Brand new attractions for the kids, vineyard tasting rooms for wine lovers, glamorous stays for luxury travellers, exhibitions to please culture vultures and rethought dining experiences for the foodies, make sure you have California’s latest spots on your radar.
New and renovated stays
- Imperial Hotel, Amador City
Built in 1879, Imperial Hotel is nestled in the beautiful Sierra Foothills of California’s Gold Country. This boutique hotel boasts a rich history showcased through its original brick walls, massive wood beams, high ceilings and wooden floors. Following extensive renovations to the property, which features six guest rooms and three separate cottages, the hotel reopened in spring 2023 and the cottages are slated to open soon. Rooms from £150 per night.
- Marina Riviera Lodge, San Bernardino County
Big Bear Lake, Southern California’s premier mountain town, has recently unveiled Marina Riviera’s redesigned 42 guestrooms and cabins. The 1968 Viking-inspired lodge received a design-driven facelift, further connecting the lodge to its beautiful surroundings of the San Bernardino Mountains with each room featuring nature-inspired artwork and views of the lake. More excitement is to come with an onsite private beach, swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and outdoor fire pits, with a bar and restaurant slated to open later in 2023. Rooms from £94 per night.
- The Rue Healdsburg, Sonoma County
Unwind in wine country at boutique 11-room resort, The Ruse Healdsburg, which is set across three acres and blends Victorian charm with modern amenities. As well as a pool, spa pool, 18-hole Jack Nicklaus putting green, two bocce courts and six pickleball courts, the resort also has a dedicated concierge available to assist guests. On top of the exceptional golfing and spa facilities, prepare to be seriously wowed at its on-site restaurant, The Pavilion. Rooms from £470 per night.
- Huttopia Wine Country, Lake County
Recently opened in June 2023, Huttopia Wine Country features fully solar-powered facilities, making it the world’s first Huttopia camp to be truly off-grid. Set on the 4,300-acre Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, less than two hours from San Francisco and Sacramento, Huttopia opened with a collection of 63 fully solar-powered wood and canvas tents in three different configurations accommodating from 2-5 guests; the ready-to-camp property offers guests uninterrupted access to miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, wine tastings and vineyard tours. Prices for accommodation start at £253 per night.
- Palihotel San Diego, San Diego County
Palisociety reimagined the historic Hotel St. James, originally built in 1912, into Palihotel San Diego, a vibrant and bustling mainstay that opened in May 2023 in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. Featuring 122 guest rooms, Palihotel San Diego brings a youthful, design-centric offering to San Diego’s hotel landscape, showcasing nautical-inspired charm, a new restaurant and a guest-exclusive roof deck offering a daily social hour and the best views of the city. Rooms from £158 per night.
Latest spots to tantalise your taste buds
- New culinary programme from The Inn at Newport Ranch, Fort Bragg
The Inn at Newport Ranch just launched its new culinary programme with chef Patrick Meany and a focus on foraging and ranch-grown ingredients. With a background working with some of the finest restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred Harbor House in Elk, Meany will make the most of ingredients foraged and produced on the property. These include meat from Angus and Charolais Cattle raised on the property, as well as California nutmeg, fiddlehead ferns and a variety of mushrooms. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn to forage and enjoy their finds with a special dinner.
- Fine-dining Kiln opens in San Francisco
Opened in May 2023 in Hayes Valley, Kiln is a new fine-dining concept which introduces a transformative dining experience that showcases worldly ingredients, high-level technique and excellent hospitality. The Tasting Menu, 18-20 courses, and Bar Menu, 8-10 courses, focus on intention, simplicity and purity of flavour with an ingredient-forward and technique-driven approach to global cuisine. Kiln’s purveyors include 90% local farmers, sustainably sourced meats and wild-caught seasonal seafood – all of which share the restaurant’s dedication to the finest products.
- Hommage Bakehouse expands into Mission Valley, San Diego
The bakery behind some of San Diego’s flakiest croissants, naturally leavened bread and iconic kouign-amanns, Hommage Bakehouse, is set to open a flagship location in Mission Valley this August. The San Diego-based bakery led by Head Baker Justin Gaspar, is focused on staying true to the historical spirit of bread making while tying in exceptional ingredients and offering an ever-changing menu of artisanal bread and pastries. Hommage believes that every neighbourhood should have access to a great bakery and wants to be just that for Mission Valley.
Ultimate refreshing locations
- Fess Parker debuts newly renovated Epiphany Tasting Room, Santa Barbara County
The recent renovation of Fess Parker’s Epiphany Tasting Room in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County caters to discerning leisure travellers and wine enthusiasts. The renovation enhances the outdoor tasting experience with an addition of a new service bar in the expansive garden area. The enhancements are carefully designed to create a space where guests can savour Rhône varietal wines while immersing themselves in the surrounding area’s natural beauty.
- Ocean Pearl Spa reimagined, San Diego County
Invest in your wellness at the recently opened Ocean Pearl Spa, located at the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa. After undergoing an interior renovation and reimagining its treatment and service offerings to enhance each guest’s overall wellness experience. Guided by a personalised and holistic approach to wellness, the treatment therapies include soothing body polishes, tailored massages and custom facials, all featuring marine-based botanicals and skin care products made to nourish and restore. The ambience celebrates the Carlsbad coast with calming tones and seaside chic decor throughout its eight treatment rooms, relaxation areas and locker rooms.
- Welcome back to Cambria Estate Winery, Santa Maria
After a year of work in its winery and tasting room, Cambria Estate Winery’s makeover is now complete. Inside, guests will find a beautiful, new tasting lounge complete with new flooring, furniture and décor, among other renovations. Outdoors, the facility offers a fully refurbished patio. Located just off the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, the Cambria Estate Winery in Santa Maria Valley is known for its scenic, hillside setting and sustainably-crafted wines featuring Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rhone varieties grown on the estate.
- Liquid Gravity Brewing Company opens new taproom in Old Town Orcutt
Founded by San Luis Obispo native Brendan Gough, Liquid Gravity Brewing Company was born in 2019. The beers brewed and developed at Liquid Gravity Brewing Company push boundaries. By focusing on big, bold, flavour-rich beers, exotic ingredients and cutting-edge brewing techniques, Liquid Gravity aims to offer an experience unlike any other on the Central Coast. In May 2023, Liquid Gravity opened its second taproom in Old Town Orcutt to its ever-growing customer base offering live music and jamming sessions.
Non-stop family fun
- Explore Fiesta Village at Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park
Knott’s Berry Farm opened its reimagined Fiesta Village this summer, which has been transformed into a space that celebrates the Hispanic roots of Southern California. New dining options, a marketplace reminiscent of Olvera Street in Los Angeles, Mariachi music, traditional dance Folkorico and more will wow visitors. The foodie paradise also includes a new quick-service tacos and burritos option in the former Casa California space.
- New exhibit at California Surf Museum, Oceanside
Visitors to the California Surf Museum in Oceanside can enjoy a new eye-opening, fun and informative exhibit that explores the many surprising connections between science and the advancement of modern surfing. The Science of Surfing is a new multimedia exhibit perfect for kids with entertaining and educational displays that highlight wave energy, tides, types of surf breaks and conditions, and the custodianship of our oceans.
- Latest offerings at Belmont Park, San Diego
Belmont Park, a historic oceanfront amusement park located in Mission Beach, has big plans in motion for its 100th anniversary in 2025 – including opening a new ride. In the meantime, a new interactive climbing tower called Sun Kid Tower will debut this summer, offering thrillseekers views of the Pacific Ocean and Mission Beach boardwalk. The park also recently replaced its Control Freak ride with Flip Out and expanded its Lazerblast Arcade, adding 14 new games and additional prizes.
