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California is blessed with balmy air year-round, though it can be cold in the northern part of the state in December and January.
California is a monument to the automobile, and the best way to get around is by driving. When traveling between Northern and Southern California, the fastest route is I-5; state road 101 is more scenic but slower; and the Pacific Coast Highway (Rte. 1) is the most beautiful of all, but so winding that even a short drive can take a long time.
A private enclave of cottages and villas right on the shore, the Beach Village at the Hotel del Coronado is a hotel within a hotel, and the newest part of the 120-year-old resort.
Modernist pavilions softened with cedar shingles and outdoor living rooms.
The 1927 château-style hotel where the bungalows and cottages are separated from the main building and hidden in an overgrown garden.
The 250-room Craftsman-style resort is built along a cliff overlooking the Pacific.
All 40 houses at the 100-acre Big Sur compound are on a ridge 1,100 feet above the Pacific.
Traditional vine-covered cottages are practically hidden at this lushly landscaped ranch just outside of town.
Comfortable cedar cabins—outfitted with Wi-Fi and other 21st-century amenities—are near El Capitan State Beach, a 17-mile drive from Santa Barbara. The feel is decidedly that of a cozy campground.
Every room at this Auberge resort is a stand-alone “studio,” with a private patio. Guests are given complimentary bicycles for the length of their stay.
Great Value Nearly every yurt has an ocean views, as at the Post Ranch Inn, but without the thread count or plumbing: the bathroom is a short walk away, a small price to pay for such a spectacular location. The two-person Guest House, which has a kitchen and an en suite bathroom, is a still-reasonable $235.
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