1 Day in Yosemite

If you're anything like me, organising a trip to Yosemite may seem quite daunting. As a fan of city breaks and beach retreats, heading into a National Park is quite the step change. But having now been, and seen the wonder that is Yosemite National Park, it's totally worth it.

We tagged our trip to the National Park onto our Californian Road trip so unfortunately we only had one day in Yosemite, but what a day! Below I share my proposal to make the most of your 1-day in Yosemite.

Firstly, make sure you organise suitable accommodation well in advance and as close to Yosemite Valley as possible. There are plenty of options in and around the Park. If you enjoy a night under the stars, try one of the Yosemite campsites (don't forget to lock your food in your bear boxes!) or if you’re a fan of comfort, try one of the many hotels or lodges on offer.

We stayed in Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp. It's a lovely hotel suitable for lone travellers, couples or families with a wealth of facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, restaurant, bar and an onsite coffee shop/convenience store and a fire pit to toast your smores on at night! Most importantly, this lodge style hotel is just a 10 minute drive from Yosemite's south entrance making it the perfect base to start and end your one day in Yosemite.

The key to making the most of your 1 day itinerary is to start early! Set your alarms, get in your car and set your sat nav for Tunnel View. From here you can take in the sites of Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall while the sun rises. The car park is only small, so getting there early will also help you beat the crowds and allow you to take unobstructed photos.

Once you've had your fill of the beautiful view, carry on to Yosemite Village in Yosemite Valley. From Tunnel View its about a 15 minute drive. Car parking is available across the Valley, but again getting there early will give you the pick of the lots. Beating the rush will also allow you to take in the Valley at it's quietest, maximising your chances of seeing the local wildlife. We were lucky to see a coyote, a family of mule deer and various birds before the crowds descended.

We parked close to Yosemite Village so we could visit Yosemite Visitor Centre and Museum and grab a coffee following our early start. It's also a great place to start the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail. This recognised walk allows you to see a varied range of landscapes across the Valley floor. The loop takes in Yosemite Falls waterfall (best in spring and summer) and crosses meadows, forests and various vistas alongside The Merced river. At every spot it also affords fantastic views of the mountains above.

The full loop is 11.5 miles/6 hours. The half loop is 7.2 miles/3 hours. Due to only having the day, we followed the half loop and, towards the end, used the free Yosemite shuttle bus to take us back to the Village for lunch and drive on to our next stop - Mariposa Grove.

Heading back the way we came, the great thing now was that we were on the right side of the road to pull into the many laybys and take in the panoramic views of the Park. These are particularly impressive as you make your way out of the Valley, allowing you to take in the sheer scale of the Park.

Mariposa Grove is your final stop for the day. It's an impressive forest home to a grove of giant sequoias, its most famous resident is the 209ft Grizzly Giant. On arrival, park up and await a shuttle bus which will take you from the visitor centre up to the grove. From here you can choose a number of trails to take in the various trees. We took the Grizzly Giant Loop, but retraced our steps once we'd reached the famous sequoia to save our feet.

From here its just a short 10 minute drive back to Tenaya where we made the most of the jacuzzi and rested our weary feet and relived an amazing day.

In summary, if you only have 1 day in Yosemite:

1. Wake up early and drive to tunnel view for sunrise.

2. Head to Yosemite Village for a coffee and pop into the Visitor Centre & Museum to learn more about the National Park.

3. Walk to Yosemite Falls and follow the Yosemite Valley Half Loop (keep your eye out for bears!) - hopping on the shuttle bus to speed up your progress if need be.

4. Head back Southwards, making sure to stop and take in panoramic views of the Valley from the road side.

5. Continue on to Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia tress and visit the Grizzly Giant, using one of the signposted trails.

6. Head back to your accommodation to rest your feet and relive your amazing day.