One of my all-time favorite weekend getaways is to Yosemite. From LA, Yosemite is a good 5-hour drive away – not terribly daunting, but definitely a trek! The magical national park is home to iconic landmarks – El Capitan, Half Dome, and many, many waterfalls.

Entering the park feels like a dream – the air is cool and clear, you’re surrounded by endless trees and huge rock formations, and the mini camping villages are lively and homey.

To fully experience Yosemite as best as possible and hit all the top attractions, I recommend spending 3-days in the park. We opted to stay at Yosemite View Lodge, just 2-miles outside of the East Entrance at Arch Rock, so that we could get in and out easily.

This is how I’d recommend spending 3-days in Yosemite National Park.

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3-days In Yosemite itineary

Day 1: Arrive & Ease into Exploring Yosemite

Tunnel View

First stop on the list once you get settled into your hotel is to check out the most iconic view of Yosemite – Tunnel View. From Yosemite View Lodge, it’s a 30-minute drive to see, coming into the park through Arch Rock. You’ll drive past El Capitan Meadow, with incredible views of the iconic El Capitan as you head on in.

Pull over before you enter Wowona Tunnel and you’ll find parking for Tunnel View, and then spend some time taking in the breathtaking view!

Cooks Meadow Loop

Head into Yosemite Village to start your exploration of town. Yosemite Village is one of two “village” parts of the town, where you have multiple food options and parking. The other is Curry Village, which we’ll check out tomorrow!

Head to the Visitors Center to pick up a map, and grab a quick bite at Deegan’s Deli to eat outside on the picnic tables. They also have premade wrapped sandwiches that are perfect to bring out on a hike!

From there, it will be a 5-minute walk to Cook’s Meadow, where you can leisurely stroll around the flat 1-mile loop. Give yourself about an hour to explore the views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point and Sentinel Rock. The lovely boardwalk across the meadow also gives you an incredible view of Half Dome!

Sentential Dome for Sunset

After Cook’s Meadow, make it up the mountain before golden hour to catch the best sunset in Yosemite at Sentential Dome. The hike is a little over 2-miles, and not extremely strenuous. Plan to arrive an hour before sunset to secure parking, and enjoy the golden hour hues. You can spend up to 3-hours here, including the hike.

Towards the end of the trail, when you make it to a flat and rocky area at the end of the trail, you might think you’ve made it to the end, but don’t stop there! You’ll need to continue and climb to the top of the flat rocks that look like a dome to reach the Sentinel Dome lookout point. It’s a bit steep, so be careful as you ascend!

Bring a little snack and maybe a beer or two, and sit back and watch as the colors come to life over the entire valley. You’ll have a full 360 view of Yosemite up here, with clear views of Half Dome! It’s truly spectacular.

Remember, if you plan to walk back as it’s getting dark, bring a headlamp or a flashlight. I always prefer to stay at the view as long as I can for sunset, since the views are so incredible, but the sun sets fast. The trail back in dim light is a bit hard to follow – we found ourselves losing our way at one point, so be careful!

Dinner at Hotel

Head back to the hotel to unwind after a long first day! If you stay at Yosemite View Lodge like we did, grab a pizza at Parkside Pizza, one of the hotels restaurants. You can also pop in the hot tub to relax, which is my personal favorite way to end the day.

Day 2: Hiking Day & Sunset View

Valley View

Once you drive into the park, make a quick pit stop at Valley View for another picturesque view of the Valley. No need to spend too much time here, it’s just a nice photo op!

Bridalveil Falls

Stop for a quick stroll at Bridalveil Falls. Depending on the time of the year, the waterfall may be in full swing, but unfortunately for us, the trail was closed when we took our trip. Just know, if you do go in Spring/early Summer, there’s chance you can get wet from the sprays!

Curry Village for Coffee & Food

Curry Village feels like a more modern option for dining in Yosemite. They have everything from a coffee bar, a pizza spot, and a bar! We opted to grab coffee and to-go sandwiches and snacks to bring on our next hike.

Mist Trail / Vernal Falls

From Curry Village, you can actually walk to the trailhead for the Mist Trail – this adds about another mile, but is a nice, easy walk.

We knew we wanted to do one longer hike on our trip out here, so we ventured for the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls, which is one of most well-known hikes in the area. This ended up being one of my favorite parts of our trip!

It’s a 3-mile hike, which can take about 2-4 hours depending on your skill level, and how much time you want to spend at Vernal Falls. You can also continue up the mountain past Vernal Falls up to Nevada Falls for a more difficult trek.

This is definitely a hike you’ll want to pack a sandwich for before. When you make it to Vernal Falls, you can post up on a rock outside of the falls, relax, and watch the falls – even take a dip in enormous pool of water below the falls if you’re feeling up to it! But, do not attempt to swim when the waterfall is strong – the currents will be too difficult and you risk getting yourself in danger.

Pizza at Curry Village

After your long hike, head back down to Curry Village and grab pizza (and a beer?) to eat outside!

Glacier Point for Sunset

Head on back up the mountain to Glacier Point for another incredible sunset view. Glacier Point is more of a viewing area rather than a hike, so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it! Sit back and take in the gorgeous views, especially on a clear day. Sadly, it was a bit foggy for us do to some fires in the nearby areas, but the views are still amazing.

Day 3: Small Hike & Bike Through Yosemite Village

Lower Yosemite Falls Trail

Start your morning off with an easy walking trail – the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail. Take the trail through huge trees to get to a close-up view of the falls. If you go when the falls are in full swing, between Spring and early Summer, chances are you’ll get some mist from the falls!

Rent Bikes and Ride Around Yosemite Village

Head to Curry Village to rent bikes for the rest of your time in Yosemite. It’s $30 pp for a half day rental or $40 for the full day. Opt for the full day, and explore the 12-miles of paved bike paths.

This is truly one of my favorite activities of all time. The loop around Yosemite is mostly flat, with a few hills. You can take this time to stop in the meadows, jump off and take a dip in the streams, and pop into the Ahwahnee for lunch. Highly suggest the pit stop at the Ahwahnee, which is Yosemite’s landmark hotel. You can order food outside, facing beautiful views, before continuing on the bike path.