Tourism to the area now known as Yosemite National Park began in the 1860s, after the California Gold Rush had brought more people to the area who then went away and promoted its beauty. To protect the treatment of the area, the government declared it a National Park in October 1890. The park now encloses an incredible 761,268 acres (308,074 hectares) of beautiful rock formations, dramatic waterfalls and lush greenery. It is particularly celebrated for its biological diversity.
The park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, and now it attracts approximately 3.7 million visitors every year. Among the park's highlights is the Half Dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, which peaks at 4,000 feet (1,219 metres) above the valley floor. Another popular attraction is El Capitan, a 3,000 feet (914 metre) vertical rock formation also in Yosemite Valley. It is very popular with rock climbers for its unusual shape; however it is also appreciated by those who like to keep their feet firmly on the ground!
By Katie Shaw
16 September 2019
In the 2nd episode of his immersive travelogue, Billy Connolly plays Hank Williams’ old guitar, visits the infamous penitentiary which housed Al Capone, and discovers that the Scots brought football to the USA.
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By Georgia Shipley
9 September 2019
The three-part series is an epic travelogue that sees the famous comedian travelling through the United States of America, taking the migratory trail that Scots took in the 18th century.
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By Lorna Heatley
15 November 2018
Though we don’t really think about streets on a daily basis unless we’re trying to get to somewhere, it’s amazing just how many streets in the world can be a holiday destination in themselves.
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By Katie Shaw
27 September 2018
From the multitude of incredible personal advantages to the economic benefits enjoyed by local communities, there is a myriad of reasons that we think tourism is a wonderful thing.
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