Fun Things To Do in Yosemite National Park

While contemplative meditation on the natural world is what some visitors are seeking, there are many fun things to do in Yosemite. The numbers of people who consider Yosemite a fun family place for a barbeque, somewhere to hike with buddies, a honeymoon destination, somewhere to get better at skiing, etc. tell you that lots of fun can be had here while enjoying the national park.

For some folks it's downtown entertainment that's the most fun. The summertime Yosemite Theater puts on an excellent performance every night near the Visitor Center. The Mountain Room Bar at the Yosemite Lodge has long been a destination for 'nocturnal wildlife.' Evening ranger programs around a campfire are a classic American summer tradition.

During the daytime, you can't go wrong with a ranger walk given by a knowledgeable interpretive ranger in the Smokey Bear hat. Rangers also now provide top-quality narration on the Valley Floor Tram Tours - a two-hour, informative loop of Yosemite Valley in an open-air tram that provides great rolling views of the immense cliffs. A different sort of ranger drives the stagecoach at the Pioneer Yosemite History Center during the summer; get your tickets at the old Wells Fargo office and roll back the years to an earlier mountain experience of trail dust, a covered bridge and a strong team of horses.

Rent a raft at Curry Village and float the Merced River the length of Yosemite Valley; it's a unique way to see the heights from the water level. Or real whitewater rafting is found just downstream of the park during May and June.

Yosemite Theater

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Visitor Center
(Yosemite Village)

Part of a perfect Yosemite evening...
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Yosemite Bike Trails

Yosemite Lodge and Curry Village

Paved bike trails in Yosemite Valley's east end...
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Tours Within The Park

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Yosemite Village

Bus tours with veteran drivers and knowledgeable guides...
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Badger Pass

Glacier Point Road

Since its opening in 1935, Yosemite's Badger Pass Ski Area, has been a favorite vacation spot for generations of skiers...
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Ansel Adams Gallery Camera Walk

Yosemite Valley Area

Footprints on film...
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Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions

Main St
(P.O. Box 510)

Raft the Merced or Tuolumne Rivers...
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Pioneer Yosemite History Center

P.O. Box 577
Wawona Hotel

Historic structures from the mining era...
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Yosemite Lodge Amphitheater

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Yosemite Lodge Drive & Northside Drive
Yosemite Lodge

Summertime evening programs at the Lodge...
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Half Dome Trail

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East end of Happy Isle Loop Road
(Yosemite Valley)

The best hiking adventure for the very fit...
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Yosemite Art and Education Center

Yosemite Village

Free art classes in Yosemite Village...
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