No other city’s identity fluctuates like San Francisco’s. In the years I resided there, SF was the west coast’s urban oasis of innovation and culture. It was a hippie hotbed and a home to tech bros and overpriced closets called apartments. Ground zero for California’s equity and housing issues. But every return rekindles my affection for California’s Golden City.

And, now, there’s one more reason to love SF. The new 1 Hotel San Francisco boasts prime real estate on the Embarcadero. Even on foggy mornings, floor-to-ceiling windows in many of the property’s guestrooms present the Bay Bridge, the Ferry Building, and Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s pop-art sculpture Cupid’s Span. While the proximity to downtown is surely appealing, what’s most exciting about this luxury hotel is its sustainability measures.

Salvaged oak flooring and reclaimed redwood beams from the old Bay Bridge provide a soft, natural welcome into the lobby “living room” area.

Traditional guestrooms are both cozy (yes, in San Francisco speak, that means small) and decadent. Thoughtful touches abound, like Kassatex linens, real plants, water refill stations and in-room glass carafes to lessen plastic bottle usage, refillable Bamford bath products, plush robes and slippers, and Nespresso machines (though the hotel boasts that the pods are recyclable, this doesn’t exactly align with the property’s lofty sustainability goals).

Over at Terrene, the bayfront farm-to-table restaurant, the after-work crowd spills onto the terrace in the evenings for mushroom flatbreads and vegan sliders.

Other notable highlights include a 24-hour Field House gym, rooftop yoga and fitness classes, the Bamford Wellness Spa (which might feature the only outdoor rooftop bathtubs in SF), complimentary e-bikes, and the Audi e-tron house car. This month, the hotel is also offering a Thanksgiving dinner, a sound bath, and a pottery workshop.

Around every bend, mindful guests can feel the intentionality of the property’s design, a thoughtful blend of the city’s varied high-tech, high-minded, and hippie identities. Without being preachy, 1 Hotel aims to educate guests about sustainability—there’s a rooftop apiary and chef’s garden. In-room literature explains that everything from workers’ uniforms to closet hangers are made from recycled materials. Showers have timers to limit water use.

But, at the end of the day, the lasting effect is one of comfort at a hefty price tag in an inspiring city troubled by equity woes visible out those palatial windows.

The post Inside the Newly Opened 1 Hotel San Francisco appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Barbie’s boy-toy would fit in just fine here, with SoCal seaside as the theme through and through. Picture beach balls on Adirondack chairs, blue-and-white striped boogie boards and surfboards for hire at the front desk, cozy couches and chairs hugging the lobby’s fire pit. The whole place smells like sunscreen.

Now that the hotel’s onsite restaurant, The Surfing Fox, is open, Angelinos can congregate on the large veranda facing the pier or on bucket swings hanging inside the open-air dining room, often with a prickly-pear margarita “foxtail” in hand and ceviche within reach.

The ocean vibe continues in tight guest quarters with sand-colored bedding, reading chairs, and scenes of the beach literally wallpapered on the closet. Large windows present views over the highway to Tongva Park or Santa Monica’s bustling shopping area. Unfortunately, from inside, you can’t see the massive Shepard Fairey mural on the entire ocean-facing wall.

The onsite Board Shop continues to evolve, but, for now, it rents beach chairs, boards, binoculars, soccer balls, slacklines, and yoga mats. The hotel also has games, Nintendo switches, ukuleles, and record players (with vinyl) for guests to borrow.

In an effort to help Santa Monica’s tourism industry to lean into regenerative practices, the hotel partnered with California’s Kind Traveler program and Santa MoniCARES. Visitors are encouraged to donate at least $10 to clean Santa Monica’s watershed via their website.

Opened in early 2023, The Pierside is still honing its identity in an area surrounded by luxe hotels. We here in SD know that not all beach-goers are bougie. Many travelers just want a spot to chill in the pulse of the action without a hefty price tag (rooms here are generally under $400 a night). A bit of rattan and rosé doesn’t hurt much, either.

The post Arriving Now: Santa Monica’s New Beachfront Boho Destination appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

If sleeping in trees is your thing, the Original Jet Treehouse at Playa Viva contains a king-sized bed, a private bathroom, and ocean views for days

Photo Credit: Kev Steele

My fellow tourists and I are trekking along Mexico’s Pacific coast in the dark. About a mile from Playa Viva Resort, we find an Italian marine biologist and a team of men gathering freshly hatched sea turtles into a bucket. The biologist explains that the resort has trained these men, former poachers, to protect the turtles instead of hunting them. Our fees help fund their work. She adds that the team has been up most of the night rehoming nests to keep the turtles safe from the poachers, plus the birds and badgers who eat the eggs.As the sunrise sprays pink across the sky, each of us receives a wooden bowl. Inside, a tiny sea turtle scrambles to escape. We’re instructed to stand a few feet from the waves and avoid touching our turtle as we tip the bowl and release the baby onto the sand. My chest puffs with pride as I holler, trying to scare away lurking seagulls and cheer on the babies scuttling to the water.

Every traveler I spoke to during my time at Playa Viva, a small, off-the-grid beachfront resort about an hour south of Zihuatanejo, counts their participation in the turtle protection program as a highlight of their trip. That’s saying a lot.

A traveler shows off a lucky catch during a fishing excursion at Playa Viva

Photo Credit: Gabriel Ornelas

A certified B-Corp, Playa Viva aims to minimize its impact on the land, water, and food systems while also bolstering the local Juluchuca community through education, health, and economic empowerment. Treehouses have been constructed with responsibly sourced materials. Communal meals come from the resort’s women-run regenerative farm. Owners helped employees create a cooperative bank to fund community entrepreneurial and sustainability projects. All this, plus a dreamy oceanfront location and free yoga and Pilates classes.

Some say Playa Viva is one of the most advanced regenerative travel destinations in the world.

Definitions of regenerative travel are still developing, but tourism industry leaders generally agree that regenerative travel picks up where sustainable travel (leaving a place the same as it was when you arrived) leaves off. In a perfect world, regenerative travel aims to use tourism to restore a destination, leaving it better than it was before you got there.

Guests unwind during a yoga class at Playa Viva’s Ocean Shala.

While that may raise eyebrows—it sure hints of a colonialist mentality—regenerative travel also aims to take its cues from locals, often indigenous leaders, who create opportunities for visitors to participate in the stewardship of the land while benefiting the local community.

In response to jetsetters’ growing desire to feel like their vacations don’t harm the planet, it has become the most buzzed-about travel trend of the post-pandemic age. An Expedia Group Media Solutions survey found that nine out of 10 travelers are looking for sustainable options when planning trips. Many of them have turned toward hotels and experiences offering regenerative travel options— but what, exactly, does that mean?

There’s no clear blueprint for what’s truly regenerative and what’s simply greenwashing. One hotel might put a succulent by the bed and call themselves green, while another will power smart TVs and electric car chargers with the sun and say they’re sustainable. Yet another destination will offer visitors hotel discounts for helping restore an ancient forest and be deemed regenerative.

Unique tree houses make up the bulk of lodging options at Playa Viva

Photo Credit: Kev Steele

In practice, this type of travel can expect a lot from people simply wanting a vacation. To meet its aims, tourists must select a hotel, restaurant, or activity based on its environmental impact, asking, “How does the property source its water, its food, its building materials?”.

They should also consider the leadership (do the area’s indigenous people own and run the show?) and the larger community impact (is the property investing in the local economy and land?). In addition, visitors are expected to actively participate in bettering the area—that might look like joining conservation projects to plant trees, or it could involve using your social media savvy to promote an indigenous-owned food truck.“

Tourism can work like a forest: different species interacting to adjust to the situation they are in,” argues Anna Pollock, founder of the social enterprise Conscious Travel. “No lone hero is the leader anymore; we must come together in community.

”Of course, you can stay in an ecolodge and help nurture the area’s wildlife, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you probably had to climb on a plane to get there. “If implemented properly, the benefits [of regenerative travel] are obvious: The local ecosystem and people will be better off because of visits by regenerative travelers,” notes Mark Hixon, professor of marine biology at University of Hawaii.

“[However], the potential costs are global: ever-increasing carbon emissions from air travel, worsening the effects of climate disruption.”

A turtle makes its mark in the sand at Playa Viva

Photo Credit: Ben Horton

Despite the aspirational intentions, even proponents like Public Affairs Officer of Hawaii Tourism Authority Ilihia Gionson, have not yet masterminded ways to address the long- term environmental impact of flying. “Everything we do to mitigate climate impact starts in a big hole because you have to get on a plane to get [to Hawaii],” he explains.

Nevertheless, destinations like Hawaii are redefining their approach to tourism with regenerative practices in mind.

Before the pandemic, 60 percent of Hawaiian residents felt that the state was being run for tourists—and it was. Tourism is Hawaii’s cash cow, a $20-billion-a-year industry that employs the majority of residents.

But locals wanted change. Many worked multiple jobs to put food on the table, yet rarely saw their own kids. Traffic made simple trips to the market or doctor a daylong ordeal. Beaches were so packed on weekends that families couldn’t gather for luau celebrations. And, worse, visitors were disrespecting sacred places by eroding and polluting the state’s iconic beaches and rainforests.When the pandemic halted all travel, locals had their islands back. Many sought ways to sustain the Hawaii their grandparents told stories about—where kids could bike to quiet beaches with rideable waves. Because tourism is the state’s highest revenue source, officials couldn’t close Hawaii to outsiders, but they could change their messaging and metrics for success.

Volunteers carry harvested kalo (taro) from a lo‘i at Papahana Kuaola in Kāne‘ohe, O‘ahu, as part of the Mālama Hawai‘i program

Instead of measuring success by how many bodies filled hotel rooms, the tourism authority started taking the temperature of local sentiment, hoping to shift the tides toward a kind of tourism that residents felt was benefiting them and their land.Hotels introduced the Mālama Hawaii program, offering deals for guests who signed up for conservation activities like ancient fishpond restorations and beach clean-ups. State parks launched a reservation system for overcrowded destinations like Kauai’s Hāena Beach, Oahu’s Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay, and Maui’s Wai’ānapanapa Beach. For sacred or fragile ecosystems, like Hawaii Island’s Pololū Trail, local stewards were paid to educate visitors about the cultural significance—and danger— of the area. The state also instituted a ban on sunscreens with chemicals that harmed sea life (hint hint, San Diego).Next steps include a proposed green fee for visitors, more reservation systems, and more fun, family friendly conservation activities, like kayak trips where you can help tidy the reef.

Hawaii has a long way to go until it’s a fully regenerative circular economy. Nearly all hotels are owned and run by non-Hawaiians. The majority of food is imported, as are building materials, cars, and gas. And the planes keep coming.“There is not one silver-bullet solution to these problems,” says Hawaiian ecologist Kawika Winter, director of the He’eia Estuarine Research Marine Reserve. “We need a diversity of approaches to solve a diversity of problems. Regenerative tourism can be the difference between being in a place or being in the community. [It] can mean connecting with other humans in ways that are profound.

”Places like Hawaii and Playa Viva have started a movement. Destinations like New Zealand, Bhutan, Fiji, and some Caribbean nations, as well as independent business leaders worldwide, are working to emulate their success by consulting with these regenerative travel leaders.

Entrepreneurs realize that tourists want to keep exploring but don’t want to harm the places they visit. While regenerative travel doesn’t fix the climate crisis, it is a way for vacationers to use their dollars for change. It may be imperfect, but trying to do good in your travel destination is an aspiration that might just give a few more turtles—and maybe even some beloved and fragile ecosystems—a better stab at survival.

The post Is Regenerative Travel the Future of Tourism? appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Four Seasons Resort Naviva

Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Naviva

Adventure is calling, and whether it’s glamming it up in a private luxury tent on the Mexican coast, strapping on the ol’ hiking boots to commune with ancient rock formations, or exploring the planet’s most vibrant metropolis in style, we’ve got big designs on manifesting a summer for the books.

Here’s something new to add to your bucket list: staying in a luxury tent immersed in the Nayarit palm jungle and stepping into a private plunge pool on a wooden deck fronting the Pacific, mezcal old- fashioned in hand. Check that off at the new Navia, A Four Seasons Resort, in Punta Mita, Mexico. During the day, surfers paddle out to the La Lancha surf break or hit the always-consistent Bahía break.

As the sun sets, pop into Bahía by Richard Sandoval (located at another Four Seasons hotel) for a happy hour of oysters and bubbly. Head back to Naviva’s exclusive restaurant, Copal Cocina, for local meats wrapped in banana leaves and roasted underground for hours. Welcome to paradise, friends.

Utah Bryce Canyon

Photo Credit: Bailey Made

For a slightly less glamorous—but no less exciting—tent experience, book a few nights at Utah’s new Under Canvas hotel to celebrate Bryce Canyon National Park’s centennial anniversary.

The hotel’s roomy tents are fitted with swankier interiors than one might expect for their far-flung locale in the Utah wilderness. Most are large enough for families, often with comfy sitting areas outside where you can marvel at the starry sky and eat s’mores beside a roaring fire.

After exploring Bryce Canyon’s Fairytale and Navajo Loop trails, either saunter back to the hotel for dinner options like roasted trout or pesto zucchini, or head over to the beloved Stone Hearth Grille for hunks of grass-fed local steak bathed in tarragon butter or roasted poblano relleno with whipped tofu and salsa verde.

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo

Courtesy of Bulgari Hotel Tokyo

Go ahead and hit like on your pal’s dreamy Instagram pics of Japan, sans FOMO. A new low-cost airline, Zipair, now connects California with Tokyo (though San Diegans do have to motor up to LAX or SFO). While extras add up—fliers are probably paying for each pokey stick, plus seats, bag allotments, and breathing air—flights zoom across the Pacific daily.

What you save on flights might help ease the sticker shock of the new Bulgari Hotel Tokyo, offering unparalleled views from its perch on floors 40 through 45 of a midtown skyscraper. Make a reservation at Kenji Gyoten’s exclusive eight-seat Sushi Hōseki before you book your Italianate room—yes, it’s that hard to score a spot.

And while you’re at it, try to nab a table at Daniel Calvert’s award-winning Sézanne, located in yet another new Four Seasons hotel (Tokyo at Marunouchi), where the cream-and-white dining room showcases the best French cuisine outside of Paris. Want a truly unique Japanese experience? Grab opening night tickets to see the release of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s newest film, How Do You Live? (coming out July 14), with his homegrown fanbase.

The post Travel News: July 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Cuyama Buckhorn

Courtesy of Cuyama Buckhorn

Helllllooo, summer! We here in rainy San Diego thought you’d never come. To celebrate, we’ve unearthed a secret wine country BBQ soiree, the largest Pride event on the West Coast, and an artsy forest vacay sure to make food lovers swoon. It’s finally time to stash the umbrellas and grab the sunglasses for summer jaunts.

Cuyama Buckhorn Sauna

Courtesy of Cuyama Buckhorn

Eastern Santa Barbara County remained out of the Central Coast spotlight until Cuyama Buckhorn transformed a 1952-era motor inn into the hippest spot for miles. It’s hidden in a blink-and-you-miss-it inland town, best known for its pistachio groves, that boasts a 1952 vintage store as its greatest treasure. The funky hotel and restaurant are about an hour away from the 5 freeway and the 101.

Expect kitschy rooms with cowboy hats and cowhide rugs for décor, a lively pool area with a sauna under a starry sky, games galore, movie nights with popcorn and hot cocoa, and a restaurant slinging Santa Barbara wines and locally sourced burgers and fries without pretension.

On the third Sunday of the month through summer, the hotel hosts its popular Chuck Wagon BBQ, where chef Daniel Horn prepares a feast of smoked meats paired with live music, local wine and beer, and just a dash of debauchery.

Per L’Ora

Photo Credit: Wonho Frank Lee

The largest Pride celebration on the West Coast takes over La La Land this month. West Hollywood’s fiesta runes June 2-4 with headliners Grace Jones and Carly Rae Jepson. Megan Thee Stallion and Mariah Carey headline Pride in the Park at Los Angeles State Historic Park, June 9 and 10.

For a more subdued affair, LGBTQ-owned N/NAKA just earned a James Beard Award for chef Niki Nakayama’s seafood-forward Japanese kaiseki tasting menu. Stay at DTLA’s chic new Hotel Per La—just steps from Grand Central Market food hall’s insanely popular Eggslut and Pershing Square’s Summer Concert Series.

Chill out at Hotel Per La’s infinity-edge rooftop pool with a spritz and truffle fries, enjoy high tea in its Instagrammable Per L’Ora restaurant and bar (check out the bathroom, a former bank vault), or unwind ensuite on custom-made Italianate beds and floral sofas overlooking downtown. Before heading out of town, explore The Broad museum’s new Keith Haring exhibit.

Orcas

Photo Credit: Jeff Friedman

Washington state’s San Juan Islands aren’t just reserved for outdoor adventurers hoping to kayak with orcas anymore—they’ve become a sustainable food destination, too. This month, San Juan Island’s Madrone Winery kicks off its summer winemaker’s lunch under the apple trees. The wine flows, and the quality of the salmon and regionally sourced vegetables is unparalleled.

Seeking some education from the masters? Ferry over to Lopez Island to learn sustainability tips on S&S Homestead Farm’s monthly farm tours (second Saturday of the month). Don’t miss dinner at Orcas Island’s acclaimed Matia Kitchen, which just relocated its hyperlocal tasting menu (and the homemade sourdough with cultured butter) into sleek new digs adjacent to its sister restaurant Monti, a Roman-style café. Get in touch with your inner hippie at Doe Bay Resort’s off-grid yurts scattered throughout 38 coastal acres.

The post Travel News: June 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Kimpton Canary Hotel

We’ve located some new glam hotels, a south-of-the-border wellness experience, a highly anticipated culinary hotspot, and a world-class foodie event to make a May escape even dreamier.

Tyger Tyger Santa Barbara

Taste of Santa Barbara returns May 15–21 with edible excursions, cooking classes, a gourmet restaurant week, and farm tours. Stay in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara at the recently rebooted Kimpton Canary Hotel. Stately rooms blend the old world and the new with hearty wooden furnishings complemented by sea-inspired throws and local art. Its updated Finch and Fork eatery delivers a one-of-a-kind deviled egg, kung pao cauliflower, and a short rib pappardelle too good to leave leftovers.

Craving something lighter but no less innovative? The Funk Zone’s Tyger Tyger serves plant-forward Southeast Asian cuisine like a tea leaf salad of kelp noodles and fermented green tea or a chicken fried tofu sandwich slathered in a yuzu ranch dressing. Order at the counter and take your plates across the street to the public garden to dine under the clementine trees.

Montevalle, Valle de Guadalupe

Valle de Guadalupe’s newest property Montevalle has Mother’s Day gift written all over it. From ceviche tostadas to collagenbuilding IV treatments, massages, detoxifying biomagnetic therapies, and the only labyrinth in Mexico’s wine country, this all-inclusive wellness resort is delivering some zen to the valley.

Nearby, the exclusive Encuentro Guadalupe opened its winery and a new restaurant, Jax, to the public—something we’ve been waiting for since those prefab steel pods appeared on the hillside over a decade ago. Jax, which means “bone” in Kumeyaay, incorporates nature into the design with handmade booths fronted by boulders, an openair dining room facing the vineyard, and a menu populated with steak and seafood sourced from the region. Reserve a seat in the winery to chat with winemaker Fernando Cortes about his Flora and Fauna wines.

Wayfinder Waikiki

For the lucky wanderers who nabbed those cheap shoulder season flight deals to Hawaii, there are plenty of fresh finds in Honolulu. A new boutique hotel, Wayfinder Waikiki, brings mod island kitsch to its poolside rooms with private lanais. Quench thirst at the onsite B-Side Coffee Bar and the Lost + Found speakeasy before heading out to explore Honolulu’s ever-evolving food scene.

Chef Chris Kajioka’s new Agaru is the spot to enjoy an omakase dinner—locals rave about the Wagyu beef and the shio koji sundae. Or pop into The Lei Stand for cocktails like the Coconut Wireless (bourbon washed in coconut fat) with bar snacks including furikake smoked Chex Mix and Tajin-infused popcorn. Hoping to hike Diamond Head? New regenerative travel regulations make reservations a must. Local tip: Skip the crowds at sunrise and go at sunset instead.

The post Travel News: May 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Frontier Drive Inn Rooms

On Earth Day, April 22, which is also the start of National Park Week, all US parks offer free admission. So strap on those hiking boots, and get prepped for some serious adventuring. Here is the latest travel news:

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There’s never been a more exciting time to visit Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. North America’s highest sand mountains shift with the wind, at times reaching up to 13,000 feet. Sandboarders, night sky aficionados, and hikers sojourn to Alamosa to explore (and even ascend) the dunes. Nearby, the team at the new Frontier Drive-Inn reimagined a 1940s drive-in movie theater to now offer private abodes in renovated SteelMaster sheds or cozy yurts decorated with western textiles, both overlooking the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains.

A nightly film screening in one of its 3D-printed adobe structures is not to be missed. For inspired Italian fare, grab a seat inside the candlelit dining room at the new James Beard–nominated Friar’s Fork for everything from a fancy fried bologna sando to a delectable eggplant parmesan.

Crater Lake

Some say Southern Oregon’s jaw-dropping Crater Lake National Park is one of America’s finest places to seek awe. Let the ladies at Explore Southern Oregon tailor a kayak trip through the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge or a hike around the rim of Crater Lake. Looking for a lighter adventure? Winter snowshoe tours and summer boat trips have returned after a long pandemic hiatus.

Beds in the region can be hard to come by, so book well in advance for rooms at Klamath Falls’ Running Y Resort. The property just gave its Sandhill Spa a facelift to provide river stone massages with dreamy views of Klamath Lake. Pop into the Ruddy Duck, a timbered dining room, food truck, and performance space for local crooners, to enjoy fresh caught wild salmon swimming in a bourbon-honey bath. Its array of craft beers on tap might be the antidote for those sore post-hike muscles.

Yosemite National Park

It‘s tough not to be smitten with Yosemite National Park, and lucky for travelers, there are a few new reasons to voyage north. The venerable Ahwahnee Hotel just reopened after getting gussied up for summer. If that’s too posh (or crowded), Sonoma County’s favorite glamping hub, Wildhaven, now offers 40 new glamping tents in nearby Mariposa County. Integrating the outdoors with a dash of hipster minimalism, Wildhaven offers comfy beds, semi-private outdoor chill spots, and staged photo ops for the ’gram.

Before heading back home, motor over to Merced’s first fine-dining establishment, Rainbird. Executive chef Quentin Garcia earned his chops studying under Michelin-starred greats around the world, including Restaurant at Meadowood’s Christopher Kostow. Now, Garcia is bringing his flair to the “Gateway to Yosemite” with an imaginative five course tasting menu paying homage to California’s abundance. Dishes like parsnip macarons, a duck breast in pine honey, and a grilled bread pudding topped with earl gray and lavender are putting Merced on the map.

The post Travel News: April 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

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Spring break, spring training, a little R&R, or all three—seems like the Grand Canyon state’s dialed up the allure. Need more coaxing? How about a couple of highbrow cultural events, a Nordic spa under the stars, and a dreamy new hotel? Okay, Arizona, we hear you.

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Looking to catch a Manny Machado homer at Cactus League spring training? On March 26, the Padres play at the intimate Peoria ballpark, which is in the greater Phoenix area. At the end of the month in another Phoenix ’burb, the spring Festival of the Arts in Tempe takes over the lively Mill Avenue District with 350 artists from around the globe hawking everything from turquoise bracelets to abstract, found-material sculptures.

Afterward, grab a Crowd-Surfer Mexican Lager at Tempe’s newest female-owned brewery, Hundred Mile Brewing Co. (FYI, these brewers perfected their hops right here in San Diego.) The newest hotel in the area, Westin Tempe, might be known globally for its brand’s marshmallowy soft beds, but in this college town, sipping a spritz on a poolside daybed at the hotel’s Skysill Rooftop Lounge is the claim to fame.

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Sedona’s bringing some serious luxury with the February opening of the long-awaited Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel. Nestled into three acres overlooking the Verde Valley’s iconic red rocks and vortexes are forty glass cube domains that cost $1,800 a night.

Besides a swanky, sustainable design that includes a kitchen stocked with local goodies like Northern Arizona wine, a deep-black soaking tub, a private rooftop lounge to watch shooting stars, and a seat at its exclusive restaurant, Forty1, the hefty price tag foots the bill for regenerating the ancient waterway flowing through the property and restoring the landscape.

For folks wanting to explore Sedona’s vibrant native history, the newly reimagined Trail of the Indigenous Peoples provides visitors with a curated hike to seven notable Native American heritage sites.

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Arizona’s first Nordic-inspired spa, High Country Motor Lodge, is ready for its close-up. Kitschy fun touches at Flagstaff’s revamped lodge include mixtapes (and OG cassette players) in cosmic cottages, a game room stocked with a pool table, and a restaurant, The General Store, serving mudwater cocktails (Guinness and Jameson) and Roman-style pizza. All of this complements the Nordic experience of rotating through the sauna, cold plunge, and warm pool, best enjoyed under the dark sky.

When the fingers and toes get too pruny, head over to celebrity chef Rochelle Daniel’s Atria, where you’re in luck if the Two- Fisted Fried Chicken Sandwich graces the menu. The vibe here might look like an upscale botox studio waiting room (think understated decor highlighted with hanging greenery), but don’t fret—the chill vibe allows the creative seasonal cuisine to dazzle.

The post Travel News: March 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Sanctuary Camelback Resort

Courtesy of Sanctuary Camelback Resort

Check out a hot music festival, chow down at a highly anticipated new mountainside restaurant, or book a table at a buzzy new joint so close to the Super Bowl you might just spot Rihanna.

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If the snow’s calling, sojourn to Mammoth for a few nights at the new Sierra Nevada Resort, reimagined by EDG Design (known for sprucing up luxe hotels like the Four Seasons Westlake and Andaz Scottsdale). The massive timbered lobby begs visitors to cozy up with a bottle of California cabernet by the fireplace. Rooms layer modern aesthetics like gear walls constructed from upcycled timber salvaged from nearby forest fires, with cozy touches like illustrated maps and forest hues. The property’s vintage arcade room, gear rentals, and adventure planners elevate the fun.

In the village, ski into the just-opened art deco–designed restaurant Vulcania, helmed by celebrity chefs Brian and Michael Voltaggio. Even if you don’t have kids, order the elevated take on SpaghettiOs. Want further inspiration? Check out the daredevil athletes touring with the snowboard World Cup, in town February 3 and 4.

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As Super Bowl fans descend onto Arizona, escape for a retreat at the quiet Sanctuary Camelback Mountain. Recently purchased and spruced up by the Long Island, NY based Gurney’s Resort team, the resort is best known as Beyonce and Jay-Z’s surprising honeymoon pick. Beyond the typical bougie accouterments, highlights include a private mixology class, a brand spanking new Asian-inspired couples spa treatment room fronting the Zen meditation garden, and the plush rooms that mix far eastern aesthetics (think deep-soaking tubs) with desert flair like white stone walls.

Mingle with the local see-and-be-seen set at Cala at Senna House, a buzzy, boho restaurant paying homage to Mallorca. Big windows, macrame plant hangers, and plenty of wicker make this an Instagrammable destination for folks to sip the Mez-Cala cocktail (a mezcal and CBD infusion), best paired with lumache alla vodka, a pasta dish proving to be a crowd fave.

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San Francisco celebrates the 30-year anniversary of the city’s most eclectic music festival, Noise Pop, from February 20 to 26 with headliners Yo La Tengo, Duster, and Boy Harsher, plus a collection of indie bands playing throughout the Bay Area. Book a few nights at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency, located in the Embarcadero. Boasting the world’s largest hotel atrium, designed by John Portman, gussied-up rooms pay homage to the architectural brutalist nature of the original structure with stylish touches like natural wood and concrete, but evoke a homey vibe with diverse color splashes on local art and textiles.

Pop into the always-evolving Ferry Building (an architectural marvel in itself) to sample the new darlings Señor Sisig (ahhh, that sisig burrito) and Reems California for a dreamy mana’eesh (a Mediterranean flatbread) paired with cardamon cold brew. Or Bart down to the Mission District where the beloved Delfina Restaurant has finally reopened with a facelift that blends redwood and bamboo décor with the original subdued elegance. The spaghetti pomodoro is still, thankfully, on the menu.

The post Travel News: February 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Sensei Porcupine Creek

Courtesy of Sensei Porcupine Creek

Adios pandemic revenge travel. Global explorers are making 2023 about transformative adventures, manifesting culinary dream trips, high-tech pampering, and wanderings that push their physical abilities to limits unseen.

Andaz Mexico City Condesa Hotel

The handsome new Andaz Mexico City Condesa Hotel overlooks the bougie nouveau architecture and wide jacaranda-lined lanes of the trendy Condesa neighborhood. Chill at Mexico City’s tallest rooftop pool sipping matcha or hit up their “Wooftop” Bar for a margarita with attendant pooches bedazzled in Swarovski (seriously). Elsewhere in Condesa, this month at House of Gaga, Mexican artist Fernando Palma Rodriguez’s trippy sculptures take on environmental issues plaguing Mexico’s indigenous communities.

Commune with nature with a stroll along the cypress and jacaranda-shaded lanes of Parque Mexico. Sip pét-nat (sourced mostly from Baja) and snack on sardine tostadas with the after-work crowd at the low-lit Caiman Bar. Score a coveted seat in the arbored garden at chef Alejandra Navarro’s art deco Botànico to enjoy pork cutlets bathed in herbs or a rib-eye burger that woos the locals. Cap off the night on a barstool fronting La Clandestina’s floor-to-ceiling bright red bar to taste world-class mezcal.

Villa Mara Carmel

Winter brings the return of migrating gray and humpback whales to the Central Coast. Direct flights to Monterey make it a snap for San Diegans to access Monterey Bay whale-watching adventures where cetaceans put on a splashy show. Keep your cameras ready, as orca sightings might be on the menu, too.

Prefer landbased adventures? Pinancles National Park celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. Hike the rugged boulder-strewn trails of California’s newest (and smallest) park searching for endangered California condors. After dark, cozy up at the brand-new luxury B&B Villa Mara Carmel, where muted tones, deep-soaking tubs, and fire pits with peeks of the Pacific offer comfort on chilly winter nights. The new Stokes Adobe, located in a two-story historic home in downtown Monterey, has become the table to nab for perfectly roasted potatoes, Hokkaido scallops, and duck confit swimming in a chickpea stew.

Sensei Porcupine Creek

In the desert, Rancho Mirage’s exclusive new Sensei Porcupine Creek caters to the moneyed wellness crowd hunting for the next big thing. Created by Larry Ellison and Dr. David Agus, Sensei’s wellness guides use technology to tailor treatments (from a golf exercise regimen at their exclusive greens to a unique desert herb poultice oil massage) to each body. Nestled in the Coachella Valley, the 230-acre adults-only resort boasts all the luxe accouterments—worldclass tennis and golf, garden spa treatments, and a Nobu restaurant serving a date cake that is to die for.

If visitors can bear to take a break from all that decadence, they’ll be rewarded with a fun new vintage shopping experience at Market Market, where creative types source art deco and one-of-a-kind finds for their homes and wardrobes. Over in nearby Palm Springs, the beloved Bread and Flours bakery just opened a brick-and-mortar where locals line up twice weekly for sourdough worth pausing that new year diet. The Palm Springs International Film Festival returns in January, offering a wide selection of lauded films, celebrity-spotting, and lively celebrations around the valley.

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