Booking choice: The small-group day trip with sequoias, from $239 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Yosemite is about 195 miles from San Francisco, 4 to 5 hours each way. On a day trip that is 8 to 10 hours of driving, which is the main reason most visitors with one day take a tour.
If you have more time, a car or the train and bus open up the rest of the park. Here is how the three compare.
The quick answer
For a single day, a tour is the easiest: no driving, pickup at your hotel and entry included for US residents, from $209. A rental car suits two or more days and groups sharing costs, and it is the only way to reach Mariposa Grove or Glacier Point on your own schedule. The train and bus via Merced works, but takes most of a day each way, so it needs a night in the park.
Is it better to take a tour or drive to Yosemite from San Francisco?
For a day trip, a tour: you avoid 8 to 10 hours at the wheel and the operator handles pickup, parking and, for US residents, park entry.
Driving wins when you stay at least one night, travel as a group or family, or want places the tours skip. Guests on tours often say that being driven made the day much easier than renting a car and working it all out themselves.
One day and no car? The small-group tour collects you at your hotel before dawn.
Check dates for the small-group day trip with sequoiasHow do the costs compare?
A tour costs $209 to $239 per person with entry for US residents; a car costs the $35 park fee plus rental, fuel and parking, shared by everyone in it.
Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay the $100 non-resident fee per person whichever way they travel.
| Guided day tour | Rental car | Train + bus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $209 to $239 per person | Rental + fuel, shared | Amtrak fare + bus ($44 round trip from Merced on YARTS) |
| Park entry (US residents) | Included | $35 per car, 7 days | Included with an Amtrak Yosemite ticket |
| Non-residents 16+ | +$100 per person | +$100 per person | +$100 per person |
| Door to door each way | 4 to 5 h with stops | 4 to 5 h | Most of a day |
| Driving for you | None | 8 to 10 h in a day | None |
| Works as a day trip | Yes | Tiring | No |
| Best for | One day, solo or couples | 2+ days, groups | No car, 2+ days |
How long is the drive from San Francisco to Yosemite?
About 195 miles (314 km) and 4 to 5 hours each way, via I-580, I-205 and Highway 120 through Manteca or Highway 140 through Merced.
Highway 120 enters at the Big Oak Flat entrance, on the side of the park with Tuolumne Grove; Highway 140 enters at Arch Rock. Once in the park, Tunnel View is about 15 minutes from the Valley, but Glacier Point is 30 miles and Wawona 27 miles away.
What are the downsides of driving yourself?
The distance: 8 to 10 hours at the wheel in one day, after an early start, with mountain roads at both ends.
Parking near the Valley's main sights fills on busy days, tire chains may be required from October to April, and the drive back is in the dark for much of the year. If you drive, do it over two days, not one.
What does a guided tour do better?
It turns the drive into rest time: you can sleep on the way out, the guide explains what you see, and you never look for parking.
Most tours collect you at a central San Francisco hotel and drop you back in the evening. The trade-off is a fixed schedule: 3 to 5 hours in the park, no choice of stops, and some guests report tired buses, bumpy seats or no restroom on board.
Want the cheapest seat? The mini-coach tour includes hotel pickup and three hours of free time.
Explore the mini-coach small-group tourCan you get to Yosemite by train and bus?
Yes: take the Amtrak Gold Runner to Merced (with a connecting bus from San Francisco to Emeryville), then the YARTS bus to Yosemite Valley.
Amtrak sells through tickets to Yosemite that include the bus and park admission. Bought separately, the YARTS Highway 140 bus costs $22 one way or $44 round trip from Merced and takes about 3 to 3.5 hours; YARTS says entrance and non-resident fees are not included in its fares. With the train on top, the trip takes most of a day each way, so it does not work as a same-day return.
When does driving make sense?
When you stay at least one night, travel as a family or group, or want Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point or the high country.
Two days also mean a slower drive and time for a proper hike. If you want that extra day without driving, the 2-day tour with lodging does it for you. More in day trip or overnight.
Two days without the driving? The tour includes your night and Glacier Point when the road is open.
Explore the 2-day tour with lodgingWhat should you know if you drive to Yosemite?
Leave early, check the road and air conditions on the NPS site, carry chains from October to April, and pay $35 at the gate: no reservation is needed in 2026.
Fuel up before the park, bring food and water, and drive slowly: black bears and deer cross the roads. In late September 2026, Glacier Point Road was closed because of the Dome Fire, so check before planning around it.
Rather not drive? The small-group tour does the 390-mile round trip for you.
Check dates for the small-group day trip with sequoiasFrequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to drive to Yosemite than take a tour?
For a group sharing a rental car, usually; for one or two people on a single day, a tour is often similar in cost and far less tiring.
Can you do Yosemite by public transport in a day from San Francisco?
Not realistically: the train to Merced plus the YARTS bus takes most of a day each way. Plan a night in or near the park.
Do you need a reservation to drive into Yosemite in 2026?
No. Pay the $35 vehicle fee at the gate; non-US residents 16 and over add $100 each.
Do tours include parking and entry?
Yes. The operator handles parking, and entry is included for US residents on every day trip here.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation on every option: up to 24 hours before on day trips, 6 days on multi-day tours. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Yosemite Small-Group Day Trip with Sequoias
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central San Francisco (about 5:15 to 5:30 AM)
- Driver-guide in a minibus, maximum 15 guests
- Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, Half Dome views and Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Small-Group Tour by Mini-Coach
Three hours of free time in the Valley, with hotel pickup
Yosemite Valley Full-Day Coach Tour
- Departure about 6:20 AM from Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square (no hotel pickup)
- Driver-guide commentary on a full-size coach, up to 45 guests
- Coffee and restroom stop in Oakdale or Turlock
