a California mom’s guide to 24 hours in Yosemite

a California mom's guide to Yosemite Valley

Table of Contents

You probably know by now that our family loves National Parks. Luckily, California has a lot of amazing ones to choose from. I know that not everyone is fortunate enough to live near a National Park. For those of you that are though, you have the unique opportunity to go for the day. Even being a few hours away, sometimes we don’t have more than a day to spend at Yosemite. Here are my suggestions for what to do with 24 hours in Yosemite with kids.

24 hours in Yosemite National Park.

what to do if you have 24 hours in Yosemite

It can be overwhelming when you’re thinking about trying to hit all the major spots in less than a day. So today I’m excited to share with you some tips for spending 24 hours in Yosemite National Park. It should be noted that I’m focusing on Yosemite Valley. However, if you’re going on a day that might be busier then it would probably be better for you to explore one of the other beautiful parts of the park. Consider areas such as Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, or Wawona on holidays or weekends.

| Read: Stay near Hetch Hetchy at Evergreen Lodge |

a California mom's guide to Yosemite Valley

planning a Yosemite Day Trip

First and foremost, you must get an early start. Definitely try and be in the park by noon. Earlier is better, and a 9:00 am goal is even better during the summer or weekends. We happen to live four hours from Yosemite Valley so that means an early start for us! Parking can fill up quickly so it’s best to get there early. I also recommend that you find a central place where you can stay parked all day. From there you can plan to walk, take the shuttle buses, or ride a bike. I recommend parking at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, if you can. It is centrally located and from there you can walk to see several sites easily, or hop on a shuttle to visit other parts of Yosemite Valley.

Places to walk to from the Valley Visitor Center parking:
Consider taking the shuttle bus to:

When you’re ready to head home at the end of the day I highly recommended stopping at Bridalveil Fall. It will mean some extra driving around due to the one way roads in Yosemite Valley, but it’s worth it. Bridalveil Fall gives you the unique opportunity to take a very short walk right to the base of a waterfall. You’re able to get much closer than even at Yosemite Falls! Since the walk is so short this also means that most people are not sticking around for very long and it’s easier to find parking here.

A note of caution always–Yosemite is beautiful but the waterways and falls can be very dangerous. Always obey posted signs and take precautions.

a California mom's guide to Yosemite Valley

Looking for more National Park travel tips? Check out these posts:

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Have you spent much time in Yosemite National Park?
24 hours in Yosemite