I fell for it twice - the awe-inspiring notion of camping directly in Yosemite Valley. Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan - all right there, all within walking distance. But after two stints staying in Yosemite for a combined two-and-a-half weeks, I've learned my lesson. Wawona is where it's at.

Don't get me wrong - the Valley is stunning and beautiful and inspiring and all the other adjectives that have yet to be invented yet because writers and poets themselves are been rendered speechless by the sight of it. Anyone planning a camping trip to Yosemite most definitely should try to spend at least one night in that amazing place.

But. The. Crowds.

The campgrounds in the Valley are small and stacked one atop the other. If you're lucky enough to find (and secure) a site on the outside perimeter of the campgrounds, good for you. But most sites are not, and that means having neighbors (many friendly, others not so much) walk through your site constantly to use the restrooms, most of which have the lights on all night, glaring down on your tent. And if you leave the site for any period of time by vehicle, you'll enjoy some extended time viewing the scenery while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on many days during the busiest seasons.

Wawona is different. The sites are large, well-spaced, and idyllic. Many of them are situated along the South Fork of the Merced River. It's quiet there - and peaceful. On both of my trips, Wawona was a beautiful reprieve from the sometimes hectic pace of the Valley. It's near the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias; there's a free shuttle during the day, and you can take a car there at night - walking among the sequoias alone at night is absolutely amazing. The nearby Wawona Hotel offers showers for campers, and there are no restrictions on the hours for campfires in the campground - unlike in the Valley, which restricts fires to the hours of 5pm to 10pm due to concerns about haze being trapped by the Valley walls. There's also a free shuttle that runs regularly between Wawona and the Valley for those who would rather someone else do the driving.

Plus - and this is big for budget-minded travelers - there is an inexpensive country store located nearby that sells fresh meats, fish, produce, and a limited selection of other camping food necessities and supplies. NOT the one run by the concessioner near the Wawona Hotel/Big Trees Lodge. This one is located up Chilnualna Falls Road, which heads north behind the Wawona Hotel/Big Trees Lodge. It's a ways down (don't try to walk it) but you'll find it - there is a ponderosa pine growing out of the front porch. The folks there are friendly and live in Wawona, and everything is priced as it should be.

(For those planning your first trip to Yosemite, if you're budget-conscious, the food is expensive in those concessioner-run places. It may sound silly but I didn't account for food prices the first time I went, and it was significantly more expensive that I had expected - a few hundred dollars for two people for a week.)