#034 Travel Diary: If I Could Go Anywhere This Summer, I’d Choose Yosemite National Park

Dreaming of a perfect Californian adventure this summer? We would choose this one place over any other in Yosemite...

Hello hello,

Whenever somebody asks me the question, “Where is the best place you’ve ever travelled to?”, or “If there is one place you would want to go back to, where would it be?”, my answer time and time again is: “Yosemite”.

Don’t get me wrong, I have been to many beautiful places in my short, little life that are just as worthy of being my answer, but there is just something about this place.

The first time you see Tunnel View, it feels like a religious experience.

Oh, if God is real, then this is what they mean by heaven on earth.

If you have ever considered visiting the infamous Yosemite National Park, hopefully, this post will convince you.

And if you were to ask us where to stay, we would recommend this ONE place over the rest…

P.S. In case you missed it, we uploaded our most recent YouTube vlog, all about our travels in Mauritius, so make sure you check it out here!

Where To Stay In Yosemite National Park

Visiting Yosemite last year was part of a larger road trip in California for Jacob’s birthday, and we chose to spend two nights and three days in Yosemite for a section of it.

Honestly, I could have spent so much more time there, but at the very least, you will want to stay for two nights.

For anyone who is travelling in or around California to get there, we did about a four-hour drive from San Francisco, which was more than easy to do, and equally made about a four-hour drive back to Los Angeles when we were finished.

What's incredible about driving to Yosemite is that, beforehand, you are just driving on the highway, passing through some pretty normal-looking small towns.

It doesn’t feel like you are near one of the most breathtaking national parks on the planet - and then…

If you are on the route we did, you will most likely drive through Mariposa County, a gorgeous, quaint little town in the mountains that has no traffic lights.

It is from there that things begin to change; the roads become more winding, you feel yourself starting to be surrounded by luscious trees that are brilliant green, and you feel like the only humans on the road.

Mariposa begins to fade away back in the distance, and suddenly, you feel as though you are finally in the wilderness.

That is when Jacob and I arrived in Midpines, and…AutoCamp Yosemite.

What Is Autocamp?

Autocamp is a boutique accommodation experience that is not quite camping, and not quite a hotel.

Set in the stunning landscape of Midpines, this campground is filled with air streamers and upmarket tents, a stunning clubhouse, and a seasonal pool area (oh, and it’s just about an hour’s drive from the entrance to Yosemite National Park.

For us, not having accommodation in the park was a pro, because it meant we didn’t feel in amongst the chaos of busy visitor season, and had a restbite somewhere just as magical.

However, that may be a con for some people, so definitely bear it in mind.

Autocamp is an American summer camp like in ‘The Parent Trap’, but for adults (who can also bring their kids).

Their main focus is providing an upscale glamping experience that is fully inclusive, as well as working on sustainability efforts and their carbon footprint.

They currently have seven locations in America: Joshua Tree, Zion, Russian River, Cape Cod, Catskills and Yosemite.

The location is complete with over 80 airstreams, 15 glamping tents, and 3 cabins, all surrounding a beautiful lake, the clubhouse, as mentioned above, a pool area, and what seems like an endless stretch of outdoor space.

Whichever type of accommodation you choose to stay in, you will have access to your own fire pit, outdoor grill and outdoor seating area, where you can sit in the evening, underneath the stars, and sit agog at how beautiful the place is.

Glamping In Style

The price to stay at Autocamp can be pretty steep, but well worth it for the boutique, high-end experience you get when you’re there.

We chose to stay in the glamping tents for two nights, which was the cheapest option, and we absolutely loved it!

The tents are hugely spacious, complete with a double bed and a couch, and are equipped with everything you could need for your stay; from cooking utensils, towels, camping cookbooks, a mini fridge, you name it.

It was incredible to feel as though we were sleeping outdoors in the wilderness, all the while still being in a luxe, feeling setup.

What might be a turn-off for some will be that the tents have no adjoining showers, meaning you have to use the communal shower and toilet area.

For us, this was no problem as they were beautifully well-kept and in keeping with the vibe of the place, but they are a bit of a walk away, which might not be ideal for some people.

Autocamp provides complimentary coffee and breakfast, free WIFI, and a free daily shuttle to and from Yosemite National Park.

The site also has a General Store, where you can buy provisions to take back to your tent and with you to the park; whether it be logs for the fire, meals to have for dinner after a long day’s adventure, or s’mores to finish off the day.

There are no walkable stores or restaurants near Autocamp, and your nearest access to amenities by car is back in Mariposa, about a ten-minute drive away.

Accessing The National Park And What We Did

Between May and September, Yosemite National Park is at its busiest.

Booking to stay at Autocamp does not automatically grant you access to the park, and tickets have to be purchased in advance on certain days during the summer season in order to gain entry.

On the weeks running up to our visit, I would constantly check in on the main Yosemite website to see when more tickets were released, and I found that it was pretty easy to navigate.

More often than not, tickets are released a week or two in advance, so just keep an eye out!

The best way to access Yosemite is by car, but as previously mentioned, Autocamp runs a free, daily shuttle service to and from the park (though this will give you a bit less freedom with planning on where to go and what to do).

Now I can safely put my hands up and say we are NO experts on what to do when you get into the park - it is humungous, and you aren’t going to get the full experience if you are only there for a day or two.

We did these three specific things:

1. We woke up in the dark and drove an hour to the park entrance for opening, which I believe was around 5 am. Yes, we were extremely tired, but we knew the day was going to be filled with coffee and trek bars, so it didn’t matter. We started with the Mist Trail, which is one of the most popular hikes to do in Yosemite, as well as being beginner-friendly. In saying that, if you are doing this early in the morning, be prepared by wearing enough layers to keep you warm, as the paths do become quite misty. You will also more than likely get a little wet from the water of the Vernal Fall/ Nevada Fall.

   

2. After hiking in the morning, we headed to the valley floor to soak up the breathtaking views and have a bite to eat. From there, we jumped in the car and headed to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. My mind was blown on this walk. Being surrounded by some of the biggest and most ancient trees on the planet is such a humbling experience( the oldest in Yosemite could be as old as 3000 years!). We also saw a bear while driving here, which was so cool.

   

3. Heading back into the main part of the park, we had to do the Tunnel View, which, in my opinion, is one of the most incredible settings I have ever witnessed. If you do nothing else, you must see this.

You simply cannot do everything in one go when at Yosemite, but it gives you the perfect excuse to come back, time and time again. Pretty pooped from our adventures, we did the one-hour drive back to Autocamp, and we couldn’t have been more glad to get back.

We had some dinner, relaxed by the pool, and cooked s’mores over our fire, watching the stars above us and thinking just how grateful we were to be alive…

Chris and Jacob xx