Yosemite national park
Location: about a 5hr drive from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Getting there: as traffic congestion in the park increases during the summer, alternative forms of transport to a car include scheduled Amtrak train and bus services from the West Coast. Flights are also available from San Francisco to Fresno-Yosemite Airport, south of the park, and to Merced Airport to the west.
Admission: $20 per car, payable on entry; $10 per person if hiking or biking.
Getting around: regular shuttle buses within the park are free and take passengers to all the main trails, viewing points, shops and the visitors’ centre.
Recommended: a 2hr valley floor guided tour from Yosemite Lodge which takes in many scenic points; a Glacier Point tour by bus, or in your own car, for spectacular views of Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada, including the Half Dome.
Largest complex: Camp Curry, which also has a shop, restaurant and evening entertainment. Prices on site are very reasonable.