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https://www.theamericansouthwest.com/yosemite-national-park/yosemite-valley It’s no wonder one of the main attractions of Yosemite National Park is the valley itself. It is an incredibly beautiful and peaceful place surrounded by towering granite walls like El Capitan and Half Dome as well as cascading waterfalls like Yosemite Falls. There are tons of loop trails that meander throughout the valley and the many gorgeous meadows. You’ll run into rivers, creeks, tall trees, wildlife, and stunning views no matter where you are in the amazing valley. 12 miles of paved bike paths also wind their way through the valley. There’s tons of camping and quite a few lodges and hotels with restaurants and cafes as well. Shuttles also make getting around easier when the place is packed. There are two main villages in the valley: Yosemite Village & Curry Village and both have lodging, food, parking, and trail heads. In Yosemite Village there’s the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center and Ansel Adams Gallery and gift shop (9am-5pm) as well as the massive store. Ahwahnee Hotel with Ahwahnee Bar and the Ahwahnee Dining Room which does require “Appropriate attire” are also near Yosemite Village. Yosemite Museum & Indian Cultural Exhibit, which I somehow missed completely, unfortunately is also located near the Visitor Center. Curry Village is the spot for hiking to the trailhead for Vernal and Nevada Falls as well as Mirror Lake. There are tons of places to pull over and enjoy the trickling rivers, crashing waterfalls, tall trees, sheer cliffs, and the many beautiful sights. Although extremely busy, Yosemite National Park is an absolute gem of a spot that is filled with hikes, enormous ancient trees, scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, lodges, campsites, trails, museums, history, and a whole lot more. You can visit for the day or for the week but you will never run out of things to do. My wife and I camped in November near the Wawona Hotel at the south end of the park and it was absolutely lovely and peaceful. The drives into the park and around the park and valley are very gorgeous (when not following horrible & inconsiderate California drivers). There are so many opportunities to pull over, turn off the truck, and enjoy the sights. Glacier Point is a famous lookout but it was closed for the winter when we were there. Actually, there are a ton of places that will close in the winter because of its height in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. That’s the trade off though, go in the summer when everything is open… and everyone is there. Or go in the off season when a lot is closed and… it’s still insanely busy.