How can you not love a good road trip?

From San Francisco to Yosemite Valley, I’m convinced there is no journey in which you experience so much beauty compacted into so little time. Yes, it is about 4 hours from San Francisco to Yosemite, and your arrival will be every bit as stunning as you expect, but let’s first focus on the vast landscape of golden hills, expansive orchards, small cities (supplies), winding roads, and mountain towns nestled in between.

My encouragement is to soak it all in. Turn that 4 hour drive into a 6 hour adventure. Touch, smell, taste, and see.

There is a distinct moment on the drive from San Francisco to Yosemite when you realize the city has officially let you go. The concrete and fog of the Bay Area fade in the rearview mirror, and suddenly, the landscape opens up into the iconic, rolling golden hills of California’s Central Valley.

This isn’t just a commute between two destinations; it’s a decompression zone. But if you are heading into the Yosemite Valley—specifically to the canvas tents of Curry Village—this drive is also your final chance to prepare for the reality of living in bear country. And while this journey begins with rolling golden hills, it ends with the majesty of Yosemite and Half Dome.

The Golden Hills and the Peaches

As you cross the Central Valley, the scenery looks like it was painted in strokes of gold and amber. It is agriculture country, which means you are driving through the produce basket of America.

We made a mandatory pitstop at Ramos Country Corner. When you see the hand-painted signs and the wooden farm stand, you pull over. We loaded up on the freshest, juiciest peaches you will ever eat. I’ll be diving deeper into this specific stop in an upcoming Peachy blog post, but spoiler alert: don’t buy your fruit at a supermarket when you can buy it directly from the people who grew it right off the highway. Just make sure you hold it over something to catch those juices on the first bite.

The “Curry Village” Supply Run

Before you start the serious climb into the Sierra Nevadas, you need to hit a grocery store. Staying in the canvas tents at Curry Village is an incredible experience, but it requires some logistical strategy. I recommend the heated tents even in the summer. The heat is off but they still have electricity. I point this out because the unheated tents do not have electricity. I’ll remind you of this fact in the overview of Yosemite blog post.

Now we need to talk about prepping your supplies for Yosemite bears…

• The Bear Locker Tetris: Every scrap of food, every scented toiletry, and anything with an odor must be stored in the metal bear locker outside your tent. If it smells, a bear wants it. We stocked up on snacks that were easy to pack and easy to cram into a steel box. Make sure you have a lock that will fit the lockers. Everything with a scent, including toiletries, must fit in it. Is the car safe? Absolutely not. Bears have been known to rip the doors off a sedan to get to a tube of chapstick. See above.
• The Water Strategy: Buy large jugs of water before you get to the park. Yes, Yosemite has running water, but when it’s 6:00 AM, freezing cold, and you are trying to fill up your CamelBak for a massive hike, you do not want to be walking across the camp to the communal spigot in your flip-flops. Having gallons of water in your tent is the ultimate basecamp luxury. And given how dry the air is at Yosemite (15-20% humidity during the day), you will need A LOT of water to drink.
• Trail Snacks: There are plenty of places to eat in Curry Village (cafeteria, coffee shop, pizza) but if you want trail snacks for the hikes, this is the time to get them. They need to be able to not melt in the bear locker though. We bought a coffee maker and made coffee outside our tent in the morning. Gotta have access to the essentials.

We stopped at Target Store #1526, which is located in Manteca, California. It is the classic “last major civilization stop” for travelers stocking up on supplies, water, and snacks before dealing with the Yosemite bear lockers! I don’t have a photo of it so here are some more golden hills.

The Climb and the Coffee

Once you leave the valley floor, the real drive begins. The road into the Sierras is a winding, steep ascent that makes your ears pop and your engine work for its keep. The passing traffic will definitely keep your heart going as the air gets cooler, the pines start to replace the oaks, and the anticipation builds with every hairpin turn. Look closely to see the winding Highway 120 in the image below. A more detailed image is located in my photo gallery.

Right as you need a break from the switchbacks, you hit Groveland. We pulled into Mountain Sage Coffee to stretch our legs and get properly caffeinated. It’s an earthy, eclectic spot (some might say a bit weird but we like weird) that perfectly matches the mountain-town vibe. I’ve got a dedicated post coming on this hidden gem in a few weeks. This place is one of my favorite finds ever.

With fresh fruit in the cooler, the CamelBaks prepped, and the caffeine hitting our system, we pushed through the final stretch. Next stop: The Valley Floor.

What is to Come

As a reminder, this is one blog post in a thirteen part blog series on this journey. Here is the outline with links to the other blogs.

1. The Greatest Trip in the World
2. Hang Off the Cable Car: San Francisco
3. Go to Prison with Us: Alcatraz
4. The View: Muir Woods 
5. Focal Point: California Academy of Sciences
6. Behind the Lens: San Francisco Zoo
7. ROAD TRIP!!! to Yosemite (this blog)
8. Peachy: Ramos Country Corner
9. Earthy: Mountain Sage Coffee
10. Yosemite Overview: lodging, food, hikes, nighttime
11. Triumphant: Half Dome Hike
12. Wanding in Yosemite
13. Sweeping: Grand Tour Hike (Four Mile Trail -> Panorama Trail)

Most of these images can be seen in more detail in my Gallery.