Must-see hotels in Southern California

  • Park Hyatt Aviara Resort

    San Diego

    From the marble bathrooms in sumptuous suites to the luxurious fitness center and the Aviara Kids Academy programs, this tippy-top resort offers superb…

  • Loews Coronado Bay Resort

    San Diego

    Way down Silver Strand (take the complimentary shuttle to Coronado Village), the 439-room Loews is reached by a causeway and has its own private marina…

  • Cottonwood Campground

    Joshua Tree National Park

    About 8 miles north off I-10, this campground in Joshua Tree National Park counts drinking water, flush toilets and dump stations among its amenities and…

  • Panamint Springs Resort

    Death Valley National Park

    Elsewhere 'off-grid' is a state of mind, but it's a statement of fact at this low-key, family-run motel with rustic cabins on the park's western border. A…

  • Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites

    San Diego

    Fans of boating, jazz and Polynesian style will feel at home in this harborside resort. Its 182 rooms and suites are clustered amid koi ponds, paddling…

  • KOA

    San Diego

    Suitable for RVs, tents or those wanting to sleep in a furnished cabin, this family-run camping resort has ample facilities including a new free-form pool…

  • Stovepipe Wells Campground

    Death Valley National Park

    This roadside campground has 190 shadeless sites, some with fire pits and tables. It's handy for sunrise trips to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and also…

  • Sunset Campground

    Death Valley National Park

    With 270 sites, first-come, first-served Sunset is the biggest campground in Death Valley and your best bet for snagging a last-minute spot if everything…

  • Campland on the Bay

    San Diego

    This village-sized camping resort on Mission Bay comes with a slew of amenities, including a restaurant, pools and Jacuzzis, watercraft and bicycle…

  • Spring Resort & Spa

    Greater Palm Springs

    A humble 1950s motel has been recast as a chic, whisper-quiet spa retreat where natural hot mineral water feeds three pools. The dozen rooms are…

  • L’Auberge Del Mar Resort & Spa

    San Diego

    Rebuilt in the 1990s on the grounds of the historic Hotel del Mar, where 1920s Hollywood celebrities once frolicked, L’Auberge continues a tradition of…

  • HI San Diego Point Loma Hostel

    San Diego

    It’s a 20-minute walk from central Ocean Beach to this little red hostel, in a largely residential area close to a market and library. Cheery private…

  • Paradise Point Resort

    San Diego

    The grounds are so lush and dotted with so many palms that you’ll feel like you’re in Hawaii at this upper-end resort, whose 462 rooms are in small ground…

  • Safari Motor Inn

    Joshua Tree National Park

    This basic, 12-room motel around a simple courtyard is a good option for modern nomads not keen on dropping bunches of cash for a roof over their heads…

  • Black Rock Campground

    Joshua Tree National Park

    Camp among Joshua trees and yuccas at this 99-site campground in the park's northwestern corner, close to Yucca Valley. It has potable water, flush…

  • Panamint Springs Campground

    Death Valley National Park

    Part of a private village with motel, gas station, store and restaurant-bar on the western edge of Death Valley National Park, this dusty space can…

  • Best Western Encinitas Inn & Suites

    San Diego

    Atop a hill between the freeway, shopping center and Coast Hwy is this hexagonal hotel, a few minutes on foot from the sand. Rooms, recently refurbished…

  • Inndulge

    Greater Palm Springs

    This midrange gay-men's resort gets plenty of repeat customers for its 1950s shell and rooms and suites decked out with Spanish Mission furniture and gay…

  • Best Western Island Palms

    San Diego

    Namesake palms adorn the lobby and grounds around this archipelago of three Polynesian-style buildings housing the resort’s 227 rooms, pools and hot tubs…

  • Franciscan Inn

    Santa Barbara

    Settle into the relaxing charms of this Spanish Colonial two-story motel just over a block from the beach. Rooms differ in shape and decor, but some have…

  • Hotel Vyvant

    San Diego

    If you can't get enough of Little Italy's charm, this pretty B&B is an ideal place to hang your hat. The 23-room classic-style inn boasts comfortable beds…

  • Emigrant Campground

    Death Valley National Park

    This campground sits 2100ft in the western part of the park, about 8 miles past Stovepipe Wells Village, and has just 10 first-come, first-served sites…

  • Belle Campground

    Joshua Tree National Park

    With only 18 sites, this snug and cozy campground is scenically tucked among a pile of boulders. There are vault toilets and spaces have tables and fire…

  • Motel 6 Santa Barbara-Beach

    Santa Barbara

    The very first Motel 6 to ‘leave the light on for you’ has been remodeled with IKEA-esque contemporary design, flat-screen TVs and multimedia stations. It…

  • Coronado Inn

    San Diego

    This good midrange choice near the ferry is a wood-shingled affair decked with palms, little wooden gazebos, barbecue grills and deck chairs around the…

  • Sheep Pass Group Campground

    Joshua Tree National Park

    Nice campground with six group sites for up to 50 people (tents only). Amenities include fire rings, tables and pit toilets, but no water. Sites must be…

  • White Tank Campground

    Joshua Tree National Park

    With only 15 spaces, White Tank is tiny but can accommodate small RVs (under 25ft). Bring drinking water. It's close to the north entrance in Twentynine…

  • Crowne Plaza San Diego

    San Diego

    Leafy convention-class hotel with a Polynesian theme (koi ponds and waterfalls) and rooms with supercomfy mattresses. Parking costs $13.

  • Les Artistes Inn

    San Diego

    Behind the eclectic art-and-crafts-style facade of this inn set back from Camino del Mar, each of the 12 spacious rooms is meticulously furnished in the…

  • Fiddlers Campground

    Death Valley National Park

    Catering to RVs, this private campground is essentially a large parking lot with no water or hookups, albeit handily located next to Furnace Creek. Fees…

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