There's a black bear outside my door. Only a pane of glass separates me and the beast. It's on my patio foraging for food. Although it looks cute and cuddly, I'm scared!

I'm in Yosemite National Park, at the Lodge at the Falls, 3.5 hours east of San Francisco. Locals say the bears won't harm you, they're just looking for food - and of
all the reported deaths in the park, none have been caused by the paws or jaw of a bear.

‘People do stupid stuff,' says Yosemite PR manager Kenny Karst of the thrill-seekers who have fatally fallen from cliffs. ‘Don't worry, no deaths have been caused by a bear.'

Tourists mainly come to Yosemite for the spectacular falls, which flow from October until late July. If you want to get back to nature, this is the place to do it. Granite cliffs rise from the depths of glacier-carved valleys and beautiful black oaks and ponderosa pines frame the escarpment.

Rooms with a view

The family-friendly Lodge is so close to the falls that the sound of crashing water calms you to sleep.

But the jewel of the valley is the Ahwahnee Hotel. This grand structure was built in 1927 and has been visited by Brad Pitt and Barbra Streisand.

In the ballroom, wrought iron candelabras are suspended from sugar pine timber, offering a medieval touch. A pianist - also the local postman - plays soft music on the Steinway, while our waiter Simon tells us he came for a summer after university in 1971, fell in love with the place and never left.

While the Ahwahnee Hotel comes with a price tag to match its prestige, there's accommodation within Yosemite to suit every budget.

If you love the outdoors, check out Housekeeping Camp. There's no need to bring a tent - the walls are concrete, the roof is canvas and the amenities are modern. The campfire ring is also perfect for outdoor cooking. Nearby, Curry Village offers canvas tents, cabins and motel rooms. Of course, all these spots have the spectacular Yosemite National Park as a backdrop.

Walk this way

With 1300km of marked trails, you can choose from a lot of hiking paths - from flat walks around Yosemite Valley to wilder hikes in the back country. You can either strike out on your own or join a guided hike.

The popular hike up to Vernal Falls along the High Sierra Camps Loop trail is strenuous and involves a steep incline. It's even harder on the way back down. But with squirrels gnawing acorns across the path, hikers feel a sense of accomplishment as they view waterfalls splashing a rainbow mist into crystal green rock pools. Above, mountain deer peer over ledges. You can also explore the area by bus or tram. The full-day narrated Grand Tour combines the spectacular Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove with a stop at the historic Wawona Hotel for lunch. It's perfect for those who want to see as much of the park as possible in a short period of time.

The two-hour Valley Floor Tour visits a number of picturesque spots such as Yosemite Falls, Tunnel View, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall. A free shuttle bus also tours the valley.

You can explore Yosemite by bicycle too. Surprisingly, many of the scenic paths are flat and there are 20km of tracks to pedal along.

Great inspiration

The natural beauty of the area has long been an inspiration to artists. Renowned photographer Ansel Adams immortalised the valley in his famous black and white portraits.

Born in 1902, Adams was a pianist who found his talent also lay in photography; he went on to take 40,000 glass plate negatives reflecting his love of the area. Ansel used mules to carry his equipment to top of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

He died in 1984, but his family still run The Ansel Adams Gallery. Highly recommended is the back-room tour, where visitors can find out more about the artist and view original prints.

The tours take place every Saturday at 3pm and bookings are required.

Ansel was also once the musical director of the spectacular three-hour Christmas pageant, the Bracebridge Dinner, which is a local tradition at the Ahwahnee. Every year the hotel's dining room is transformed into the majestic space from American author Washington Irving's legendary Bracebridge Hall.

Aglow with candlelight, the dining room is brought to life with music while a seven-course meal is served. The pageant is staged eight times from December 15 to Christmas Day.

Yosemite is an alluring park visited by 3.5 million people annually. But it's easy to escape the crowds; more than 94 per cent of Yosemite is designated wilderness - just watch out for bears!

To go:

• Creative Holidays, Californian Tourism and Air New Zealand have great packages for travel to California. Airfares, transfers, accommodation and sightseeing are available through Creative Holidays.
• Creative Holidays' return economy airfares to LA flying Air New Zealand are priced from $1336 plus $426 taxes (ex Sydney), $1608 plus $410 taxes (ex Perth) and $1609 plus $426 taxes (ex Adelaide).
• Exclusive to Creative Holidays, great rates are available for Alamo car rental in California. Receive seven days free when you book Air New Zealand flights, or seven days priced from $218. For your national park experience, visit Yosemite
  with Yosemite in a Day, priced from $162 per person. For accommodation and more, visit www.yosemitepark.com.
• For information on The Ansel Adams Gallery, head to www.anseladams.com.
• Creative Holidays packages are available exclusively through travel agents. For more information on any of the Creative Holidays products in California, visit www.creativeholidays.com.
• For brochures and a state map, call California Tourism on (02) 9361 0660 or head to www.visitcalifornia.com.au.