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The Ultimate Guide to Yosemite National Park

The Ultimate Guide to Yosemite National Park

July 15, 2024August 5, 2024 Destinations, North and Central America
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Yosemite National Park is located in Northern California just outside of Fresno and is a bucket list destination. Yosemite Valley was formed by glaciers, giving it it’s remarkable peaks that are well-known worldwide. As of 2024, Yosemite National Park is the 6th most visited National Park in the…

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Hi, I'm Erica! I created Hodgepodge as a space to share my travel experiences and inspire you to travel too! Hodgepodge is a community where you can get inspired to travel, share your experiences, and get some great travel tips along the way. I'm so happy you're here!

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Does California even have seasons? 🤔  When I Does California even have seasons? 🤔  When I moved to California from the Midwest, I thought it’d feel like summer year round. Come to find out, summer does not last year round in California and there actually ARE seasons!! 😅 As much as I wish it could be 80 and sunny year round, I do love when the weather cools off a bit and some fall colors emerge. (also, I’m patiently waiting for NorCal ski season) ⛷️ In the meantime, you can catch me at the beach soaking up these last few weeks of warm weather and sunshine 🌞 🧘🏼‍♀️ 🌴  { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor based in SoCal ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } How did you spend the first day of Autumn? . . . . . . #adventuretravel #orangecounty #lagunabeach #californiaseasons #socallifestyle #autumn
📌 Save this hidden gem to your Southern Califor 📌 Save this hidden gem to your Southern California bucket list! { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor based in SoCal ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } Next time you’re in North County San Diego you won’t want to miss this spot 📍Fox Point Farms, Encinitas, CA Fox Point Farms is a new development in Encinitas that is perfect for a casual hang out day! This new community has a whole farm built in and serves farm to table food in their restaurants and cafes 👩🏼‍🌾 (I totally wanna live here one day, but for now I’ll just stop by 😋) I spent the morning here before going to Swamis beach and it started off a perfect weekend 🤩 Check out some of what Fox Farm has to offer 👇🏼  🍎 Grab an açaí bowl or sandwich at the Harvest Market 🧘🏼‍♀️ Stop by a yoga class at Hatch Gatherings 🍽️ Make a reservation at Haven Farm + Table ☕️ Grab a coffee at Fox Point Roasters 🍺 Have a drink at Fox Point Brewing Co 🤩 Play a game of corn hole on the lawn Which activity would you do first? . . . . . . #adventuretravel #northcountysandiego #encinitas #sandiegohiddengems #foxpointfarms #foxpointfarmsencinitas #farmtotable #sustainabletravel
This is your sign to take that trip to Paris, even This is your sign to take that trip to Paris, even if you don’t think you have enough time 🇫🇷  { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor based in SoCal ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } Paris is a destination where you can absolutely spend a few days, but it’s also a destination you can’t miss. That being said, if you only have a few hours to explore Paris, here’s what you’ll want to hit or skip this time around 🥖 HIT: 📍Top of Arc de Triomphe 📍Picnic on Champ-de-Mars 📍Eiffel Tower 📍The Louvre 📍Walk through Jardín de Tuileries 📍Cathédrale Notre-Dame 📍Gelato at Amorino SKIP: ❌Top of the Eiffel Tower ❌Versailles ❌Inside The Louvre Tour NOTE: Take the bus around the city for the easiest and fastest way to these landmarks! Which of these landmarks is on your Paris bucket list? . . . . . . #adventuretravel #paris2024 #eiffeltower #travel #europe #europetravel
This might be my favorite time of year to watch su This might be my favorite time of year to watch sunset 🌅  And this is one of the best sunset spots in SoCal 📍 T-Street Beach - San Clemente, California { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } This beach is one of my favorites for a number of reasons, but the first has to be the best coastline to watch the sunset year round. ➡️ Here are 7 of the best things you can do at T-Street Beach 🏄🏼‍♀️ Surf or boogie board 🥯 Grab a snack at West Toast Cafe 🚶‍♀️Walk the San Clemente Pier 🌴 Walk along the San Clemente Beach Trail 🏐Play beach volleyball at the courts south of the pier 🔥 Have a bonfire at one of the concrete pits 🐬 Spot some dolphins around sunset What’s your favorite beach in SoCal? . . . . . . #adventuretravel #sanclemente #travel #beachlife #sunsetphotography #socalbeaches #orangecountybeaches
If you can only do ONE hike in Yosemite National P If you can only do ONE hike in Yosemite National Park, this is it 🏞️  Welcome to.. the Mist Trail 🌫️  💧 The Mist Trail takes you right up to Vernal Falls where you can feel the mist (basically get rained on) from the waterfall! ‼️ Make sure to check on [NPS.gov](http://NPS.gov) to ensure this trail is open before starting your hike! The first .8 miles of the trail is a very steep incline that’ll make it feel longer than .8 miles 😅 The stop at Vernal Falls Bridge is worth it though, keep going! After the bridge, you’ll walk through more of the shaded trail along the river. (There are bathrooms and a water fountain not too far passed the bridge) About 1.2 miles in, you’ll turn the corner to see a glimpse of Vernal Falls. That’s when you’ll start to ascend the very wet granite stairs! These stairs are unlike anything I’ve hiked before but came with an incredible view! Make sure to wear grippy hiking shoes and prepared to get wet! From the stairs you can climb the extra .3 miles to the top of Vernal Falls. You did it!! ‼️Fun Fact: The hike to Vernal Falls is only a section of the 27 mile long High Sierra Loop trail. This is also how you start the hike to Half Dome! Would you do this 3 mile round trip hike to Vernal Falls? . . . . . . #yosemitenp #vernalfalls #misttrailyosemite #adventuretravel #travel #nationalparktravel
THIS is the most exciting way to explore Yosemite THIS is the most exciting way to explore Yosemite Valley… By bike! 🚴🏼‍♀️ { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } Prior to visiting Yosemite, I didn’t have much info on the park and kinda went into the trip blind besides a few landmarks I knew I wanted to see. Little did I know, Yosemite Valley really is a valley and is completely flat! Meaning you can walk, hike, or bike miles of trails with very little elevation. There are places inside and outside of the National Park to rent bikes, or you can bring your own! If you’re planning on renting in the park read below 👇🏼  How to Rent Bikes in Yosemite National Park? ⏰ Set your alarm early. There are bikes for rent at Curry Village, Yosemite Lodge, and Yosemite Valley Lodge. We rented from Curry Village which opens at 8am. There will be a line forming as early as 7:30. We arrived at 7:30 and the parking lot was almost full (peak summer). There is food/coffee right next to the bike rentals so once you secure the bikes, have some breakfast! *These are manual bike rentals, no e-bikes here but e-bikes are allowed everywhere in the park. 🚴🏼‍♀️ Bikes have access to roads as well as some trails. The roads are narrow so when there is a path, take it! Make sure to follow the rules of the road and wear your helmet! 📍 Take your bikes through Yosemite Valley to these landmarks. -Mirror Lake -Lower Yosemite Falls trailhead -Yosemite Village -El Capitan -Vernal Falls Trailhead -Anywhere that looks cool! ℹ️ Yosemite Bike Share is another option for bike rentals. Download the Yosemite Bike Share app for more info Would you try biking through Yosemite? . . . . . . #yosemitenationalpark #yosemitevalley #curryvillageyosemite #exploreyosemite #adventuretravel #travel
📌 Save this for your next adventure to Yosemite 📌 Save this for your next adventure to Yosemite National Park! (p.s. Did you know Yosemite has its own emoji?!) 🏞️ { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } I’ve always heard Yosemite was amazing but there is nothing like seeing the sheer enormity of these rocks in person 🪨  From hiking, to biking, to lounging in the Merced River, there is so much to do in this park to make for a great trip. Yosemite is quite large, but you can see many of the main spots located in Yosemite Valley in just a weekend. Here’s how to explore Yosemite National Park! 📍Hike to Vernal Falls (~3 miles) 📍 Lunch at Bar 1899 📍Bridal Veil Falls Viewpoint 📍El Capitan Viewpoint 📍Half Dome 📍Rent bikes in Curry Village - 🚲 bike to Mirror Lakes, Lower Yosemite Falls Trail (~1.2 miles), and Yosemite Village 📍Rent rafts to float on the Merced River 🚘 Yosemite National Park has a reservation system for entry in addition to the daily fee, so make sure to book your entry early at [recreation.gov]. Happy trails! 🥾 🏞️ Have you explored Yosemite National Park? . . . #Yosemite #yosemitenationalpark #yosemitevalley #curryvillage #hiking #adventuretravel #travel
💲How much does it actually cost to travel to Ka 💲How much does it actually cost to travel to Kauai for 6 days?💲 —> The answer is $4,051.26 for 2 people! { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } I would consider this price to be mid range for a 5 night 6 day trip to Kauai. 💭There are definitely cheaper places to stay, cheaper cars, more opportunity to cook meals instead of going out, but on the other hand there are also wayy more luxurious options as well (peep the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay). ✈️ When I booked this trip, there were great deals on Southwest to fly from LAX to Lihue nonstop on points. With the flight being “free” I felt more comfortable spending a bit more on a nicer stay and car. That yellow Jeep really did make the trip better 😜 🛌 We stayed in Princeville which was a perfect central location to most things we wanted to do and see. Just a 10 minute drive down to Hanalei Bay and about an hour down to Poipu Beach on the other side of the island. 🚘 We opted to rent our car through Turo for the first time which worked out great. We had a little snag with the car we were supposed to have (lockbox with the keys was stuck) so we ended up having to switch cars but Turo support was very helpful in getting us what we needed. I like that Turo is more of a “local” option too since all cars listed are from private owners on the island. I’m normally more of a budget traveler, but this trip was well worth the cost for 6 days in the middle of summer. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, it’s realllly hard to be unhappy on Kauai 🌺  How does this price for 6 days look to you? . . . . . . #kauai #costbreakdown #hawaiivacation #travel #adventuretravel #kauaivacation
Can you believe places like this exist?! 🙈  { Can you believe places like this exist?! 🙈  { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } I sooo wish the camera could do this place justice, but the videos will have to do! 🌊 Welcome to📍 Nāpali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii I’ve always had such a draw to the ocean and it truly does make me feel at peace. So much so that I might even fall asleep on the boat 😅 Anywayyy this half day catamaran cruise with @kauaiseatours was all I could ever want and more. I had seen the Nāpali coast by hiking, but the perspective from the water is even more incredible. Throw in the snorkeling, waterfall sightings, and dolphin watching and you have the perfect day 🌺  Have you been on a catamaran cruise? . . . . . . #kauai #catamarancruise #dolphins #napalicoast #kauaiseatours #oceanlife #adventuretravel #travel
⚠️ DO NOT keep reading if you’re hungry… y ⚠️ DO NOT keep reading if you’re hungry… you’re just gonna be more hungry 😋  { Hi, I’m Erica! Adventure traveler and travel advisor ✨ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } 🙋🏼‍♀️ I’ve never been much of a foodie, but there’s something about the warm weather, incredible views, and local restaurants that make you want to enjoy a nice meal in Kauai 🍽️  I loved how it was so easy to find fresh and local food at pretty much every place we stopped into. The grocery stores are a bit more expensive than on the mainland, but eating out was very comparable. My favorite part about eating in Kauai was how fresh everything was, even at the restaurants. You think you’ve tasted fresh mango?? Think again, and maybe try something new! Make sure to save this list for your next trip to Kauai so you don’t miss the must try food spots! 📍Puka Dog 📍Wake Up Delicious 📍Welina Terrace 📍Kalalea Juice Hale 📍Holey Grail Donuts 📍Kilauea Bakery & Pizzeria Have you tried any of these food spots on Kauai? . . . . . . #kauai #kauaihawaii #kauaifood #kauaiplacestoeat #princevillekauai #kalaleajuicehale #pukadog #welinaterrace #wakeupdelicious #kilauea #adventuretravel #travelgram
You won’t believe what happened at the Kalalau l You won’t believe what happened at the Kalalau lookout 🫣 { Hi, I’m Erica! Avid traveler and travel advisor ✨Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } Driving up to the Kalalau Lookout on the island of Kauai was a beautiful and sunny drive… for 90% of it. 🚘 To get to the lookout, you have to drive through Kokee State Park and Waimea Canyon, and at the end of highway 550 you will find the parking lot for the Kalalau Lookout. Don’t let the weather on the way up deceive you!! It was perfectly sunny at Waimea Canyon and then full cloud coverage when we got to the lookout, overlooking the Nāpali Coast. We literally had our head in the clouds 😶‍🌫️  If you’re wanting to see the Nāpali coast from the Kalalau lookout, I would plan for a few days that you can drive up for your best chance to see the coast and Kalalau Valley. ☁️ Have your plans ever gotten bamboozled by clouds?! ☁️  . . . #kauai #kalalauvalley #kalalaulookout #hawaii #headintheclouds #traveladvisor #kokeestatepark #waimeacanyon
This is why Kauai should be on your bucket list! 🏝️ { Hi, I’m Erica! Avid traveler and travel advisor ✨Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } 💭 Could you really be sad on a hike like this?! The Hanakapiai Falls Trail follows the incredible Coast and heads 2 miles into the canyon to the amazing Hanakapiai waterfall. 🥾 The full hike to the waterfall is about 8 miles round trip and will take about 6 hours. The hike to Hanakapiai beach follows the same trail but is only about 4 miles round trip. Would you do the full 8 mile hike to the waterfall? 💦  . . . #kauai #hiking #naturelover #napalicoast #hikingviews #traveladvisor #outdoorsygals #hawaii #bucketlistadventures
The waterfall at the end… 😲😍 🌺 If you The waterfall at the end… 😲😍 🌺 If you want to be immersed in these incredible views, you have to visit Nāpali Coast Wilderness Park. Hike the scenic route all the way to the ⤵️ 📍Hanakapi’ai Falls Trail 🥾The full trail is just over 8 miles round trip and takes about 6 hours start to finish. This accounts for a stop for lunch and a swim at the base of the waterfall 💦  ‼️ You do need to make reservations for the shuttle to get into the park on [gohaena.com](http://gohaena.com). Make sure to reserve your seats early! The proceeds from the shuttle fare goes toward the Hui - a local community dedicated to preserving the cultural and natural resources of the park. 🌎  ‼️ START EARLY! A lot of this trail is shaded but it gets incredibly hot and humid. The earlier you start, the better… and don’t forget to pack more than one water bottle! ☀️ Would you do this hike for the views or the waterfall? { Hi, I’m Erica! Avid traveler and Travel Advisor 🗺️ Follow for more realistic travel experiences and destination inspiration } …… #napalicoast #kauaihawaii #northshorekauai #napalicoastline #hanakapiaifalls #keebeachkauai #bambootrees #waterfall #swimmingwaterfalls #traveladvisor
Save this for your Icelandic adventure 🇮🇸⬇ Save this for your Icelandic adventure 🇮🇸⬇️ 5 Must See waterfalls in Iceland 📍Glymur Waterfall The hike to get to these falls is about 4 miles long and only open in the summer months. The trail is steep with a river crossing, hiking shoes are necessary! 🥾  📍Oxrárfoss Located in Thingvellir National Park you can see this beautiful waterfall a short walk from the parking lot. If you’re adventurous, you can also snorkel through the Silfra Fissures. 🤿  📍Brúarfoss This is the bluest water you will ever see because it is fed directly from the glacier above.💧 You can park .7 miles away from the falls for $5, or park at the trailhead for free and walk along the river for about 3 miles round trip. 📍Seljalandsfoss Visible from the highway, you can turn off the road and arrive at these falls. 🚙 There’s even a path to walk behind the waterfall, prepare to get wet! 📍Skogafoss Debatably one of the most amazing falls in Iceland! 🤩 You can park directly at the base of the falls for an incredible view, or venture up the 527 steps to the top of the falls. Have you been to Iceland? Which waterfall was your favorite? { Hi, I’m Erica! Avid traveler and travel advisor ✨Follow for more realistic travel experiences and inspiration } …… #iceland #waterfalls #goldencircleiceland #icelandmustsee #hiking #adventure #traveladvisor #hellofora #skogafoss #bruarfoss #thingvellir
Looking for a rainy day activity in Lake Geneva, W Looking for a rainy day activity in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin? 🌧️⬇️ 💭 I was so excited to find The Candle Mercantile for a fun activity on a rainy day, or really any day! I stumbled in here kind of on accident when wandering through downtown Lake Geneva, and knew I had to go in when the whole candle making experience was only $25?! 💭 There are so many products you can choose to make, and the best part is you make your own unique scent from their variety of oils. If you’re like me and have no idea what scents smell good together, don’t worry, the staff works with you to make the perfect scent. 💭 I ended up making a diffuser, candle, and car freshener and the whole process took about 2 hours. Don’t forget to call ahead to make a reservation 🤍 🕯️  ✨Follow @hodgepodge.travel for more fun activities and travel inspo✨ …… #lakegeneva #lakegenevawi #wisconsin #lakelife #traveladvisor #rainydayactivities #groupactivities #bacheloretteweekend
🌌 6 minute wait for Space Mountain?! Say less 🌌 6 minute wait for Space Mountain?! Say less 💭Alec and I used the last day of our 3-day SoCal Disneyland pass and to say we made the most out of it would be an understatement! Total ride count 🟰 8 rides within 5 hours This isn’t what a normal Sunday night looks like, but living so close it’s a fun way to end the weekend 🤩  ❓What’s your favorite ride at Disney?! …… #disneyland #californiaadventure #spacemountain #socal #traveladvisor
Can you guess which lake this is? . . 📍 Dre Can you guess which lake this is? . . 📍 Dream Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, USA 💭When there’s a body of water along a long hike on a hot summer day, you can count on me to jump in! Not gonna lie, I do get a little freaked out of the open water when I’m the only one swimming, so I just took a quick dip and kept walking 😆 Still it was soo refreshing 💧  🥾You can find Dream Lake along the Sky Pond trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. 👣 The whole Sky Pond trail is about 8.6 miles round trip, but the lakes along the way make it easy to turn around at any point. (Follow the trail through the All Trails app - I never go on a hike without it) 🚙 Park at Glacier Gorge or Bear Creek parking lots and take the shuttle to the trailhead! Make sure to note when the last shuttle of the day is orrr you will have to walk all the way back 🫣 …… #rockymountainnp #hiking #vacation #colorado #estespark #traveladvisor #lake #summer
You don’t want to miss this spot when traveling You don’t want to miss this spot when traveling in New Zealand! ⬇️ 📍Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand This was truly one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been. 🧘🏼‍♀️ There’s nothing like waking up to a view of the bay, paddle boarding and tanning during the day, then watching the shooting stars in the Milky Way at night 💫  Getting here ➡️ The Bay of Islands is about a 4 hour drive north of Aukland. There are flight options, but a rental car is definitely the most economical way up there. Would you take a getaway here? ✨ Follow @hodgepodge.travel for more incredible destinations✨ …… #russellnz #bayofislands #bayofislandsnz #newzealand #relaxing #vacation #traveladvisor #hellofora
Don’t forget to do something that makes you feel Don’t forget to do something that makes you feel like a kid today 🤗🤍 How are you spending your weekend?
Save this for your next trip to New Zealand! ⤵️ 🌳 New Zealand is made up of the North and South Islands, and they can each easily be a trip in and of themselves. 🏝️ The North Island has so much to do from waterfall hikes, to wine tours, to city living. You definitely won’t run out of things to do! 👉🏼 Here’s a mini guide of 5 of the best towns to visit! Aukland - Fly into AKL and take the ~30 minute drive into the vibrant city to enjoy the harbor, lush parks, museums, great food and shopping. - 🏨 Sofitel Aukland Viaduct Harbor @sofitelaucklandviaductharbour - 🍽️ Dr. Rudi’s Rooftop Brewing Co - 🌳 Mount Eden for sunset Piha - You can take a day trip here from Aukland. The drive is about 2 hours through very winding roads! - 🏨 Recommend a house - 🍽️ Grab food at the Piha Store for a picnic on the beach. - 🌳 Arataki Visitor Center is the way - quick walk or hike around the park to see the endangered Kauri trees Taupō - Quaint lake town with tons of restaurants and lake activities. (Pronounced “toe-paw”) - 🏨 Huka Lodge @hukalodge - 🍽️ McDonalds Taupō (trust me, it’s cool!) - 🌳 Lake Taupō Hole in One Challenge - 💧 Huka Falls and Otumuheke Stream Rotorua - Town known as a geothermal hotspot that is full of cultural and adventure activities. - 🏨 Treetops Lodge and Estate @treetopslodge - 🍽️ Eat Street - 🌳 Mitai Māori Village - 💧 Secret Spot Hot Tubs Bay of Islands - If you want quiet beautiful beaches, you can’t miss this region. About a 4 hour drive north of Aukland. - 🏨 Recommend a house - 🍽️ The Grazing Table - 🛥️ Take a catamaran cruise with @barefootsailingadventuresnz 🌟Don’t forget to DM me before you book your hotels for all the free perks!🌟 …… #newzealand #northisland #bayofislands #rotorua #aukland #taupō #piha #pihabeach #traveladvisor #luxurytravel #travelitinerary #newzealandguide
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