Experience California your way
Below is a sample itinerary we could use as a base to tailor-make your perfect itinerary.
Your epic journey will take you from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with stops en route including the Napa Valley with its globally revered vineyards, Big Sur for hiking amidst canyons and waterfalls, and the coastal hot spots of Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Malibu. Along the way you’ll sail under the Golden Gate bridge on a private, former America's Cup yacht, dine in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, go on an eco-rafting ocean safari, see seal colonies on a secluded beach, take a breathtaking horseback ride along the sands followed by a picnic lunch, soar over Universal Studios, the Hollywood sign and various celebrity homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air in a helicopter, and walk the red carpet at a movie premier followed by a chic after-party.
Where you’ll stay
Accommodation along your route is as thrilling as the itinerary. First up is two nights in the St Regis San Francisco with its indoor infinity pool, lush spa and even its own African diaspora museum. From here you’ll head to the Auberge du Soleil in the wine-lovers paradise of the Napa Valley. This Mediterranean-inspired, adult-only boutique hotel has glorious vineyard views, an outdoor pool, private soaking tubs for two, cosy fireplaces and one of the most highly rated spas in the UK, modelled on a centuries-old monastery.
Next come two blissful nights at the revered, super-exclusive Post Ranch Inn, where Jacuzzi tubs seem to hang from the clifftop, offering heart-stirring views of the glittering Pacific Ocean below. Also adult-only, it has an exquisite, award-winning restaurant, spa treatments, yoga classes, guided hikes and stargazing.
Your next two nights are spent at the enchanting Belmond El Encanto, which exudes romance and glamour from its hilltop position overlooking Santa Barbara. Retaining original features from its construction in the 1920s, it boasts a lavish infinity pool within its stunning landscaped gardens. You’ll finish up with three nights in the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel that’s a Los Angeles landmark, having drawn in celebrities, royalty and politicians since it opened in 1928. Located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, in the very heart of Beverly Hills, it’s perfect for exploring the city as well as for designer shopping, but the Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurants and world-class spa will lure you to stay on site.
To start building your perfect California road trip, please send me an email at Lisa.Foley@travelcounsellors.ae.