Expert: Steve Summers - 7/6/2004

Question
I want to thank you for the El Portal tip, looking for lodging. We booked Yosemite View Lodge, will take your advice on the Grand Tour and shuttle. You were the only one to mention that, most websites show in the park (all booked) or Mariposa.   We were so enthused by your response that we changed our whole trip to stay three days in Yosemite.  THANK YOU.

Answer
Ellie,

Thank you for your kind response and feedback.

My entire family really loves Yosemite, and we are still aglow from spending last week there.

Since you are staying a third day, I was just thinking of a couple of other things you might enjoy:

Check out the productions in the Yosemite Theater- either "Wild Stories With John Muir" with Lee Stetson, or "Sarah Hawkins Contemplates a Fourth Marriage ", with Connie Stetson. If you only have time for one of these productions (8:00 PM in the Yosemite Theater), then see Sarah Hawkins. Lee would be the first one to tell you that his wife is better than he is, but the fact of the matter is that they are both outstanding. If you can see both shows, by all means do so. Look in the little newspaper that you get when you come in the park. http://www.johnmuirlive.com/present.html

Try to have $20 ready when entering the park to pay the entrance fee. Also, don't lose the little green receipt that they give you, since you will need it to get in and out of the park.

Don't forget your swimsuits. A dip in the hot tub is a great way to remove the stress of driving at the end of a long day. Also, the valley can get hot. You might want to pay a couple bucks for a dip in the pool in Yosemite or Curry Village, or just dip your toes in the Merced River. A pair of cheap water socks goes a long way if you are thinking of walking about the river bank.

I have found the food in the Yosemite Lodge restaurants (e.g., the Mountain Room) to be less than desireable. The last few times we ate there, we paid a lot of money for very average food. Completely underwhelming, considering it was Yosemite. However, I will amend that by saying that I have not eaten there for a few years, and the concessionaire has changed. I have also been similarly unimpressed with the cafeteria at Curry Village, and have not eaten there in years. Every time we have gone, we have made sure to bring enough food for the trip, with the exception of the last night, when we usually eat pizza. Degnan's Loft or the Pizza Patio in Curry Village both make decent pizza, which is saying something. Mountain pizza is difficult to make, since it is harder to make the dough rise. Perhaps time and better management have improved in the restaurants, which might be worth trying.

Make all your cell phone calls before entering Yosemite. We could not even get one "dot" on our cell phones while in the valley.

A hike to Mirror Lake is not too difficult, and yet rewarding. Take shuttle stop 17, and don't forget to take your water.

At 4000 feet, Yosemite Valley is still high enough to make you dehydrate faster than you would expect. Buy a case of water bottles before heading to the hills.

That's about it, have a great time!

Thanks again,

Steve