Finding Not Much Fun Visiting Yosemite and Napa Back to Back

For years, I heard from multiple friends, "Ya just got to see Yosemite; it's the most beautiful national park in America!". And "Napa is SO MUCH FUN!"

When our planned 2023 trip to Yosemite got canceled due to a bazillion feet of snow falling on the park in late March, I rearranged reservations to visit both in mid-Sept. After hearing the rave reviews, my expectations were high.

Unfortunately, this trip totally burned me out. For the first time in my life, I found myself wishing I had stayed home for a myriad of reasons. And it wasn't just my brush with the law.

Planning the trip proved easy. Husband Pete and I flew roundtrip in and out of San Francisco, renting a Dodge Challenger to drive the triangle connecting San Fran to Yosemite and Napa.

Ok, first.....let me just say, driving a Dodge Challenger is super fun! If you get the chance, do it!

Love This Ride!!

We enjoyed great weather the entire trip. Starting off with a fun "vroom-vroom", we left the San Francisco airport for the amazing inn I reserved for the Yosemite leg of our California getaway. So far, so good.

Our balcony view at the Rust Creek Inn by Day

Traveler's Tip: The Rust Creek Lodge is perfect for couples and families. The pools, spa, and restaurants are fabulous. You can't help but relax while enjoying the properties variety of amenities. It's location just outside of Yosemite allows for space between you and the mass of tourists descending on the park each day.

And By Night

I admit a big mistake with this trip's planning. I failed to read up on Yosemite and all the park has to offer in advance. Pete and I were given maps at the park entrance; but clearly, it would have been much better to do some homework before leaving PA.

First, Yosemite can be crowded, even during weeks that schools are in session. We scrambled for parking - a lot! Construction and road closures led to confusion and a few cross words. Folks, this is not how you want to start your vacation.

Traveler's Tip: Yosemite is vast. Unless you are an experienced hiker or rock climber familiar with the park, I highly recommend visiting Yosemite as part of a tour group. Using a company like Tauck Tours helps you avoid the lines and parking hassles. plus you'll learn more from the tour experts. At the very least, invest in some materials to educate yourself about the specific rock formations, waterfalls, hiking opportunities, and best parking slots for each site.

Take My Advice, Don't Even Slow Down in a Park Bus Lane

After becoming turned around due to construction, I pulled into a bus lane to ask the park ranger for help. Big Mistake!! It turns out, NEVER pull into a bus lane in a national park. After receiving a long lecture from the park police officer, he let us go with just a warning.

Traveler's Tip: Before leaving the car rental lot, check your car's documents. We discovered after our traffic stop that our car's registration had expired. Thankfully, the park ranger chose not to ticket us or impound our vehicle.

Let Me Catch My Breath, Please

The highlight of our time in Yosemite was our 3 hour hike on the Mist Trail. To beat the traffic, we entered the park before 7 am to find parking close to our trailhead; a good move. In chilly temperatures, we started the arduous climb uphill, not stopping for the next 95 minutes. We encountered few people as we huffed and puffed our way up. Was it worth it?

We just climbed how high??!!

Absolutely! The view at Clark Point is literally breathtaking. Again, we stupidly didn't do any advance research. Clark Point, at 2,152 ft. elevation, is considered a black diamond single track trail. I'm not sure we would have tackled the hike if we had known in advance. With Pete walking on a totally rebuilt ankle, we felt fortunate to encounter no physical issues during our 3 1/2 hour adventure.

Pete and I high-fived each other after making our way back down the mountain to our car (the lot was totally filled by 11:30 am). Feeling like Olympians, we returned to our inn to soak our tired muscles in one of three available hot tubs.

Bottoms Up at Domaine Carneros Vineyard

Our three nights in Napa left me wondering what all the fuss is about. Yes, the vineyards are lovely but experiencing "Napa" is expensive. We dropped $140 for a charcuterie board to go with our taste of bubblies at Domaine Carneros vineyard.

Sadly, none of the wine tickled my fancy.

Beringer Manor House is Worth a Look

A tad disillusioned, we next chose Beringer Vineyard because it is a name we recognized and the tours weren't expensive. It is here we learned, "You get what you pay for". Our guide was entertaining to the point of obnoxious. During our one hour underground guided walk, we were offered three new "blends" which were virtually undrinkable.

Beringer's Cave Tour Highlight

At least we didn't have to worry about shipping anything home back to Philly.

Traveler's Tip: We experienced two great meals while visiting Napa; dinners at Rutherford Grill and Grace's Table. I highly recommend both for all travelers but please note; reservations can be difficult to get - plan ahead!

Yes, there is a Golden Gate Bridge Somewhere in that Fog

Another trip highlight was visiting Golden Gate Park in San Fransisco. We spent hours strolling the misty beach and lovely 1,000 acre park grounds. After hearing so much about the homeless issue, I am happy to report that we saw only one homeless guy packing up his tent on a street corner. San Fransisco looked clean and felt safe.

Golden Gate Park is Fabulous!

Travelers Tip: If you visit San Francisco, treat yourself to a day in Golden Gate Park and make reservations for tea at the Japanese Gardens. It's simply lovely!

Make reservations in advance to enjoy tea in the Japanese Gardens

 With happy memories of enjoying great dining and atmosphere at Kincaids, located close to the San Francisco Airport, we couldn't wait to return for a fantastic steak dinner before flying home the next morning. Unfortunately, because our meals and service were so bad, I've put the whole evening out of my mind and am not linking the restaurant website to this blog post.

Enough already! Let's go home!!! I felt exhausted and disappointed at the end of this week long "vacation". Sadly, I give this particular magnet adventure a C+.

Overall, after 76+ magnet getaways, experiencing one big vacation disappointment isn't too bad. Will my next magnet trip bring back the thrill of travel again or convince me do more "stay"cations.

Stay tuned....