 So now I'm thinking 3 days in San Fran, 3 days in Yosemite, one night in Death Valley, 2 nights in Carmel (found a lovely airb&b there) and four nights in LA before heading back to SF. Does this sound doable?

I doubt you'll get indoors accommodation in August 2018 within Yosemite now, it's too late. Unless you camp? Whole place was teeming with foreigners when I was there.

Is there something you're desperate to see in LA?

I'd assumed you were flying out from there but if you have to get back to San Francisco as well I wouldn't bother at all.

A wolf walked past within 3 feet of me in Yosemite! The place was wonderful, wouldn't miss it! LA I could take or leave!

Muir woods is the place to go for trees - just awesome. Nearby Muir beach is pretty to, but don't miss the trees.

I was meh about Yosemite when my ex suggested it, but it was by far the most magical place I've ever been and was sad we didn't stay longer than the three days we had. You dont have to be into hiking necessarily - we hired bikes, walked along the Merced river, wandered about looking at trees ( your partner's not the only one!), saw all sorts of wildlife including deer and bears.
We stayed at Yosemite view lodge as we got the shuttle bus in every day. When I go again, I'll stay in the park, as the buses stop running relatively early and I'd like to see the stars from the valley floor.
Carmel, Monterey and Big Sur are nice but you can do all 3 in a day. Carmel particularly is just full of shops selling expensive tat. We stayed in a motel in Seaside which was itself a dump, but cheap and easy to use as a base for Monterey etc.

LA is a dump, to be honest. And SF isn't all that any more. You could take 2 days in SF, 3 if you want to do Alcatraz I guess. But do push on to San Diego if you can. It's got a great vibe.

Thats a lot of going back and forward and a long drive back from LA to catch your flight.

I would do San Fran down to Carmel then onto LA if you must. Consider staying in Santa Monica. If the Pacific Coast Highway is open and you intend to drive it I would consider stopping for one night maybe at Cambria or Pismo Beach. The person driving is not going see much as the road is treacherous and needs full concentration.
Then across to Death Valley and onto Yosemite so you are travelling in a loop.

We stayed one night Death Valley but cut the 3 nights in Yosemite to 2 by staying one night in Mammoth. This made the journey easier as we could travel over the Tioga Pass and into Yosemite in daylight. I would not want to do it in the dark which you may have to if you try and drive straight from DV. Also this meant we could have a bit more time in Death Valley as there is more to see than I thought.

Yosemite is one of a lifetime trip. I would not go to la and do San Francisco, route 66 , death valley and yosemite. That's what I need on my californian road trip.

See I was underwhelmed by SanFrancisco. But LA is on the up. Lots of super vibrant and interesting neighbourhoods.