Yosemite National Park is one of those bucket list destinations. It is a place both of us have wanted to get to and we were able to finally work it into our itinerary. Yosemite National Park is a must-visit when travelling in California. We loved the scenery here and it was a highlight of our holiday.
When
We visited Yosemite National Park in October and enjoyed sunny days but cool temperatures, particularly in the night time. The park was busy, but not overwhelmingly so, as it appears to be in summertime. The leaves had started changing colour which was beautiful. The activities were starting to finish up for the year, so if you travel later there may be limited options available.
We Stayed
We stayed at the Yosemite Valley Lodge as we wanted the convenience of staying within the park and not having to travel in and out each day. Our room was basic but comfortable and had everything we needed. For the standard of accommodation, it is overpriced, but you are paying for the location. We visited the Majestic Yosemite Hotel during our stay and it looked lovely and a big step up from the lodge. If it is within your budget, go for it!
Getting around
We hired a car in San Francisco and drove to Yosemite National Park. The traffic was very busy at times around the valley floor. This appeared to be due to the road works that were taking place at the time. It is recommended once you arrive in the valley floor that you park your car and walk around or use the complimentary shuttle buses between destinations.
Must Visit
Dan
Taft Point – This was a relatively easy walk through the forest to the point. There was a little bit of rock scrambling towards the end. The view from the point was amazing and with no barriers it definitely tested your nerve. We watched a girl on a slack line over a shear drop which was just amazing! There was only a few people out at the point compared to the crowds at Glacier Point.
Erika
Glacier Point for Sunset – This is one of the most popular things to do in Yosemite and it did not disappoint. The area was a much larger than I imagined and there were just so many spectacular vista points to choose from. Parking can be a problem so we would recommend getting here with plenty of time to spare so you can watch the colours change as the sun sets.
Must Eats
Nothing to add here – I would suggest bringing some of your own food!
Keto Finds
Keto food options were pretty limited within the park. We had stocked up on some breakfast and lunch items at a supermarket in San Francisco before leaving, and we were so glad we did! In the food court of the Yosemite Valley Lodge we managed to find a Chef’s Salad with Ranch Dressing, which included ham, boiled egg, cheese and salad. We also picked up a burger from there one night and just removed the bun. There appeared to be some good options at the Mountain Room, which is the sit-down restaurant within the lodge, but it was a little out of our price range.
Favourite Experience
We both really enjoyed the Yosemite Valley Floor Tour. We booked the 1pm time slot with the hope it would be warm enough for the open tram rather than a coach. The vehicle is dependent on the weather and we were lucky enough to have the tram on our tour. Word of advice – rug up – it did get very cold at times. The tour is fully narrated by a naturalist, we had Miles and he was really informative. There were also some photo stops along the way at Valley View and Tunnel View. We would definitely recommend this as a great opportunity to learn more about the park.
Wish We Had
Tuolumne Meadows – This looks like an amazing area of the park to visit but we just didn’t have time on this trip.
Give it is a Miss
Waterfalls in October – We were aware of this before our trip, but it was still a little disappointing that there was little to no water in the waterfalls. If you are coming to see waterfalls you should visit from May to July.
Let us know in the comments your favourite experience from Yosemite or perhaps where you are hoping to go!
Check out our other time in..
Disclosure: The above post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission from purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Everything we recommend on our website are products we use and love. Thank you for supporting Have Butter will Travel and allowing us to share our low carb experiences with you.
Leave a Reply