Our list of top quick things to do in Yosemite with kids. Note: We receive a small commission for purchases made through links in this post.
Yosemite is a special place. It is scenic on a scale to match mighty parks like Zion, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Glacier National Parks. It is busy to match the Grand Canyon and again, Zion. Our first reflections on Yosemite were not great – the busyness made it a hassle and that rarely makes for a fun day for our family as we prefer quieter, more peaceful parks. After later reflections, however, we did it well with a blend of short stops and a few longer hikes. There are plenty of quick things to do in Yosemite with kids and this list only covers a portion of them.
Top Quick Things to do in Yosemite with Kids
Before we jump in, I wanted to note that our home base for these locations was a VRBO rental home in Mariposa, CA. This location, a bit outside the park, worked just fine and gave us the opportunity to get into the park each day but enjoy the comforts of a pretty town each evening with restaurants, a great organic grocery store, and more!
Yosemite Valley
This is one of the most accessible, scenic, and beautiful valleys in the National Park system. It is, by itself, a must see with kids! This picture was taken just steps from the parking area.
It is hard to go wrong in the Valley as you will encounter El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, and of course waterfalls!
In addition, you will want to see The Ansel Adams Gallery and the Yosemite Museum next to the Visitor Center.
Expect the Valley to be busy and while there are buses they are also quite full. Best tip – get there early, find a spot to park, and plan on walking!
The parking lot by the Visitor Center is large, but does fill up quickly and with so many places to go from there it doesn’t turn over as fast as you would want. Be prepared and be patient… I used my horn for the first time in a National Park and as a Minnesotan that takes a lot 
Lower Yosemite Fall (1 mi. loop)
While you can choose to hike to Upper Yosemite Fall, the Lower Yosemite Fall Loop gives a view of both and is an easy, paved “hike.” Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America so it is definitely makes the top of our list of things to do in Yosemite. Though it can be seen from many areas in the park, it is definitely worth the short hike to get a closer view.
If you are in Yosemite in the spring and early summer you can expect to get a little wet when viewing the falls from the footbridge near its base. The trail offers different views of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Creek along the way.
Bridalveil Fall Trail (0.5 mi. round trip)
This 620 ft. waterfall can be seen from many areas of the park as well, but again, it is worth the quick easy “hike” to get to the base. As with Yosemite Falls, expect to get a little wet at the base when visiting in spring or early summer. The parking area for this Fall trail fills up quickly in the summer. Turnover is pretty quick but traffic jams are common when getting in and out of this parking lot.
Alternately, you can drive a little further east on Southside Drive into Yosemite Valley, where you can park on either side of the road and take a different trail up to the Fall. This alternate trail adds an additional 0.25 miles to your hike. It crosses Bridalveil Creek and has different views of Bridalveil Fall as you approach the main parking area.
Tunnel View
This is a quick stop, but definitely worth the stop as you get a stunning view of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall with Half Dome in the background. Watch for a lot of tour bus traffic and groups so this is unlikely to be a relaxing stop, but is popular because it is iconic.
Washburn Point
These are again quick stops, but well worth the drive up to see them (it takes about an hour to get here from the valley).
From Washburn Point there are great views of Vernal and Nevada Falls as well as Half Dome.
Glacier Point
From Glacier Point you get great views of Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, and a different perspective on Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls.
Washburn Point has a small flight of stairs down to the viewing area. Glacier point has a short hike up a small hill to get to the actual point (1 mile round trip).
There is also a gift shop at Glacier Point which is where we found our hand painted Christmas ornament that we like to try to collect from each park.
Olmsted Point
Olmsted Point is a stop along Tioga Pass and is both a great place to stretch your legs and get a great view back towards Half Dome from a unique perspective.
From the parking lot you can get a view but to the left side of the parking lot a set of stairs leads down to a short trail that leads you to an opening where the view is clear. If you are fortunate enough to be in Yosemite in a season when Tioga Pass is open this is a must stop!
Tuolumne Meadows
Also on Tioga Pass, Tuolumne Meadows is a busy subalpine meadow with a series of trails, a campground, and a ranger station.
It is a large meadow (one of the largest in the Sierra Nevadas) and at an elevation of 8,600 feet still 1,000 feet shy of the highest point along Tioga Pass. We intended to grab lunch here on our trip but were unable to find an open picnic spot and ended up on the roadside a bit East of here.
These were some of our favorite quick things to do in Yosemite with kids, but we also enjoyed the Mist Trail hike in the Valley and a side trip to the much quieter Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite.
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