Last minute itinerary suggestions & help

Question

Hello all, Looking for suggestion for our last minute trip , just done with all the booking - trying to plan out the itinerary. Came up with below plan , please pour in ur suggestion n recommendation ..

● Day 1: saturday : 24 may

Sfo flight lands 1.30 pm--> take car rental --> reach fresno night halt

Visit - anything ??? Can be done in the afternoon ??

Eod Stay - fresno

● Day 2: sunday : 25 may

Check out early morning -- kings canyon full day

-->check in visalia

▪︎ things to do :

>>General Grant Tree and walk the half-mile to a mile loop trail.

Take a short hike up to Panoramic Point Overlook

Start driving down to Roads End, stop at Hume Lake

Explore Zumalt Meadows hikr and Roaring River Falls..

■?? Should we do part of mist fall trail , not full is it worth it ?

?? Should we visit boyden cavern ?

● Day 3: monday : 26 may

Start about 8 am -->full sequioa np --> night stay visalia

▪︎ things to do :

Enter Sequoia National Park via the South Entrance

Views along Generals Highway

Hike to Moro Rock

Tunnel Log

Hike Crescent Meadows

Visit General Sherman Tree

Hike the Congress Trail

More Views Along Generals Highway

Exit via Kings Canyon Entrance Station

■?? Anything I am missing need to add or should exclude anything ?

Day 4: tuesday : 27 may

Visalia check out early morning by 8 am--> enter yosemite via south entry --> spend day in glacier pt route + hike ---> check in night at mariposa

▪︎ things to do :

Park - take shuttle - mariposa grove trail -drive & visit - Washburn pt , then glacier pt ,

Do 5 mile tarf pt + sentinel dome trail n sunset from there .

■ ??? - Is there any food option available in the route ? Anything else to be done in this day ?

Tunnel view on this day ?

Which point better for sunset ?

Since its 27th , don't need the entrance ticket , right ?

Day 5: Wednesday : 28 may

Start morning 8 am from mariposa - yosemite park at curry village--do mist trail -- spend time in valley -- night stay mariposa

▪︎ things to do :

Mainly mist trail today

■??? - its in the holiday week , would it be hard to get parking in curry village if we reach by 9/9.30 ?

We r young couple but not avid hiker but in good health , really interested in doing mist trail. Alltrail showing as hard and strenuous hike - looking for suggestions- should we skip it or do it ..( i know first part is relatively ok - that one definitely doing but what about the last part ?)

Good food option in the valley ?

What can be done and covered in the day - if we do the complete hike ?

Good sunset place ?

Day 6 : thrusday: 29 may

Hv Mariposa stay in hotel till 2.30 due to offce --> yosemite valley area --> night stay mariposa.

▪︎ things to do : ???

■What can be done in this day we will from late afternoon period ???

Day 7 : friday : 30 may

Mariposa Office work till 1 pm -- > visit tioga rd area -- night stay mariposa.

▪︎ things to do :

Omstead pt , tenaya lake , tuolumne valley

■?? Can we still cover all of it even if we start after 1 pm ?

Day 8 : saturday : 31st may

Start from mariposa 9 am (flexible on time)--> reach san Francisco-- flight 11.30 pm

▪︎ things to do :

?? Should we do the anything in sfo this day or anything in yosemite side ??

Thanks in adv .

Answer

Your itinerary is ambitious but feasible if you are in good health and can handle moderate driving and hiking. Here’s a day-by-day analysis with suggestions and recommendations.

Day 1 – Saturday, May 24: SFO → Fresno

Arrival at 1:30 PM, car rental, drive to Fresno. You could consider a short stop in Fresno or near the outskirts for a scenic view, but realistically, the afternoon may be tight. Most travelers simply check into a hotel and rest for the night.

Option: Quick stop at Forestiere Underground Gardens if you arrive early and want a short tour (~1 hour).

Day 2 – Sunday, May 25: Kings Canyon full day

Your planned stops are good. General Grant Tree, Panoramic Point, Roads End, Hume Lake, Zumwalt Meadow, and Roaring River Falls are all doable in a full day. Mist Trail in Kings Canyon is not necessary and can be skipped.

Boyden Cavern: Optional. Can be skipped if time is tight, but interesting if you enjoy caves (~1 hour visit).
Prioritize scenery and easy walks rather than strenuous hikes this day.

Day 3 – Monday, May 26: Sequoia NP full day

Your route via South Entrance with stops at Moro Rock, Tunnel Log, Crescent Meadows, General Sherman Tree, and Congress Trail is ideal. You are covering all highlights efficiently.

No major attractions missing. You could add Big Trees Trail if time permits (short 1–2 mile loop).

Day 4 – Tuesday, May 27: Yosemite via South Entry, Glacier Point

Mariposa Grove, Washburn Point, Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome are excellent choices.

Food: Glacier Point Road has few options; bring snacks or lunch. Mariposa Grove area has a small café near the parking lot.
Tunnel View: Stop on your way to Glacier Point for classic views. Sunset: Glacier Point is better than Tunnel View for sunset.
Entrance Fee: You need an entrance ticket; holiday week still requires park entry fee.

Day 5 – Wednesday, May 28: Mist Trail / Yosemite Valley

Mist Trail is strenuous if you do the full hike to Nevada Falls. Doing only the lower portion (Vernal Fall footbridge or up to Vernal Fall top) is recommended if you prefer moderate effort.

Parking at Curry Village by 9–9:30 AM can be challenging during holiday week. Arrive as early as possible.
Food: Curry Village Pizza Deck, Degnan’s Deli, and Base Camp Eatery offer casual options in the valley.
Sunset: Valley View or Sentinel Dome are excellent for evening views.

Day 6 – Thursday, May 29: Mariposa, late afternoon Yosemite Valley

Options: Short walks along Cook’s Meadow or Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, Valley viewpoints like Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, or swing by Yosemite Village for quick exploration.
Since starting late, focus on easy, iconic stops rather than hikes.

Day 7 – Friday, May 30: Tioga Road / Tuolumne Meadows

Starting after 1 PM limits options due to distance from Mariposa. You can still reach Tenaya Lake and Olmsted Point, but visiting Tuolumne Meadows may be tight; allow 1–2 hours max.

Prioritize: Olmsted Point viewpoint, Tenaya Lake for photos and short walks.
Long hikes in Tuolumne likely not feasible with a 1 PM start.

Day 8 – Saturday, May 31: Return to SFO

If time permits, a short morning stop at Yosemite Valley (Tunnel View or Bridalveil Fall) is possible before starting the drive.
Otherwise, drive directly to San Francisco. With evening flight, you could stop for lunch or coffee along the way.

Overall suggestions:

Holiday week means crowds; start early for park entrances and popular trailheads.
Mist Trail: Do only the lower or mid-section unless you are confident with strenuous hiking.
Bring snacks and water; food options are limited and busy in holiday weeks.
Focus on key highlights and scenic viewpoints rather than trying to do every hike, especially in Kings Canyon and Yosemite.

This plan allows you to see major highlights of Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite with a balance of sightseeing and moderate hiking without overexertion.

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