Road Trip from Fresno California to Yosemite National Park

Fresno sits in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley of California, which meant that we were always on the lookout for the perfect summer escape from its heat and hustle. What better retreat than Yosemite National Park? With its cooling waterfalls, verdant meadows and forests, and awe-inspiring cliffs, the national park is the perfect refreshing retreat. What’s more, its southern entrance is less than two hours away, and even its Arch Rock and Hetch Hetchy entrances are two and three hours away, respectively. So, Fresno, California, to Yosemite National Park, could be done in a quick day trip. But then you’d miss out on discovering some amazing Central California towns. After all, the road trip is as much about the journey as it is about the destination, and that’s certainly the case here.

The Californian towns we stopped at on our way to Yosemite are all about adventures, local wine, stunning gardens, and some delicious farm-to-table fare. Here’s a detailed road trip guide from Fresno to Yosemite National Park. 

Planning our trip

It was the beginning of the fall season when we planned our road trip from Fresno to Yellowstone. Even though it was neither the height of summer nor winter, Yosemite can get extremely hot during the day and quite cold at night. So, remember to pack all the essentials like travel sun hats and travel-size sunscreens to cold-weather jackets and winter hiking socks.

The shortest, most direct, and most popular route from Fresno to Yosemite barely takes 2 hours. Interestingly, Fresno lies just over an hour from the park’s southern entrance. We took two days to traverse this route, making some fabulous stops along the way. This is what our journey looked like:

• Explore Fresno
• Make a stop at Merced and spend the night
• Make a stop in Oakhurst and spend the night
• Spend two nights in Yosemite
• Drive back to Fresno

Exploring Fresno

Since we were already in Fresno, we decided to explore it for a bit before beginning our road trip, and we were thrilled to bits. From a world-class zoo to underground gardens, Fresno was the perfect place to begin exploring this region. For instance, we were able to see more than 200 species of animals and birds at the Fresno Chafee Zoo. It had a bevy of interactive, award-winning habitats that made us feel like we’d been all over the world, right from the California coast to the Australian Outback to the African savannahs and back.

However, our favorite spot was the Forestiere Underground Gardens on the northwestern fringes of Fresno. Sicilian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere painstakingly hand-built and designed this manmade attraction. Our jaws dropped when we saw this massive subterranean complex of patios, grottoes, and garden courts, all featuring exquisite stonework and lots of verdure. Moreover, he created every garden and space with specific Roman and Italian architectural elements like arches and catacombs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shinzen Friendship Garden (@shinzenjapanesegarden)

While in Fresno, we stayed at the gorgeous, award-winning boutique Hotel Piccadilly, which sits on acres of landscaped gardens. We loved the plethora of amenities here, including the spa, the outdoor swimming pool, and the nine-hole putting green. What’s more, our room had a comfy double bed, a modern bathroom, and even a Keurig coffee maker. There was even an onsite restaurant where we had local tap beers, craft cocktails, and authentic Spanish tapas.

Stopping at Merced

After a hearty breakfast, we left for Merced the next morning. This captivating 19th-century former California Gold Rush town lies just an hour away along California State Route 99. The Merced River, which flows through the region, inspired the name of this town that was originally inhabited by Native American tribes. Today, the town has a rich cultural heritage that we couldn’t wait to check out.

Our first stop was the amazing Castle Air Museum, which boasts one of the country’s best historic aircraft collections. It has 53 aircraft dating back to the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and even WWII on display every day. Since we’re nature lovers, we headed to the tranquil Merced National Wildlife Refuge next, which spanned over 10,000 acres. What’s more, it had a diverse range of wildlife, including native plants, endangered species, and migratory birds. After a hearty lunch, we turned our attention to what we’d come to Merced for — water-based activities. The Merced River offered many opportunities for tubing, rafting, and kayaking, thrilling us to no end as we navigated the gentle rapids. We’d packed our recreational kayak and carried it along with us for the very same reason.

Are you traveling with kids? We highly recommend the Applegate Park and Zoo, which not only has a variety of birds and animals but also picnic areas and playgrounds.

Stop for the night: Hyatt’s El Capitan Hotel

Our abode for the night was Hyatt’s El Capitan Hotel, a terrific mid-tier stay with a fantastic and friendly staff, great rooms, and wonderful amenities. The hotel seems to have revitalized Merced’s downtown and boasts three restaurants and a bar! We loved the fun movie-themed Mainzer restaurant, which had alfresco seating and even live entertainment. Thankfully, there was even free covered parking available right next door to the hotel, so we didn’t have to worry about that either. Don’t miss shareable bites and cocktails on Wednesday at the outdoor courtyard bar at the hotel, EC.

Since we’d had a long day, we quickly had dinner, took a quick walk around the neighborhood, and settled down in our room, which felt very welcome. An intriguing retro wall decal aside, we loved the plush beds, modern bathrooms, and flatscreen TVs. Not only was there lots of natural light, but also there were blackout curtains that helped us sleep well. Upscale bath products, cozy robes, in-room steamers, and hot kettles with pour-over coffee packets wrapped up the offerings.

Staying alternative

An alternative stay on the first night from Fresno, California, to Yosemite National Park is the Best Western Inn. The hotel has express check-in/check-out facilities, a 24-hour front desk, a business center, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi, and even a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, besides comfortable rooms.

Onward to Oakhurst: The Madera Wine Trail

Oenophiles, this part of the itinerary is for you. From Merced, the town of Oakhurst, our next stop, was around 64 mi (103 km) away. Interestingly, we went back along the same CA State Route 99 to Fresno before turning left on Highway 41 towards Oakhurst. Halfway through the drive, Madera County begins, which is officially the start of the Yosemite territory. As we headed up Highway 41, we began to see signs for the Madera Wine Trail, a bunch group of small family-owned wineries peppered across the county. Did you know that more than 50% of California’s wine grapes grow in this San Joaquin Valley region? Yep.

Our next stop was Idle Hour Winery, which lies at the northern end of Oakhurst proper. What’s more, it was also home to the Queen’s Inn, with co-owner and winemaker Anna Marie Dos Remedios running them both. After a wonderful tour of the vineyard and its operations, we enjoyed a glass of Viognier, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc on the winery’s patio. It was followed by the heartiest and most delicious lunch we’d ever had, and that too made with local ingredients.

Our stop for the night was at the adjoining small and intimate Queen’s Inn by the River. Our river-view cabin was comfortable and elegant, with a plush bed, a modern bathroom, and the air of a mountain cabin. If you’re here on the weekend, their “Harmony & Vines” package includes two complimentary wine tastings at the winery, complete with live music on Saturday evening. After lunch, we enjoyed a siesta before exploring the town in the evening, retiring early to leave for Yosemite the next morning.

Reaching and exploring Yosemite National Park

From Oakhurst, we continued driving down State Route 41 to enter Yosemite’s southern entrance at Mariposa just 25 minutes later. Since ours was a 2-day itinerary for Yosemite National Park, we stayed at the gorgeous Ahwanee Resort in the Yosemite Village in the very heart of the Yosemite Valley. From the south entrance, we drove for another hour along the same road, now the Wawona Road, to reach Ahwahnee. A stunning stone exterior set the tone at this 1927-built Yosemite grande dame. We chose to stay here as it boasted unique views of some of the park’s most famous destinations, including Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Falls. On the inside, the lodge was all about Native American designs, Art Deco decor and flourishes, and Persian rugs.

We chose to stay at a freestanding cottage for some privacy, but it was so we could enjoy being surrounded by nature. Besides being spacious and comfy, the cottage had bathrobes, modern bathrooms, and even turndown service. We were impressed by the amenities too, especially the impressive dining room, which is one of the most beautiful in all of California.

That said, the standout about Ahwahnee was the location, as some of Yosemite’s best sights lay in less than a 10-minute radius. For instance, Yosemite Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfalls and one of the world’s most amazing waterfalls, was just five minutes away. Even El Capitan, one of the world’s most breathtaking monoliths, was less than 10- minutes away. Thanks to the excellent location, we were able to explore the Yosemite Valley/Village extremely well, while also enjoying the resort’s amenities.

Here’s a detailed guide to enjoying a 3-night Stay at Ahwahnee Lodge at Yosemite.

Staying alternative

Staying inside Yosemite could get expensive, especially if you haven’t booked months in advance. As an alternative, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is one worthy staying option. This luxurious and serene retreat sits in a pine forest just five minutes outside the south entrance. Besides the staying options, we especially loved the amenities here, which included a pool complex with multiple pools, a massive spa, and multiple restaurants. They even had a comprehensive activity roster that included everything from archery to yoga. Here’s a detailed guide to staying at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite.

Pro tip: If you’re staying outside the park, try entering Yosemite as early in the morning as possible to avoid crowds of tourists.

So long, Yosemite

As we said earlier, a road trip is as much about the journey as the destination. Our 2two-day detour from Fresno to Yosemite set us up perfectly to explore the national park and its sights. The direct drive back from Yosemite National Park to Fresno was a quick hour, after which we continued our exploration of the rest of the state of California. Staying in Yosemite Valley was an enthralling experience, and it’s something we won’t experience again ever, especially since Yosemite at night is also a fantastic experience. Outdoors lovers, if you’re in California, we highly recommend driving down to Yosemite, the land of the Ahwahneechee.

Tips for an unforgettable experience

The drive from Fresno to Yosemite might be a short one, but here are some important tips to make it as easy, comfortable, and hassle-free as possible.

• Yosemite’s lodgings fill up quickly. Plus, they’re limited too. So, if you want to stay inside the park, book a few good months in advance.
• While a Yosemite road trip can be done at any time, the national park will be a snowy expanse as early as October. Additionally, as is with many national parks, some roads are shut in winter.
• You need to buy a “park pass” to enter Yosemite, which costs USD 35 for private vehicles and is valid for 7 consecutive days. However, we had the ‘America The Beautiful” pass, which cost us USD 80 annually and allowed us to visit nearby national parks like Kings Canyon and Sequoia too.

What’s the best time of the year for a road trip through California to Yosemite?

Since California has lovely sun-kissed weather usually, the drive can be done at any time of the year. That being said, there will be quite a difference in activities, driving conditions, and prices. Plus, some stuff might not be open in winter.

Can you drive through Yosemite at any time?

Yes. However, you need reservations to drive into or through the park from 5 am to 4 pm between April 13th and October 27th, 2024. Check out the details here.

How much does it cost to drive through Yosemite?

Private vehicles need to pay USD 35/car as an entrance fee for driving through the park (including visiting Hetch Hetchy). Moreover, it’s valid for three consecutive days.