Yosemite is a fantastic place to explore; lying in the Western Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, the National Park offers stunning views, awesome yet challenging hikes and vast lakes to enjoy a day on the water. There’s no danger of being bored when travelling to Yosemite.
If you’re the hiking type then definitely visit the Half Dome and explore the trails to the top. With a 14 mile round trip its sure to make for an awesome adventure, and some great snaps when you reach the top! Oh and maybe wear something other than just flip-flops, I can tell you from personal experience that they’re not ideal for the mountains of Yosemite.
Once you reach the top it’s time to relax, soak in the awesome views and grab those well-deserved photos. You know all of Apple’s mac backgrounds? Yeah, that’s what you’ll see in real life, and it’s definitely worthwhile. I suppose it depends on the weather and the time of year, but I also found it to be relatively quiet and peaceful which was great to enjoy the natural environment around you, so all-in-all it made for a great trip that everyone should definitely experience at some point.
Bass Lake, located further towards the edge of the National Park, is another amazing way to spend your summer days. Just one tip if you’re going to visit, and much the same with any lake you may visit – do NOT jump in at first sight, without considering all of the bank cards still inside your pockets…it makes for slight inconveniences when you’re in a foreign country with no easy access to cash.
But once you’ve checked that nothing remains in your shorts, go ahead and make the most of the day. Boat rentals are relatively cheap (I mean a small boat for max. five people, nothing over the top) so you can spend the entire day on the water and given that Bass Lake is fairly large, it gives you more freedom to check out the different sides.
There’s a wide range of activities, varying from just relaxing, swimming to fishing to jet skiing, so there’s something for everyone. Just be prepared to pay more for the more extravagant activities – although they’re often well worth it!
As a travel destination, Yosemite rocks! Literally. There’s so much to do, see and explore that any nature lovers and even those who aren’t will be taken aback by the beauties of the place. Situated just over 4 hours from San Francisco and 8 hours from Las Vegas by car, it also makes for a great stop over if you’re visiting either of the two. So definitely visit at some point, let your inner explorer run wild, enjoy and take in all that is to be seen in Yosemite.
