Yosemite is one of best known US National Parks. Its natural beauty is difficult to match. Granite cliffs, impossibly high waterfalls and beautiful Sierra Nevada alpine are some of the reasons. It is also incredibly busy - overrun by tourists and weekend visitors from densely populated metro San Francisco Bay area. Less busy conditions are along Tioga Road (Hwy 120) but this road is closed during the winter because of snow. Hiking opportunities are many - besides famous Half Dome (permits required), highly recommended are Yosemite Falls and Vernal/Nevada fall half-day loop. Best Alpine Hiking is along Tioga Road; see
US Hiking Page for Trip Reports.
Accommodation inside the park is ultra expensive and next to impossible to find - including El Portal, which is just outside the park. Alternatives are Mariposa, Sonora and other small towns on the west. During my visits I found AirBnB in Yosemite West to be most feasible option. It is still not cheap, but you can get full condo only 20-25min away from Yosemite Valley
