South Bay Beaches
Steps from the sand, the halls of this convivial hostel with a newly renovated kitchen offer mostly co-ed four- and six-person dorms. Even the private…
Must-see hotels in California
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Ensconced in a historic flatiron building, this design-forward hotel feels a little bit like Alice in Wonderland, only Alice is all grown up and has…
Hollywood
The W's soaring, sparkly atrium makes quite an impression, as does the sceney, palm-fringed rooftop pool deck. In shades of grey, silver and white, rooms…
Northern Mountains
Seventeen miles northwest of Chester, this fabulously secluded place lies inside the park’s boundary. Guests, many of whom are repeat visitors, use the…
Santa Monica
Stylish enough to be alluring, but not too stuck up or intimidating, this 70-room 1939 art deco classic, across the avenue from the bluffs, sports suites…
Sequoia National Park
The only food-and-lodging option anywhere near these parts, this rustic, old-fashioned place rents everything from cute and cozy 1950s-era cabins to…
Sonoma Valley
This re-imagined historic hotel in the heart of downtown Petaluma mixes modern touches with some fun and flourishing nods to the past, including the grand…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Drawing inspiration from luxury yachts for its $16 million redesign, this little sister to the Argonaut Hotel was reborn in 2017 to parent Noble House…
Yosemite National Park
Founded in 1899 as summertime Camp Curry, Half Dome Village has hundreds of units squished together beneath towering evergreens. The canvas cabins (heated…
Russian River Area
A designer's dream, this throwback motel block has wonderful and unique touches in each room. Most of the furnishings go back to the 1960s. Like what you…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
During the Spanish-American war, officers living within these former barracks did not sleep on the custom-made pillow-top mattresses that today's guests…
Lake Tahoe
North of Meeks Bay, Tahoma Meadows B&B Cottages rents darling gingerbread country cabins and offers evening wine-and-snack happy hours. Each cabin…
Eastern Sierra
No water and no bathrooms, but this campground is especially popular with climbers for its backyard proximity to Happy and Sad Boulders and its dirt-cheap…
PG&E Recreational Area Campgrounds
Northern Mountains
A favorite for tents and RVs, Rocky Point Campground is right on the lake, with some sites basically on the beach. For something more remote, try Cool…
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa
Huntington Beach
This 517-room property with conference center hulks like a Spanish-style condo complex, but spacious, recently renovated rooms are inviting and have…
Laguna Beach
A bargain for downtown Laguna, this 1929 Spanish-style hotel has 36 rooms and the awesome Rooftop Lounge bar. No two rooms are the same; most have carved…
San Diego
Now managed by Hilton, San Diego’s iconic hotel provides the essential Coronado experience: over a century of history, a pool, full-service spa, well…
Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights
What was originally a 1920s hostel for women is now one of Downtown's coolest slumber pads, recently revamped and adorned with specially commissioned…
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
The Deserts
Near the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center, this campground is a great base from which to explore the park. Despite its size, it fills up…
Berkeley
Designed by Julia Morgan (the architect of Hearst Castle), the 35 rooms and dazzling common areas of this refurbished 1929 historic landmark building …
Gold Country
This historic hotel in the middle of downtown Placerville has a large, comfortable lobby with backlit stained glass depicting scenes from the region’s…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Two miles from the park entrance, this big, modern complex has hot tubs, an on-site restaurant and swimming pools. Decor is dated, but the 338 rooms…
Yosemite National Park
A short walk from Yosemite Falls, this low-slung complex contains a wide range of eateries, a lively bar, a big pool and other amenities. The rooms,…
Yosemite National Park
This National Historic Landmark, dating from 1879, is a collection of six graceful, whitewashed New England–style buildings flanked by wide porches. The…
Healdsburg
Little sister to Hotel Healdsburg, H2 has the same angular concrete style, but was built LEED-gold-certified from the ground up, with a living roof,…
San Fernando Valley
This valley classic (Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn and other Hollywood stars once stayed here) had fallen on hard times but is back and swinging after a…
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
Old Venice funky and old-sandal comfy, this place right on the Boardwalk scores big for bend-over-backwards staff. Take Betsy, the creaky 1913 elevator,…
Newport Beach
This 30-room, two-story 1960s-era motel is simple, homey and spotless, with genuinely friendly owners who dispense lots of local knowledge. Other perks…
Yosemite National Park
This cluster of 266 cabins, each walled by concrete on three sides and lidded by a canvas roof, is crammed and noisy, but the setting along the Merced…
Along Highway 101
Located on the far west of the park, Cole Creek is one of four campsites here, the other three being Kelsey Creek, Lower Bayview, and Upper Bayview. Check…
Santa Barbara County
Inland from El Capitán State Beach, this ‘glamping’ resort is for those who hate to wake up with dirt under their nails. No cars are allowed up-canyon…
Death Valley National Park
The 83 rooms at this private resort have beds draped in quality linens and accented with cheerful Native American–patterned blankets. The small pool is…
San Diego
Overshadowed by the neighboring Hotel Del, the Glorietta is built in and around the neoclassical 1908 Spreckels Mansion – 11 rooms in the mansion, 89 in…
Coastal Highway 1
One of the more memorable B&B options in town with gardens in a riot of color. There are cheerful cottages, and a modern luxury home, but the most unique…
San Luis Obispo
Just six stylish rooms fill this unique property that used be an automotive workshop. There's definitely no grease and grime now evident in the rooms…
West Hollywood & Mid-City
This independently owned, 95-room hotel is smack-dab in the W 3rd St shopping district and just a five-minute walk from the Beverly Center mall. Natural…
Coastal Orange County
This 21st-century update of an older motel lets guests stay close to Newport Beach at less than Newport prices. The 325 sq ft rooms are smallish but well…
Hollywood
Breathtaking city views, a curvaceous pool guarded by a 17th-century pagoda, and roomy digs with balcony and kitchen are among the assets at this older…
San Diego
Tropical landscaping and tiki decor fill this resort backing onto Mission Bay (there’s a luau on some summer evenings!). A plethora of activities make it…
Laguna Beach
A mile northwest of the village, this easygoing, better-than-average shingled motel charges bargain rates, at least for Laguna. In keeping with the theme,…
