Hit the open road, escape city life and settle into a small scenic town, where it’s easy to unwind and fall in love with California’s laidback charm. Get a taste of the good life—from wine country to the rugged coast—and plan your next getaway around a memorable boutique hotel, to relax or seek adventure in a less-visited destination.
Mendocino Village: MacCallum House Inn
The historic Victorian landmark in this friendly NorCal coastal enclave offers 19 luxurious rooms, some with fireplaces and private outdoor hot tubs. Indulge in an exceptional farm-to-table feast where Chef Alan Kantor serves up local, seasonal fare. Try broiled Pacific Rim oysters, potato soup, duck confit, fried chicken and ahi tuna. Centrally located near the headlands, paths to the beach, boutique shops and restaurants, this throwback town offers a sense of place that doesn’t disappoint.
Elk: Elk Cove Inn
Nestled cliffside in a private, tranquil, rustic cove, the inn sits above gardens, enveloped by the fresh salty air and pounding surf. Hike down to the rugged beach for abalone, colossal kelp and mussels larger than your hand.
Room view balconies take in the dramatic setting, with boulders jutting out of the sea. Made-to-order breakfast spreads excite, with options like brouilette and champagne. Soak up this former thriving lumber mill town by wandering the property to check out the inn’s friendly dogs, chickens, goats and beehives.
Jenner: Timber Cove Resort
Perched on a Sonoma Coast cliffside bluff, where the Redwoods meet the sea, this 1960s architectural beauty enchants with ocean view patios and balconies, plush linens, fireplaces and midcentury decor. This is the kind of place you go to unravel from the chaos of the world.
Delight in the sunset on the terrace with flitting hummingbirds, make S’mores by the firepit and reconnect over board games in the grand lobby living room. This kid- and dog-friendly hotel is an insider’s secret, where time slows down and relaxation meets nature.
Anderson Valley: Indian Creek Inn
Near the coast and surrounded by Redwoods, Anderson Valley is an emerging wine paradise. No otherworldly tasting room fees, no crowds and no winemaker attitudes here—it may be the last-standing uncommercialized California wine region.
Indian Creek Inn is unassumingly set back in the hills, in the middle of the valley of vineyards, with misty morning forested views from the property and the surrounding valley stretched across the land overlooking Goldeneye Vineyards and across from Domaine Anderson. Rooms are arranged in five hubs, single story, with a shared common space featuring a full kitchen.
Calistoga: Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs
At the northern end of the Napa Valley lies the laidback town of Calistoga, known for geothermal waters that became California’s first wellness destination around 1862. Stroll out to the historic downtown to peruse local boutiques, tasting rooms and galleries. Settle in with a healing mineral soak in three pools at various temperatures or book the resort’s signature mud bath treatment.
For more space and a private porch, book the Bungalow House or Spa Cottage. Lounge at the resort’s restaurant, House of Better, over a loaded breakfast burrito or homemade pie, like lemon butter.
Yountville: North Block
The idyllic dreamy Napa town of Yountville is a true culinary destination, loaded with several Thomas Keller restaurants like French Laundry and Bouchon. The two-Michelin-Key 20-room North Block hotel has outdoor fire pits, rooms with private garden terraces or balconies and bathrooms with heated floors and soaking tubs.
North Block’s Michelin-recommended restaurant serves up hyperlocal fare—like tender octopus, duck breast and yellowtail crudo. Enjoy complimentary all-day wine and whiskey in the hotel’s lobby, where a casual breakfast spread including mimosas and daily warm chocolate chip cookies await.
Paso Robles: Allegretto Vineyard Resort
An ideal location to explore Paso Robles vineyards, this Tuscan-inspired estate is set across 20 acres of vineyards on Paso’s east side. Get to know the private wine label with a tasting, followed by a meal at Cello Ristorante, offering locally farmed and foraged ingredients. Savor crispy shaved Brussels, tender short rib, a glass of the 2019 Willow Creek Cabernet or specialty cocktails like the “New Fashion,” a bourbon-infused vanilla espresso with a burning cinnamon “cigar.”
The hotel’s multimillion-dollar art collection features artifacts that owner Doug Ayres collected from around the world. Balance your equilibrium with a walk around the gardens, Europeanesque Mediterranean courtyard, French-inspired abbey and sonic labyrinth, for self-reflection.
Solvang: The Hadsten
Located in the heart of the Danish capital of America, in the Santa Ynez Valley, The Hadsten hotel is in walking distance to the Village’s “Fab 5” Danish bakeries, Michelin-recommended restaurants, wine tasting rooms and unique museums. This recently renovated hotel makes an easy roadside stop or wine-tasting home base, with clean spacious rooms and a daily Happy Hour at their bar lounge with outdoor patio. A stay includes a slew of 2-for-1 select tasting rooms in the vicinity.
Goleta: The Leta
This boutique surfer-vibe property, minutes outside bustling Santa Barbara, features a relaxing pool surrounded by eclectic California décor and a classic Woody parked outside—perfect for a photo shoot. Goleta is home to the oceanfront University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), dubbed “The Good Land.” This place makes for the perfect jumping-off point.
Malibu: Calamigos Guest Ranch
Calamigos Ranch preserves a 300-acre forest in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains and wine country, where the air feels glorious. Choose a bungalow or cottage with freestanding tub and indoor-outdoor shower, set amongst the ancient trees. Indulge at the rustic restaurant, unwind at the luxe poolscape or lounge spaces in nature. Chandeliers hang from trees, firepits crackle at night, stars blaze from the jacuzzi and complimentary wine awaits during twilight hours. Other amenities include pickle ball, a fitness center and Beach Club with pool. Decompress in the large spa sauna while the floor to ceiling windows allow the foliage and golden light to boost any mood.
Stroll out to the historic downtown to peruse local boutiques, tasting rooms and galleries. Settle in with a healing mineral soak in three pools at various temperatures or book the resort’s signature mud bath treatment.
Chandeliers hang from trees, firepits crackle at night, stars blaze from the jacuzzi and complimentary wine awaits during twilight hours.