Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco
Overview
Available languages
14 hours
Mobile ticket
Take a day trip from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, described as the crown jewel of the country's many splendid national parks. You will be guided on a coach tour to highlights such as Bridalveil Falls, Tunnel View, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls, with a stop for a 1-mile (1.6-km) walk into a grove of giant sequoias*.
Our vans only take 15 passengers, so we are able to stop at more places with less time for loading and unloading of passengers.
*weather permitting, and the hike is not recommended for people with health issues
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Car seat required for children 8 years old and under; not provided
The trip is accessible for most of the tour. However, at the end of the day, we go on a hike to see the giant sequoias. This is NOT advised for people with back, heart or knee problems. It is also not wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, this is only way to see the sequoias.
There is a possibility that the Giant Sequoia hike will not be available due to winter weather conditions.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
Drive across bridge on the way to Yosemite
San Joaquin Valley
California's agricultural heartland, visible during the long drive to the Sierra foothills.
What‘s Included
National Park fees for US Residents
Hotel/port pickup and drop-off (from select hotels in San Francisco)
Local taxes
All activities
Food and drinks
Gratuities
No Pick-up/Drop-off from residential addresses or hotels outside of San Francisco
Please note that new National Park fees apply for international visitors. If applicable, this fee is collected in-destination and not at the time of booking.
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
5:30 am Departure
5:30 am Departure - Yosemite in a Day Tour from San Francisco
Pickup included
Reviews
3,787 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Outstanding Day
Z7681WKlaurenn,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful day with Best Bay Area Tours visiting the wonderful Yosemite National Park. From start to finish the tour was fantastic with prompt pick up times, a knowledgeable driver (Kurt) and friendly small group. The tour was very well thought out with regular comfort breaks and entertainment on the long drive. I would thoroughly recommend doing this tour; it’s the best one I have done.
An amazing one-day trip!
Minye S,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing! I will recommend it to all of my friends! I appreciate Trevor’s guide. It’s a perfect day!!!🌺🌳
Incredible Tour!
Jason C,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Highly recommend! I did extensive research on which Yosemite tour to sign up for, & I am so glad I picked this one! My wife & I had the privilege of having Viktor as our guide. He texted the day before to confirm the location and time of our hotel pick up which was 5:40AM. We were picked up promptly at 5:40AM & collected a few other guests and were on the bay bridge before 6AM. The shuttle itself was comfortable & fairly roomy. It has 15 seats including the driver. An aisle goes down the middle with 4 rows of double seats on one side, 3 rows of single seats on the other, & the back row has a row of 3 seats. We had 12 people in our party & Viktor. The shuttle had WiFi which does get spotty going up and down elevation as well as sufficient overhead storage for bags & such. The shuttle also has a TV where Viktor played a couple documentaries on the way there and back to set the mood. In between, Viktor played music softly & let us rest, but there were times he would update us with facts & info. The shuttle ride was the perfect balance of educational & getting to know each other as well as quiet time. Viktor was very very communicative in setting expectations, times, rules for safety, van temperature, etc. all while teaching us educational facts about Yosemite on the way there & back. Very good driver as well. He checked in to make sure no one was getting sick as the road to Yosemite does get curvy. Travel time is about 3-3.5 hours each way depending on traffic. It doesn’t feel that long as we made a halfway stop each way. Heading there, we stopped at a local grocery store & a small locally owned market to use the restroom & get snacks, all while supporting local businesses & getting fun facts about the central California towns we were driving through. On the way back, we stopped for dinner for about 45 minutes in that same area. We were lucky as the wait to get into Yosemite can get long, but we only had to wait 5 minutes & got in just after 10AM. Once we were in, we stopped at the welcome center to use the restroom & go over the itinerary for the day. FYI you almost certainly will have to use a porta potty in Yosemite, but Viktor provided us hand sanitizer/wipes. We made about 6 stops total not including the giant sequoia trees. Stop 3 was our “free time” where we decided as a group that 1 hour 20 minutes was enough, as we wanted to have time to stop at the other locations. The other locations we stopped anywhere from 5-15 minutes for photos & fun facts. Viktor not only taught us so much on each stop, but he is a great photographer & helped us take photos & gave advice on how to capture the best photos ourselves. We got to see climbers on El Capitan, for which Viktor brought a telescope & binoculars for us to use. We also saw the half dome, waterfalls, & many other beautiful areas. We did the giant sequoias at the end which took a little over an hour. It’s a beautiful hike as well. I appreciated Viktor giving the group a collective vote on how long to spend where in terms of the stops, as he prioritized giving us the best experience possible! One thing I was worried about was not having enough time in the park, but in total we spent close to 7 hours inside the park including hiking, stopping for photos, driving around, & the sequoias. We were tired by the end of the day & headed back on the road by about 5PM. We were dropped off at our hotel between 9-9:30PM. I want to give a huge shoutout to Viktor! Extremely funny & does a great job of keeping the energy up & positive vibes all the way around. There is a tip sign on the bus encouraging tips but Viktor made it clear that tips are appreciated but optional. However, please tip generously as this is a very tiring job & they deserve it! Being able to drive safely & teach all while babysitting the tour group is not easy in an 18 hour work day. Overall, this is basically THE field trip you dreamt about when you were a kid! Thanks, Viktor!
Vicktor was amazing!...
Angela H,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Vicktor was amazing! Loved his humor and genuine kindness. It was a beautiful tour and he showed us the hotspots for beautiful pictures.
Amazing views and overall...
Sarah G,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing views and overall fantastic experience! Viktor was an excellent guide, too. Very funny and provided a lot of information and history of the park.
I highly recommend
Hannah M,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an awesome experience! We had a guide who was fantastic at interpreting the California microclimates and so we just about got to see everything despite snow and fog trying to hide the main features!
Book this tour!
Shelly B,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic small group tour of Yosemite. Our guide, Viktor, did an excellent job navigating and sharing his knowledge of Yosemite. A highlight of our trip to San Francisco. Highly recommend this must see National Park, it’s a gem and well worth your time and money.
Worth every penny
Emma C,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00An absolutely fantastic experience and would highly recommend to anyone. Steven our guide was incredibly helpful warm, friendly and knowledgeable and the perfect host for our Yosemite tour. The weather was a little unpredictable that day but Steven did a brilliant job of ensuring we saw the highlights and made the most of the sunshine when it arrived. The minibus itself was very comfortable and the supermarket stop ahead of time was a great choice to pick up food to make more time in the park itself. Worth every penny and am so grateful to Steven.
Fantastic day trip
N6027ZMnathanh,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An incredible experience despite challenging weather conditions, our superb guide, Viktor, was warm and highly knowledgeable about the history and significance of the area.
Great tour
Santiagox G,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing tour, even snowing it was a great experience, saw the essentials of the National Park, great tour guide Victor.
From US$239.00
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Operated by Best Bay Area Tours Llc