Travel opportunities are opening up just in time for summer, and for many it will be the first time embarking on travel all year. California offers the perfect mix of scenery and activities, and for those that aren’t ready to fly, add a bucket list drive to your trip by taking the Pacific Coast Highway. Regarded as not only one of the best road trips in the United States but also in the world, the coastal cruise down this major State Route might be calling your name. To help you embark on your California adventure, we’ve put together a list of destinations you don’t want to miss. Do them all by road trip, or one at time with a quick flight.
Location: Yountville in Napa Valley
Bardessono
Bardessono, established in 2009 and already stacking up multiple travel and readers’ choice awards, is nestled in the heart of Napa in Yountville. Thoughtful design and planning is evident in this wine country retreat which offers exceptional service, modern environmental practices (LEED platinum certified), and soothing ambiance. Their partnership with Andrea Schwartz Gallery adds a curated and cultured touch with fascinating art at every turn.
Bardessono prides itself on providing meaningful exchange between the traveler and the host with their intentional set of priorities to create a connected, insightful, and transcendent experience.
Be sure to book a spa experience to soothe, calm and renew. B Spa offers massages, couples’ treatments, facials, wraps and body polishes. All guest rooms at Bardessono are Spa Suites, designed to transform into a personal spa, where guests enjoy customized treatments in the privacy of their own room.
Their onsite restaurant, Lucy, offers seasonal dishes fresh from their garden and healthy selections from within and around Napa Valley. At Lucy, everything is truly "field-to-fork" fare — breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Location: Calistoga in Napa Valley
Solage
The Solage offers a modern, fresh, and vibrant retreat. It’s prime location in Calistoga is considered a bucket-list destination for wine lovers, foodies and wellness seekers, and Solage was created to reflect its hometown spirit, drawing visitors as well as area vintners.
Solbar, the restaurant on site, is proud to use ingredients that showcase the best of what’s fresh and seasonal in the Napa Valley. And while the sourcing may be local, the chef, Gustavo Rios, influences are global, resulting in flavorful, inventive border-crossing cuisine.
Not to be missed is their award-winning Spa Solage, which showcases the renowned Calistoga mud and mineral water therapies that have attracted spa-goers to this northern stretch of Napa Valley since the 19th century. At the heart of the spa, explore the health benefits of mineral water and heat with 5 different pools at The Bathhouse. Pools include: Vitality Cold Plunge Pool, Tranquility Saline Pool, Restorative Mineral Jetted Pool, Relaxation Pool, and the Magnesium Rich Pool.
Lodging options are fresh and modern. Each studio enjoys the added benefits of a vaulted ceiling, pebbled shower (or gas fireplace) and an outdoor patio opening out to all the secret gardens of Solage. Their luxury suites offer peaceful seclusion along with a private outdoor patio with hot tub for two.
Location: Carmel Valley
Bernardus Lodge
Tucked in beautiful Carmel Valley, Bernardus Lodge provides the finest of resort experiences with a warm sophisticated style and ranch-chic accommodations. Receiving top recognition from Forbes Travel Guide, Bernardus Lodge has set the bar for luxury lodging on the central coast. This boutique resort is intimate and relaxed, guaranteed to put you at ease upon arrival.
Walk the grounds and discover their extensive organic herb and vegetable gardens, vineyards and fruit trees, known for producing some of the freshest produce in Carmel Valley, California. Award winning chef, Cal Stamenov, uses seasonal ingredients at the onsite restaurant to curate mouthwatering cuisine at onsite restaurant and bar, Lucia. Named after the majestic Santa Lucia Mountains, which provide the dramatic backdrop to terrace dining, Lucia’s ambiance is contemporary and rustic, with gorgeous indoor and outdoor fireplaces.
The surrounding nature of Carmel Valley has inspired their destination spa experience, a garden-to-treatment philosophy with mindful and customized offerings. Also enjoy their outdoor heated lap-length pool overlooking the mountains and vineyards, or opt to play tennis, croquet, or bocce for a sunny afternoon activity. Make time to venture out to the nearby wine tasting rooms, golf courses, or boutique shopping. And don’t miss out on their partnership with Mercedes-Benz. Guests have privy to a complimentary use of a fleet of vehicles - perfect for cruising Carmel-By-The-Sea.
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Harbor View Inn
Where the ocean and the mountains meet, gorgeous Santa Barbara offers a variety of outdoor adventure, eclectic arts and culture, and a delicious variety of local food and wine. Harbor View Inn provides an incredible location for visitors to experience the best of Santa Barbara. Just across from the beach, and walking distance to charming shops and restaurants along State Street, convenience can’t be beat. Their ocean view pool is a spectacular place to relax amid the sounds of the waves and breeze through the palm trees. Lodging includes comfortable amenities suited for a range a guests, from a romantic getaway, to a family vacation.
Just outside your doors at Harbor View Inn, walk or bike to State Street Promenade, Santa Barbara’s 10-block stretch of outdoor restaurants and bars. Don’t miss Spanish restaurant and local favorite, Loquita, with a menu presenting authentic Spanish paella, charcuterie and cheeses, locally sourced seafood and meat dishes.
If wine tasting is your thing, Santa Barbara County is one of the most diverse wine-growing regions in the world, with more than 220 wineries and more than 170 tasting rooms. One of the easiest ways to get to know regional wines is through the tasting rooms of Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail, most of which are located in walkable downtown Santa Barbara.
For more ideas during your visit SantaBarbaraCA.com