Originally, on the second day we planned to do the Half Dome hike; however, we did not get selected for the permits. Because Half dome has high demand, the National Park Service does a lottery system two days in advance prior to the hiking date with a notification late that night. Because of that, we changed our plan and went to Glacier Point!

Washburn Point

On the way to Glacier Point, we made a stop at Washburn Point and it was so worth it! Because we left quite early from the Blackberry Inn (9 am), we managed to skip people at this spot. This location is amazing, not only you can see Half Dome, but also you can take great pictures.

Glacier Point

Something to take into consideration is that most of the Glacier Point Road is closed from November to May, so if you are at Yosemite from May to September, make sure to go to this point because it is beautiful. Also, there is no hiking involved, so if you bring seniors, this is probably the best option for them.

To hike all of Glacier Point, it can take up to 20 minutes, because is a short and easy hike, but the views are the reward. From here you have an overlook of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country.

Also, you can find a gift shop and a cafeteria, which helps if you have not eaten anything until that point. We had ice creams because the heat of that day was unbearable.

Sentinel Dome

After Glacier Point, we opted to do a hike in Sentinel Dome, also because we wanted to avoid the masses. This hike was a total of 2.2 miles round trip, with a final elevation of 8,100 feet. It took us around 2 hours to finish it, but we loved every single minute of it.

Because we started this hike around 1 pm, the sun was above us, so carrying water and a few snacks is a priority. Besides, once you reach to the top, you get a 360-degree view of the whole park.

Bridalveil Fall

After Sentinel Dome, we decided to visit Bridalveil Fall, which is the most famous one from the whole park. This waterfall is 617 feet and flows for the whole year. Even though many people told us to go and visit the base of this waterfall, we could not appreciate it because there were too many people.

Since we visited it around 4 pm, it was crowded. So we could not get a good picture of it, we just went, saw it, and returned to the car. We guess it would be much better during fall, but sadly for us, we went in summer. We will visit it again later for sure, and hopefully, it will be less crowded.

Yosemite Valley

This is the base camp where most people stay at Yosemite National Park. If anyone plans to camp and hike Half Dome, for sure they should camp here. However, if you are not camping, then do not stay in this valley. At a certain point, we felt we were at a university campus. There were too many people, and you just can not feel that you are in the middle of Yosemite. Some part of the natural beauty of the park got lost when we walked around this valley.

Since we went in the summer, the valley was pretty crowded. However, the views you get from here are attractive. Also, here you can find many lodge options; The Majestic is one of the most popular (formerly known as the Ahwahnee Hotel), and many cafeterias and stores are all around.

Nevertheless, the traffic in summer is pretty bad. Hence if you plan to come to Yosemite Valley, we recommend you to come on a weekday, as weekends are the crowdest.

Dinner at Rush Creek Lodge

On our way back to the Blackberry Inn, we made a stop for dinner at Rush Creek Lodge. Our innkeeper recommended us this place, as the restaurant has good reviews from previews guests. One of the best features this restaurant has is its rustic feeling and relaxed atmosphere. Also, the food was amazing, our favorite dish was the tuna poke, it was so tasty and perfect for us to end the day with.