Thanks - I’ve copied some of your suggestions out of this thread into a text to myself.
Agree that the Ahwahnee will need reservations for food in advance. Getting food in general can be a pain in Yosemite in season - long lines - so be prepared for that. It’s easier if your accommodations allow you to self-cater. (We stayed at the Ahwahnee itself which is great location-wise but may be the absolute worst value for money hotel stay I’ve ever had in my life as far as the accommodations were concerned).
Most restaurants in Tahoe you should be fine with walk ins or maybe a day ahead reservation. We’ve booked various excursions in season (either summer or winter) and some do get booked up but a few days ahead is usually enough time. Of course, if you like to be certain of things and plan a lot in advance, especially with refundable options or pay when you get there you may just feel more comfortable booking in advance.
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A couple of caveats about the Ahwahee dining room. First, there are serious sanitation issues at that hotel - the travel boards have lots of discussion about the rat problem. Second, the dining room has been under renovation and is just now nearing the end of the process. Per their website, it’s unclear when it will be back to regular dinner service vs the buffet.
The view impacts they reference is because they’ve had construction equipment and cooking trailers outside one wall of windows, which were covered at the bottom. That, and reviews of the buffet, were why I changed to the Mountain Room at Yosemite Valley Lodge. Which itself was a disappointment, although apparently others who dined at different times had no issues.
This is what the dining room looked like a couple of weeks ago; the covered windows are at the left. There were lovely views of Yosemite Falls out the far window, other than the port-o-potties. It was a far nicer looking room than the Mountain Room, which also had views of the waterfalls.
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Second the recommendation for going to Angora Lake if you can. It is a very special spot and you can rent kayaks and paddleboards at the little store there.
If you go up the west side of the lake, you might consider going to DL Bliss early and hiking part of the Rubicon trail. You can walk all the way to Emerald bay but the first few miles from the park are along the lake with some great views for an easy hike. The parking lots fill up quite early in August. There is also a beach area there.
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One of my sons just got back on Sunday from a bachelor party in Lake Tahoe. They rented ATV’s and hiked .The pictures he sent were very nice-great weather. Flew RT Denver to Reno.
We head to Lake Tahoe Tomorrow, and will be at Yosemite for 3 nights starting next Saturday. If anyone thinks of additional things we should do, or really good restaurants, please let me know.
Thanks so much
On the drive from Tahoe to Yosemite, take Hwy 395 and make time for the side trip to Bodie, which is a fascinating ghost town. Just don’t tell the rental car company about the dirt road travel…
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395 is an awesome route. Stop at Mono Lake too to see the (weird formations whose names I always forget). There are a couple cute other towns along the way as well.
The Mono Lake formations are Tufas.
These are limestone formations made when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water in unheated rivers or lakes.
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We have to decide if we want to drive to Yosemite early Saturday so we get more time there, or if we make a day of the drive. We’ve also considered checking out of our Tahoe place on Friday (we’d have to eat the cost) and staying somewhere along the way.
I was very frustrated by Yosemite yesterday when I called to cancel our last night (we’ll drive to Sacramento the night before). I had to pay an add’l $25 for each of the 3 nights I’m staying because I made a change.
I would take the full day going from Tahoe to Yosemite as you’ll want to stop in Tuolumne Meadows as well. But there are very few options to stay along the way.
Something like
8.30am depart South Lake Tahoe
11am arrive Bodie
12.30pm depart Bodie
2pm arrive Tuolumne Meadows
4pm depart Tuolumne Meadows
6pm arrive Yosemite Valley
Only limited food options during this journey, none at Bodie or Tuolumne Meadows, so either take a packed lunch or stop in Bridgeport to collect food (before Bodie) or at Whoa Nellie Deli (in the gas station at Lee Vining, but don’t let that put you off, it’s some of the best food in the eastern Sierra).
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