Skip the lounging on a sweltering beach. Forget about venturing into the crowded urban jungle. Some say spring is for lovebirds, but it doesn't hold a candle to a romantic autumn getaway to Yosemite! Here’s why fall is the ULTIMATE romantic getaway season for Yosemite.
Golden brown Black Oak leaves glow with autumn sunlight by the Yosemite Chapel
The kids are back in school. The weather is still warm especially during the day and cools off at night. Visiting Yosemite in the fall means you can enjoy the most popular vistas and attractions like Glacier Point and Yosemite Valley without having to wait in throngs of traffic. Combine that with beautiful foliage and you got yourself a world-class destination to rekindle the romance.
Autumn Sunset over Tuolumne Meadows. Photo by Steve Montalto/HighMountain Images
Although sunsets are beautiful any time of year in Yosemite, fall has the most vivid. This is because as the fall sun sets, its light must pass through much more of our atmosphere and thus creating such spectacular natural displays. It’s also the last season you can catch one in the upper reaches of Yosemite National Park before the roads close for the winter. Although overnight parking on Tioga Road ends mid-October, you can still enjoy a beautiful fall sunset via Tuolumne Meadows or Olmstead Point… or even Glacier Point, for that matter, and then return back to the valley.
The Ahwahnee Hotel's Great Lounge. Image courtesy of Yosemite Hospitality
The Jewel of the Yosemite crown, the Ahwahnee Hotel, sits near the center of Yosemite Valley and is as beautiful as its surroundings due to its interior design and architecture. As the nights get longer, an annual tradition begins anew… the fireside storytelling program. As you sink into a comfy chair in front of the gorgeous fireplace within the Ahwahnee Great Lounge, you’ll get an opportunity to hear stories of Yosemite’s cultural and natural history.
We hope these ideas spark a last-minute romantic getaway this fall to Yosemite. Can’t make it this autumn? Here’s a list of three romantic getaways to enjoy in the winter in Yosemite instead.
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Alex founded localfreshies.com® in 2014 to be the #1 website providing the “local scoop” on where to eat, drink & play in mountain towns throughout North America. When he’s not writing and executing marketing strategies for small businesses & agencies, he’s in search of the deepest snow in the winter and tackiest dirt in the summer.