Car rental Yosemite National Park

Posted By: Steve
Posted On: 12th September 2019
Category: Travel

Car rental Yosemite Park

Rent a car and travel to Yosemite National Park with ease.

You need a rental car for Yosemite Park trip if you want to make the experience more memorable and unforgettable. The park is quite a distance from the nearby cities like Fresno and San Francisco & you are bound to lose your precious vacation time if you choose to travel anything other than a self drive rental car. A car rental is the solution that will allow you to save time and have the freedom to be the boss of your trip! Trip to this UNESCO World Heritage site asks for more freedom and more engagement- something that can be easily achieved to a higher level of satisfaction with only a rental car.

Yosemite is one of the US’s iconic National Parks & offers an array of attractions and activities like hiking and river rafting. With a rental car, not only the drive can be turned into something more approachable, it also allows you to take as much equipment as possible.

7 Fun Facts about Yosemite

Protected in 1864, Yosemite’s National Park, spread over an area of 1200 sq miles, has a lot of wonders from waterfalls to enthralling meadows, and don’t forget the ancient giant sequoias! Here are a few points which are enough to pique your interest even more.

Yosemite National Park was US’s 3rd National Park
It is one of the few places in the US, where you can encounter a rainbow AT NIGHT.
Home to soaring rock formations,Yosemite is known as a climber’s playground with a bulk of climber’s history to back it.
About 75% of the people visit Yosemite in the months of May through October and a big chunk of them stay in the Yosemite valley for the whole duration of their trip.
Whooping 2,425 feet in height, Yosemite Falls is one of the tallest waterfall in the World
Yosemite’s Granite rocks reflect light and glow like as if on fire during sunset.
The park remains open 24/7, throughout the year – isn’t it amazing?

Book your Yosemite car rental from top suppliers

Drivers, aged 21 and above, having a valid and full driver’s license are eligible to rent a vehicle for the drive to Yosemite. Our associated companies (listed below) provide car hire services at a lot of locations in the US, including San Francisco, Fresno and Sacramento and other areas which are close to Yosemite Airport.

Hertz
Sixt
Europcar
Alamo
Thrifty
National

Rental car types best suited for the trip to Yosemite

The drive into Yosemite is suitable for all kinds of vehicles. Yes, it is true! At least if you want to visit just the main attractions of the park. Which means that the type of car you should rent only depends on the number of people you are traveling with and the amount of luggage you are carrying.

If you are traveling with a big group of people, for activities like camping, a van or a minivan is a good idea and there are numerous camping sites at Yosemite for you to enjoy. An SUV is good, even a 4WD vehicle if you are thinking of going beyond Half Dome. Our suppliers also offer luxury, convertible, compact, sedan and full-size car fleets for hire in Yosemite.

Popular road trips to Yosemite National Park

San Francisco, Sacramento and Fresno are the top 3 cities closest to Yosemite.

Road trips to Yosemite National Park	Popular car hire pickup location
San Francisco to Yosemite	San Francisco Airport
Sacramento to Yosemite	Sacramento Airport
Fresno to Yosemite	Fresno Yosemite Airport

San Francisco to Yosemite National ParkIn San Francisco, you can rent a car at San Francisco Airport, the downtown area and even Fisherman Wharf. International travelers pick cars at SFO Airport however. This 167 miles drive is full of interesting stops like Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, Sonora (California), and the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias.Don’t miss these SF attractions: Golden Gate Park, Aquarium of the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, California Academy of Sciences and the Cruize to the Rock.
Sacramento to Yosemite National ParkSacramento is 140 miles from Yosemite and provides some good places on the way for you to break the drive after intervals. Stockton, Angels Camp, Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias are some of the stops you can make while driving to Yosemite.Places to see in Sacramento: State railroad museum, Delta King and Ride a bike through the Jedediah Smith Memorial Bicycle Trail from Discovery Park in Sacramento to Folsom Lake.
Fresno to Yosemite ParkLocated 61 miles from Yosemite, Fresno is a small city full of surprises. Glacier Point is a noted place on the way that we are sure you would love visiting.Must visit places in Fresno: Besides Yosemite National Park, Forestiere Underground Gardens, Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Island Waterpark are some of its many attractions.

Mammoth Lakes Yosemite Airport [MMH]

If you are coming from Los Angeles, board a flight to Mammoth Lakes Yosemite Airport [MMH] which is just a few miles from Yosemite Park. It is a small airport but many big names like National provide car hire service.

Yosemite airport to yosemite national park

Mammoth Yosemite Airport and Fresno-Yosemite International are the closest airports to Yosemite National Park. However, there are others too; they are listed below with their distance from the park.

Closest major cities to Yosemite National Park	Closest airports to Yosemite National Park	Distance of the airport from the park
Fresno, CA	Fresno Airport	64.8 mi via CA-41 N
Stockton, CA	Stockton Airport	97.7 mi via CA-4 E and CA-120 E
Sacramento, CA	Sacramento Airport	152.4 mi via CA-99 S and CA-120 E
Reno, NV	Reno Airport	150.0 mi via US-395 S
San Jose, CA	San Jose Airport	156.7 mi via CA-120 E
Oakland, CA	Oakland Airport	150.1 mi via CA-120 E
San Francisco, CA	San Francisco Airport	169.1 mi via CA-120 E
Bakersfield, CA	Bakersfield Airport	165.5 mi via CA-99 N and CA-41 N

Activity highlights

Camping
Photography
Hiking
Fishing
Rock climbing
Picnicking
Biking
Birdwatching

Centers in Yosemite that you can drive to, in a rental car

Valley Visitor CenterThis center remains open throughout the year and is operated by Rangers. It consists of an information desk, a bookstore and exhibit halls where you can learn all about the park’s history, geology, plant and animal life.
Valley Wilderness CenterIt operates only in the months of May through October. This center provides maps, guidebooks, information on minimum-impact camping and wilderness permits. Wilderness permits are essential for any kind of overnight stay in Yosemite.