So last year, the family and I decided to do this day trip from San Jose to Yosemite National Park. My cousin, who’s basically a saint, offered to drive all of us. He pulled up to our hotel in San Jose bright and early, and after I downed a few cups of coffee at the hotel breakfast (both hot AND iced because… why choose?), we hit the road.
The drive was actually part of the experience. We started in that typical Bay Area urban sprawl, but as we pushed east, it gradually transformed into the massive agricultural fields of the Central Valley. My cousin is such a good driver, which was a blessing once we hit those winding mountain roads approaching the park. We spent most of the drive catching up on family gossip and occasionally just shutting up to take in the scenery.
But seriously, nothing prepares you for that first view of Yosemite Valley. It literally takes your breath away! El Capitan stood majestically on the left, this massive granite wall catching the sunlight. It’s huge in person, pictures don’t do it justice. We explored the valley floor pretty efficiently, stopping at El Capitan to stare up at this legendary rock face. It’s a straight-up granite monolith. My cousin told me I need to watch “Free Solo“, a documentary about this guy Alex Honnold who climbed the entire 900-meter vertical face without ropes. I swear I’m going to watch it.. eventually!
Driving through the park itself was magical. Those towering pines lined the winding roads. I kept making my cousin slow down so I could crane my neck up to see their tops against that impossibly blue sky. Not a single cloud in sight, just this perfect, clear blue canvas stretched above us. Summer in Yosemite gives you those postcard-perfect skies!
The thing that really got me was how quiet it was between viewpoints. We’d roll down the windows, and all you could hear was the soft crunch of tires on the road and maybe some distant birdsong. Even with other tourists around, there’s this unspoken agreement to keep voices low, like we’re all in some natural cathedral. The weather was absolutely perfect, warm but with this gentle breeze that kept it from feeling too hot. That mountain air has a different quality to it. Between all the stunning viewpoints, I found myself just… exhaling. I caught myself truly appreciating these moments of pure serenity that you can only find in spaces like Yosemite.
Bridalveil Fall was flowing in the distance, though it was pretty delicate since we went in summer when the falls are weaker. And then there’s Half Dome standing proudly in the distance. It’s got this iconic profile that’s literally named for looking like, well, half a dome!
We stopped for lunch at this spot near the base of El Capitan. Honestly, my sandwich was pretty sad, but the coffee was surprisingly good, so that made up for it a little. Unfortunately, we had to leave before sunset since we had an early flight to Chicago from San Francisco the next morning. My cousin, who’s been to Yosemite multiple times (lucky him!), says the sunsets there are absolutely STUNNING. So guess what? That’s my motivation to go back! Next time I’m definitely staying longer and catching one of those famous Yosemite sunsets!