El Portal, California

Location: 2 miles (3 km) from Yosemite entrance; 10 miles (16 km) from Yosemite Valley; via Highway 140 (map)

Population 635; elevation 2,100 feet (640 meters)

El Portal lies in the Merced River Canyon along Highway 140, just outside Yosemite's Arch Rock entrance. It has two large midrange motels, the Yosemite View Lodge and the Cedar Lodge. It's a popular base for Yosemite visitors, and reservations are highly recommended if you want to stay here in the summer.

Pro: This is as close as you can get to Yosemite Valley without being in the park.

Con: You may initially think that the gas prices in El Portal are listed in yen. But no, those are dollars.