California is a Dream Destination for everyone

Travel Responsibly!
California is one of the most diverse states you could visit. City breaks, coastal road trips, desert escapes, wine country immersions, wellness retreats and mountain adventures… When you’re ready, California offers your clients a wide diversity of trip types. The best part? There’s no need to narrow it down to one. You can easily mix and match a variety of experiences in one incredible itinerary.

California is also the ultimate road trip destination. In 1903, the first cross country road trip originated in California. And the California Road Trip has been a rite of passage ever since. Celebrated in music, literature and film, it is an enduring theme central to the American experience. Today people of all kinds, from every corner of the world come to roam, gaze, taste, connect, unplug and discover.
Make your way across California’s 400,000 miles of roadways, 840 miles of coastline and 127 national and state parks, choosing the freedom of travel on your own terms, discovering historic landmarks and monuments, as well as hidden gems and hot spots along the way. As California begins to reopen and people once again move around the state, we’re asking them to do so in a thoughtful, safe, and respectful manner.
We also want you remind you to read and follow the California Responsible Travel Code below, which is designed to ensure that the Golden State remains a beautiful and viable destination over the long haul. California Responsible Travel Code Roam Responsibly. I will explore California thoughtfully and responsibly, maintaining the utmost respect for everyone and everything I encounter.

•  Educate Myself. I will do my research before traveling across the state, familiarizing myself with local regulations and community concerns, which may have changed over time. This is especially important in rural communities with limited healthcare resources.
• Safety First. I will follow public health directives from government officials, including physical distancing measures. I will take all necessary steps to minimize health risks to myself and others and stay home if I’m sick. Preserve California. I will protect and nurture the Golden State’s pristine outdoor spaces and cultural icons by maintaining a light footprint at every turn and paying special attention to delicate ecosystems
•  Embrace Community. I will support local businesses and do my part to ensure the long-term prosperity of the places I visit. Celebrate Culture. I will immerse myself in California’s diverse local cultures and embrace the traditions and practices I encounter.
•  Teach Others. I will lead by example and share these practices with fellow travelers, acknowledging that we all share the responsibility to protect California.

Extraordinary Experiences
Extraordinary experiences abound in California, whether it’s dining in Michelin-starred restaurants, driving the iconic Pacific Coast Highway or wine tasting with the makers at cult favorites. The abundance of only-in-California experiences also includes the likes of playing postcard-perfect Pebble Beach Golf Links, hiking Half Dome or pulling off the feat of surfing and skiing in the same day. We certainly can’t neglect to highlight the fact that California is home to both Hollywood and Silicon Valley. As the global epicenter of pop culture, entertainment and technology, the Golden State offers many opportunities to delve into these worlds and feel the electric energy of being in a living, breathing hub of innovation and creativity.

These are just some of the essential ingredients to consider for when crafting a California itinerary:

• Dream Eats:  California is where notable culinary trends like farm-to-table cuisine and gourmet food trucks took root. We have our fair share of celebrity chefs responsible for starting these trends and pushing the culinary envelope and their restaurants can be found in small wine country towns and big cities alike. Some of the most coveted restaurant reservations include The French Laundry, Benu, Saison, Trois Mec and n/naka.

 

• Wine Tourism: With more than 4,000 wineries in the state, California has a diversity of wine regions beyond the most legendary and eternal crowd pleaser, the Napa Valley. If your clients have done Napa and want to create that sense of discovery, consider wine tasting in Sonoma County, Monterey County or Santa Barbara County. 

 

• Music Festivals: If your clients are looking for something high energy and social, consider planning a trip around a concert, major sporting event or festival. Most big-ticket music festivals like the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and its country cousin, Stagecoach, have excellent VIP offerings. Other popular music festivals with upgraded VIP experiences include Bottle Rock Napa Valley, FYF Fest in Los Angeles and Outside Lands in San Francisco.

 

• Spectator Sports: California has more professional sports teams than any other state in the U.S. so opportunities to catch a game from the front row or a luxury suite are available year-round. There are also major events like the BNP Paribas Open, which brings the world’s top tennis players to Indian Wells every spring in addition to several high profile golf tournaments on the PGA tour.

 

• The Great Outdoors: The natural environment makes California a year-round playground for outdoor adventure. Roughly one-fourth of the state is protected against development, with well over five million acres set aside as state or federal parkland. With 800 miles of coastline, nine national parks, dozens of mountain ski resorts, vast redwood forests and deserts and hundreds of miles of trails, adventures of every kind are always easily accessible. So when a healthy dose of Mother Nature is needed, California can deliver—without sacrificing all of the superior creature comforts your clients demand.

 

• Wellness: California is the ideal place to get fit and fabulous given it’s a global incubator for health and wellness trends and home to renowned fitness gurus. Whether it’s for mind, body or spirit—or all of the above—your clients can reach a new level of wellness here with some of the world’s best spa resorts, fitness boot camps and spiritual retreats.

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Timing a Visit: California is always in season.
The beauty of California is it’s a year-round destination, whether you’re a sun worshipper or a snow bunny. So when it comes to nailing down the “best” time to visit, it’s really all up to your clients and what they are looking to do. 

Most of California maintains a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Each season has its own charms and surprises. In spring, discover waterfalls tumbling into Yosemite Valley and wildflowers painting the coastal hills and desert dunes. Come summer, watch surfers along Southern California beaches and dine alfresco at sunset. In autumn, take part in harvest time at vineyards north to south. In winter, look for migrating whales along the coast, or schuss down Sierra ski slopes. Snow is virtually guaranteed in the Sierra Nevada during the winter months. Mammoth Mountain has one of the longest skiing seasons in North America, with really big years stretching from October to July or even August. Or dodge the snow and indulge in the poolside splendor and golf-greens luxury of Palm Springs, the ultimate desert oasis.

Some practical seasonal considerations:

• The summer months of June to August are peak season and generally have the biggest crowds and the highest hotel rates. If your destination is the high country, you might need to time your visit for summer specifically to access some roads and trails in the Sierra Nevada, as well as routes into wilderness areas around Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, which tend to be closed in winter months. Keep in mind that the coast can be foggy in May and June when “May Gray” and “June Gloom” strike from San Diego up the Central Coast, which can put a damper on beach vacations.
• Springtime, March through May, is one of the most beautiful times of year in California. It can still be chilly at higher elevations, but hillsides are blanketed in fresh green grass and wildflowers and coastal temperatures start to heat up.
• Fall is peak foliage season, especially in the High Sierra. Autumn is a busy time in wine country, too, where the leaves of the vines also turn brilliant colors. Grape harvest takes place from August through November and wineries tend to be their most crowded given the special tasting events and festivals during this season.
• For skiers and snowboarders, winter is fantastic in California, when snow coats the mountains from November to March, with some resorts staying open into April or beyond. Winter is the quieter offseason in coastal resort destinations, while it’s peak season in the desert thanks to its popularity with snowbirds.

The Lay of the Land: California is big and diverse.Spanning 150,000 square miles and running just over 800 miles long from south to north, California is the third-largest state in the U.S. Nature has left her mark here in beautiful ways, with glaciers creating enormous granite monoliths trimmed by waterfalls in Yosemite National Park. Towering volcanoes jut into the sky in the state’s northeastern corner. Dramatic deserts like Death Valley and Anza-Borrego stretch across the state’s southeastern corner, while the jagged Sierra Nevada range forms a granite backbone near the Nevada border. This is a land of extremes, with the continental U.S.’s tallest mountain, Mt. Whitney, and lowest point, Death Valley’s Badwater, located only 100 miles from each other, as the crow flies.

• Southern California is home to sun-drenched coastal destinations like San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles.
• The Desert Region offers the polished glamour of Greater Palm Springs contrasted by quirky, character-rich small towns and the Route 66 destinations of the Inland Empire.
• The pace of life is a bit slower on the easy-going Central Coast, home to destinations like Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey.
• A distinctly Northern California vibe permeates the Bay Area communities of Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Marin County, Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
• Heading inland, Gold Country is home to the state capital of Sacramento, also the Farm-to-Fork Capital of America, while the 450-mile long Central Valley is the “Bread Basket of the World” with its hundreds of farms and ranches.
• The High Sierra region spans from Lake Tahoe down to Mammoth Lakes and includes a trio of top-rated national parks.
• The northernmost parts of California are the North Coast and Shasta Cascade regions, which are lesser-known but stunningly beautiful with vast stretches of open space and dramatic scenic landscapes.

Transportation: Getting here and getting around.

California has a strong network of approximately 30 commercial airports offering nonstop flights from many major and mid-sized U.S. cities. Private jets can be accommodated throughout the state and charter services are plentiful. Arrangements can be made for yachts and sailboats traveling into destinations like San Diego, Newport Beach and Santa Barbara.

When it comes to getting around on the ground, California has a deep appreciation for the automobile. It’s an epic place to get behind the wheel and embark upon a road trip. Luxury car rentals services like Luxury Line Auto Rentals serve locations from Beverly Hills to San Francisco with fleets of vehicles ranging from the Mercedes C Class to the Rolls Royce Ghost.

Traveling between cities can also be done by airplane, helicopter or train. Train travel can a relaxing way to get around with Business Class seats available on Amtrak. In some cases it’s a smart way to avoid getting stuck in traffic while taking in some incredible views. Three classic Amtrak routes include:

• The Capitol Corridor runs from San Jose to Auburn via Sacramento. 
• The Pacific Surfliner links San Diego to San Luis Obispo with stops in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. 
• The San Joaquin rolls through the Central Valley from Bakersfield to Sacramento, then continues west to the San Francisco Bay Area. 

We specialize in luxury without pretense.
Like all things Californian, our philosophy on luxury is guided by an adventurous spirit, a playful approach to life, and a love of the original, the unique and the innovative. We believe in luxury that is personal and unburdened by stuffy or staid traditions. And we embrace a relaxed approach to the elevated and extraordinary that is free of pretense, but full of passion, enthusiasm and discovery.

These are the characteristics that define California’s singular brand of laid-back luxury:

• Be LAID-BACK/CASUAL/RELAXED: We are influenced by our surroundings, taking cues from nature to create indoor/outdoor harmony and a sense of effortless hospitality and elegance.
• Be UNBURDENED BY TRADITION: PIONEERING/ORIGINAL/INNOVATIVE/A GAME-CHANGER: We are open and collaborative, part of a community where sharing new ideas is celebrated. We are champions of environmental sensitivity and design innovation.
• Be COMMITTED TO HEALTH & YOUTHFULNESS: We believe in being your best self regardless of age, and view healthy living as a religion.
• Be a CONDUIT TO SELF-DISCOVERY: We believe in curiosity and the pursuit of lifelong learning.
• Be APPROACHABLE/AUTHENTIC/GROUNDED but IRREVERENT/PLAYFUL: We are serious about our pursuits, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
• Be a CULINARY TRENDSETTER: We embrace our local bounty and seek to continually reinvent/redefine “California cuisine.”

We are here for you, let us know when you are ready to plan your California adventure via email or by phone.

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