Yosemite Tour Review (Day 2) | Tunnel View · Bridalveil Fall · Yosemite Valley

🌄 Yosemite 2-Day Tour – Day 2 Travelogue

👉 If you haven’t read Day 1 yet, Yosemite Tour Review (Day 1) is also worth checking out!

On Day 1, we visited the sequoia forest, Glacier Point, and Tenaya Lake. Day 2’s itinerary was all about heading into the heart of Yosemite Valley.

The plan was to first enjoy the views from the lookout points in the morning, then visit each spot up close in the afternoon.

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🦌 Morning Scenery – Meeting Deer & Breakfast = Ramyeon

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As soon as the morning light came, deer started wandering around the lodge. They weren’t afraid of people at all, just munching on grass right outside. The guide warned us that if you leave the door open, they might actually stroll inside 😲.

Breakfast was, of course, the traveler’s classic: a steaming bowl of ramyeon. Nothing hits the spot like that in the morning. After filling up and tidying the room, we left at 7 AM. With so much to see, the guide told us we had to start early to make the most of it.

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🌊 Merced River Viewpoint

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The first stop was the Merced River + Bridalveil Fall viewpoint. The river flowing along the canyon with a waterfall in the distance made for a stunning sight.

I just zoned out staring at the scenery, while my mom went into full-on “photo energy overload mode.” She kept asking me to take more pictures for her. At that moment, I thought: maybe being a good daughter requires both money and stamina 😅.

The canyon was so huge that it was hard to capture in one shot, but thankfully there was a miniature sculpture of the canyon nearby, which everyone loved taking pictures with too.

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🏞️ Tunnel View

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Next up was Yosemite’s iconic Tunnel View, about 8 minutes from the Merced viewpoint. From here, Yosemite Valley opened up in its full glory, framed by massive granite cliffs.

Photo spots were everywhere, but near the metal railing there were tons of odd little red bugs – kind of creepy, so be careful. Still, this was the ultimate spot to capture Yosemite’s symbolic landscape.

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💦 Bridalveil Fall (Veil of the Bride)

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Then we headed to Bridalveil Fall.

It’s named because the spray looks like a bride’s veil fluttering in the air. But once you get close, the mist is so intense it’s nearly impossible to keep your eyes open.

This is one of those places where sunglasses or waterproof gear are an absolute must. I honestly couldn’t keep my eyes open!

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⁇ Somewhere Between Bridalveil Fall & Yosemite Valley (not on the map)

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A little further along the road, there was a spot with a distant view of Bridalveil Fall. It didn’t seem to be marked on the map, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly.

I noticed a brown sign showing how high the floodwaters reached during the January 2, 1997 flood – shocking to imagine!

We also tried taking panorama shots here. It took me about five tries to get a decent one, but if you’re good at panoramas, give it a go!

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📸 Yosemite Valley & Yosemite Falls

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After the morning tour, we stopped for lunch at Yosemite Valley Lodge. Since it was lunchtime, the place was packed.

As expected in a major tourist spot, the kiosks supported multiple languages – even Korean. Beforehand, I’d read online that there wasn’t any “must-try” dish, so I played it safe and ordered a burger and chicken. Not mind-blowing, but decent enough.

Right next to the lodge was a Starbucks. Perfect if you want to grab a souvenir cup.

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From there, it was about a 15–20 minute walk to Yosemite Falls. Perfect for a post-lunch stroll.

With some creative angling, you can make it look like you’re drinking straight from the waterfall in your photos 😆.

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🌅 Valley View Point

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The final stop of the trip was Valley View Point, right as we exited Yosemite Valley.

From here, we could see Bridalveil Fall, the Merced River, and even the massive Half Dome in the distance.

The guide mentioned there were climbers up on Half Dome. Even with the guide’s telescope and a fancy pair of binoculars borrowed from an American tourist, I still couldn’t spot them 😂.

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📝 Final Thoughts

Day 2 of our Yosemite tour was packed with the most iconic spots all in one go.

From the jaw-dropping Tunnel View, to getting soaked at Bridalveil Fall, to lunch and waterfalls in the valley, it was a day full of variety and awe.

On the way back, we were lucky there was no traffic, so we reached San Francisco around 8 PM.

This whole 2-day trip was for my mom’s 60th birthday, but being able to share such magnificent sights together made it truly meaningful for me.

• ✅ Start early in the morning for a relaxed visit
• ✅ Tunnel View = must-take photo spot
• ✅ Sunglasses and waterproof gear essential for Bridalveil Fall
• ✅ Half Dome at Valley View = must-have shot

✨ And with that, our Yosemite 2-day adventure came to an end!!

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