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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

San Francisco & Yosemite

38 replies

Curlybrunette · 29/07/2018 14:21

Hey,

We have just booked 9 nights in San Francisco next May, DS's will be 11 & 13 by then. I've done a fair bit of research on touristy stuff to do in SF but if any of you have been with children around the same age please do let me know if there are any attractions you'd particularly recommend.

My main question is about Yosemite. I want to go to Yosemite and stay there for a couple of nights. I've been looking on Tripadvisor and saw some people recommend staying right in the park, for example Half Moon Village, where as others say one of the towns outside of the park is fine, for example Oakhurst, which is then over an hours drive to Yosemite Valley.
I also don't quite know what to do once we are at Yosemite, I know there are loads of hikes, and we might hire bikes. I'd planned a night or 2 there, but I don't really know what we'll do to fill the time...Have any of you been, what did you do there?

Do you think it would be better to stay right in Yosemite rather than the outskirts of it?

Thanks

OP posts:
CrabappleBiscuit · 29/07/2018 14:31

I’ve done both. Accommodation in the park fills up quickly so you might want to look at what’s available now. There are bike trails in Yosemite and hikes and ranger walks. It’s beautiful and s lovely place to be. Not all of the passes into the park might be open in May.

It’s great to get away from the people by just walking uphill s little bit,.

Original poster
Curlybrunette · 29/07/2018 14:48

BTW, just realised I called it Half Moon Village, it's Half Dome Village, no idea why I called it that!

Thanks a lot, I have booked a hotel in Oakhurst on Booking.com so can cancel the reservation, and have also emailed the Half Moon Village, as someone on TA said they will sometimes let you cancel if you book accomodation (there is currently availability but not much) as they are guaranteed to fill up anyway. If we stayed at Half Dome Village we'd be in the canvas tents, which I think would feel quite special, camping in the Yosemite National Park.

As you have done both, did you prefer it either way Crabapple staying in or out of the park?

But as you said not all the passes into the park may be open in May, maybe we'd be best staying outside of it, rather than maybe struggling to get to where the tents are?

OP posts:
CrabappleBiscuit · 29/07/2018 17:23

The road into the valley will be open, just check whichever route you choose is open in May. We confidentally drove up one route being without checking then had to do quite a long detour, bu5 it’s all very clear on th3 website if you check. We hadn’t.

I thought staying in th3 valley was super special. I’ve done the canvas village and the wooden huts in the valley and both were lovely.

And I’d have don3 tha5 again but left it too late to book. So stayed outside which was also good. But there’s something about waking up in the valley which is lovely. You have to follow the instructions about bears. So don’t leave any food or smelliest in your car or tent. But it’s sll really well patrolled so is v safe. The food outlets are a bit pricey but the pizzas are good.

dudsville · 29/07/2018 17:27

I stayed in the park, in a hotel of sorts that backed on to a little stream and was all a bit 1950's in the original decor, which we loved. The room had a little kitchenette so we went to the park store and bout things as the only restaurant nearby was something like pizza and we didn't fancy it at the time. It such a wonderful trip, really stands out as one of my all time favourites. I hoe you have a wonderful time!

WonderfulWonders · 29/07/2018 17:31

Go to Alcatraz - you need to book online in advance and it's not an easy system to navigate but really great experience.

Original poster
Curlybrunette · 29/07/2018 20:01

Thanks for all your replies.

Yes wonderfulwaters Alcatraz was the one thing DH really wants to do. I was looking and you can book 3 months before so I have reminders set on my phone so I don't miss my slot!

I think we will stay in the park in the canvas tent, it does feel like that will make it more special

x

OP posts:
Furrycushion · 29/07/2018 20:09

Definitely stay in the park. I haven't been at that time of year but you can queue for hours to get into the park. It's also quite special to stay in the park & wake up to see the beauty of Yosemite around you.

SleepingNaked · 29/07/2018 20:17

I stayed in the park in the canvas tents 10 years ago without children. It was great fun and the facilities were good. There was a cafe close by which sold hot food.

The first night there was a bear in the camp which caused great excitement so do take the bear warnings seriously!! Made a great story on our return. ShockGrin

The posh hotel in the park is also lovely for a meal and isn't so smart you couldn't take older children. Bit nerve wracking walking back at dusk though knowing bears are about!!

It's quite a drive from SF but perfectly doable. Probably not considered much of a drive by US standards....

DickensianHysteric · 29/07/2018 20:21

I second the posh hotel, The Ahwahnee (?), we had a fancy Sunday brunch there and it was amazing - quite pricy but definitely worth it. It was a buffet so it was basically eat-all-you-can!

Tuscansausage · 29/07/2018 20:27

I’m going in about 5 weeks, can’t wait!
dudsville do you remember the name of your hotel? Sounds a lot like the one we’re booked into ... Yosemite View Lodge

chemenger · 29/07/2018 20:29

A couple of smaller museums in SF are the Cable Car museum, where you can see how the cables are driven and the Wells Fargo museum. Both free. We really enjoyed the Exploratorium which is great for your children’s ages. There is a bigger science museum which we felt was pitched at smaller children.

Original poster
Curlybrunette · 29/07/2018 21:58

I've looked at the Go San Francisco card which has lots of attractions, I usually think these things aren't worth the money but actually this seems good. There's 2 theme parks and the dungeon, the explatorium etc. I know my boys would love those.

Where are you staying Tuscansausage? Have a fab time
x

OP posts:
LanguageAsAFlower · 29/07/2018 22:28

I stayed in a teepee just outside Yosemite, was a great experience! Family friendly too, everyone gathered round a campfire at night, there were lots of children there.

Tuscansausage · 29/07/2018 22:38

Curlybrunette In San Francisco we have 3 nights at the Hilton Park 55, then go to Napa, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Carmel, Santa Barbara, then finally Los Angeles. 15 nights in all. I’m taking my sister who is 70, she’s very excited! I’ll be doing all the driving (mustang convertible) which I’m a bit nervous about but everyone says it’s easy. We shall see!
The best thing about it is that it’s a competition win. Spot the Ball!! Grin

EnormousDormouse · 29/07/2018 22:41

Do the twilight Alcatraz tour if you can - it's very eerie and atmospheric!

Tuscansausage · 29/07/2018 22:41

Go San Francisco card looks like good value

SeaToSki · 29/07/2018 22:48

If you want to drive south, look at Monterey Bay. The aquarium is amazing (sea otters) and lovely walks along the coast path. Then drive back up via Moss Landing to see the wild sea otters and then stop at Santa Cruz for the boardwalk. Be a bit careful in SF, there are a lot of homeless people on the streets, some can be aggressive and some use the streets as their toilet. That being said it is a lovely city and well worth the visit. Try and ride a tram and go down the really wiggly street

MissConductUS · 29/07/2018 22:50

The Palace Hotel in San Francisco is a an iconic, very lovely place to stay and is in a great location. I've stayed there several times and always loved it.

www.sfpalace.com

chemenger · 29/07/2018 22:51

We had the San Francisco cards, they were good value we thought.

carnitine · 30/07/2018 07:33

We just arrived back, we stayed in Yosemite in The Majestic hotel, formerly called the Ahwahnee hotel, outrageously overpriced for utter crap, service was horrendous, bathroom was filthy, food was mediocre at best. However, I would definitely recommend staying in the park itself, otherwise it could mean driving over an hour each way or longer depending on the traffic jams. The scenery is something else, hire bicycles to explore the valley, we came up close and personal to a bear on one of our hikes.

In SF, Alcatraz and cycling the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito were the highlights for us, along with hanging off the side of the cable car (tram)

carnitine · 30/07/2018 07:35

We did a whale watching trip out of Monterey, it was an experience of a lifetime.

MarthasGinYard · 30/07/2018 07:38

I've stayed in Oakhurst but would rather stay in park, Curry Village etc.

Didn't like the white knuckle road from Oakhurst. Those drops Blush

Loads to do it's amazing. Check Tioga pass open as can be closed quite late into season.

Nakedavenger74 · 30/07/2018 07:49

Couple of things to watch out for:
Accommodation in the park needs booking and it opens up 12 months ahead. We found booking in September for a June visit that it was all completely booked out so we motorhomed and stayed outside the park boundary in a beautiful quiet campsite that allowed campfires. Glad we did when we saw curry village! Rammed to the gills, tents up against each other, noisy as hell and right by the dual carriageway that runs through the valley (yes there's a dual carriageway!)

As other have mentioned Tioga pass could be closed. In mid June the pass had just opened but was covered in snow still and we needed snow chains. Freezing but absolutely stunning! Recommend it though as it's not stuffed with tourists or tour coaches like the other routes

SAN Fran in May and the PCH can be pretty chilly at that time if the fog sets in.

Other places we loved: Mono lake and environs. Eastern side of Yosemite. Quiet and utterly stunning! Sierra Nevada, stop off on way to Yosemite. Stunning scenery but again quieter!

Polgara2 · 30/07/2018 08:01

We did San Francisco and Yosemite last year. We stayed in a house/log cabin style inside the park. I don't do tents I'm afraid I like my comforts too much. Was fantastic and did feel like we were in a large tree house! Much better than being outside.

WowLookAtYou · 30/07/2018 08:03

The Tioga pass is the one road in and out of the park on the eastern side and you're unlikely to use it coming from San Francisco unless you're passing right through to go to Mono Lake and the deserted mining village and Mammoth Lakes. But yes, it is closed for anything up to six months of the year, depending on the snowpack. Lots of info available on websites.

Remember that Yosemite is roughly the same size as Derbyshire, and there's still a fair bit of driving once you arrive at the park gates. That might be a consideration if you're planning on staying a long way outside. We stayed at Evergreen Lodge, just outside. It's mainly wood cabins, but they have tents already erected (with beds and lamps etc) too. Great atmosphere.
Parts of the park are closed at the moment due to a big wildfire. Always check out the updates online.