Coastal Highway 1
A perfect romantic hideaway: beds have views over the coast, decks have ocean views and all rooms have wood-burning fireplaces; outside, a gorgeous path…
Must-see hotels in Northern California
Calistoga
Adorable, gingerbread-style Victorian cottage amid lush grounds that in the 1860s belonged to the town's favorite entrepreneur Samuel Brannan. Restored to…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Roll out of bed and find shopping, spas and shabu-shabu dining at your doorstep. Mid-century modern luxe city-view rooms offer views of Japantown's Peace…
North Coast & Redwoods
The Cape Cod–style architecture twinned with deluxe contemporary decor make Scopa the best reason to hang around in Crescent City. Furnished in warm earth…
HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Trading downtown convenience for a glorious parklike setting with million-dollar waterfront views, this hostel occupies a former army-hospital building,…
Lake Tahoe
Bed down at this artsy boutique hotel in the village, where every room has mountain views and extracomfort factors like plush terry-cloth robes and…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
The source of neighborhood gossip since 1892, this gilded and turreted mansion graciously hosted Isadora Duncan, Mark Twain and (rumor has it) the ghost…
San Francisco
Make your gay getaway in grand style at this Edwardian estate, covering two sunny yellow mansions linked by secret gardens. Guest rooms hit the swanky…
Russian River Area
A hideaway estate on a wooded hilltop south of town, cushy Applewood has marvelous 1920s-era detail, with dark wood and heavy furniture that echo the…
Lake Tahoe
Completely renovated and upgraded, these gorgeous cabins and rustic-themed lodge rooms across from the beach have pine paneling and new mattresses, and…
Oakland
The East Bay's classy crème de la crème, this Fairmont-owned historic hotel is a glamorous white 1915 building with elegant restaurants, a fitness center,…
Gold Country
Nevada City isn't short on pretty buildings, but this is one of the most enchanting: a two-room cottage with a Hansel and Gretel vibe, latticed stained…
South Lake Tahoe & Stateline
A truly delightful option in the Hope Valley, with snug pine cottages and cabins, decked out with fairy lights and hammocks. There's a wealth of…
Central Coast
Along Hwy 46 within an easy drive of dozens of wineries, this gorgeous inn renovated in cool neutral tones mixes vintage and modern elements. Each of the…
Coastal Highway 1
This masterpiece of a lodge standing on 10 lush acres has wood-burning fireplaces, knotty-pine walls, original art, stereos and top-quality mattresses in…
Alabama Hills Bureau of Land Management
Lone Pine
You can't go wrong with free camping amid some of the most striking scenery in the Sierras. Go along Movie Flat Rd, then pull off onto any of the dirt…
Gold Country
The best option for active explorers, this is an unusually friendly and fun inn, with 13 rooms, one cabin and one cottage maintained by staff who love the…
The Peninsula
Not your workaday hostel, this highly coveted coastside lodging is all about its absolutely stunning location. Book ahead and check in early to snag a…
Central Coast
Inside a charmingly renovated 1867 Victorian inn, five boutique rooms beckon, some with ocean views, deep-soaking tubs and antique fireplaces to ward off…
Lake Tahoe
The name pays tribute to this hostel's 19th-century incarnation as a brothel. With a mix of dorms beds, doubles and even a suite with kitchenette, this is…
North Coast & Redwoods
The bright, sunny rooms inside this venerable, two-story former bank building (1890) are comfortably furnished with thick carpeting, period-style…
Healdsburg
Smack on the plaza, the fashion-forward HH has a coolly minimalist style of concrete and velvet, with requisite top-end amenities, including sumptuous…
Gold Country
A great option if you want to come with biking buddies or a family, this circle of tidy, modernized log cabins is along a sublime stretch of river open to…
Central Coast
Like a small boutique hotel, this waterfront inn has just a handful of spacious, soothingly earth-toned rooms. If you’re lucky, you'll get a gas fireplace…
Central Coast
Downtown, this small boutique hotel is a harmonious mix of Mexican and Spanish colonial styles, with hand-painted tiles, stained-glass windows, wrought…
Marin County
Just off Hwy 1, about 1 mile south of Stinson Beach, this jewel has seven primitive beachfront tent sites and nine rustic five-person cabins with…
Coastal Highway 1
Shaded by a stand of redwoods and fragrant California bay laurel trees, a short trail connects this creekside campground to the windswept beach. The…
Marin County
Serene and comfortable, these four modern cottages back right onto Tomales Bay, with skylights and decks extending the views in all directions. Full…
Gold Country
Built in 1879, this is one of the area’s most inventive updates to the typical antique-cluttered hotel, with sleek art-deco touches accenting the warm red…
Sonoma
Great-bargain Windhaven has two units: a hideaway cottage with vaulted wooden ceilings and fireplace, and a handsome 800-sq-ft studio. We prefer the…
North Coast & Redwoods
This gorgeous campground sits between 100ft cliffs and wide-open ocean, but there are some windbreaks and solar-heated showers. Look for sites closer to…
Lone Pine
A popular launchpad for Mt Whitney trips and a locus of posthike washups (public showers are available), the Whitney has the cheapest beds in town –…
Mono Lake Region
Situated at a whopping 9550ft and only 2 miles east of Tioga Pass, this is as close to a Yosemite experience as you can get without staying in the park…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Next door to the Sugar Pine Railroad, this friendly and comfortable 26-room inn has a seasonal hot tub and pool, a small bar and the finest restaurant in…
Philo Apple Farm Guest Cottages
Along Highway 101
Set within the orchard, guests of bucolic Philo Apple Farm choose from four exquisite cottages, each built with rustic materials. With bright, airy spaces…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
This 1875 former ranch encompasses 14 attractive acres. The homespun rooms are phone-free and pet friendly, with double doors that open onto shady…
West of I-5
This 1862 rambling, ramshackle hotel has small, rustic rooms with quilts, historic photos and river views – all have tons of character but none have…
North Coast & Redwoods
A woodsy country lodge on bluffs overlooking the mouth of the Klamath, the creaky and bright 1914 Requa Inn is a North Coast favorite and – even better –…
Coastal Highway 1
These elegantly renovated 1930s fishing cabins offer a simple, stylish seaside escape with a vanguard commitment to sustainability. The harmonious…
Eastern Sierra
Bishop's most upscale lodging underwent a full-scale renovation completed in summer 2017. Woodsy art and Western-style leather armchairs outfit rooms that…
