Yosemite Day Tour
What does a typical day look like leading a yosemite day tour?
Day tours to Yosemite are one of our most popular trips. They run year-round, rain or shine, wind or snow! Soon you’ll be able to run this trip in your sleep, but here’s what the breakdown of what this tour typically looks like:
Office Arrival 5:30am
This gives you plenty of time to complete your pre-trip inspection, fill vehicles fluids or pump your tires with air if needed. Make sure your vehicle is prepared for your passengers, double check any notes about pick-ups for the day, and make sure you’re ready to rock n’ roll.
Passenger Pick-Ups 6:30 - 7:15am
You will be stopping anywhere from 1 to 4 hotels in the city and this tour can take up to 23 people. Greet your passengers, find out where they’re from and what they’re most looking forward to! Try your best to learn your passenger’s names as it will help people feel welcome and help you with headcounts later on.
Hit the Road! (1st leg of the journey to your rest stop is ~2 hours)
You’re on your way! You’re crossing the Bay Bridge, spitting facts about when it was built and it’s reconstruction from the earthquake of 1989. You’ve got a rockin’ playlist and everyone’s excited for the day but they want to know what to expect. Give them a rundown of today’s itinerary and do your best to answer all their questions. Your first stop will be in about 2 hours at a grocery store where people can use restrooms, grab some coffee, and something to eat.
Rest Stop for 30 minutes
This is not only a rest stop for your passengers but you as well! Take care of yourself and your vehicle. Do a little stretch after driving for a couple hours. Eat and drink water. Check your tires and check the weather. Gather your passengers and make sure everyone is back on time.
Final leg to Park! (~2 hours to stopping point)
This is the most scenic and exciting part of the drive! While winding through hills of oak trees approaching the mountains, share the stories of Yosemite with your passengers. Give them a taste of what they are about the see with the granite cliffs, rushing waterfalls, and possible wildlife roaming around. You’ll drive a ways into Yosemite National Park before your first stop which will be at Tunnel View, one of the most iconic photo spots in the park.
Tunnel View
Your passengers will have about 15-20 minutes to take pictures and take in the sights up here at tunnel view. Let them know what they’re looking at and some interesting facts about El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls.
Time to Explore the Valley ( ~3 hours)
From Tunnel View it’s a short 15 minute drive down to their drop off at the Valley floor. Equipping your passengers with maps and information on how to navigate themselves around the park, they’ll have about 3 hours to go explore. Giving a few routes for different hikes, activities, and picture spots there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
After all your driving and information sharing this is your time to relax before safely driving your passengers back to the city. Eat lunch, go on a walk, take a nap, read a book - take advantage of your surroundings and surely take advantage of this time!
Head back to San Francisco ( leave park around 3:30pm)
As the afternoon comes to a close, gather everybody at the specified time and prepare them for the ride back to the city. You’ll make a rest stop at the halfway point again so make sure everyone is set for another 2 hour ride. On your way out, stop at another picture point like El Capitan Meadows for a great view of the park’s famous spectacle. People are usually tired after a lot of walking around the park so don’t be surprised if your whole bus falls asleep quite fast!
Passenger Drop-Offs (between 8:30 - 9:30pm)
Once you leave your final rest stop you’ll get back to San Francisco in about 2 hours. The drop-offs are at the same locations as the pick-ups and it usually takes 30-40 minutes to complete all of them. Bid farewell to your groups with well wishes as they continue their travels.
Clean Up at the Office
After your last drop-off head back to the office. Clean your vehicle, fuel up, and turn in any receipts or papers. Park in the proper spot, lock up, and head home for a well earned rest!
