Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl · CC BY 2.55 Days in San Francisco and Yosemite: Icons, Then Granite
Five days for outdoors-loving first-timers: three days in San Francisco for Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and the Mission, then two days in Yosemite for the valley floor, its waterfalls and the high viewpoints. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel, so you can shift pace, budget and style and watch each day rebuild around the places you care about most.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
14 stops · 10 meals · 2 hotels · 1 transferThis is the editor’s pick.
5 days, 2 cities
From San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, with 1 move between cities. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
San Francisco
Fisherman's Wharf & the Northern Waterfront · Downtown & Union Square · The Mission & Castro
- Day 1Fisherman's Wharf & the Northern Waterfront: Alcatraz Island & Lombard Street
- Day 2Downtown & Union Square: A cable car ride & Salesforce Park
- Day 3The Mission & Castro: The Painted Ladies & Dolores Park
- Rental car to Yosemite National Park · 4h 30m
Yosemite National Park
Glacier Point and the Southern Park · Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road
- Day 4Glacier Point and the Southern Park: Sentinel Dome & Glacier Point
- Day 5Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road: The Cathedral Lakes & Pothole Dome
Walk down the crooked block between Hyde and Leavenworth, past the gardens and mansions. Eight switchbacks, cable cars crossing at the top, and bay views the whole way.
- Most visitors walk the block downhill from Hyde Street.
Take the ferry to the former federal prison on the island and walk the cellhouse with the self-guided audio tour. It is the prison story, told in the cells themselves.
- Book as soon as your dates open, up to 90 days out. Tickets sell out weeks or months ahead.
Order the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl at the flagship of the 1849 bakery. Then look through the bakery museum before you leave.
Closer: Mama's on Washington Square, 15 min out of your way
Start at the waterfront pier, then head straight to K-Dock for the California sea lions hauled out on the floats. Shops and restaurants fill the rest of the pier.
- The pier is free to visit and open daily 10am to 10pm.
- Come off the Alcatraz ferry at Pier 33 and walk to Pier 39. Prison island first, then sea lions and the waterfront at street level.
Second-floor dining over Pier 39 with Alcatraz and bridge views. All the seafood is sustainable, a first for the wharf.
- Eat above the pier you just walked. Fog Harbor sits on Pier 39 itself, with bay views back toward Alcatraz and the bridge.
Dorms and private rooms five minutes from Union Square, with a guest kitchen, lounge and laundry. Dorm beds start around $42 in low season.
Coffee plus toast, paninis, salads and pastries on Market Street, open daily 6am to 6pm. A simple downtown start.
Ride the world's last manually operated cable cars, running since 1873. The Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines climb from Union Square toward the wharf.
- A single ride is $9. The 1-day Visitor Passport at $15 covers cable cars plus all Muni.
Use the historic plaza as your downtown anchor. The Dewey Memorial, theaters and shopping surround it, and the Powell cable car turntable sits nearby.
Ride up to the rooftop park four levels above Mission Street. A long plaza, 600 trees and botanical gardens make it a calm break above downtown.
- Admission is free, and the park sits four stories up, reached by gondola and elevators.
Worth the trip
California's oldest restaurant, founded in 1849. White-jacketed waiters, charcoal-grilled petrale sole, and cioppino in an Art Deco room.
Stay put: 16 min walk back from Salesforce Park tonight, ~18 min by taxi to Mission Dolores in the morning.
Sandwiches, salads and all-day breakfast on a patio by Duboce Park. Plates run about $10 to $16, and the room feels like the neighborhood.
See the seven pastel Queen Anne houses from Alamo Square Park, downtown rising behind them. It is a view, not a tour, so ten good minutes is enough.
- It is free to view from Alamo Square Park. Go just before sunset for the best light on the facades.
Step into the city's oldest building, founded in 1776. Take the self-guided tour of the old mission and cemetery, then look into the basilica next door.
Salted caramel is the must-order across from Dolores Park. The line moves fast. Take your scoops across the street and eat on the lawn.
Climb to the top of the slope for the downtown skyline, then settle on the sunny lawn. Grab food on 18th Street on the way in and make it a picnic.
- Pair the old mission with Dolores Park up the hill. History first, then skyline lawn time. The two belong to the same Mission afternoon.
Massive super burritos, free chips and salsa, and hours that run past 1am. Cash only, no frills, and the carnitas burrito is the move.
Stay put: ~19 min by taxi back from Dolores Park tonight.
San Francisco to Yosemite National Park
257 km, rated for speed and cost. For an outdoorsy trip on a comfortable budget at a balanced pace, take the Rental car via Highway 120 (Big Oak Flat Entrance). It's only 30 min slower than the quickest option, at $$ instead of $$$.
Premade sandwiches, snacks, drinks and ice cream bars at the overlook itself, in season. Simple food, with the Glacier Point view doing the rest.
Take in the valley, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls from 3,214 feet above Curry Village. A short paved trail makes the park's biggest view an easy one.
- Glacier Point Road is open approximately May to November. A short paved trail to the point is wheelchair accessible.
Hike up the smooth granite dome for a 360-degree summit panorama over the valley, the falls and the High Sierra. Quieter than Glacier Point.
The renovated Curry Village pavilion does breakfast and hearty dinners, including its well-known pizza. Fuel before and after the trails.
Motel rooms, wooden cabins and canvas tent cabins under Glacier Point, near the Mist Trail. The valley's most affordable roofed lodging, seasonal.
Tacos and burritos at Curry Village's Meadow Grill for a quick, scenic lunch between hikes. Open late morning to late afternoon.
Hike seven miles round trip to twin alpine lakes under the spire of Cathedral Peak. A full, rewarding High Sierra outing from the meadows.
- Cathedral Lakes is about 7 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
Wander the vast subalpine meadow at 8,600 feet, where the Tuolumne River winds between granite domes. This is the High Sierra, gentle and open.
- Tioga Road, the only access, is open approximately late May or June to November depending on snow.
Scramble the low, glacier-polished dome at the west end of the meadows for views over the meadow and the river's cascades. Short hike, wide payoff.
- Start a meadows day at Pothole Dome on its west end. The short climb frames the meadow and river before you wander further.
Hand-tossed pizza and salads on the outdoor deck at Curry Village, under Glacier Point and the Royal Arches. Open most of the year.
Stay put: ~102 min by taxi back from Pothole Dome tonight.
Where to stay in San Francisco & Yosemite National Park
Ranked for outdoorsy travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
San Francisco
HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel
Dorms and private rooms five minutes from Union Square, with a guest kitchen, lounge and laundry. Dorm beds start around $42 in low season.
Hotel Zephyr
Playful waterfront boutique four minutes from Pier 39, with an 8,000-square-foot courtyard, fire pits and a game room. Built for families.
Hotel Del Sol
A 1950s motor lodge turned boutique in the Marina: palm trees, a heated saltwater pool, hammocks and free continental breakfast.
Yosemite National Park
Curry Village
Motel rooms, wooden cabins and canvas tent cabins under Glacier Point, near the Mist Trail. The valley's most affordable roofed lodging, seasonal.
Housekeeping Camp
Open-air units with concrete walls and canvas roofs on the Merced River, sleeping up to six, with covered outdoor cooking areas. Seasonal.
Yosemite Valley Lodge
A 245-room lodge at the base of Yosemite Falls, with family rooms, a pool and several dining options. Open year-round and well placed.
Flights to San Francisco & Yosemite National Park
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Getting around San Francisco & Yosemite National Park
How to actually move around each city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
San Francisco
Public transit
SFMTA's Muni — buses, light-rail Metro, historic streetcars, and the cable cars — covers the whole city. BART is the regional rail to the airport and the East Bay.
- Muni (bus, Metro, cable cars, streetcars)
SFMTA's city-wide system: buses, light-rail Metro, F-line streetcars, and the famous cable cars. 1/3/7-day Visitor Passports ($15/$35/$47) include cable cars.
Tip: Buy passes in the MuniMobile app — cheaper than paper, and you can hold several tickets on one phone.
- BART (airport & East Bay)
The regional rail to SFO, Oakland, and Berkeley. Fares are distance-based — tag on and off with a Clipper card.
Tip: BART to SFO beats rideshare on price and on traffic.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft are everywhere (Lyft is headquartered here) — usually the fastest SFO option besides BART, and the easy answer for late nights.
Bikes
Docked share bikes across the Bay Area — the e-bikes make the hills disappear.
- Lyft Bike (Bay Wheels)
The Bay Area's docked share system — thousands of pedal and e-bikes across 500+ stations in five cities including SF. Unlock in the Lyft app.
Tip: E-bikes flatten SF's hills — worth the small surcharge.
Taxis
Street taxis are rarer than they used to be; the Flywheel app hails regular cabs when you want a metered ride.
Yosemite National Park
Public transit
The free Yosemite Valley shuttle loops the valley floor all day, and YARTS buses connect the park with Merced, Fresno and the other gateway towns, so a car-free visit works once you are in the valley.
- Yosemite Valley Shuttle
Free shuttle system looping Yosemite Valley: a Valleywide route serving lodges, food, campgrounds and trailheads every 12 to 22 minutes, and an East Valley route every 8 to 12 minutes, both 7 am to 10 pm.
Tip: Park once and ride the shuttle; valley parking fills by mid-morning in summer.
- YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System)
Regional buses into Yosemite Valley: year-round on Highway 140 from Merced and Mariposa, with summer routes on Highway 41 from Fresno, Highway 120 from Sonora and Highway 395/120 from Mammoth Lakes. Tickets include park admission and connect with Amtrak at Merced.
Tip: Buy YARTS tickets online ahead of summer weekends; the fare includes the park entrance fee.
- Mariposa Grove Shuttle
Free shuttle between the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza near the South Entrance and the sequoia grove itself, running roughly mid-April through November; private cars are not allowed up the grove road in season.
Tip: Ride the shuttle from the welcome plaza; drinking water is only available at the plaza and the grove arrival area.
Rideshare
Rideshare barely exists here: Uber and Lyft do not operate for trips inside the park, cell coverage in the valley is too patchy to summon a car reliably, and drivers are based in gateway towns an hour or more away. Plan on the shuttles, YARTS, tours or your own car instead.
Bikes
The flat valley floor is made for bikes: 12 miles of paved paths link the villages, lodges and trailheads, with a free seasonal bike share for short hops and paid rentals for longer rides.
- Yosemite Bike Share
Free Conservancy-run bike share for rides of up to two hours in Yosemite Valley, unlocked with the LINKA GO app at hubs by Yosemite Village and Camp 4, typically June through October.
Tip: Download the app before you arrive; valley cell service is weak.
- Yosemite Valley Bike Rentals (Yosemite Hospitality)
Paid seasonal bike rentals at Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village, early April through late October, with children's bikes, trailers and accessible bikes; last rental 5:30 pm.
Tip: Rent in the morning for the best choice; bikes stay on paved paths and roads, not hiking trails.
Taxis
There is no taxi service inside Yosemite National Park: no cabs wait at the lodges, none can be hailed, and the park runs on its free shuttles instead. Taxis exist in gateway towns such as Merced and Oakhurst for airport runs, booked by phone in advance, but they are not a way to move around the park itself.
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- Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl · CC BY 2.56 days
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