🌄 Yosemite National Park: Our 3‑Day Itinerary (Mother’s Day Week)
A Mother’s Day Yosemite trip with a twisted ankle wasn’t the plan — but it turned into one of our favorite national park trips ever. Here’s exactly how we structured our three days, including the order we actually did everything.
You can also see how we booked this entire Yosemite + Sequoia trip on points — including both hotels — for under $320 out of pocket.
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🌲 Day 1: Mariposa Grove + Glacier Point + Tunnel View
The perfect arrival day with minimal walking
We drove in on Sunday and started with Mariposa Grove, since it’s right by the south entrance and easy to pair with a scenic drive day.
🚐 Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
We parked at the Welcome Plaza and took the shuttle up. Even with my swollen ankle, the Big Trees Loop was totally doable and so peaceful.
This was the perfect warm‑up to Yosemite.
🚗 Glacier Point Road
After the grove, we headed straight up to Glacier Point — one of the most beautiful views in the world. Minimal walking, maximum payoff.
📸 Tunnel View
We wrapped up the day with Tunnel View, which is always worth the stop. So we stopped there each day to soak up the views as we entered or exited the Valley.
🏨 Check‑In: The Innelle at Oakhurst
After our scenic loop, we checked into The Innelle, our Marriott property in Oakhurst. It was the perfect base for the rest of our Yosemite.
👉 Check current rates and book Innelle at Oakhurst.
(We stayed at the Hyatt Place Fresno the night before for our Sequoia day trip.)
🏞️ Day 2: Yosemite Valley — Full Loop (Southside Focus)
Your classic Yosemite day
Monday was our big Yosemite Valley day, and we focused on the Southside Drive route first — the meadows, beaches, and river views that make Yosemite feel so peaceful.
🚗 Start on Southside Drive
From Wawona Road, turn right onto Southside Drive.
✔️ Hanging Valley Viewpoint
Quick pullout on the left — great warm‑up stop.
✔️ Cathedral Beach
Calm, sandy, and perfect for a picnic.
✔️ Sentinel Beach
Another peaceful riverside stop.
✔️ Swinging Bridge
Short walk, beautiful views of the valley floor.
✔️ Sentinel Boardwalk
A short, flat boardwalk along the creek — ankle‑friendly and great for photos.
🥾 Cooks Meadow Loop + Yosemite Falls
At the stop sign:
Go straight for Curry Village
Or turn left over Sentinel Bridge
Immediately after the bridge, turn left into the Yosemite Falls Vantage Point parking.
✔️ Cooks Meadow Loop
Easy, flat, and stunning. Perfect for Yosemite Falls photos. The meadow was majestic. We even saw a coyote out here.
✔️ Lower Yosemite Falls Trail
1 mile, easy, paved. Branches off the north side of the meadow loop. I travel a lot with my parents in their 70’s. I did this with a sprained ankle. All ages were out here, and it was perfect!
💦 Day 3: Yosemite Valley — Northside Drive + Bridalveil Fall
We loved it so much we went back
Tuesday was all about the Northside Drive viewpoints — plus a return to Bridalveil Fall, which completely stole our hearts.
🚗 Northside Drive Highlights
✔️ Valley Loop Trail Pullouts
Small parking areas on both sides — great for short strolls.
✔️ El Capitan Meadow
Turn left onto El Capitan Drive and loop around the meadow. One of the best places to spot climbers.
✔️ Valley View
Small parking area on the left — classic river + granite walls shot.
✔️ Cascade View
Continue straight on El Portal Road for 2.5 miles. Parking on the right just over the bridge.
🎒 What We Packed
If you want to see the exact gear we brought for Yosemite and Sequoia — including what I used after twisting my ankle — here’s what I packed for this trip.
I also packed everything in my Away Carry‑On, a new favorite of mine. Check out my Full Review.
And if you want to browse all my favorite travel gear, you can shop my Travel Essentials Hub.
🧭 Planning More National Park Trips?
You can find all my itineraries — from Glacier to Zion — in my National Park Hub.
✍️ About the Author
Hi, I’m Julie — a mom, travel hacker of 20+ years, and the creator of No Point Left Behind, where I teach families and retirees how to travel more for less using points and miles. I’ve helped my own parents (now in their late 70s!) travel the world almost entirely on points, and I’ve paid cash for exactly one plane ticket since 2019.
If you love smart itineraries, real‑life travel stories, and practical tips that save time and money, you’re in the right place.
➡️ Next Up: Glacier National Park
Ready for another national park adventure? Read next: Glacier National Park Itinerary from Kalispell (Booked on Points!)
