How to Spend 1 Unforgettable Day in Yosemite

Are you thinking about popping over to Yosemite National Park but only have 1 day to spare? Are your friends telling you that spending only 1 day in Yosemite is not worth it and you should leave it for another trip?

I’m here to tell you that it is 100% possible to visit Yosemite in 1 day and still see a lot of the park. I have a friend who did exactly that and of course she wants to go back for a return trip to see and do more but Dave and I spent 4 days in Yosemite and we also want to go back for more.

This guide will give you a list of all of the things that you cannot miss if you are in Yosemite for 1 day along with a 1 day itinerary. I do recommend staying 2 nights in Yosemite Valley if you can, so that you have a full day to explore.

Alternatively, you could join a 1 day tour from San Francisco which would be a massive day but also a great way to take any worry about driving, accommodation and itinerary planning away from you.

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Yosemite in a Nutshell

Itinerary Snapshot

Commonly Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to get to Yosemite National Park

The closest airport to Yosemite is Fresno Airport. From Fresno, it is a 1.5 hour drive to the Yosemite National Park Entrance and from there, about another hour before you reach Yosemite Valley.

Is it worth it to spend 1 day in Yosemite?

In my opinion, 1 day is better than no days in Yosemite. 1 day will give you a small taster of what Yosemite is all about and will help you know whether you want to plan a return trip for a longer period of time such as 4 days in Yosemite.

Is half a day enough for Yosemite?

If you only have half a day to see Yosemite, I would probably leave it for another time because you would end up taking up a lot of your time just drive to and getting around Yosemite. Personally I think the minimum amount of time you can spend in Yosemite, is 1 whole day.

What is the best 1 day Yosemite National Park Tour

From San Francisco
This 1 day tour takes you to all of the best places in the park, including Tunnel View, Bridalveil Falls, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Tuolumne Grove and Valley View.

From Lake Tahoe
Travelling from Lake Tahoe, you will get around 6 hours in Yosemite National Park, stopping at loads of epic viewpoints. You will also get to hike to Bridalveil Falls or Lower Yosemite Falls.

From San Jose
On this tour from San Jose, you will see some of the most beautiful spots in Yosemite including Tunnel View, Bridalveil Falls, Half Dome, Sentinel Bridge, Lower Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Tuolumne Grove.

Stay in Yosemite Valley the night before and after to get the most out of your time

If you only have 1 day in Yosemite, I highly recommend trying to stay in the park for 2 nights so that you do actually have 1 full day there and not just half a day. Even once you have arrived in Yosemite, there is a lot of driving involved to get around the park which is extremely time consuming but unfortunately, necessary.

We camped at Wawona Campground, which I actually don’t recommend because it is a 1 hour drive to reach Yosemite Valley from there. We wasted SO much time and petrol driving back and forth. If you are camping, try to get a reservation at Upper, Lower or North Pines Campgrounds instead. 😉

Hotels in Yosemite Valley that are worth checking out are:

The Yosemite Valley Lodge – A gorgeous lodge made from wood and glass and located near the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail.

The Ahwahnee – Located close to the Yosemite Visitor Centre and has great facilities such as an outdoor pool, a gorgeous restaurant that kind of reminds me of the Great Hall in Harry Potter, a bar and beautiful rooms.

Curry Village – Curry Village is more like a glamping experience with Canvas Tents and Cabins to choose from which are a bit more affordable than the Yosemite hotels.

How much does it cost to spend 1 day in Yosemite

For 1 day in Yosemite, you will need food for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 1 day plus a dinner the night before and breakfast the day after if you plan on staying in the park for 2 nights either side. If you plan on eating out, I recommend budgeting for about $100 per person for the full day.

For accommodation, you will need to budget on average around $500-600 for 2 nights, unless you are camping which will be more like $70 for 2 nights.

You will need a full tank of petrol so make sure you fill up in Wawona.

Lastly, you will need a national parks pass and a reservation in peak periods. The national parks pass is $35 at the park entrance. This pass will last you 3 consecutive days. Alternatively, you can purchase an America the Beautiful Pass which is an annual pass that will let you visit loads of national parks throughout the USA.

The Yosemite Day Reservation is required to enter the park during certain times in the year. This reservation is only $2 per day and you can make the reservation and check the dates that this reservation is required on at recreation.gov.

Yosemite Reservations – when do you need them

As I said above, during peak season and times throughout the year, you will need to book a day permit to visit Yosemite National Park. These cost $2 per day and you can do this here.

When is the best time to visit Yosemite

Summer is the most popular time to visit Yosemite but if you want to avoid some of the craziest crowds, I recommend going in late Spring or early Fall. We were there in the absolute peakest of the peak season and it was like Disneyland! Still worth it in my opinion, but just very hectic.

1 Day Yosemite National Park Itinerary

Are you not sure how to spend 1 day in Yosemite? Here is a full 1 day itinerary to help you cover all of the must-see viewpoints while you are there. Dave and I spent 4 days in Yosemite so I have made this itinerary to cover all of the best spots condensed into 1 epic day in Yosemite!

Sunrise – Tunnel View (driving time from Yosemite Valley: 20 minutes)

Tunnel View is one of the best views (and most famous ones) in Yosemite National Park. You are not allowed to miss this view.

There is no hiking involved but the viewpoint is ALWAYS busy. Yes, even at sunrise. You could take a packed breakfast with you or head back to your hotel for breakfast afterwards.

There are 2 parking lots at Tunnel View and you should be able to get a spot if you arrive just before sunrise. The viewpoint itself is quite large so there is plenty of room for everyone. From the viewpoint, you will see Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome.

We spent a sunset at Tunnel View which was absolutely beautiful and ate our dinner there. Imagine a postcard with that classic Yosemite photo. That is what Tunnel View looks like.

Morning – Breakfast in Yosemite Valley (driving time from Tunnel View: 15minutes)

After witnessing a hopefully epic sunrise at Tunnel View, drive back down into Yosemite Valley and grab some breaky and coffee to fuel your adventure packed day. You could get this from Starbucks, Base Camp Eatery (right next to Starbucks), Degnan’s Kitchen, Curry Village Dining or the Wawona Hotel Dining Room.

We brought most of our food with us so we only went to Starbucks once for a nice cold drink.

Mid-morning – Snap a photo at Sentinel Bridge (driving time from Yosemite Valley Lodge 15 minutes)

Sentinel Bridge is one of the most photographed spots in Yosemite, and.. for some reason, we missed it! I think it was because the parking lot was always full? I can’t even remember why we missed it. It could have also been because of how hot it was that we just couldn’t find the energy to walk to Sentinel Bridge from another parking lot but I do regret missing it now!

Mid-late morning – Take a stroll around Cook’s Meadow 

Distance: 1.6km / 1 mile | Elevation: Flat | Time: 30 minutes

I recommend staying in the Sentinel Bridge parking lot for this because Cook’s Meadow is right next to it. Cook’s Meadow is a great little loop to do to see the views around the valley by foot. Along the loop, you will see views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and Sentinel Rock.

Lunch 12:30pmish – Yosemite Valley or Curry Village

If you head back to Yosemite Valley or Curry Village, you can grab a bite to eat for lunch and one of the many restaurants. Base Camp Eatery is a good choice for a quick hot meal.

Early Afternoon 1:30pm: See Lower Yosemite Falls (across the road from the Yosemite Lodge Food Court)

Distance: 1.9km / 1.2 miles | Elevation: 17m / 55 ft | Time: 25-30 minutes

Lower Yosemite Falls is a small and enjoyable (but probably crowded) loop walk to the falls from the parking lot. We did both the Upper Yosemite Falls hike (well half of it.. we gave up because it was SO hot) and the Lower Yosemite Falls and honestly, I preferred the Lower Falls Trail.

Probably because it was more sheltered from the sun on such a hot day, but also because you could get nice and close to the falls.

Walk to the bottom of Bridalveil Falls

Distance: 1.3km / 0.8 miles | Elevation: 35m / 114 ft | Time: 20-30 minutes

Bridalveil Falls is a short walk to the bottom of the falls. The falls are pretty impressive but if you are visiting at the end of Summer or Fall, they might not be worth a visit. All of the Yosemite waterfalls generally are at their best during Spring and early Summer. The above photo is from when we visited at the beginning of July.

Soak up the views at Washburn Overlook

Washburn Overlook has some of the best views in Yosemite that you don’t need to hike to! You can stop here on your way to Glacier Point and it shouldn’t take too long because you can literally see the viewpoint from the parking lot.

From the viewpoint, you can see Half Dome and Vernal and Nevada Falls.

Late Afternoon – Get some epic photos at Glacier Point

Glacier Point is one of the best views in Yosemite National Park and is also insane at sunrise and sunset. The best part is you don’t have to walk far from the parking lot.

Sunset – Hike to Taft Point

Distance: 3.7km / 2.3 miles | Elevation: 108m / 354 ft | Time: 1-1.5 hours

Taft Point is the best sunset spot in Yosemite and I highly recommend hiking to the viewpoint for sunset, however, if you don’t feel comfortable hiking back in the dark, you could switch this around with Glacier Point. Glacier Point is another amazing sunset spot in Yosemite and there is no hiking involved.

What if I can’t fit all of this into my schedule? What can I cut out?

If you are anything like me, you might take longer at each location and viewpoint because you are taking loads of photos, or simply just enjoying the views.

If you don’t think you can fit everything on this itinerary in, you could take out Lower Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Falls, especially if you are visiting outside of Spring or early Summer when the falls are less impressive. You could also choose to only hike a section of the Cook’s Meadow trail but everything else I would 100% keep on your itinerary!

Our Thoughts

I say if you have 1 day to spare on your California road trip and you are near Yosemite, just go for it and book in a day to explore the park! You will not regret it, especially if you go in with a solid plan of everything you want to do and see while you are there and don’t just wander aimlessly.

Enjoy one of the most beautiful national parks in the USA and if you are visiting California, you might also find these guides useful:

• The Best 2 Day Lake Tahoe Summer Itinerary
• Dreamy Places to Paddle Board in Lake Tahoe
• The Ultimate 15 Day California Road Trip Itinerary
• Where to go Swimming in Yosemite

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