One of the great places to get an expansive view of the Yosemite Valley is to head up to Glacier Point. Although it is only 1 mile away from the valley as the crow flies (looking up), it is a 30 mile drive to get there. It can get quite crowded there, as it gives a great angled view of Half Dome. For a more secluded view of the valley (and much less crowded), take a hike to Washburn Point (the trailhead is quite near Glacier Point). From there you get a 360-degree view that includes Half Dome and two of Yosemite's waterfalls, Vernal and Nevada Falls. Half Dome dominates most photo compositions so, to focus more on the waterfalls, I zoomed in on them.