California

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in California, independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

La Quinta San Luis Obispo CA 1 K Bed Deluxe Executive 1398702 002

La Quinta Inn & Suites, San Luis Obispo, California

To enjoy those mountains, it’s imperative to request a room with a balcony, as much for the wonderful light flooding in through French doors as for the outside space with a table and chairs, perfect for greeting the morning with your complimentary in-room coffee

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Allegretto Vineyard Resort exterior.lr

Allegretto Vineyard Resort. Immerse yourself in beautiful vines in Paso Robles

Tuscan wine country may have it on ancient stones, but you can’t beat central California for the breathtaking coast and vintages which are increasingly being ranked among America’s finest.

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Field of Light at Sensorio Copyright © 2019 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. Photography by Serena Munro 16

Field of Light at Sensorio, Paso Robles 

Field of Light offers visitors one more reason to take the 101 coastal freeway from Los Angeles to San Francisco rather than the slightly shorter inland route and make an unforgettable mid-point overnight stop.

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Anthea Gerrie visits Hitching Post II to recreate a famous movie scene. Exterior credit Kirk IrwinII Images

 Hitching Post II. Memorable Southern California Wine Country.

Pinot noir is, understandably, the star of the wine list, since so many great versions of this difficult to make varietal have been created in this region. 

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Shangrila CA Nicolas Cope 3

Hotel Shangri-La

The lights of the Santa Monica Ferris wheel have come on and It’s quite a spectacle from my perch on the rooftop bar of Hotel Shangri-La seven storey’s up.

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Frank Sinatra House credit Jake Holt

Palm Springs Modernism Week

Barack Obama put Palm Springs on the world map when he fled there from a chilly Washington DC on the day of Trump’s inauguration, and thousands of architecture buffs will follow him there in February. For this California resort awash in sun, sand and mountains is actually most famous for the greatest concentration of mid-century modern houses in the world.

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