Why not spend your day here kayaking on the water? Coastal breezes keep the city cool and huge fog drifts can sweep over the Golden Gate Bridge during the summer meaning winter is usually more reliable with clear days and moderate temperatures. Eventually, the snowflake flows into the San Francisco Bay and passes under the Golden Gate Bridge to reach the Pacific Ocean. Where to see Superbloom Sunday (March 5th) near Los Angeles? A trip through wine country will take you through the valley's many quaint towns like Napa, Yountville, and Calistoga, any of which would make a lovely place to stay. - Then post a new question on that forum. Witness the stunning scenes of California's Wine Country as you travel past sun-dappled fields . Here are four top things for you to add to your must-do list. Yosemite has three giant sequoia groves within the park boundaries. 60 miles (97 km) from San Francisco, 1 hour 10-minute drive. If you drive to Napa on your own, you may be able to see all of it in a single day or plan a longer trip. 2-5 Days. A Tale of Two Lodges, Evergreen and Rush Creek Alcatraz & Muir Woods Tour Package . However, if you think that you have already had your fill of wine for the day, you can go to Oakville for your next stop and drop by the Oakville Grocery. All that personal attention means you might pay more than you would for a big group bus tour, but if you're traveling with several other people, the price difference grows smaller. We will alert you when your requested tour becomes available! Tucked along Hwy. If you want to grab a bite, you can go to Ariscault Bakery and get their popular Chocolate Almond Croissant. I also have noticed a change in at least one of their alogrithms for lodging reviews which helps to make the overall rating of a property more realistic. Affiliated to the Alameda County, Berkeley is home to UC Berkeley, which is the world's most famous institutions of higher learning. It veers off of Highway 41 onto Route 200 and has an additional three wineries. All passengers above age of 16 who want to join the tour need to be fully vaccinated with vaccination record card proven. Purchases are tracked automatically. From San Francisco to Yosemite by Bus Yosemite Valley. The fastest way to get from SF to Yosemite is out I580 through Tracy, connecting with Highway 120 in Manteca. The relatively low elevation of Hetch Hetchy means that it offers a long hiking season. This will just add about 15 minutes from your total travel time, so you can adjust your itinerary accordingly, but the breathtaking vistas are worth it. Enjoy shopping and dining along the way in addition to taking in the vistas. You can purchase some groceries and ready-to-eat items and enjoy them on the stores patio. www.outdoorsy.com. If you like how this itinerary adds the Sonora Gold Country, then do the itinerary in reverse and stay in Sonora or the cute town of Twain Harte a bit further east. Youll probably approach from the east driving past the bizarre Mono Lake, a soda lake full of strange salt formations. But youll want to book these lodgings way in advance. When springs warm sun turns winter snows to water, that snowflake takes a circuitous route, through mountain streams winding across wildflower dotted meadows, through tributaries like the American and Tuolumne rivers and eventually ends up in either the Sacramento or the San Joaquin rivers, flowing through a giant expanse of wetlands known as the Bay-Delta. Best Budget Tour: Napa & Sonoma Valley Wine Tour from San Francisco. Each section suggests four things to do. Wine taste in Napa & Sonoma with an excursion in the giant sequoias of Muir Woods, San Francisco's stunning Coastal Redwood Forest. In the winter this is Californias most popular ski resort but in the summer it is a great place to enjoy the lake. This San Francisco to Yosemite road trip takes you from the soaring skyscrapers and salty sea air of the City by the Bay, through California's world-famous farmland and wine country, . Getting from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley-where a lot of the magic and action takes place-will take about 3 hours and 45 minutes (186 miles). Northern Yosemite is the higher elevation portion of the park and there are yet more stunning hikes and views in this part of the park. That being said, the most convenient way to travel to wine country is by renting or driving your vehicle. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. Alternatively, you may use. If you are looking for an overnight stop I would recommend one of two options. Leave San Francisco at 8am to reach Yosemite by noon. Napa Valley Winery Tours From San Fransisco Reviews. more. Distance: 176 mi / 283 km Time: 4 hours It reads "37 Napa/Novato - Auto Mall Columbus Parkway" and exits on the right. 13h 14m . In addition, there is a food truck stationed by the garden where you can have lunch, but note that they only serve small bites. California Wine Country: The Complete Guide, How to Travel From San Francisco to Lake Tahoe By Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, How to Travel from Sacramento to San Francisco by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, How to Travel From San Francisco to Yosemite by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, The 9 Best Day Trips From Napa and Sonoma, How to Travel From San Francisco to Las Vegas by Bus, Car, and Plane, Getting Around the San Francisco Bay Area: A Public Transit Guide, How to Travel From San Diego to San Francisco by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, How to Travel From San Francisco to New York by Plane, Train, Car, or Bus, How to Travel From Cancun to Cozumel by Bus, Car, Ferry, and Plane. The cheapest way to get from Napa Valley Wine Train to Yosemite National Park costs only $42, and the quickest way takes just 4 hours. But consider taking a beat and doing the San Francisco to Yosemite road trip at a slower pace. Wineries in Napa Valley open at 10 AM. Enquire Now. If not Yosemite, we are considering Muir Woods Any insight would be greatly appreciated! }); How long is the drive from Napa to Yosemite National Park?. Train operators. Thanks! This place is famous for its laid-back atmosphere as well as its great outdoor area. Today youll say goodbye to Yosemite National Park and drive back to San Francisco Airport where youll drop off your rental car in time to catch your onward flight. 5 Famous Viewpoints Close to the Road in Yosemite Merced is Yosemites smallest grove of giant sequoia, but its also the most secluded and its worth putting in the effort to visit. Hetch Hetchy is in the far northwest corner of the park and its less popular (and therefore less crowded) than other parts of the park. Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California is one of the western United States' most famous and popular tourist spots. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46729650', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');the B&B industry seem to have F-I-N-A-L-L-Y gotten THAT fixed with TA. Hikes range from the easy Big Trees accessible loop trail (.3 miles) to the more strenuous Mariposa Grove trail (7 miles), which covers four famous trees, more groves and a panoramic overlook. Napa, as well as Oak Knoll and Yountville. There is also an alternative wine trail called theYosemite Sierra trail. This article was updated to detail the process and several options for driving from San Francisco to Napa Valley, either across the Golden Gate Bridge or across the Bay Bridge. I would also recommend that if visiting the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The steam trains that run along Roaring Camp Railroads' lines are authentic, dating back to 1867 and the protection of an area of redwoods known as the "Big Trees." To reach Napa, you need to get around the north end of the Bay. Day 7: Yosemite National Park. They can either head north across the Golden Gate Bridge out of the city, or they can go first across the Bay Bridge to the east and then continue north. Ages 12+. TOP 5 POPULAR MUST-SEE Learn More . 1 Hour, Admission (Optional): Adult $32; Child (2-12 yrs) $25; Senior (Over 65 yrs) Free|Duration: Approx. The Madera area also grows wine grapes and its a secret spot that is far less crowded than Napa or Paso. Do this road trip in a rental RV to stay close to nature. http://www.weather.com has weather info. Stop #2: Point Reyes National Seashore. Continue north through wine country stopping in Healdsburg for wine tasting and a meal. You can drive yourself up to Glacier Point, which is a lovely, popular overlook in the park.. (This article contains affiliate links. These days over 4.5 million people visit Napa Valley every year, making it one of the most popular destinations in California. To do a trip to Yosemite -- wow that is 8 plus hours of driving and too little time to actually see the amazing valley. You may have to stay outside the park. Napa Valley tours & tour packages to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone, Antelope Canyon. But if you are trying to do the drive in 4 days, youll need to prioritize whats important to you. Before you start planning for your itinerary, it would be good to do a little research about your destination. 12-15 People. If you can still hold your alcohol for one more tasting before returning to San Francisco, you can make a quick stop in Napa to visit Darioush. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46694122', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Yosemite off the list. maybe next time! You can do that on the east or west side of the body of water, but many prefer the western route because it's more scenic, even if it does take a little longer: The easiest way to get from San Francisco to Napa using public transportation is to take the San Francisco Bay Ferry from the San Francisco Ferry Building or Fisherman's Wharf Pier 41 to Vallejo. Nine days is a reasonable length of time for this itinerary. They lived in this area for 8,000 years and used the site as a meeting place. Its large campus is a sight to behold. The drive to Yosemite from San Francisco is only about 3 hours and 20 minutes. SF-(ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Amtrak. Want to Avoid Traffic and Parking inside Yosemite? If you are short on time, this itinerary is the best option for you. A park ranger vehicle sits near the Big Oak Flat entrance into Yosemite National Park along Hwy 120, on Thursday, February 23, 2023. The road trip map below recommends a more circuitous routing that only adds about two extra hours of drive time. Monterey was the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico. Why The Napa Valley Is One Of The World's Premier Wine Regions. If you go to Yosemite, stay at least a night. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This guide is organized around four major sections of the drive: SF to Yosemites southern reaches, Yosemite Valley, Northern Yosemite and the return from Yosemite to San Francisco. Enter your target tour date range and email address below. It is the second largest university in the U.S.. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Vernal & Nevada Falls trail: 4-10 miles. Her contributions reflects her special interest in travel, women health and celebrities. }); Now that you've set your multi-destination itinerary, I suggest you go to the city/destination forum page. Security Statement | Private Policy | User Agreement. The National Weather Service says San Francisco's low of 39 degrees on Friday is a new record low for this day. Typically one needs 2-3 days in SF and at least 2 in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. From San Francisco, California's wine-famous Napa Valley is 60 miles to the north. It is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7214 ft, 3200 ft above Half Dome Village. Nowadays, B&Bs seem to be mostly listed on TripAdvisor under B&Bs -- not so much under Specialty Lodging any longer. Start your trip with a visit to the world-famous, Yosemite National Park. Check out our Web Storiesfor more inspiration. Napa Valley consists of five different towns and cities. The American Society of Civil Engineers considers the Golden Gate Bridge one of the wonders of the modern world. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-43241286', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Napa-Monterey is plenty for 7 days; leave Yosemite for the next trip. Find more information at www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/oakdale/oklca/hoteldetail, Highway 120 (Big Oak and Hetch Hetchy entrances). Distance: 195 mi / 314 km Time:4-5 hours Take I-580 east to I-205 east to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park. The cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Yosemite is by a series of buses and a train. Experience the best of Yosemite whiletraveling sustainablyby eating locally grown food, staying at eco-friendly lodges and hiking on gorgeous trails. Yosemite has deep snowfall in the winter with many roads closed for the season while summer sees blue skies and lots of tourists. This article was expanded with more information about Napa Valley and suggestions to make more of a day trip of visiting Napa Valley. Driving From San Francisco To Napa Valley. 2 Hours, Opening Hours: Closed on 1/1/18, 2/23, 2/24, 4/26-4/28, 5/11-5/13, 6/14-6/17, 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/18-9/23, 10/6, 10/25-10/28, 11/10, 11/22, 12/25, Admission (Optional): Adult $39; Child (6-12 yrs) $25; Senior (Over 65 yrs) $36, Admission (Optional): Adult $42; Child (5-11 yrs) $28|Opening Hours: Closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day|Duration: Approx. Yosemite National Park has nearly 1,200 square miles of towering granite, alpine lakes and ancient sequoia trees. FAQ: Yanks drive on the wrong side of the road. TOUR DESCRIPTION. For the Gold Country part of the itinerary, we recommend the Historic National Hotel in Jamestown or the Lazy Z Resort in Twain Harte.