Fast Facts

Area Codes -- The area code for the Yosemite area is 209. The area code in and around Sequoia & Kings Canyon is 559.

Automobile Organizations -- Motor clubs will supply maps, suggested routes, guidebooks, accident and bail-bond insurance, and emergency road service. AAA (tel. 800/222-4357; www.aaa.com) is the major auto club in the U.S. If you belong to a motor club in your home country, inquire about AAA reciprocity before you leave. AAA also has a nationwide emergency road service phone number (tel. 800/AAA-HELP [222-4357]).

Business Hours -- Stores are typically open from 8 or 9am until 7 or 8pm. Banks are generally open from 8 or 9am until 5 or 6pm.

Drinking Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages is 21; proof of age is required and often requested at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, so it's always a good idea to bring ID when you go out. Beer, wine, and liquor are sold in most grocery stores in California. Beer and wine are available in most restaurants; some have a full bar. Bars can legally stay open until 2am in California. Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your car or any public area that isn't zoned for alcohol consumption. The police can fine you on the spot. Don't even think about driving while intoxicated.

Electricity -- Like Canada, the U.S. uses 110-120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220-240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Downward converters that change 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts are difficult to find in the U.S., so bring one with you.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are located in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Some consulates are located in major U.S. cities, and most nations have a mission to the United Nations in New York City. If your country isn't listed below, call for directory information in Washington, D.C. (tel. 202/555-1212) or check www.embassy.org/embassies.

The embassy of Australia is at 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202/797-3000; www.usa.embassy.gov.au).

The embassy of Canada is at 501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 202/682-1740; www.canadianembassy.org). Other Canadian consulates are in Buffalo (N.Y.), Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.

The embassy of Ireland is at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/462-3939; www.irelandemb.org). Irish consulates are in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and other cities. Visit the website for a complete listing.

The embassy of New Zealand is at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/328-4800; www.nzembassy.com). New Zealand consulates are in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

The embassy of the United Kingdom is at 3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/588-7800; www.britainusa.com). Other British consulates are in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- Gas is expensive in and around the parks, usually about 50¢ to $1 per gallon more than in the more populated areas of California. At press time, gas was about $3 per gallon in the Sierra. Taxes are included in the printed price. One U.S. gallon equals 3.8 liters or .8 imperial gallons.

Holidays -- Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents' Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas). The Tuesday after the first Monday in November is Election Day, a federal government holiday in presidential-election years (held every 4 years, and next in 2012).

Hospitals -- There are medical and dental clinics in Yosemite Valley near Yosemite Village. The Yosemite Medical Clinic can be reached at tel. 209/372-4637. The dental clinic is at tel. 209/372-4200. In Sequoia & Kings Canyon, the nearest medical facilities are located in the gateway towns of Fresno, Visalia, and Three Rivers.

Internet Access -- In Yosemite, there are a few spots in the valley -- Degnan's Cafe, Yosemite Lodge, and Curry Village -- where Wi-Fi is available free or for a nominal fee. In Sequoia & Kings Canyon, free Wi-Fi is available in Grant Grove Village and Wuksachi Lodge. Internet access is readily available in all of the gateway towns.

Laundromats -- In Yosemite, there's a laundromat at Housekeeping Camp, close to Curry Village in Yosemite Valley. In Sequoia, there's a laundromat at the Lodgepole Market Center. In Kings Canyon, try the one at Cedar Grove Village.

Legal Aid -- If you are "pulled over" for a minor infraction (such as speeding), never attempt to pay the fine directly to a police officer; this could be construed as attempted bribery, a much more serious crime. Pay fines by mail or directly into the hands of the clerk of the court. If accused of a more serious offense, say and do nothing before consulting a lawyer. Here the burden is on the state to prove a person's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and everyone has the right to remain silent, whether he or she is suspected of a crime or actually arrested. Once arrested, a person can make one phone call to a party of his or her choice. International visitors should call their embassy or consulate.

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates were 28¢ for a postcard and 44¢ for a letter. For international mail, a first-class letter of up to 1 ounce costs 98¢ (75¢ to Canada and 79¢ to Mexico); a first-class postcard costs the same as a letter. For more information, go to www.usps.com.

Police -- Call tel. 911.

Smoking -- Smoking is banned in all public places in the parks.

Taxes -- The U.S. has no value-added tax (VAT) or other indirect tax at the national level. Every state, county, and city may levy its own local tax on all purchases, including hotel and restaurant checks and airline tickets. These taxes will not appear on price tags. They total around 7% to 10% in the parks and the gateways.

Telephones -- Many convenience groceries and packaging services sell prepaid calling cards in denominations up to $50; for international visitors these can be the least expensive way to call home. Many public pay phones at airports now accept American Express, MasterCard, and Visa credit cards. Local calls made from pay phones in most locales cost either 25¢ or 35¢. Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. For calls within the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the area code and the seven-digit number. For other international calls, dial 011 followed by the country code, city code, and the number you are calling.

Calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, and 866 are toll-free. However, calls to area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, "dating" services, and so on) can be very expensive -- usually 95¢ to $3 or more per minute, and they sometimes have minimum charges that can run as high as $15 or more.

For reversed-charge or collect calls, and for person-to-person calls, dial the number 0 and then the area code and phone number; an operator will come on the line, and you should specify whether you are calling collect, person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator.

For local directory assistance ("information"), dial 411; for long-distance information, dial 1, then the appropriate area code and 555-1212.

Time -- As with all of California, the parks are on Pacific Standard Time (PST). The continental United States is divided into four time zones: Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST). Alaska and Hawaii have their own zones.

Daylight saving time is in effect from 1am on the second Sunday in March to 1am on the first Sunday in November, except in Arizona, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Daylight saving time moves the clock 1 hour ahead of standard time.

Toilets -- You will find public toilets at most roadside stops in the parks and all of the developed areas. They can also be found in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, and service stations.

Visas -- For information about U.S. visas, go to http://travel.state.gov and click on "Visas." Or visit one of the following websites:

Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information from the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600), or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website at http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/consular.

British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 0891/200-290) or by visiting the "Visas to the U.S." section of the American Embassy London's website at www.usembassy.org.uk.

Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the Embassy of the USA Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Dublin 4, Ireland (tel. 353/1-668-8777), or by checking the "Visas to the U.S." section of http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/472-2068), or visiting http://wellington.usembassy.gov.

Visitor Information -- If you're planning a visit to Yosemite National Park, you can get general information on accommodations, weather, and permits from the park's touch-tone phone menu at tel. 209/372-0200 or online at www.nps.gov/yose. The hearing-impaired can get information by calling tel. 209/372-4726. You can buy books and maps from the nonprofit Yosemite Association, P.O. Box 230, El Portal, CA 95318 (tel. 209/379-2646; www.yosemite.org). For information on much of the lodging within Yosemite National Park, contact concessionaire DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, P.O. Box 578, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (tel. 801/559-5000; www.yosemitepark.com). Information on lodging and activities outside the park is available from the visitor centers and chambers of commerce in the park's surrounding cities. If you're coming from the west on CA 120, contact the Tuolumne County Visitor Center in Sonora (tel. 800/446-1333 or 209/533-4420; www.thegreatunfenced.com) or the Yosemite Chamber of Commerce in Groveland (tel. 800/449-9120 or 209/962-0429; www.groveland.org). On CA 140, contact the Mariposa County Visitors Bureau (tel. 866/425-3366 or 209/966-7081; www.homeofyosemite.com). On CA 41, south of the park, call the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau in Oakhurst (tel. 559/683-4636; www.yosemitethisyear.com). From Lee Vining on the park's eastern boundary, contact the Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce (tel. 760/647-6629; www.leevining.com). There's a California Welcome Center at 710 W. 16th St. in Merced (tel. 800/446-5353 or 209/384-7092; www.yosemite-gateway.org).