Yosemite National Park

While Yosemite National Park is a long drive from San Francisco, it is the closest national park to the city, and a must-do on your travel agenda. This world famous park is 1169 sq m of wilderness across northern California. It encumbers the Sierra Nervada Mountains, and holds many of America’s greatest natural wonders, including mammoth sequoia trees and the iconic Bridalveil Fall, and also soaring granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. The easiest way to get there is to hire a car from San Francisco, and drive north, up the winding coast, it is a stunning adventure in itself. From San Francisco, it is 176 km or 4-5 hours drive. You can easily jump on highway I-580 east to the I-205 east, and then onto Highway 120 east which will take you into the park. There are also Amtrak train and Greyhound bus options if you don’t want to drive, as well as flights from San Francisco directly to close airports such as Fresno-Yosemite Airport, or Merced Airport.
Once there, be sure not to miss Glacier point – an overlook to the Yosemite Valley, the high country, as well as the Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. Other highlights include the massive sequoia trees that make this area famous. Towering above you, the ancient trees in the Mariposa, Tuolumne, or Merced Groves are a purely magical sight. Take the short hike to get a great view of the trees and the environment they have lived for hundreds of years. Please note that the Mariposa Grove is closed for restoration until spring 2017.