Blogs from Yosemite National Park, California, United States, North America

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Though I hardly consider myself a frugal traveler, there are times where being frugal is smarter, faster, and easier. Consider these ideas. Stop buying food at the airport! Yes, carry snacks, energy bars, dried fruit and nuts. For longer trips, perhaps make a sandwich at home. Not only is airport food expensive, it is not very good or healthy (with a few exceptions). Don't park at the airport. Either park off site or take public transportation. Enough said. Avoid peak travel. I prefer to schedule my trips by avoiding summer months and holidays. My favorite travel months are May and October, slightly off peak, and perhaps a time to find some discounts and bargains. Use public transportation at your destination. This includes the airport to hotel segment as well. The experience is much richer compared to ... read more
Stay away from airport $ conversion.
Always try the happy hour


Aujourd'hui, c'est notre dernier jour dans le Yosemite. Nous voulions aller visiter Mariposa Grove qui regroupe plus d'une centaine de sequoias géant. Malheureusement, le sept juillet dernier, le feu a pris tout près du site. Surnommé le washburn fire, il a été plus d'une semaine hors de contrôle et les pompiers ont lutter pour sauvegarder les séquoias. L'ensemble du secteur avait été évacué. Depuis, le feu a été contrôlé et il s'est déplacé vers l'est, laissant les séquoias indemne. Cependant, le site était fermé au public. Cepandant, la chance nous a souris puisque le site a justement réouvert le matin même ou notre visite était prévue. Mariposa grove se trouve à trente kilomètres d'Oakhurst, donc, au sud du parc, juste après l'entrée et les contrôles. Nous ne sommes pas en avance ce matin, on a fait ... read more
Mariposa Grove
Le Grizzli
Tunnel Tree


La nuit à été bonne dans notre nouvel hébergement. On se réveille vers huit heures et on se prépare. La journée promet d'être belle, en effet, le soleil brille sans aucun nuage, et il fait déjà vingt-neuf degrés. On ne s'attarde pas, car il faut une heure trente pour rejoindre la vallée depuis Oakhurst. La route est très belle, mais elle serpente énormément et la vitesse est donc réduite. On arrive dans la vallée après avoir traversé un tunnel d'environ un kilomètre. A sa sortie, il y a un point de vue sur la vallée. On s'y était arrêté hier mais on veux voir si la lumière est mieux ce matin pour prendre une photo. Ca n'est pas flagrant, aussi, on repart très vite pour entrer dans la vallée. On veux egalement essayer de s'approcher de ... read more
Bridalveil Fall
Merced River
Yosemite Fall


Il a plu une bonne partie de la nuit. Le ciel est très nuageux quand on se réveille et il fait plutôt frais ce matin, environ dix-sept degrés. On range nos affaires et on quitte notre AirBnB. Il était très bien, et ca nous a permis d'avoir une nourriture plus saine. Enfin, des pates au beurre ! Il est dix heure quand on prend la route en direction du parc de Yosemite, en empruntant la Tioga road, un col qui traverse la Sierra Nevada, à plus de trois mille mètre d'altitude, mais qui n'est ouvert que quelques mois de l'année, entre début juin et fin novembre. La route s'étend sur environ cent kilomètres et longe une multitude de lacs de montagne et de prairie alpines. Le point central est Tuolumne Meadows, une gigantesque prairie alpine d'où ... read more
Tuolumne Meadow
Tuolumne Meadow
Tuolumne Meadow


While some of us slept in, I was up at 6am doing laundry. We didn’t have cell service or WiFi so I couldn’t work on my blog. By the time my laundry was finished everyone else was up, had breakfast, and was ready to check outYosemite. Bug problem….no maps. Our host had a few small copied maps that were difficult to read but they weren’t very helpful. We had no clue where to go. AND the vacation rental office was closed so they were no help. Fortunately we talked to a neighbor who would guide us to the nearest visitors center. We were so grateful. First stop was what is known as tunnel view, so named because you are just coming out of a tunnel through the mountain and the view opens up to all the ... read more
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Every August as the heat waves roll through, I start dreaming about Autumn. I know it's a bit early, but its my favorite season. I know its only a matter of time before we start getting that fresh crisp air, changing leaves, pumpkin everything, cozy sweaters, and warm pies fresh out of the oven. Autumn is also a great time to travel to the mountains. We live in the Carolinas and enjoy frequent drives and hikes to the surrounding blue ridge mountain area. In Autumn, we're always trying to catch those beautiful multi-colored leaves before they fall to the ground. These local trips to the mountains are basically what has replaced our bigger travels since the pandemic. But right before the world was flipped upside down with Covid, I got the chance to take a solo ... read more
Yosemite Valley Chapel and Autumn colors
Autumn Views in Yosemite
Autumn trails


My best and only travel buddy sent me an excerpt from an article he read in the Wall Street Journal. He said it applies perfectly to me. Wanderlust is a beautiful state of being! WSJ: One section explains "in many ways having traveled is far superior to actual traveling. Most of us travel in search of a story , but the pleasure of shaping the narrative comes only in retrospect -- usually within some quiet place back home, The helps explain why so many of the world's best travel writers have, paradoxically , also embraced long sessions off the road".So, yes, I agree, it does apply to me. And I do write daily blogs about our trips. But the greatest joy comes from family and friends who ask about our trips, past and ... read more
More wanderlust
What Is Wanderlust?


Lauren and I went to Yosemite for a week,. Drove and stayed in two airbnbs. One inside the valley/park one down more south in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Incredible and spectacular. My favourite place for scenery. Yosemite National Park is famed for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome.... read more
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This was going to be my first vacation in two years. I usually like to plan my trips, but this one wasn't. My flight to San Jose was supposed to take off at five in the morning. I fell asleep while seated and woke up more than an hour later only to find the plane still grounded. The flight was delayed by more than two hours. By the time I got to San Jose, I was under-slept and tired. I just had some food and went to sleep. The next day was going to be exciting. The next morning, I had a freak accident. I sneezed not very violently, but somehow managed to pull my back muscle - very badly - so bad that I had trouble moving initially. I struggled to get dressed and saw ... read more
Waterfall
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Vorgestern habe ich wieder gut gefrühstückt, bevor ich zeitig mit dem Auto zum Glacier Point gefahren bin. Dieser Berg ist einer der Highlights im Yosemite Park. Die Fahrt dorthin war sehr interessant. Es wird ja immer vor Bären gewarnt. Aber ich habe keinen gesehen. Wenn man einen trifft, soll man sich groß machen und laut schreien und es gab anscheinend noch keine Tötungen durch sie. An diesem Point bin ich gut angekommen und habe auch noch einen Parkplatz bekommen. Dann bin ich das letzte Stück noch zu Fuß und habe wieder Fotos gemacht. Man befindet sich dann direkt über dem Yosemite Valley. Danach bin ich wieder zur Lodge und habe nach kurzem Suchen zum Glück dort auch einen Parkplatz bekommen. Im Starbucks habe ich wieder einen Frappuccino getrunken, bevor ich den PC an der Rezeption benutzt ... read more
Im Yosemite Park.
Im Yosemite Park.
Im Yosemite Park.




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