You already know it’s true, so don’t be modest: The part of the world you call home happens to be what people all around the globe call a vacation destination. Within three hours of drive time, you can find temporary refuge on an inviting beach, sip your fill among vineyards, luxe up at an impeccable resort, or wind down in a hip little trailer camp. Dog vacays, kid-friendly escapes—they’re here, too. Time to start putting all that proximity to good use and hope in the car to experience these perfect weekend getaways near Los Angeles.
Food and Drink
1. Paso Robles
There are 11 viticultural areas and 200-plus wineries here, so pace yourself. Start near the old town square, with its Carnegie Library and gazebo, and take your pick of tasting rooms, including Paso Underground, where the acclaimed Copia is among the small wineries featured. It’s close to the elegant boutique Hotel Cheval ($295-$475; try the nightly s’mores service in the courtyard). Though visiting wineries such as L’Aventure and Tablas Creek Vineyard is a must, don’t skip the premium oils milled at Kiler Ridge Olive Farm.
2. Lompoc
While the seed companies have left the erstwhile Valley of Flowers, the ocean-influenced Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area, east of town, is known for varietals that love the region’s fog and cooling winds. The Lompoc Wine Ghetto’s industrial-park setting lacks Tuscan-inspired romance, but this cluster of tasting rooms attracts serious oenophiles with its prime small-batch producers. Hotels are chainy—a Hilton Garden Inn ($189-$289)—and Lompoc’s food scene is still catching up.
3. Temecula
Thirty-plus wineries dot the Inland Empire’s very own wine country, including the micro winery Briar Rose (with buildings fashioned after Snow White’s cottage, no less) and Monte De Oro. Avoid a DD with companies like Grapeline Wine Tours, which will shuttle you to various properties for wine flights. Speaking of flights, you’re in SoCal’s unofficial hot air balloon capital, so get altitudinal before settling down at the Inn at Europa Village ($190-$325), where rooms look onto the vine-studded sprawl and rugged Palomar Mountain.
4. Tijuana
Avenida Revolución’s rowdy bars have given way to Baja’s gastronomic boom. For peerless Tijuana seafood tacos, hunt down chef Oso Campos’s Tras Horizonte, which melds Mexican street culture with pro technique. Javier Plascencia’s flagship, Misión 19, serves modern dishes like pen shell clam stacked with sweet and savory layers. And Baja’s craft beer current flows at Mamut Brewery Co. One Bunk Tijuana, the area’s first boutique hotel, offers rooms with urban-industrial touches. A block away is the birthplace of the Caesar salad, Caesar’s Restaurant, where you can get beef Wellington before catching top Latin artists at the Foro.
5. Los Alamos
This 100-plus-year-old stagecoach stop has turned into a foodie destination. At Bob’s Well Bread ex-Sony marketing chief Bob Oswaks has reinvented himself as a baker at the former gas station, where everything from the sourdough to the kouign-amann sells out by noon. The interior of the historic Wine Saloon at The 1880 Union Hotel looks like a set from a western. Winemaker Sonja Magdevski stocks hard-to-find craft beers at Babi’s Beer Emporium, housed in the former post office. Gastronomes flock to Bell’s Restaurant for daily menus driven by “local availability and chef’s whims.” Stay at Skyview Motel, a classic motel revived by the folks behind San Luis Obispo’s Granada.
6. Manhattan Beach
With the South Bay’s emergence as a cauldron of craft beer, you have one more excuse to stay local. Raise your brew IQ with the four-and-a-half-hour L.A. Beer Hop tour, which starts and ends at the El Segundo Metro station and hits three breweries (each offering four five-ounce tasters) along the way. Afterward Lyft it over to David LeFevre’s Fishing with Dynamite in Manhattan Beach for some “chow-dah.” The luxury yacht-inspired design at the nearby Shade Hotel ($329-$1,999) keeps the nautical theme alive and well. Make time for a swim in the rooftop pool before packing up.
7. Los Olivos
Photo by Lisa Corson
A flagpole marks the spot in this Santa Ynez Valley town. Just steps away is Kaena, which excels at grenache; and Stolpman, where Sashi Moorman works magic with syrahs. Don’t pass up the house-smoked bacon—as thick as a steak—that chefs Matt and Jeff Nichols serve at Sides Hardware & Shoes. For more local fare head to Nella Kitchen and Bar at the Fess Parker Inn. You can lodge three miles away at the Ballard Inn ($309-$649).
8. Santa Barbara
A rustic complex in a renovated 1904 feed-mill building is home to Potek Winery and Third Window Brewing Co. Down in the Funk Zone, Lafond Winery’s tasting room is among 20-plus stops along the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail. Housed in a 1920s fish-processing building with exposed rafters, the Lark is named for the passenger train that used to cruise by. With such dishes as grilled octopus and Dungeness crab risotto, seafood still holds a place of honor here.
Trailer Hotels
9. Hicksville Trailer Palace
Photo by Lisa Kimberly
Joshua Tree’s Hicksville splits the difference between camping and glamping. Each of the nine trailers ($85-$265) has its own theme (the ’70s for one, the circus for another), but most don’t come with kitchens or bathrooms (the clubhouse has toilets and showers). Bring your own supplies for the charcoal grills, but don’t sweat the entertainment: You can goof around with BB guns, putt-putt golf, Ping-Pong, even an archery setup while the jukebox plays. There’s a soaking pool to tame the desert heat, while the rooftop hot tub is perfect for a nighttime dip to the soundtrack of yipping coyotes.
10. Caravan Outpost
Opened just off Ojai’s main drag, Caravan Outpost ($169-$369) masks its business-park locale with good feng shui and strategically placed vegetation, featuring amenities that other trailer hotels don’t offer. Some of the 11 pristine Airstreams are stocked with memory-foam mattresses, plush linens, and record players (raid the Outpost’s vinyl library). To supplement the camper facilities, there are communal grills as well as bathrooms outfitted with subway tiles by the corrugated main building. Come sundown, a host builds fires, washes dishes, and does the turndown service, dispensing tips on how to spend the next day.
Kids
11. Disneyland–According to Dapper Day Founder Justin Jorgensen
Photo by Lisa Corson
Disneyland’s early renderings depicted guests elegantly dressed in hats and gowns. To bring that glamour to life, Disney fan Justin Jorgensen created the annual Dapper Day. Here are his tips for doing the Happiest Place on Earth in style. [Note: Disneyland events and facilities are undergoing a phased reopening in 2021. Be sure to check for the most recent updates.]
Breakfast: The Jungle Cruise Sunrise Safari Breakfast is ridiculously expensive ($300), but it sounds fun. You get into the park before the animatronics wake up, board your boat, and disembark in the African savannah, where your crew has set up a breakfast outpost.
Lunch: You really have to look for White Water Snacks. It’s tucked away near the Grand Californian pool, and you’re seated essentially in this secluded wilderness that feels like a Northern California redwood forest. The pulled-pork sandwich is highly recommended.
Lodging: I just love the Grand Californian ($417-$1,970). It’s dark and heavy and quiet, and it’s so relaxing after being out in the bright sun all day. There is a little-known observation deck on the southeast corner that overlooks Paradise Pier. You access it with your room key, and it has speakers that allow you to enjoy World of Color.
Beating the Lines: When I’m with friends who insist on seeing everything, I get a FastPass for Space Mountain. For Splash Mountain or Indiana Jones, I get in line as the fireworks are ending because everyone is distracted.
12. San Diego
Photo from the San Diego Model Railroad Museum
Rumor has it that the zoo is pretty good. And while Balboa Park’s Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and larger museums draw the most attention, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is an offbeat microcosm for kids. Nontouristy restaurants can be found while strolling the sidewalks of nearby North Park, or take the progeny to Little Italy to sample Extraordinary Desserts. If they are of the mellow variety, skip the big hotels of Mission Bay for a stay at Tower23 Hotel ($229-$469) in Pacific Beach, where the rooms’ streamline neomodernist touches contrast with the boardwalk’s honky-tonk elements. And it’s right by the Crystal Pier.
13. Monarch Beach
Little about Monarch Beach Resort ($450-$731) screams “bring the kids,” which is partly why it works so well for families. A private beach is a ten-minute tram ride away, and if you splurge on a suite, you can scorch some marshmallows at your personal fire pit. Save some time for a stop at Dana Point’s Ocean Institute. Historic downtown San Juan Capistrano is on the way home. After visiting the mission, walk among the settlers’ rickety cottages on Los Rios Street—it’s a revelation. The petting zoo there is elaborate, while the Ramos House Café is a comfort.
Adventure
14. Anza-Borrego
Photo by Lisa Corson
Famous for March wildflowers that in some years paint its tawny expanses with vivid pinks and golds, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is also home to less ephemeral pleasures. A three-mile round-trip hike near the visitor’s center leads to the Borrego Palm Canyon oasis, while more remote groves farther south in the park, at Mountain Palm Springs, offer a beat-the-crowds alternative. Off Highway 78, drive into the badlands for the short descent into the Slot, a narrow passage where the eroded walls almost touch. An even deeper slot is accessible via the four-mile round-trip trek into Palm Wash along Highway S-22. Base camp is Borrego Springs. The Borrego Art Institute’s Kesling’s Kitchen, named for modernist William Kesling, who designed the building, serves wood-fired pizzas and salads. On the edge of town at venerable La Casa del Zorro Desert Resort & Spa ($110-$939), skip the casitas and stay in a renovated deluxe room, with wood-burning fireplaces and Southwest details.
15. San Luis Obispo
Photo by Lisa Corson
Pedaling the hills of SLO is a whole other way to experience Central California. If the ten miles of single-track mountain biking in the Irish Hills Natural Reserve isn’t enough, the guys at Art’s Cyclery can offer tips. Your base, the exposed-brick Granada Hotel ($249-$599), offers stylish, compact rooms and a nice second-floor terrace. Located downtown, it’s within walking distance of the bacon-cheddar scones of Scout Coffee and the 76-tap Libertine Brewing Company.
16. Morro Bay
The waters are so calm, it’s easy to spot the giant American white pelicans, the strikingly patterned Brant geese, the sparkling blue belted kingfisher, the ducks too numerous to count, and the occasional peregrine falcon on your Central Coast Outdoors kayak excursion. The tour glides to a working oyster farm before pausing at the sandspit for a generous lunch (where did the guide stow all that food?). At night sample the local oysters at the Galley, which excels in seafood. Take a last look at the bay from a room at 456 Embarcadero ($139-$599), a traditional inn updated with contemporary decor.
17. Big Bear
Snow summit and Bear Mountain have seen some $2 million of improvements since Mammoth Mountain bought the Big Bear resorts in 2014. Among them: Snow Summit, which offers the area’s only lift-served mountain bike park, has designated terrain for novice riders. You can also mix it up and learn to wakeboard on Big Bear Lake (alas, the Cable Park, where you could board without a boat, is not coming back this summer). Cabins are easy to come by here, or soothe your bruised ego at the Best Western Big Bear Chateau ($126-$436).
18. Alisal
Riding horseback through the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a happy, G-rated version of Westworld. Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort ($395-$775) was built with bucolic fantasies in mind. In between rides (there are the two-wheeled kinds on the local roads as well; Alisal will even pack lunch), you can always golf and get kneaded in the spa. But just lounging outside your western-tinged suite isn’t so bad either. Welcome to life on a dude ranch.
Golf Havens
19. Rancho Santa Fe
There are only two ways to secure a tee time at the storied Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club: Be a member or book a stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe ($289-$1,159). The low-slung 1920s complex was designed by architect Lilian Rice, who is the woman behind the graceful Spanish Colonial Revival look of the San Diego County town. For post-golf refreshment, head to Ponsaty’s, a fine-dining restaurant with a French master chef, two terraces, and a lively bar.
20. Carmel Valley
The Tom Fazio-designed course at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar ($395-$895) winds through the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, an unspoiled landscape so soothing, you won’t mind a bogey or two. The hotel, on the other hand, is filled with man-made riches, from a rare red marble to gilded banisters. The spacious rooms are impeccably decorated, and the grounds are dotted with water features and other visual treats. The hotel provides its own nightlife at Club M, while its restaurant, Amaya, boasts fine Italian fare and a plush bar.
21. La Quinta
At sunset the craggy peaks that form the backdrop of La Quinta’s ultra-challenging mountain course—among the Coachella Valley’s most in-demand patches of grass—glow coral pink. (The slightly more forgiving Dunes course is a looker, too.) You can cool off in one of La Quinta Resort’s ($144-$1,709) 41 pools, or lounge in one of its ’20s-era casitas. Skip the clubhouse and grab dinner at Morgan’s, where the kitchen does farm-to-table with flair.
22. Torrey Pines
The third hole of the south course, atop La Jolla’s coastal bluffs, is among golf’s most scenic. The easier north circuit begins where the south course finishes: the Craftsman-style Lodge at Torrey Pines ($349-$8,000). It’s about as close as you can get to staying in the Gamble House. The stained-glass entry doors are by Highland Park’s Judson Studios, while works by California painter and ceramist A.R. Valentien decorate the New American restaurant that bears his name.
Islands
23. Coronado
After arcing along Coronado Bay Bridge onto quiet residential streets, you feel worlds apart from San Diego. With 19th-century roots and beachfront real estate, the red-roofed Hotel del Coronado ($400-$2,500) warrants a splurge. A few blocks up the road, the visitor’s center features a small museum (bar trivia: Charles Lindbergh flew The Spirit of St. Louis from here), while the old-school Miguel’s Cocina serves tasty margaritas on a buzzy patio nearby. Five miles away, Silver Strand State Beach offers a taste of the island’s less-traveled side.
24. Balboa
Balboa may not be a tropical isle, but the place is exotic in its own way. Walk along Marine Avenue, the teeny main drag, eating a Balboa Bar ice cream from Sugar ’n Spice before tracing the island’s perimeter past the multimillion-dollar homes. Balboa’s four-car ferry can take you to the peninsula for a ride on the Ferris wheel. Then regroup with a cocktail and some scallops from the eclectic menu at the Royal Hen. Rent a house for the full effect or luxe up at the expansive Resort at Pelican Hill ($695-$3,145), a few miles down the coast.
25. Catalina
Photo by Lisa Corson
Embrace your inner tourist. An inland tour to spot buffalo? It’s required. Fish-gazing on a glass-bottom boat? Of course. Parasailing? Maybe, though zip-lining the canyons has its perks (a new drop tower opens this summer, too). Buffalo milk cocktails at Luau Larry’s in Avalon? There’s no shame in that. Add a spritz of exclusivity with a private cabana on Descanso Beach and you’ve got yourself a one-of-a-kind weekend. To rest after all that relaxing, try the Pavilion Hotel ($165-$379), a tasteful redo of a courtyard hotel that sits near the Avalon Grille and, more to the point, across from Avalon Bay.
Nightlife
26. The Sunset Strip
For a staycation with an edge, book a room at the new 1 Hotel West Hollywood on the Strip. A sleek base of operations for straddling the line between plugged-in local and fresh-faced newcomer, it’s less than half a mile to Eveleigh for a happy hour cocktail under twinkling patio lights.
27. Palm Springs
Photo by Jamie Kowal
The Saguaro’s thumping DJs aren’t the only option for desert trippers. The tiki vibe at the tiny Bootlegger bar suits the city’s midcentury architecture, while the cocktails at Mr. Lyons Steakhouse’s back room lounge, Seymour’s, channel Rat Pack leisure. Your crash pad—the industrial-hip, 32-room Arrive ($249-$500)—doubles as its own destination, with a gastropub and poolside lounge.
Spas
28. Four Seasons Westlake Village
With 41,000 square feet of real estate, the Four Seasons Westlake Village spa is reason enough to stay the night. When not enjoying sessions in any of the 28 treatment rooms, recline on a plush lounger to the soothing sounds of a sculptural waterfall. After check-out, you can relax among the plantscapes at Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks.
29. Terranea
Massages feel best when they’re earned, so explore the sea caves and tide pools along the rocky Point Vicente trail before returning to the Mediterranean-chic Terranea for hour-long hot stone or reflexology treatments. There are plenty of other great hotel spas in L.A., but none that feels this far away without being far at all.
Cabins and Cottages
30. El Capitan
El Capitan has reopened after surviving fire, flood, and mud. El Capitan Canyon’s cedar cabins ($170-$800), arranged along a seasonal creek beneath a sycamore canopy. Soak in bathtubs, warm up by gas fireplaces, and doze to the sounds of the forest night in beds crafted from willow branches. El Capitan State Beach, at the canyon mouth, is easily reached by foot or on complimentary beach cruisers. Take in the sunset before having El Capitan’s deli deliver salmon and tri-tip to cook over your cabin’s fire pit.
31. La Jolla
In a seaside community known for its Mediterranean vibe, the Pantai Inn’s cottages ($300-$800) bring a touch of Bali to Cali. Tropical umbrellas and plantings adorn a courtyard that, like some of the cottages, looks to the surf across Coast Boulevard. Explore tide pools and stroll along La Jolla’s low cliffs to see harbor seals lolling at the Children’s Pool. A staircase leads up to the village’s boutiques and the terrace at Catania, which serves an improbably good wood-fired pizza with broccoli and butternut squash. Or try the local catch at Pearl Street’s El Pescador Fish Market & Restaurant, a longtime favorite now located in more contemporary digs.
32. Jalama Beach
Just north of Point Conception and 14 twisting miles off Highway 1, Jalama Beach County Park is renowned for the gusty winds that make its waters a prime kitesurfing spot. Campers and RV-ers flock here, but do yourself a favor and slip into one of the beach’s seven cabins ($120-$220) for your weekend getaway. Neither quaint nor rustic, the simple Douglas fir huts sleep from four to six and offer kitchenettes and bathrooms as well as private porches and outdoor grills. The California coast’s definitive beach burger can be had at the general store, and the ocean is just steps away, with miles of empty beach to the south.
33. Crystal Cove
Photo by Lisa Corson
The Crystal Cove Beach Cottages ($35-$245) in Newport Beach are some of the most coveted coastal real estate around. Fourteen are available as private rentals, ten with dorm-style digs, plunking you on a 3.2-mile-long beach backed by bluffs. There’s hiking and mountain biking nearby in Crystal Cove State Park and a Maine lobster club sandwich at the Beachcomber Café. If you can’t land your preferred dates on ReserveAmerica.com, hang loose—cancellations do happen.
34. Fairmont Santa Monica
Spend a weekend getaway in a garden bungalow at the Fairmont Santa Monica ($424-$2,000) and you may not be all that motivated to return home. (Think of what you’re saving on airfare and gas.) Since you’re on vacation, don’t just hang by the pool: The Promenade’s right there. Oh, and so is the ocean. You don’t have to venture far for a good meal, either: At the hotel’s Fig restaurant, Yousef Ghalaini serves nuanced Cal-Med Middle Eastern dishes (pomegranate molasses-glazed lamb shank), and Miles Thompson has invigorated the legendary California cuisine of Michael’s nearby.
Las Vegas
35. Las Vegas–According to Steve Aoki
Photo courtesy of Michael Baxter Imaging
For Vegas tips we went to DJ Steve Aoki, whose Grammy-nominated documentary, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, is aptly titled. Between producing records, going on globe-trotting tours, and playing shows in Vegas, the California native must use his free time wisely. Here’s how he bums around Sin City when he’s not behind a turntable.
Izakaya Go
“I love traditional Japanese-style food. Izakaya Go is off the beaten path, and they always play reggae. One of my favorite things is shishamo—a whole smoked fish.”
Top Golf
“It’s a smart golfing range: You scan in, and every time you hit the ball, it’s logged. You get a table, you get bottle service, and you get all kinds of food. It’s fun for huge groups.”
Fruition
“They’re your top-of-the-line high-end streetwear. They have Jeremy Scott, Supreme. Back in the day I would go straight there when I drove into Vegas.”
SubZero Recovery
“Cryotherapy helps temporarily if you’re constantly active. You stand in this cylinder for three minutes, and it’s freezing. There’s no FDA approval, but a lot of athletes do it.”
Red Rock “In Vegas the desert is your backyard. Red Rock is a cool area with trails that go deep into the mountains. You can go surfing at Lake Mead, you can go desert buggying—it’s so beautiful.”
Lesser-Known Beaches
36. Avila Beach
Hidden off Highway 101 in a cranny of San Luis Obispo Bay, Avila Beach was torn down and rebuilt in the late 1990s following a massive underground oil spill, which makes the 143-year-old hamlet California’s newest beach town. There’s now premium pinot noir at the Sinor-LaVallee tasting room, but you can catch hints of Avila’s original gritty charm along the Harford Pier while dining dockside on rockfish sandwiches and steamer clams at Mersea’s. Avila La Fonda is a dependable hotel ($200-$500), or if you’re Airbnb’ing it, stop by B.J. Enterprises for local ahi to cook back at your place.
37. San Clemente
San Clemente isn’t a resort town, but it does offer a low-key alternative to pricier beach enclaves. And there’s even a briny pier. You can see it from the Beachcomber Inn ($170-$415), a motel in an old Spanish Colonial Revival building that inches along a hillside above. Loll on the front lawn, counting passenger cars on Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner route as they rumble by directly below. Avenida Del Mar is where you’ll find boutiques to browse and filling stations like the Cellar, an of-the-moment wine bar. Keep heading toward El Camino Real, the town’s main boulevard, to sample the award-winning craft brews at Pizza Port.
38. Goleta
For a city of bland housing tracts and big-box retail, Goleta is surprisingly rich in natural wonders. To see them, stop at Ellwood Mesa, off the Winchester Canyon exit from the 101. Sperling Preserve: A sprawl of coastal bluffs and verdant meadows, the preserve’s 137 acres include the Goleta Butterfly Grove, in the middle of the mesa. Ellwood Mesa Open Space: More than two miles of trail allow access to Ellwood Beach, blessed with fluffy sands and rare snowy plovers. Coronado Butterfly Preserve: A stand of mesa eucalyptus has been outfitted with trails and seating for monarch watchers. Kimpton Goodland Hotel: Rest up at this boutique makeover of the old Holiday Inn ($149-$349), named after Goleta: The Good Land, a celebrated 1966 history of the area.
39. Carpinteria
Photo by Lisa Corson
Equal parts small town and beach town, Carpinteria is California’s Mayberry del Mar. Linden Avenue, home to the gooey turtles at old-school Robitaille’s Fine Candies, leads to Carpinteria State Beach, touted as “the world’s safest beach” for its sheltered swimming conditions. A block from the surf, the apartments at Playa Lodging ($295-$995) set themselves apart with Viking kitchen appliances and patio fire pits. Two blocks away, Island Brewing Company is known for its Avocado Honey Ale and King Tide Double IPA. Back near the top of Linden, Rincon Brewery, named for Carpinteria’s fabled point break, serves tri-trip marinated in La Reina Lager.
Dog Friendly Beaches
40. Del Mar
Dogs are welcome to roam unfettered on the town’s North Beach, by the old train depot. This is one of the coast’s wider swaths of sand, which means plenty of space for pooches to play. Your canine can join you for the night at the ocean-view L’Auberge Del Mar ($319-$4,900), whose recent makeover includes luxe linens and beach-themed art. For dinner go no farther than the hotel’s KITCHEN 1540, where chef Nathan Lingle produces a standout farm-truck eggplant parm and craft beer beignets with Julian pear cider sauce.
41. Montecito
Swimmers and paddleboarders dig the lake-like conditions at Butterfly Beach. But do yourself a favor and head south to Hammond’s Meadow so your dog can sniff the driftwood or roll in the high grass while you study the tide pools and an engraved Chumash marker. There’s even a creek to splash through. Dogs deserve their own weekend getaway and can spend the night at the beachside Four Seasons Biltmore ($695-$8,000), a Reginald Johnson masterpiece of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
42. Huntington Beach
The city’s dog beach lets canines romp leash free on a 1.2-mile stretch between Seapoint and Goldenwest streets. When it’s time to pack it in, hit the surf-themed Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel ($209-$499), where dogs can chill while you munch on tacos and crudos along the terrace at the just-launched Pacific Hideaway restaurant. It’s right by Main Street’s shops and the International Surfing Museum. Or go a few blocks south to Paséa Hotel & Spa ($219-$6,000), which invites dogs under 50 pounds to stay in breezy contemporary rooms across from the ocean.
Quaint Beach Towns
43. Summerland
The antique stores are the draw at this Santa Barbara enclave, but the scenery at Loon Point Beach is even more alluring—and free. Cross the freeway to Padaro Lane and the Loon Point parking lot. The high cliffs keep this beach secluded while lending a touch of drama. You won’t have to wash off the sand to dine at the Padaro Beach Grill, with thick hamburgers, crispy fish and chips, and outdoor seating under waving palms. After all that fresh air, sleep in country-style comfort at the Inn on Summer Hill ($249-$465).
44. Ventura
Though the frieze above the entrance to the imposing 1912 beaux arts City Hall grandly calls this town San Buenaventura, “Ventura” will do just fine, thank you. Soak up the ocean breezes as you pop into shops like the venerable Calico Cat Bookshop and the rootsy clothing and gear emporium Iron and Resin Garage along Main Street. Just past Mission San Buenaventura, Himalaya brings top-of-the-world cuisine down to sea level. The beach is an easy five blocks away, and the four-mile-long bike trail will lead you within a couple of blocks of the reliable Ventura Beach Marriott ($166-$389). Nearby you can shuck your own bivalves at San Buenaventura State Beach’s the Jolly Oyster.
45. Carlsbad Village
The village feels more like a local haunt than a tourist destination, despite the throngs of beachgoers and road cyclists. Rent your own wheels at Village Faire Shopping Center (look for the 130-year-old Victorian manse that anchors it). North of Carlsbad Premium Outlets, the suites at Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara ($325-$1,800) are showroom dreamy. Go for the kitchen counter experience at the hotel’s Seasons restaurant, enjoying courses like monkfish served with stone fruit.
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