Travel & Lodging

The wedding and reception will be at the historic Wawona Hotel, just inside Yosemite's southern entrance and outside Yosemite Valley.

Getting there

Nearest airport: Fresno-Yosemite International Airport (FAT — yes, that's the airport code!)

Car rentals: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and National/Alamo all have a presence at the Fresno airport. Keep in mind there are no gas stations within Yosemite!

Shuttles around Yosemite: The Yosemite Valley shuttle is free, and is a good way to do siteseeing in the Valley itself.

Shuttles to Yosemite: There are no busses to Yosemite from Fresno, though the YARTS shuttle leaves from Merced if you opt to fly in there instead.

National Park rules & info

While Heather grew up in California's national parks, she's aware not everyone is familiar with their quirks. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

There is a $20-per-vehicle entrance fee.
Yosemite is heavily trafficked, and summer is peak tourist season. While it's not difficult to get to Yosemite from Fresno, the middle of the day can see waits of an hour or more at the park gate (while people pay the above-mentioned fee). To be safe, plan for a three-hour trip if you're coming from Fresno (even though it can be as quick as an hour and a half trip).
Remove anything with an odor from your car. Bears are active in Yosemite. They have been known to rip off car doors in order to get to a cherry Chapstick. Take all of your "smellables," including food, sunscreen, and toiletries, into your room with you, or leave them in one of the giant metal bear boxes placed in many parking lots for just this purpose. (Trust me: Rental car insurance doesn't cover bear damage.)
Yosemite Valley "quiet time" starts at 10 p.m. every evening. In Pioneer Village at Wawona (the unincorporated town where the Wawona Hotel is), quiet time starts at 9:30 p.m.
It will be hot! Beginning of August tends to run around 80 degrees. But those of you from Chicago will be relieved to know that it's a dry heat — and that really does make all the difference!

Where to stay

BOOK EARLY. This is tourist season in Yosemite, and rooms are filling up rapidly.

Within the park

Curry Village is located in the heart of Yosemite Valley. It is an inexpensive but "rustic" option, offering tent cabins, wooden cabins with maid service, and rooms with private bath.

Heather says: Last year, there was a hantavirus — a deadly virus spread by rodents — outbreak in the tent cabins. All the affected cabins have allegedly been destroyed, and nothing has been reported since, but the squeamish of you might want to avoid them still!

The Redwoods in Yosemite offer rental cabins. This is quite cost-effective if you want to share accommodations with others coming up, and you want to make a trip of it. You must rent a cabin for a minimum of three days.

In Oakhurst

Oakhurst is approximately half an hour's drive from Yosemite and is the closest thing to a city you'll find up here. There are a number of hotels and bed and breakfasts in Oakhurst. Just remember that you'll have to wait in line to re-enter the park.

In Coarsegold

Coarsegold is a few miles south of Oakhurst, and is also home to Chuckchansi Gold Resort & Casino, another lodging option.

In Fresno

You can opt to stay near the airport or freeway junction if you like. The Wawona is about an hour and a half drive from Fresno, though due to varying wait times, you may need as long as three hours to get to the Wawona.

Heather & Drew ♥ August 4, 2013 ♥ Yosemite National Park