A doable drive (two hours from Fresno Airport; five hours from L.A.), Yosemite National Park offers supersize splendor with a heaping helping of majesty. Early fall brings wildflowers, cool climes, and an increase in elbow room, thanks to the dispersal of summer crowds.
Torn between two lovers: movie night and nature? Take in the former on a blanket at the park or at an old-fashioned drive-in — and leave the hard questions for some other day.