Having spent at least once (but often more) a year in Yosemite since I was 16, experimenting with cabins and hotels along the way so that only you don’t have to.
Yosemite is a vast national park with accommodations that span everything from hotels and cabins to campsites and glamping. As a first time visitor or not, it can be difficult to determine where is the best place to book your accommodation.
In this post, I will give my opinion on the best places to stay in/around Yosemite and describe both pros and cons of each so you can choose what place fits your requirements. A benefit of living in San Francisco is that some of the most beautiful National Parks are just a short drive away. I’m 25 minutes from Muir Woods, four hours or so to Lassen Volcanic National Park, and about three-and-a-half hours shy of Yosemite’s front door.
I’ve been to all of the park entrances, inside Yosemite itself and stayed in so many hotels/cabins/hotels that I’m here to provide you with straight up info on what’s actually worth it. Let’s first determine if you are best suited to remain in Yosemite Valley, or outside of the park.
Should You Stay Inside Yosemite Valley or Outside the Park?
Pros of Staying Inside Yosemite Valley:
- The park This Is essentially your daily commute to the trailers.
- No More Morning Traffic Jams
- Hiking early in the day is common
- Easily photograph classic Yosemite photo spots
- Sleep in the park itself
cons of Staying Inside Yosemite Valley
- Dining on a limited menu
- No nightlife or evening entertainment
- Expect crowds in high summer
- Accommodations can be pricey
pros of staying in Hotels outside the Valley:
- More types of lodging for every budget
- A vibrant local nightlife
- Lots of different food options
- Nearby things to do and see (kayaking, museums, etc.)
Cons of Hotels Out from the Valley:
- Traffic congestion when entering the park, especially over holiday weekends.
- 1 hr drive to Yosemite Valley
Where to Stay When Visiting Yosemite National Park
These are all Yosemite cabins or hotels where either I or trusted friends have stayed, each earning a solid recommendation. This is your go-to guide for where to stay when visiting Yosemite National Park!
Where to Stay Inside Yosemite National Park
Here are my top picks for lodging within the park itself. While options inside Yosemite are limited, these are the best places to stay.
1. Curry Village / Half Dome Village
Location: Yosemite Valley
Season: Summer
Curry Village (also known as Half Dome Village), is perfect option within Yosemite National Park if you’re a fan of glamping ( like me) and your summer National Park road trip ley in other side. (As an aside: Curry Village was the old name, and some folks still call it that.)
Wander the Camp 4 walk-in campground, set right in Yosemite Valley. It is very basic, with room for a bed and your possessions (trash can, light) as well there are bear lockers in the campsite. Feel free to check the train time schedules and descriptions, econoline wagon Most cars make sure brings out all links here it feels taut.
When I visited Yosemite for the first time, this is where my husband and I stayed. This was a once in a lifetime experience waking up under Glacier Point, with Mirror Lake and Vernal Falls trailheads just steps from my tent. We made sure to relax with one of our favorite local beers, Firefall is a great way for us unwind and watch the sunset pass over Half Dome.
Please note, this is glamping—bathrooms are shared and these tents don’t have running water. A heated tent is the way to go, take my word for it—even in summer temperatures drop a heck of a lot down there at night. It is a little more costly but it does make luxury sense Enjoy your stay!
2. The Ahwahnee
Location: Yosemite Valley
Season: Year-round
Not into glamping, well don’t work there either! There are not many accommodation options inside Yosemite National Park, but this classic property is a standout.
Furnished in a style that combines the grandeur of yesteryear with contemporary sophistication, this historic hotel is just as luxurious as you would expect. The dining room is my first choice for dinner in the park (French onion soup — seriously!)., and they also have a pool so you can escape the heat during summer. During Christmas, they perform a festive show with live actors.
Yosemite Valley Lodge is another hotel choice down in the valley, but it lacks that upscale elegance of The Ahwahnee. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel it stick to Half Dome Village if you can help mitigate the touristy experience. But in terms of the quintessential Yosemite stay, The Ahwahnee really can’t be beat!
3. North Pines Campground
Location: Near Curry Village
Season: Summer
While camping in Yosemite is a fantastic experience, it can be highly competitive (like the rest of California so make sure you book at least six months ahead!) Yosemite has 13 campgrounds, ranging from reservable campsites to first come first served and most of the park’s versatile places.
If you like tent camping North Pines Campground Get North Pines Lang is the perfect option. It is off the beaten path from the main road so less traffic or bus loads of tourists coming and going. Still, it’s only a five-minute walk over to Curry Village and still located near popular trailheads and attractions. Lower Pines and Upper Pines are also great, but can be a bit more crowded.
4. Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
Location: Tioga Road
Season: Summer only
They also have tent cabins, similar to the units at Curry Village, but are just near the Tioga Pass Entrance and better for backpackers visiting Yosemite or hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These are only available in summer.
Services in these units are limited to meal service at the lodge (reservations recommended), so you will not have a need for food. While not as refined or intimate and rather off the beaten path from Yosemite Valley, I have kept this place on my list of places I just gotta sleep. Exclusive Yosemite Lodging It also sits close to Lee Vining and Mammoth Lakes, so it is easy to explore June Lake or the Mammoth Hot Springs before spending a couple of nights here in these tent cabins.
Where to Stay Near Yosemite National Park (Outside)
Here are my favorite places to stay near Yosemite—hotels and cabins around the park entrances that offer a truly memorable experience!
5. Sierra Meadows Tiny Cabins
Location: Oakhurst / South Entrance
Season: Year-round
The rooms here are all lovely, with each set in it’s tiny cabin. It’s somewhere in the middle of glamping and a hotel stay on cuddliness. Having spent some time last summer at Sierra Meadows while visiting nearby Oakhurst, the town closest to Yosemite’s South Entrance and my lodging pick of choice as I announced it quickly became one of our favorite places for staying in or near Yosemite. Checking out these little cabins was such a cool experience!
Each cabin includes a bed, nightstands, benches, mini-fridge and even AC/heat (plus lights and Wi-Fi). The bath houses a short walk, and some cabins are pet-friendly making them the perfect location for dog enthusiasts. My husband and I were there for three days, with me enjoying every single day. These cozy lodges are a must to add destinations on where to stay in California.
6. Evergreen Lodge Yosemite
Location: Groveland / Hetch Hetchy Entrance / Big Oak Flat Entrance
Season: Year-round (especially great in autumn!)
spent this past weekend at Evergreen Lodge near Yosemite and HOLY MOLY! And during late October, this is the best spot by far to type of stay in Yosemite. The lodge is surrounded by amazing fall colors.
These are individual cabins with a porch on each room that overlooks the woods. One Day, A Line Of Deer Just Happened To Wander Past My Balcony Like Five Feet Away—How Is That Real Life!
More Than Cozy Cabins At The Resort Free nightly s’mores, property-wide Wi-Fi (also free), a hot tub and pool with views of the sunset, game rooms, etc. And how can we ever overlook the legendary Evergreen Tavern. Nowhere near Yosemite will you find such an incomparable dining experience that joins farm-to-table cuisine with the warm ambience of a 1920s speakeasy complete with fine craft cocktails. Delicious!
7. Acorn Fall A-Frame Cabin
Location: Bass Lake / Southern Entrance
Season: Year-round
This charming Bass Lake cabin is a great place to stay near Yosemite. Its appearance is so beautiful to see! To be honest, I wanted to move in here forever. It has a full kitchen, wrap around porch and high ceilings in the living room with tall windows that create an incredibly inviting environment.
Featuring 4 bedrooms this cabin is able to hold up to 8 people easily, which can come in handy if you are a larger group or even family staying at house for rent near Yosemite.
The cabin is located just outside Oakhurst near the Southern Entrance to Yosemite, and around Oakhurst and Bass Lake there are tons of fun things for you to year-’round. This cabin is a nice, comfortable option for those looking to spend more than just a few nights in the area.
8. Rush Creek Lodge at Yosemite
Location: Groveland / Big Oak Flat Entrance
Season: Year-round
For a more upscale experience on your Yosemite vacation, check out Rush Creek Lodge & Spa. Located in Yosemite National Park and complete with all the amenities required for you to enjoy a romantic stay. While on your own, I also suggest getting a spa treatment here — an ideal way to relax after spending the day climbing and hiking.
As well, one of their hot tubs and the outdoor pool are so nice then to enjoy in winter especially when they get some snow nicely covering up for perfect outcome photographs. Not too far from the Big Oak Flat entrance and actually right near to the Hetch Hatchy gate-house, this lodge is a very helpful location for you if would like to get more places in Yosemite. Certainly up there as one of the best places to stay close to Yosemite!
9. Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
Location: Southern Entrance
Season: Year-round (Christmas is my favorite time to visit!)
It is also another highly rated option near Yosemite South Entrance, in case you do not find a room available at Sierra Meadows The hotel provides free parking, Wi-Fi and entertainment like ice skating or hiking also with spa for relaxation.
The standout feature of a stay here is its nearness to the Sugar Pine Railroad — particularly whismy in freezing-cold times when snow covers all beneath your train-car window and you feel as if taking an enchanted train ride with The Boxcar Children. During the Christmas season, Tenaya Lodge is also my hands down favorite over the top of ahearers for it’s monster tree in the lobby and all around festive ambiance. The time I spent here back in December a couple of years ago, gave it such an awesome holiday feel.
Big drawback is you have to drive 1.5 hours or so into Yosemite Valley from the lodge, but it couldn’t be easier located just outside in addition to being only steps away from Mariposa Grove I recommend the main lodge instead of a private cabin if you are looking for comfort.
10. Best Western Plus Yosemite Gateway Inn
Location: Mariposa / Arch Rock Entrance
Season: Year-round
This is not your ordinary Best Western, Peering into the past, Yosemite Gateway Inn is a rest stop for wayfarers and historic enthusiasts in the town of Mariposa near Arch Rock entrance. In fact, even the lobby is basically a time machine, and some rooms have balconies with tree views.
Mariposa is a charming place, with lovely shops and good local places to eat like tap rooms and farm-to-table restaurants. It has a bit of nightlife, so it is really fun to stay at while you are exploring Yosemite.
11. Mountain Lodge with Hot Tub
Location: Mariposa
Season: Year-round
Are you planning a family trip to Yosemite? You could also rent a cabin! Cabin rentals abound in Yosemite, but not all of them are up to standard requirements. Are you seeing this lodge, although it is only a fishing one — so beautiful and clean.
Inside of the cabin, a spacious great room with vaulted pine ceilings is complemented by a wood stove set atop an elegant slate hearth and floor-to-ceiling windows. The family room has patina — a kitchenette with another wood stove, wet bar and plenty of space for entertaining. The dining area is ideal for gathering, paired with the gourmet kitchen and breakfast nook that feature a walk-in pantry. This other highlights offer an enormous ace suite, visitor room, 2 shower rooms and inside clothing. It is a sizable and well-appointed cabin providing lots of space for all easily making it one of the best cabins in Yosemite for families.
What Are Affordable Hotels Near Yosemite National Park?
these options range from about $65 (at the film worthy-feeling Surfer Beach Hotel in Pacific Beach) to just under $300/night so there are some budget-friendly travel-writer-approved places for everyone. When it comes to budget-friendly accommodation, Yosemite View Lodge is a great bet. It rarely exceeds per night, situated in El Portal (conveniently close to Yosemite Valley), and several rooms have views of the Merced River.
Should I Stay in Fish Camp?
Fish Camp has a few lodging possibilities, such as the Wawona Hotel, but I believe that most Fish Camp hotels and cabins are too remote from Yosemite Valley — or any nightlife. The one exception is Tenaya Lodge, which has many restaurants and even stores on property but more importantly it’s near to Oakhurst where there are some night time spots too. When you stay at Tenaya Lodge, there is plenty of on-site entertainment to keep you engaged off two wheels.
Where to Stay in Yosemite During Winter?
During the winter months, Yosemite becomes a snow globe and it is one of our favorite times to explore there because crowds are thin at best. Yet snow-covered roads can add hours of travel time, chain requirements and sometimes road closures. During winter, you will save time on the commute driving out of Wawona if you can stay in park lodging at The Ahwahnee. Alternatively, you could stay near Mariposa or Groveland entrances that remain open all year as Tioga Pass is closed in the winter and Wawona Road can have limited hours.
Do I Need Yosemite Reservations?
Yosemite began requiring reservations during peak months, even for annual pass holders, in 2020. This system is normally implemented during the summer and relaxed in fall, winter. Before planning your trip, please confirm the reservation requirements and schedule well in advance. But if you can’t get an ADR, park admission is still available prior to 9am.
Conclusion
I hope this guide helps you find the perfect place to stay during your Yosemite adventure! No matter the season, you’re bound to have an amazing time, but choosing the right lodging can really elevate your overall experience.
