Hi Karen

If you can afford 2 nights for the drive, then by all means head toward Cambria and spend a night there and continue up to Monterey/Carmel for a night there the following day. Cambria is a lovely, small seaside town with lots of cute shops and great little places to eat.

This will also allow for a nice, slow drive up through Big Sur with stops at the elephant seal rookery, Ragged Point and McWay Falls @ Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Cambria lodging: Moonstone Landing, Sand Pebbles Inn, Fog Catcher Inn, Best Western Fireside Inn.

When will you be visiting? Time of year matters, as you can't get into Yosemite from the east side of the mountains in the winter/spring months.