A few weeks ago, my family and I traveled to Yosemite National Park, and it was amazing! And this is from a girl who doesn’t always love camping and the outdoors. We drove about six hours up there, granted there was an accident on the freeway, but the family time in the car was nice. Once we got there, we were pleasantly surprised at the number of people in the park because Yosemite is only allowing half the usual number of its visitors in it due to COVID-19 (which means the park is a lot less crowded). There were still a good amount of people visiting though, but it’s no wonder so many people visit the park each day since there is so much to do and see. My family did a lot of research on what to do and see while we were up there, and in case you too were planning on visiting the national park, I’ve created a little travel guide with all of my favorite things we did and saw while we were there that you too can follow when you visit!

HIKING:

One of the most important boxes to check while in Yosemite, at least in my opinion, is to do a hike. There are many hikes, ranging in difficulty, and every hike is beyond beautiful! We did an amazing hike up to Vernal Falls, a gorgeous waterfall, that was steep but only about 1.5 miles long. However, we then continued up to Nevada Falls, another waterfall, which made the hike about 10 miles round trip. This was my favorite hike I’ve ever done because of the views. It felt like we were on another planet! Plus, the way down is super nice because we came down the John Muir Trail switchbacks. This means the trail does not go straight down, but instead goes horizontally back and forth in a “Z” shape the whole way down which is a nice cool down from the steep way up.  Obviously, I know 10 miles is not easy, however, the views from the hike are absolutely incredible. If you do not choose to hike up to Nevada Falls, hiking to Vernal Falls is a must. Not only was there a stunning waterfall to see, but there were rainbows caused by the waterfall and the mist. Plus, you get a little misted while walking up to the waterfall, hence the name of the trail to Vernal Falls which is called the Mist Trail. 

If this hike doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in, be sure to check out the official list of Yosemite hikes.  

WHERE TO STAY:

There are a few hotels to stay at in the park, and there are also a few campgrounds. The two most popular hotels are the Awhanee and the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Both are good experiences if you do not want to camp (like me). However, there are cabins and tents to stay in if you do want to camp. I saw a lot of grills at the campgrounds if you want to grill food while staying in a cabin or tent. Also, there are a few hotels and other places to stay right outside the park, but you will have to drive into the park each day if you choose to stay at one of these hotels. However, if you do choose to stay outside the park, make sure you reserve a day pass in advance, as they are limited right now. 

MORE ACTIVITIES:

There is 1 mile walk out to a point called Taft Point that is absolutely incredible because of the views from the point. Also, Washburn Point has beyond beautiful views as well. You can see multiple waterfalls and so much more from this point. Both of these points are about 45 minutes from the valley floor/main area of the park. 

I also highly recommend biking. We spent a whole day biking all around the park, and it was definitely a highlight! We biked to El Capitan and then to Mirror Lake where you can swim. There are tons of bike trails around Yosemite with signs all over the park which makes biking super easy and pleasant. Plus, the bike trails are pretty flat in the valley floor. 

WHAT TO PACK:

Since it’s summer, I would definitely recommend bringing lots of shorts and t-shirts to wear while being acitve during the day. However, I also recommend packing pants and jackets for the night time since it does cool off in the evening. Here are some of my favorite items to buy for Yosemite (some of which I packed myself):

If you go to Yosemite, be sure to tell me how your trip went and if my recommendations were helpful!