A stay along the sapphire-blue waters of Lake Tahoe puts you less than a three-hour drive from one of the nation's oldest wildlife preserves. A place of scenic beauty, Yosemite National Park is home to well-known landmarks first made famous by naturalist John Muir in the late 1800s. Tours departing from Lake Tahoe let you visit the vast park's famous sights accompanied by a knowledgeable guide.
Beat the weekend crowds at Yosemite on a Thursday day trip with Discover Lake Tahoe Scenic Tours. Departing early morning and returning in the evening, you'll have a full day to take in the Yosemite sights. The tours run through Tioga Pass -- usually from May through November when the pass is open. You'll visit the main Yosemite Valley for a gourmet picnic lunch near Cascade Falls, and you'll stop at more than 10 scenic points of interest in the valley, with plenty of time to take pictures and marvel at the view.
Lake Tahoe Tours' Yosemite Grand Adventure makes several stops before entering Yosemite Valley. In the vast Tuolumne Meadows clear streams reflect the vibrant sky and plant life, and in the main valley you'll enjoy a deli style lunch and a narrated tour through the Yosemite Valley's scenic vistas. During nice weather, there's a nature walk to Bridal Veil Falls and Yosemite Falls. The tour runs each Thursday from May through October.
Get a bird's-eye view of El Capitan, Bridal Veil Falls and other famous Yosemite sights on an aerial tour. Fly Yosemite Air Tours takes off from Columbia Airport, but you can arrange pickup in Truckee or South Lake Tahoe for an additional fee. Entering Yosemite National Park from the west over the Merced River, guides point out landmarks of interest and describe the park's natural history. Exiting over the Tuolumne Meadows, you'll fly low over the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River and exit the park over Hetch Hetchy Lake. The park tour lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes, not including flight time to and from Lake Tahoe.
Frommer's suggests a self-guided trip taking in Lake Tahoe and Yosemite that can take up to a week. When Tuolumne Pass is open during the warm months, the drive from Lake Tahoe to the park will take 2.5 hours plus time for any stops you make. Linger at Tuolumne Meadows on the way in and take several days to explore the park. Board an open-air tram for a 2-hour Valley Floor Tour, rent bikes to ride paved pathways or head out on trails for an up-close look at the falls. During winter, you'll have to divert to the park's west entrance, a journey that takes a minimum of twice as long, depending upon the weather and road conditions. You'll find snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails open from December through March.
