Disneyland to Yosemite

[Dimplenose]

I've already asked this but I think it was a bit hidden in a long thread so I'll ask again.

I'm trying to plan a trip to California, I desperately want to see San Diego zoo (though I'm sure it will be a bit different from my 1970 viewmaster reels ) and Disneyland.

How long would it take to get from those places to Yosemite. I'll be going for 2 weeks so I could spend a few days there if it's worth the journey. Are there any other natural attractions I shouldn't miss?

Thanks for any info.

 

[*Flower*]

I gather that you're driving?

Well, San Diego is between 2 and 2 1/2 hours to LA, and Yosemite is about 6 1/2 to 7 hours from LA.
If you plan on spending the night in Anaheim, you can add an hour to your LA to Yosemite leg, and subtract an hour on your San Diego to Anaheim leg. However, with the traffic involved, you might want to add about an hour to each leg (to be safe).

Hope this helps....

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>If 7 hours is too long to drive, you might also consider Sequoia National Park that is about 5-1/2 hours from Los Angeles. You'll find the largest living thing at Sequoia, the General Sherman Tree, there.

Both parks are beautiful

 

[Dimplenose]

Thanks for your information, I had planned to drive as it didn't look so far on the map! At least I'm only in the planning stage.

Would it be easier to travel into San Fransisco and out of Los Angeles and do the national parks on the way down or am I being over ambitious for a fortnight with Disneyland etc. included - perhaps I could persuade DH and the kids to go for 3 weeks

 

[LuvTigger]

Ack, I tried to respond earlier, but board was having problems.

Anyway, we did a similar driving trip once (except we started in Las Vegas, drove up, then back down to Anaheim). If you fly into San Fran, I would plan on your arrival day as time to get to Yosemite and to settle in, then spend the next full day (or longer) in Yosemite. It might be easier to stay overnight somewhere after visiting Sequoia too, though you could make it down to Anaheim in the same day.

As a side note, something fun for your kids (or yourself...I'm an adult and I have one...) is to get a National Park Passport. Each National Park has their own validation rubber stamp, usually in the visitors center.

Happy planning, and let us know what you decide to do!

 

[GeorgeY]

We did this trip last year. We landed in Los Angeles and drove to Yosemite, We stayed at the Tenaya Lodge, The drive was about 5 1/2 hours with a lunch stop. We flew in from Orlando, so we had a 5 hour plane trip to start. It wasn't too bad, and we are doing it again next year( Fair warning to WebmasterMichelle, we're doing it again). I would recommend the Tenaya Lodge as a place to stay. Yes it is 45 minutes from the Valley, but closer to the outside.
We then drove back down, but via the pacific and stayed 1 night in Pismo Beach. Then to Disneyland.

In yosemite, Clime up to Vernal Falls, it is incredible.

George

 

[rmom]

Go up to Glacier Point in Yosemite, also. It is beautiful. There is a ghost town just up the road on the east side of the park - hot but a fun stop - called Bowie i think.

Have a wonderful time! We love Yosemite even more then disney!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>
We go to Yosemite quite often, and I made a little website with pics the last time we were there. If you'd like, you can click on the link to see the pics that I took. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see our own pages, and on some of the pics, if you hold your cursor over them, the names of points of interest will show up: Yosemite 2000

You might consider this type of trip - I did this when my cousins came out from Spain, and it took a week:

<u>Day 1</u> Los Angeles - San Luis Obispo
Leave Los Angeles, and drive up the Pacific Coast on Hwy 1. You'll pass Malibu (where they filmed Baywatch), Morro Bay, with the famous Morro Rock, Gilroy (home of the Garlic Festival), San Simeon (Hearst Castle), and end up at Santa Barbara for lunch. Of course, you could decide to stop at Hearst Castle, and visit this American Castle for a tour. The drive to Santa Barbara w/very short stops is about 4 hours. Visit Sta. Barbara (very beautiful town, and home of TheLionKing), and take a walking tour of the Old Santa Barbara, visit the mission, if you'd like, or walk along the boardwalk, and enjoy the shops along the beach, etc. After leaving Sta. Barbara, continue on to Solvang - a nice Danish community, and a nice place to stop for dinner, maybe. Stop along the way at the famous Madonna Inn, known for its unique rooms, like the Caveman room, etc. (Be sure to go downstairs & check out the Men's room, and Ladies' room, too) End your day at San Luis Obispo, and spend the night there

<u>Day 2</u> San Luis Obispo - Monterey
Leave SLO, and head back to the coast. If you'd like to see one of the best preserved California missions, stop at La Purísima Mission to see how the Spaniard missionaries lived when they came over. Continue along the coast - you'll pass Big Sir, & might want to make a stop there. The coastline here is very famous, and often pictured in calendars. You'll end up in Monterey.

<u>Day 3</u> Monterey
Spend the day in Monterey & visit Cannery Row (made famous by John Steinbeck… I think). The 17 Mile Drive is another must see. We saw a lot of seals and sea otters swimming out in the open - I fell in love with Monterey. The Monterey Aquarium is another great place to visit.

<u>Day 4</u> Monterey - San Francisco
You can go to Carmel & visit (where Clint Eastwood once was mayor), or go straight to San Francisco. You can go along the coast, but if you cut in on Hwy 101 (I think), you'll save a lot of time, and get to the city more quickly, where you can visit the sights

<u>Day 5</u> San Francisco
Visit SF - Pier 39, Ghiradelli Square, ride the trolleys, visit the SF Bridge. We took a drive across the SF bridge, past Berkley, to Oakland, and drove back on the Oakland Bay Bridge - that was nice, too.

<u>Day 6</u> SF - Yosemite
You'll be in Yosemite by early afternoon

<u>Day7</u> Yosemite
Either spend the night @ Yosemite, or return to LA that night (though you probably won't want to leave - it's so beautiful)

<u>Day 8</u> Yosemite - Los Angeles
Great ride until you hit that LA traffic

Of course, these are just ideas

 

[mkunichi]

Originally posted by Dimplenose
Thanks for your information, I had planned to drive as it didn't look so far on the map! At least I'm only in the planning stage.

Would it be easier to travel into San Fransisco and out of Los Angeles and do the national parks on the way down or am I being over ambitious for a fortnight with Disneyland etc. included - perhaps I could persuade DH and the kids to go for 3 weeks

Depending on your originating city and whether you want to minimize drive times, you should consider flying directly into Fresno (FAT). There is nonstop service from the following airports:

Colorado Springs, CO
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
Des Moines, IA
El Paso, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles
Mexico City
Palm Springs
Phoenix, AZ
Portland, OR
Salt Lake City, UT
San Francisco
Seattle, WA

Fresno is about 90 miles from Yosemite Village - 2 1/2 hours drive time.

This past autumn I did a whirlwind tour of Sequoia/Kings Canyon and Yosemite - 5 days/4 nights. Flew in and out of Fresno. There's a lot of jaw dropping beauty in the Sierras. Do you plan on doing much hiking?

 

[sueg]

We did a variation of Mary Jo's trip last Aug. We spent 10 days. We flew into SF & stayed 3 days, ending w/ a day in wine country. We drove south & stayed 1 nt. in Monterrey (loved that 17 mi. drive) Continued south & enjoyed the Hearst Castle, had lunch in Morro Bay. We considered staying at the Madonna Inn, but aug./weekend timing didn't work out for us. But go to their website, you can tour each room! Drove to Santa Maria & stayed in the Santa Maria Inn (which I highly recommend!) Headed down to Anaheim, where where stayed at Hilton for 1 nt. & enjoyed Anaheim vs. Yankees game (would have enjoyed it more if Yankees won, darn that rally monkey).Then we moved over to DL & stayed 3 nts. at Grand Californian, flew out of Orange Cty./John Wayne. Great trip, wish we had more time.

 

[Dimplenose]

MaryJo, your trip looks absolutely fantastic. It's quite tempting to give Disneyland a complete miss, but I think my kids might complain!!

Mkunichi - we'll be travelling from England so I think my options of arrival airport are limited.
I wasn't planning on hiking - I'm quite a softie - but since seeing MaryJo's site I might consider it.

We won't be able to go this year (we've got a trip to WDW booked for this summer and it will take a while to save the pennies for Calafornia) but I like to plan well in advance (and plan and plan and replan etc. as that's half the fun). I must admit I hadn't realized there was so much natural beauty in the area until I started researching.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>::::sigh::::

We just got home from a fun camping trip to Cedar Grove in King's Canyon. King's Canyon is right next to Sequoia (sister National Parks, if you would), and "on our way home" yesterday, we decided to go to Yosemite first, just for the afternoon. We left around noon, and got to the valley around 3ish or so, and had pizza at Curry Village - as with every single time I've been there, I was moved to tears at the sheer beauty of Yosemite.

King's Canyon is touted as a close rival of Yosemite, with its sheer granite cliffs... and I really enjoyed being there, but when we drove around the Yosemite Valley floor, I felt so at home. We ended up going up to Glacier Point, and watching the alpen glow as the sun set. We left around 8pm or so from Glacier Point, and arrived at our home at 2:15am this morning. It was a lot of driving, and we were only in Yosemite for 5 hours, but it was worth it to the rascals and me.

It took us about 6 hours to get home from Glacier Point - going the speed limit (most of the time), and dealing with very little traffic problems.

Pictures will be forthcoming after this weekend.