Where to Stay When Visiting Yosemite (+ Budget Tips!)

When deciding on where to stay when visiting Yosemite, it’s important to consider what you want to get out of your trip. 

If you’re looking for efficiency, there are hotels and accommodations that will make the best use of your time. If you’re on a budget, you may not mind a bit of a drive in the morning to get to where you’re going if it means saving a pile of money.

On our trip, we wanted to be as close as we could get without staying inside the park itself, as it was just WAY too expensive for what was available.

This guide will get into a detailed review of our pick plus other alternatives depending on what you decide to prioritize on your visit to this spectacular park.

Where to Stay When Visiting Yosemite

If money is no object and you’re tight on time when visiting Yosemite, the Yosemite Valley is the best area to stay while in Yosemite, especially when it’s your first time.

If you’re on a budget, there are several towns just outside of the park with accommodations that are more reasonably priced. That includes El Portal southwest of the park and Lee Vining on the eastern side.

For those who live life on the edge and planning last-minute travel, you may have no choice but to stay outside of the park. I promise you’ll still have a fantastic time. This is California’s most-visited national park for a reason.

Our Pick: The Yosemite View Lodge

The Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal offers a perfectly fine stay if you’re looking for proximity to the park and dog-friendly accommodations. It’s minutes away from the Arch Rock entrance that’ll take you to the Yosemite Valley.

I’d be more enthusiastic if the pricing per night wasn’t where it was, but they know what they’re doing here. They nickel-and-dime you because they can.

Note: If you’re traveling with a pet, you don’t have other options outside of the Yosemite View Lodge that offer access this close to the park.

Paying every 24 hours for WiFi access was a little much. It’s an additional $10 for two devices every day you’re there. Pets are also an additional $25/night, but we never ended up paying it.

I’m not going to remind them that they missed out on the charge, as I’m not a fool and had just spent three nights paying extra to stream Kim’s Convenience.

The lodge itself is a large, motel-style property. That means doors lead out to the outside. Our room appeared to be a king-bed suite, complete with a fireplace, whirlpool, dual shower heads, and a kitchenette with a cooktop.

I’d highly recommend trying to arrange riverside rooms, as you’ll have access to a little deck for your morning coffee where you can watch the Merced River rush by.

It’s pretty fantastic, actually, and more appealing than the spa tub.

Does anyone else feel super weird about spa tubs at hotels? I just keep picturing what may have happened in them ahead of my visit, and no amount of bleach can change that.

All in all, I’d recommend a stay at the lodge, if only for how lax they are about pets there.

Fun fact: I was told we could leave our dog unattended for “a couple hours,” but there really isn’t any set rule on that. Kimmy Kibbler napped well into the afternoon while we were out waterfall trekking and spotting wildlife without incident.

Where to Stay IN Yosemite National Park

Book well in advance if you’re planning on staying inside the park and hitting up national park lodging options.

All of your options for Yosemite’s national park hotels are managed by Yosemite Hospitality, so you’ll need to book through them. Let’s explore each one in a little more detail:

• The Ahwahnee: This is Yosemite’s historic luxury hotel. We had a cocktail out in their gardens and it all seemed quite ideal, but that does come at a price. This one was called The Majestic Yosemite Hotel for a while, in case there’s some confusion.
• Yosemite Valley Lodge: With its proximity to Yosemite Falls, the lodge is a good option for hotel-style rooms within the park.
• Wawona Hotel: The Victorian Wawona Hotel is about authentic decor for the period, with Adirondacks on a wraparound porch, and antique furnishings.

If you’re looking for something a bit more rugged, you’ve got that in the park, too.

Curry Village, the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, and the White Wolf Lodge offer a mix of tent cabins and traditional campground opportunities.

Intrepid travelers looking to get even closer to nature may want to look into the Housekeeping Camp, the High Sierra Camps, or the Glacier Point Ski Hut.

These are popular with off-the-grid travelers who don’t need all the amenities and are into wilderness camping. That’s not me, but I’m not going to stop you.

READ MORE: Love unique destinations? Death Valley has to make your list.

Best Places to Stay NEAR Yosemite

Plotting out at least a loose Yosemite itinerary is a smart move ahead of booking accommodations in and around the park. You may want to be closer to one entrance over another, particularly if you’re short on time in the park.

I suggest proximity to the Yosemite Valley if you only have a day or two dedicated to visiting Yosemite. Both the Arch Rock Entrance and Big Oak Flat Entrance will work for those purposes.

Otherwise, with more time, there are five different entrances to choose from when deciding where to stay in Yosemite.

Arch Rock Entrance

The Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite is the closest entrance to Yosemite Valley. You’re only about 20 minutes to Tunnel View from here, which is pretty sweet. The closest town to the entrance is El Portal. That’s where we stayed.

Towns further out include Midpines and Mariposa, and all come with accommodations that vary from rustic mountain resorts to basic motels.

The Yosemite Inn in Mariposa and Yosemite Bug Mountain Resort in Midpines look like nice options in those towns.

For more options, browse the map below:

Big Oak Flat Entrance

The Big Oak Flat Entrance is another direct route into Yosemite and the scenic Big Oak Flat Road, about a half hour from the edge of the Yosemite Valley.

Your best option for easy access to the Big Oak Flat Entrance and all that Yosemite goodness is the Rush Creek Lodge at Yosemite.

This isn’t roughing it by any means, as you’ll have access to their spa, yoga studios, and pool, all in a setting that is truly a sight to behold.

The largest town near the Big Oak Flat Entrance is Groveland, and you’ll have a number of additional accommodation options in Groveland to choose at a variety of price points.

Note: Keep in mind that driving times will vary depending on what’s going on in the park as far as construction and traffic. What appears to be a short drive looking at mileage may mean over an hour in real time to spots you want to visit in the park. Google maps is your friend as you plan here!

If you like the sound of Groveland, the Yosemite Westgate Lodge and Berkshire Inn are well-reviewed. Use the map below for more options:

Hetch Hetchy Entrance

This is the most remote and northernmost entrance into the park, and ideal for travelers who have been to Yosemite before and want a less populated experience.

Hetch Hetchy is used to access Yosemite’s backcountry, so seasoned Yosemite fans do apply.

If you want to embrace what this section of the park is all about, seek out the Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite in Mather, just over a mile outside of the Hetch Hetchy Entrance.

This beautiful property is essentially a cabin resort, with private decks off of your private escape in the woods.

Groveland, about 45 minutes away, will be the closest larger town to Hetch Hetchy. Foresta to the south is also just under an hour if you’re coming from that direction. there are additional smaller towns coming from either direction for access to this entrance.

If you’d like to extend your stay in these parts and are driving from the west anyway, you may also drive through historic Sonora and Jamestown.

Fun fact: Jamestown has several claims to fame. It’s a Gold Rush town, and the first spot in the county where gold was discovered at that time. It’s also home to Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. The park is known for Hollywood royalty engine No. 3, a train featured in Back to the Future III.

I’ve already shared a few options for El Portal and Groveland, but for some added variety, the Best Western in Sonora is a little more budget-friendly than the rest.

Use the map below for more options near Sonora:

South Entrance

If you’re coming from the south and don’t mind about a 45-minute drive into Yosemite Valley from here, this may be the entrance you target for your Yosemite stay.

The South Entrance is also ideal for exploring the park’s biggest trees. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is just minutes from this entrance, and a fantastic stop if you’re exploring these parts.

Fish Camp is by far the closest town to the entrance, home to the luxe Tenaya Lodge. The destination hotel is a splurge, but it makes for a pretty great basecamp if you’ve got the funds. Access guided hikes, a full spa, and multiple pools at the lodge in your downtime.

READ MORE: If you’re a foodie seeking a splurge, The French Laundry is the ultimate destination eatery.

If you’re not looking to spend the big bucks, you have other options for where to stay near Yosemite’s South Entrance. Use the map below to investigate more options near Fish Camp:

Tioga Pass Entrance

The Tioga Pass Entrance is your only option if you’re wanting to enter the park from the east.

We were traveling from Lake Tahoe on our Yosemite trip, so this is how we entered the park on our first day to get down to El Portal and our accommodations.

Keep in mind that Tioga Road is not open year-round, closing around November for the long winter season here. Expect access to restart in late May, even early June, if you’re eyeing accommodations near the Tioga Pass Entrance.

Summertime travelers should expect delays at this entrance if they expect to use it as we did as a shortcut to other sections of the park. Arrive later in the day if possible.

As far as where to stay if you want to explore this end of the park, Lee Vining will offer your best chance at affordable accommodations with Tioga Pass access. The Lake View Lodge is a popular option, in part thanks to its views of scenic Mono Lake.

Further afield, accommodations near Mammoth Lakes and June Lake are also an option if you’re sticking to this side of the park. The Edelweiss Lodge and Holiday Haus, both in Mammoth Lakes, look charming.

While it’ll be a haul to get to any Yosemite highlights in the valley and to the south, this part of the state is spectacular. It’s all forests and waterfalls, even snow, depending on the season.

Use the map below to browse more options near Mammoth Lakes:

You have options for Yosemite, as long as you plan ahead.

The best accommodations for your trip to Yosemite will depend on things like budget, your travel style, and how close you want to be to the action. This park is big and busy, so planning ahead will always work in your favor as you decide.

If you wait too long, you may be shut out of your preferred option. Good things (and savings) come to those who plan ahead with this one!

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