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,…
Must-see hotels in California
Death Valley National Park
Staying at this artist-run three-room B&B feels much like bunking with good friends. Using recycled materials whenever possible, Carlo and David have…
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…
Santa Barbara
At this Spanish-style inn, casual elegance, first-rate service and a romantic central courtyard will have you feeling like the don of your own private…
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…
Huntington Beach
This hotel is slick and serene, with tons of light and air. Floors are themed for shades of blue from denim to sky and each of its 250 shimmery,…
Death Valley National Park
Roll out of bed, pull back the curtains and count the colors of the desert at this 1927 Spanish Mission–style hotel that emerged from a major rejuvenation…
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,…
Greater Palm Springs
Rusted steel, wood and concrete are the main design ingredients of this stylish lair where the bar doubles as reception. The 32 spacious, phone-less rooms…
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…
Santa Ynez Valley
Romantics should book this quaint inn in the stagecoach town of Ballard, just south of Los Olivos. Most of the remodeled rooms have wood-burning…
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…
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…
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…
Greater Palm Springs
The intimate William F Cody–designed retreat that saw celebs such as Marilyn Monroe and Ronald Reagan lounging poolside has been rebooted as a sleek and…
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…
San Diego
The 235-room Solamar delivers hip style without breaking the bank. Rooms sport hodge-podge decor with eccentric lamps, patterned carpets, yoga mats and…
Joshua Tree National Park
Camp in a knotty-pine cabin just like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers did in the 1940s at this soulful desert hideaway 4.5 miles north of Pioneertown. All have…
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…
The Deserts
Characterful and ornate, this B&B in a hand-built 1920s log home is secluded from the tourist fray and has a dozen elegantly rustic rooms spaced over…
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…
Intercontinental Los Angeles Downtown
Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights
The stats alone are impressive for DTLA's newest showplace (opened 2017): tallest building west of Chicago, 889 guest rooms, 38 elevators, 7,000 sq ft…
