You know, with all the various "options" bandied about in this 3 page thread, I lost track of that one little point. Depart via SFO. Doh!

Unless a return all the way to LA is required, I'd still do what I suggested, but change the part after Yosemite to follow SR41+46+101 southwest from Yosemite straight across via Fresno to the coast near San Luis Obispo and then north on the PCH. The best part of the coast drive is SLO-SF. The southern portion from LA-SLO wouldn't really be missed.

If 2 visits to LA are required (at the beginning and in the middle of the trip) then all bets are off and I withdraw my suggestions. I certainly wouldn't do it (I despise LA and SoCal in general). The drive back to LA from Yosemite is about 6 hours, mostly through farm and/or commercial-industrial areas and not really very pleasant. To each his own.