Basics of Yosemite Lodging

First, good resources give plenty of information. If you've never been to Yosemite, it will seem like you're learning about a different planet. You need all the information in a concise, up-to-date manner. Going to a good bookstore and picking up "complete Yosemite handbooks" are one way to do this, especially if time is in your favor. I've been to Yosemite multiple times over the last 6 years, and we still "cling" to basically one "hard" resource: The Yosemite Handbook, by Susan and Phil Frank. So you don't need a lot, just one or two resources that give you a well-rounded flavor of all the park's themes and activities and lodging options. If time is short, then I recommend (if available) online resources; a search of the term "Yosemite resources" on any of the search engines will yield all kinds of information, including contacts and phone numbers to help you move forward in your trip planning.

After gathering and disseminating the information, you will need to ask yourself (and family members!) some good and hard questions like: "Do we want to stay inside the park, or in the surrounding vicinity?"; "Do we want to camp or RV, or stay in a building?"; "Are we going during peak season (May-September) or during the "off" season?"; "What activities are we going to want to do (lodging may be a factor if you want to hike, for example)?"; "How many days/nights do we plan to stay?"; and "Do we want a pool or other amenities where we lodge?". Answering these and others like them will narrow down what the plan will be to enjoy your stay at Yosemite park.

Remember, information is abundant through offline and online sources. The important thing will be to "do your homework" and plan as much as possible to reduce the "surprises" during the trip. The more preparedness and team work the family makes the more everyone will feel together and the better chance of a fun, stress-free vacation.