Lee Vining, California

Location: 12 miles (19 km) east of Yosemite's Tioga Pass entrance; 69 miles (111 km) from Yosemite Valley; via Highway 120 (map)

Population 398; elevation 6,781 feet (2,060 meters)

Lee Vining is a small, high-elevation town on the eastern slope of the Sierras. In addition to being close to the Tioga area of Yosemite, it's on the western shore of Mono Lake, and it's a short drive to Bodie, California's most famous ghost town, and to Mammoth Mountain, a gigantic ski resort.

Pro: Sure, you've been around, but we bet you've never stayed in a town named for a miner who died after his own pistol went off in his pocket.

Con: The Tioga Road, your route from Lee Vining to Yosemite, is closed in the winter. See the Road Conditions page for the road's opening and closing dates in recent years.