Sonora

Location: 50 miles (80 km) from Yosemite entrance; 62 miles (99 km) from Yosemite Valley; via Highway 120 (map)
population 4,428; elevation 2,400 feet (730 meters)

There are about a dozen motels scattered throughout Sonora, one of several gold-rush-era cities along Highway 49. Although the drive to Yosemite is a bit long to make Sonora a first-tier lodging option, it's worth a visit if you're fond of old west architecture. The 19th-century Hill Valley scenes from Back to the Future III were filmed here.

Pro: Sonora has a handsome, bustling gold-rush-era downtown district that's an attraction of its own.

Con: It's a long drive to make twice a day, especially given one extremely winding section of highway 120 you'll have to navigate. Sonora probably works better as a base for exploring the gold rush area than Yosemite.