These amenities are great, but what brought my family here was the boats. That’s right, the resort also has real boats that cruise a giant lake, taking guests around the property and to dinner at the hotel’s signature restaurants.

Lakeside Luxury Meets Colossal Design

My family began a recent stay at the Marriott by checking into a gorgeous 7th-floor suite, overlooking the pool area and the lake. The beautifully spacious room came with two plush pillowtop queen beds, a comfortable separate sitting area, a sleek workspace, and a mini-fridge. In the bathroom we found a big soaking tub and a separate shower with a glass door. The highlight of the room was the private balcony, where we got a bird’s-eye view of the property, including the sparkling pools and calm lake below us.

Beyond the room is a colossal atrium lobby. The space is stunning, with soaring ceilings and a grand, open-air design. The resort’s vast, multi-acre internal lake system extends inside the building and the hotel’s electric gondola boats park directly inside the giant lobby, entering and exiting through massive, integrated sliding glass doors.

Gondolas, Flamingos, and Poolside Lounge Mode

Our favorite spot at the resort was the pool area, which features a lively main family pool, a chilled oasis pool, and relaxing whirlpools. Although it was 100 degrees during our stay, the refreshing water put us in vacation mode as we splashed and lounged. While at the pool, we snacked at the Oasis Poolside Bar & Grille. We split a fresh shrimp cocktail and a California Turkey Club Wrap, packed with greens, turkey, bacon, cheddar, tomato, and avocado herb aioli, paired with crunchy house-made chips and refreshing lemonade.

From the pool, we headed back to the lobby and boarded a fun electric boat. With a friendly and informative captain at the helm, we cruised around the lake, passing fountains, going under bridges, and encountering numerous feathered residents. The resort is a certified wildlife sanctuary and home to an iconic flock of brilliant pink Chilean Flamingos, several species of exotic ducks (like ringed-neck teals and whistlers), and a bevy of elegant, long-necked black swans.

As the boat glided along the edge of the lake, we were lucky enough to spot one of the black swans nesting right along the shore! To finish out the cruise, the captain took us along the outer edges of the lake, showing us some of the stunning, massive desert luxury mansions that beautifully line the resort’s championship golf courses.

A Taste of the “Rodeo Drive of the Desert”

After the boat ride, we drove 10 minutes from the Marriott to dinner at Porta Via, a contemporary California bistro located on El Paseo, a glamorous, palm-lined street also known as the “Rodeo Drive of the Desert.” A hotspot for stylish locals and visitors looking for a premium dining experience, the restaurant serves quality steaks, pastas, and sushi in a sleek, mid-century modern space that feels upscale, but is still very family-friendly.

Our dinner at Porta Via began with fresh, golden-crisp crab cakes and a vibrant Jalapeño Tuna Roll loaded with nori, rice, spicy mayo, avocado, jalapeño, scallion, toasted sesame, lime juice, cilantro, and savory ponzu. For the main courses, we enjoyed a perfectly grilled skirt steak seasoned with a dry rub marinade and topped with an incredible, vibrant chimichurri sauce, alongside a spectacular Parmigiano-Crusted Alaskan Halibut served with sautéed green beans and cherry tomatoes. The kids were happy with a classic burger and crispy chicken nuggets.

Back at the Marriott, we took a moonlight dip in the pool and watched stars appear in the dark sky above the Santa Rosa Mountains. We then wrapped up the evening on our 7th-floor balcony, sipping wine and absorbing the warm desert breeze.

Scaling New Heights on the Aerial Tramway

The next morning, we drove a few miles northwest to the world-famous Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Our getaway began at the base of Mt. San Jacinto, where we boarded a large, rotating circular tramcar. The car begins its journey at Valley Station at an elevation of 2,643 feet and ends at Mountain Station at 8,516 feet above sea level.

As the 80-passenger tram scales the mountain, visitors are transported through five unique ecosystems—a change in landscape and life equivalent to a drive from Sonora, Mexico to the Arctic Circle in Alaska. It makes this trip in about 11 minutes. During the journey, the car is pulled up nearly 13,000 feet of cable and passes through five huge support towers. At each tower, the tram shimmies and shakes, giving riders a roller coaster thrill.

At the top, there is a lodge-like visitor center, two restaurants, and Mount San Jacinto State Park, which offers 54 miles of hiking trails and a few primitive campsites within a 13,000-acre pristine wilderness. When we got to the top, we set out on a hike of Long Valley, following a three-quarter-mile-long loop trail through a large, beautiful meadow and had a memorable lunch at Peaks Restaurant high above the clouds.

Wellness for Parents, Ultimate Arcade Action for Kids

The next morning, I hit the fitness center, located inside the hotel’s state-of-the-art Spa Desert Springs. The massive, 38,000-square-foot facility boasts 47 private treatment rooms, volcanic rock saunas, steam rooms, and an exclusive 75-foot saltwater lap pool. Its treatments are uniquely inspired by Blue Zone lifestyle principles designed to foster longevity and deep relaxation—making it the ultimate haven for anyone looking to recharge.

After working out, I met the family for breakfast at Rockwood Grill, the hotel’s premier dining spot. Sitting near the outdoor patio overlooking the water, we indulged in a hearty big breakfast loaded with perfectly cooked eggs, savory potatoes, toast, coffee, and juice, while the kids were in absolute heaven tackling a mountain of decadent chocolate pancakes.

Our last adventure at the Marriott was a visit to the JW Entertainment Zone, a 12,000-square-foot mega-arcade located near the pool. Here, the kids went wild playing a mix of retro classics and cutting-edge titles, jumping between air hockey, Mario Kart, Skee-Ball, and the World’s Largest Pac-Man. It was a perfect burst of family fun to cap off a wonderful desert trip before heading home into the bright sun.

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Arkansas has shed its undeserved Dogpatch reputation. Northwest Arkansas has become prosperous, with a wealth of places of interest for tourists, and offering some of America’s most beautiful nature, along with cultural events, and many craft and antique fairs. The new Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport serves as the gateway to Ozark towns and villages, such as Bentonville, home of Walmart, and Eureka Springs, as well as Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas.

Crystal Bridges

What has really put Northwest Arkansas on the American cultural map is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Sam Walton’s daughter, Alice, in Bentonville, and opened on November 11, 2011.

Alice Walton hired internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie, who envisioned a building that would complement the surrounding Ozark landscape. Nestled into a natural ravine, the Museum integrates the element of water through the creation of two spring-fed ponds that are spanned by two bridges and surrounded by a group of buildings housing museum galleries and studios. Mrs. Walton named her museum Crystal Bridges – “crystal” for the name of the natural spring on the site, and “bridges” for the bridges built over the meandering water running through the property. It’s a beautiful place, inside the buildings and in the rolling landscape outside.

Along with outstanding examples of nineteenth century American painting, the museum has a fine collection of paintings and sculptures representing various schools of twentieth century art. The collection continues to grow, and there is always a temporary exhibit on show. The current temporary exhibit is State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. It consists of 227 works by 102 unappreciated artists from all over the United States. Objects in the exhibit range from 3 inches to room size.

The museum’s glassed-in Eleven Restaurant, with water on both sides, has a beautiful vaulted wooden roof in the middle of which hangs Jeff Koons’ huge, 3000 pound golden heart, ten feet wide and dangling nine feet above the heads of diners. In the restaurant, guests can choose from a variety of sandwiches, salads and a few hot dishes for lunch daily, except on Tuesdays when the museum is closed, and dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The park surrounding the museum is filled with trees, flowering plants and sculptures complementing the landscape. More than three miles of trails, each offering different plant life and terrain, meander through the Ozark forest and are open year round.

Robert Indiana, “Love” (Cor-Ten steel)

Admission to the museum is free, and it has brought a sense of excitement to Bentonville and the surrounding communities. Programs and classes for adults and children are part of the lure, as are the temporary exhibits and concerts. Children, many of whom have never been to a museum, are bussed in from surrounding states.

Bentonville

Bentonville itself is a lively small town, with a pretty square with a statue of a Confederate soldier in its center. The brick buildings encircling the square house shops, galleries, restaurants and the Walmart Visitors Center, located in Sam Walton’s original Five and Dime store, established in 1950. The Visitors Center, which includes a gift shop, is a small museum of the Walmart history and Sam Walton’s rise to fame and fortune. It includes cabinets filled with artifacts based on Walton’s autobiography as well as interactive displays

Other sites of interest are The Peel Mansion and the Museum of Native Americans. The former is an 1875 Italianate villa built by Colonel Samuel Peel, the first native-born Arkansan to be elected to the United States Congress. On the site is a pre-Civil War log cabin, and an outdoor museum of heritage roses, perennials and native plants. The Museum of Native Americans begins its exhibition with Paleo objects through the Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian and Historic periods, including a large display of stone tools and arrowheads.

On the first Friday of every month, music, crafts and food take over the central square, which is home to an extensive farmers’ market every Saturday morning. The First Fridays also include outdoor movies and musical entertainment. The town has a lively art scene, and there are murals to enjoy in the downtown area, many painted by Bentonville’s children.

Bentonville’s renaissance has brought about a flourishing of dining options and an “art” hotel. The 21C Museum boutique hotel opened in 2013. The hotel’s special feature is contemporary art work throughout the public rooms, the outdoor spaces and the hallways. The art changes every six months. The rooms are very contemporary but with only a single reproduction on the walls. The real art is downstairs, as are the big green penguins that show up at odd times in odd places, including sometimes at your table in the dining room, the Hive, which offers diners a sophisticated meal of contemporary American dishes. A nature trail leads from the hotel through the Crystal Bridges Museum park to the entrance of the museum.

Armando Marino, “The Raft” (wheel-less body of 1950 Plymouth supported by
Cuban legs “on the march”)

Just down from the central square, the Tusk & Trotter is an informal restaurant, serving a variety of pork cuts, including fried pig ear chips, as well as traditional American dishes.

For breakfast, the Station Cafe, owned like much in town by the Walmart Company, is the place to go. It’s a folksy, colorful spot with early twentieth century decor, small booths with tables covered in checkered oilcloth, good coffee and fresh eggs.

There are half a dozen cafes on the square and on First Fridays, Bentonville celebrates with food trucks parked around the central square offering ethnic and American foods. At the end of the Walmart Center tour is an old fashioned soda fountain where a visitor can still get a heaping scoop of delicious ice cream for 99 cents.

A few miles east of Bentonville is Rogers, where the first Walmart store opened in 1962. Rogers is home of the Daisy Airgun Museum, which displays guns dating from 1888 to the present, including a World War II exhibit. Its gift shop sells limited edition guns. Rogers has a major indoor arts and crafts festival in the spring and in the fall in the Frisco Station Mall.

Between Rogers and Eureka Springs, just off Highway 12, is the War Eagle gristmill, built originally in 1832. Thrice destroyed, first by flood and then by fire, the mill was finally rebuilt in 1973 and is the only working mill in Arkansas. The mill is powered by an 18 foot cypress waterwheel.

The site is home to the War Eagle Craft and Culinary fair and the Sharp’s Shaw fair that take place at the same time in early May and mid-October. Both feature crafts of all kinds, food and music, as well as antiques.

A little music at the War Eagle Craft Fair

Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs is a mountain town of some 2,000 inhabitants, many of them artists. The town’s streets meander up and down the hills, never intersecting. They are lined with beautiful Victorian houses and cottages, many of which are bed and breakfast inns. Since its founding in 1879, the town has attracted tourists, initially for its healing spring water, and now for its shops and galleries offering the work of local artists and craftsmen and women. The healing spring waters were known to the American Indians long before the town’s official founding.

Since Eureka Springs became a major tourist attraction in the Ozarks, the dining scene has become upscale and sophisticated. Perhaps the best restaurant in town is the Grand Taverne, located in the Grand Central Hotel. The restaurant has the atmosphere of an old Victorian establishment, but the cooking is sophisticated, contemporary American cuisine. The restaurant serves dinner only, and on weekends, dinner is accompanied by a pianist playing show tunes and popular songs of decades past.

Another excellent restaurant serving contemporary American cuisine at slightly lower prices for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, is Local Flavor. While Local Flavor doesn’t have the charm of the Grand Taverne dining room, it serves food that’s first rate. The restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike and tends to have long waiting lists on weekends and for Sunday brunch.

A delightful spot for breakfast, a ‘burger or an afternoon drink is the balcony on the second floor of the 1905 Basin Park Hotel. On Fridays, a fish fry is served all day long. On one side of the balcony, guests have a perfect view of the shops on Spring Street, and the comings and goings on the street. On the side of the hotel facing Basin Spring Park, guests have a clear view of the little park and the spring that gives the town its name. Many events take place in the park.

A highlight of events is the early May, Eureka Springs’ Artrageous parade when artists dance down Spring Street to everyone’s delight. Locals and tourists line the streets to watch the costumed members of the artists’ colony entertain the populace.

Another major attraction is the summer long Great Passion Play with its cast of 170 actors and dozens of live animals, but the town also offers music festivals, craft and antique fairs and even a summer Opera of the Ozarks, which produced Mozart, Puccini and Sondheim operas this past summer in the Fine Arts Center. Eureka Springs is also a good place to buy hand-made quilts; the Quilt Shop in the center of town has a large selection of beautiful (and expensive) hand sewn quilts.

The Crescent Hotel & Spa is Eureka Springs’ grand old hotel, built in 1886. The renovated hotel has retained its 19th century character, including the 14 foot ceilings in the Crystal Ballroom, the elegant lobby and the verandas on which guests can enjoy the fresh Ozark air. The hotel is known as America’s most haunted hotel and offers nightly ghost tours.

About three miles outside Eureka Springs en route back to the airport along Highway 62 is the Thorncrown Chapel, a magnificent wooden structure rising 48 feet up into the Ozark forest. The chapel contains 425 windows and over 6,000 feet of glass. It sits atop 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone. The chapel, designed by Arkansas architect E. Fay Jones, a pupil of Frank Lloyd Wright, was the dream of Jim Reed, who purchased the site with the intention of building his retirement home. Instead, he decided to give wayfarers a place to relax and enjoy the beautiful Ozark scenery. Don’t miss it.

As for Dogpatch, it may still be on the map of Northwest Arkansas, but it never was a real place. Dogpatch was a themed amusement park, based on characters created by Al Capp in his “L’il Abner” comic strip. It opened in 1968, and closed in 1993. All that is left today are ruins with grasses growing and leaves blowing through the remnants. It never was the real Arkansas to begin with.

If You Go:

• Crystal Bridges Museum
• 21C Museum Hotel
• Bentonville
• Craft Fairs
• Eureka Springs
• Thorncrown Chapel
• Northwest Arkansas

This article was first published on 2017.

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Originally started in 1914 by two women, Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales as a typing school with one typewriter and one student, Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island has grown into a major university that gives degrees from MBA to degrees in hospitality and culinary arts.

The culinary school created a museum on its Harborside campus in 1979 with exciting contributions to its collections from prominent philanthropists: 4000 menus from all over the world from Jack Hanle, the publisher of Bon Appetit magazine and other mementoes from Earle MacAusland, founder of Gourmet magazine. Famed chef Julia Child and cookbook author Jean Hewitt also donated collectibles and industrialist Paul Fritzsche gave 7,500 rare cookbooks dating back to the 1500’s. The Fritzsche personal collection ranged from Greek texts of the 3rd century “Connoisseurs in Dining” that was translated in the mid 1500’s, to the earliest American handwritten cook book that includes newspaper clips starting in 1798. The legendary Hungarian Louis I. Szathmary, whose incredible bio includes a masters degree in journalism and a PhD in psychology donated more than 400,000 artifacts from his life as an author, broadcaster, lecturer -and avid collector.

The collections also pay tribute to such diverse personalities as contemporary chef and author Rose Levy Beranbaum, the “Diva of Deserts,” and Heinz Bender, executive pastry chef of the White House. Part of the museum’s archives contain the Bill of Fare for the Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln and menus for a dinner for Teddy Roosevelt 1905; a luncheon for JFK 1962 and a reception for Bill Clinton 1994. The collection now named the Presidential Archives was once called the “First Stomach” showing Providence sometimes doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Half million artifacts are stored or on display including of all things, a stove museum. Other exhibits vary from appliances over the years, a collection of presidential plates, kitchen tools from ancient Egypt, tributes to Escoffier and the chef jacket of Paul Bocuse, An interesting item lies on display: a bronze baker’s ring found in the ruins of Pompeii meaning it dates at least from the 79AD volcanic eruption that buried the city. The ring was used to stamp bread dough for tax purposes.

Other artifacts include an 1831 cookbook, the Virginia Housewife. It seems like a contemporary book compared to reproductions of the illustrations circa 1574 in Opera by Bartolomeo Scappi, the epic series of books “Opera” (“Work”) he published a century after the invention of printing.

The museum gives visitors a portrayal of a New England tavern and a fascinating history of the American Diner. The American diner was apparently born in Providence in 1872 as Walter Scott’s horse-drawn lunch wagon and was developed further in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1887 when one Sam Jones made it possible for customers to enter his wagon. For the uninitiated a Diner Lingo Glossary hangs on a wall. A “Houseboat” was a banana split with ice cream and sliced bananas, an “Irish Turkey” was corned beef and cabbage, and “Zeppelins in a Fog” was sausages in mashed potatoes.

Those were indeed simpler days, ones we will never see again as we push forward in the high tech search for our future.

Originally posted on 2017,

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On the day of our slow bicycle tour, the Willy Street area of Madison, Wisconsin, was a global place. We went from East Asia to Ethiopia and then returned to an upstairs Ayurvedic paradise where chai became mandatory.

But that last stop was just me. I freeloaded the chai after the others had already left.

People say never give away the whole thing, the whole story, but with Madison Eats Food Tours, the reveal is necessary. The tour guide met us at Garver Feed Mill and supplied e-bikes, those rentals one now sees in various urban areas. Then he mapped out our journey. It would take three hours, slowly riding through various neighborhoods, parks, greenery, bike trails and urban side-streets, with just a handful of stops in-between for food. An amazing concept, one that certainly existed in other cities, but Madison was a place characterized by miles and miles of bicycle trails. Outdoorsy vibes already seemed to occupy everyone’s psyche. So it was perfect.

As a bicycle enthusiast, I recommend these folks. And I recommend the eastern part of Madison, where residents kept telling the college kids on the other side of town, well, you don’t know what you’re missing out here. It’s true.

In itself, Garver Feed Mill was a masterpiece of historic preservation. Formerly a multistory sugar mill, the turn-of-the-century complex was now transformed and filled up with numerous businesses. I saw bars, lounges, play areas and stages, plus an atrium, a few patios and other groovy configurations. My spy-scope immediately went to Kosa Spa, an award-winning Ayurvedic retreat, which occupied an upper-level spot. But that would come later.

Our bike food tour started at one particular spot in Garver Feed Mill, a place called Roll Play. Tons of board games filled the shelves. Families cycled in, out and through. Some kind of corporate team-building activity was set to unfold. Skewers of meat and rice arrived just for us, followed up with an amazing cup of boba tea. A great way to start.

Then we hit the trails. We rode at a steady, comfortable speed through parts of the Willy Street neighborhood. Willy was short for Williamson. Everyone called it Willy Street. We learned about historic preservation, parks, lakes and residential architecture, even though this was a food tour.

The next stop was Buraka, a Black-owned business in a similar neighborhood, not too far away from where the police shot Corey Ruiz, a killing that vaulted the corner of Willy and Baldwin to the national stage. Buraka was a bar and a restaurant. That is, DJs and Ethiopian food. Yet another amazing place. The owner brought over a traditional spread of Ethiopian digs on Injera bread. The whole plate was insanely spicy in all the right ways.

Then came the beer. An anonymous source joked that nine of the ten drunkest idiots in the country were from Madison, Wisconsin. I didn’t question the claim. Beer shirts were ubiquitous. By the time we pulled our bikes up to Starkweather Brewing, I realized another 100 beer-swilling places were available, but this one was right on our path. Even the root beer was delicious. It tasted homemade.

And what would a leisurely bike tour be without ice cream at the conclusion? Back at Garver Feed Mill, Calliope Ice Cream, another ravishing indie business, supplied whatever we chose. It was all part of the tour.

Foodie tours are especially intriguing for those with a fixation on ingredients. At Garver Feed Mill, one only had to navigate a beautifully crafted staircase to the upper-level catwalk, past the wedding photographer and the yoga studio, right to Kosa Spa. It was like ascending to a higher realm of consciousness.

In the same way I used to walk through liquor stores as a teenager, staring at all the exotic flavors that would take me away from the suffering of life, I now found solace in spa environments, even if they weren’t intended for me personally. I often stared at the products, especially if they were designed for those of us with the Vata type of Ayurvedic mind-body constitution. I once obsessively drank Vata tea, referring to it as “the elixir for a destroyed nervous system.”

The bike tour was now over. The others had gone, and they would probably consider me some woo-woo California pinko for waxing poetic about Vata tea, so I was now in the promised land at Kosa Spa. The lady at the counter gave me a tour, after which I vowed to return.

And when I did return, the very next morning, I walked out with two containers of tea, ashwaganda golden milk and masala chai. The lady behind the counter, the same lady, then spent five minutes discussing with me the various ways to brew the tea, steep it, strain it, and everything else. I think we both learned something.

I vowed to return again, not just to Kosa, but to Madison itself.

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Luxury Framed by an Endless View

Stepping inside the Lodge reveals a deep connection to San Francisco’s military past. The building sits prominently on “Infantry Row,” a stretch of five identical, historic red-brick barracks flanking the Main Parade Ground. Originally constructed between 1895 and 1897 to house hundreds of soldiers guarding the strategic entrance to the bay, the hotel building has been transformed into an intimate, 42-room boutique property. The meticulous restoration honors its rugged heritage across the shared historic campus, preserving original cast-iron columns, massive multi-story windows, and long corridors lined with vintage photography.

Our guest room beautifully captured this upscale comfort. Opening the door revealed a bright, expansive space anchored by two plush queen beds, a stocked mini-fridge, a cupboard full of spirits, and an espresso machine with some of the best hotel coffee I’ve ever had. The spacious bathroom was equally impressive, with bright marble vanities and an extra deep tub.

The absolute best part of the room was the view. All it took was drawing back the curtains to see the Golden Gate Bridge stretched out right in front of us. We got to see it change all day long—from the thick morning fog rolling under the bridge to the bright evening sun hitting those orange towers.

Artisanal Mornings and Sunset Receptions

Another hotel highlight is the complimentary daily breakfast. Served in the sunlit dining area, the selection features fresh-baked artisanal breads, flaky pastries, cereals, seasonal fruit, hard-boiled eggs, fresh juice, and coffee. The cozy space itself boasts plenty of comfortable seating options and a warm fireplace. And when the weather is good, guests can even take their plates outside to sit on the front porch and enjoy the fresh air.

The hotel’s hospitality returns each evening at 5 o’clock for the lodge’s wine reception, held back in the dining space. Here, guests can relax over a beautifully arranged spread of charcuterie, local cheeses, gourmet nuts, bite-sized desserts, fine California wine, and fresh lemonade that the kids absolutely loved.

From Fortress Islands to Crooked Streets

The hotel sits right on the Main Post—the historic, park-like town square that serves as the walkable heart of the Presidio—offering incredible convenience for a family looking to explore. Right next door sits The Walt Disney Family Museum, a fantastic spot founded by Disney’s daughter that showcases the animator’s life, early drawings, and a massive scale model of Disneyland, all housed inside another one of the post’s historic, retrofitted barracks. Beyond this, the property is surrounded by miles of dedicated bike and walking paths that weave down to Crissy Field—a sprawling, former 1920s U.S. Army airfield that has been restored into a massive waterfront park.

Our first major excursion took us to the waterfront, where we boarded a ferry with Alcatraz City Cruises out to infamous Alcatraz Island. Sailing across the choppy bay waters offered incredible, sweeping views of the city skyline before we docked at “The Rock,” one of the most legendary prisons in history. While touring the prison, we took an immersive audio tour that guided us through the old, cold cellblocks.

We were captivated by the story of the Great Escape of 1962, when prisoners Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers used sharpened spoons to chip through aging concrete in their cells and created papier-mâché dummy heads in their beds to fool the night guards. They then slipped into the freezing, treacherous waters of the bay on a raft made of stolen raincoats. To this day, no bodies have ever been found, leaving many to wonder if the inmates met a dark fate in the currents or successfully vanished into new lives on the mainland.

The next morning, we drove into the heart of the city to tackle Lombard Street, one of the crookedest streets in the world. Climbing steep sidewalk steps alongside a line of slow-moving tourist traffic was a major workout, but reaching the summit was worth the effort. The eight sharp, brick-paved hairpin turns, bordered by perfectly manicured hydrangea beds, offered a quintessential San Francisco view. Looking down from the crest, we could see past the red-brick roofs all the way to the sparkling waters of the bay.

From Lombard Street, we walked a few blocks to the historic plaza of Ghirardelli Square. Established in 1893 by Italian immigrant Domenico Ghirardelli, this massive brick complex originally served as the headquarters for his legendary chocolate company. Today, it stands as a brilliant example of historic adaptive reuse. We spent an hour wandering the plaza, viewing the antique, operational chocolate-making machinery, and treating ourselves to decadent chocolate and hot fudge sundaes.

Our exploration concluded with a driving tour over the region’s two iconic suspension bridges. First, we drove across the sweeping span of the Golden Gate Bridge, looking down at the dark blue water opening out to the Pacific. Later, we made our way across the double-decked Oakland Bay Bridge, which offered a completely different, breathtaking perspective of the downtown skyscrapers rising directly from the water’s edge.

Leaving the City Behind

After navigating the busy bridges and steep hills, pulling back into the quiet roads of the Presidio felt like arriving home. We spent our final evening relaxing by the hotel’s outdoor fire pit, watching the fog crawl back in over the bay. It proved that the Lodge at the Presidio is more than just a place to sleep—it’s a peaceful, historic anchor that turns a family trip to San Francisco into an unforgettable journey.

When You Go

For more information on planning your stay or making reservations at The Lodge at the Presidio, call (415) 561-1234 or visit presidiolodging.com. To book a ferry to Alcatraz, secure your timed tickets in advance at Alcatraz City Cruises.

The post Historic Luxury and Golden Gate Views at The Lodge at the Presidio appeared first on Traveling Boy.

With incredible stories to tell, the remarkable roadway is as earthy as a blues singer, as touched by fatigue as an aged opera singer, and as wonderfully passionate as a Hollywood diva, and conveys surprising charm around its every bend.

Tagged “The Road of Dreams,” “The Main Street of America,” and “The Mother Road,” as portrayed in John Steinbeck’s novel “Grapes of Wrath,” the currently dubbed Historic Route 66 offers astounding possibilities for folks with a sense of discovery and those willing to relinquish freeway clutter and the monotony of Interstate Highways.

The great pathway, a long silk ribbon leading to a gleaming pot of gold in the far distance, was established in 1926 extending from Chicago to California, a whopping 2,448 challenging miles of sweeping scenery. Originally ending in Los Angeles the highway was later extended to Santa Monica, and, according to historians, entirely paved by 1937.

Winding through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, Route 66 was the first ever United States transcontinental highway, and from its launch was the legendary setting for overflowing sagas of broken dreams, and innumerable tales of first-person adventure encountered along the lengthy journey. During the Great Depression of the 1930s and the devastating Midwest drought that created the Dust Bowl, when countless families lost their farms and homes and in desperation turned to migrant work, Route 66 became their paramount prospect for a new beginning.

Last Chance gas pump

The highway beckoned like a mischievous rascal, yet despite the prospects of a difficult journey, travelers shared lofty expectations and hoped for a touch of luck and an opportunity to find work and some palm-laden sunshine out west.

The popular catchphrase “California Here I Come,” was ringing on the lips of Route 66 travelers as they cautiously maneuvered overloaded vehicles not up to the task, discovering that gas stations are not always conveniently located, that flat tires and boiling radiators were a given, and that blazing neon-lit hotel signs glowing like beacons in the night all too often included the ominous and unwelcoming “No Vacancy.”

California’s 286 miles of Route 66 meandering through San Bernardino County can capture the hearts of those with a bit of imagination. The county, with an area of 20,105 square miles, is the largest in the United States by area, larger than 71 different sovereign nations. History buffs with camera in hand, and a tank of petrol, can enjoy the awaiting nostalgia, and experience an era of Americana that remains an enduring legend.

With much of the vast landscape, rolling hills, lingering night sky, and enormous horizons locked in the remarkably unchanging California time capsule, one can picture the original travelers negotiating San Bernardino County and hear the humming whirl of a million tires. Today, large numbers of Historic Route 66 aficionados, as well as club members from the United States, Holland, Germany, and the California Historic Route 66 Association, are reliving Route 66 history and the captivating highlights.

Through the 1960s weary travelers from the east were ecstatic upon arriving at Needles, the first California Route 66 stop. A proud town of 5,000 residents established in 1883 on the Arizona border and now bypassed by the Interstate Highway, Needles is lined with buildings from the first half of the 20th century, and was a location for the 1940 movie, Grapes of Wrath, and the popular Route 66 television series.

Eleven miles southwest of Needles at the Moabi Regional Park tucked away on a Colorado River channel adjacent to Route 66, Pirates Cove Resort & Marina hosts a large Historic Route 66 sign on the original signposts. Nearby is the trusty Old Trails Arch Bridge, a pathway across the Colorado River for dust bowl immigrants and other travelers from 1916 to 1947. Converted to support a utility line, the bridge remains in use today.

Opened after the heyday of the Mother Road, the resort, a large family-style RV and boating destination, is an opportune pause for today’s Route 66 travelers, offering narrated boat trips on the Colorado River, nature walks, dining opportunities, and exclusive, five-star, kitchen ready, river-front accommodations.

The Kelso Depot Visitor Center was once a booming center for the Union Pacific Railroad during the time of the mighty steam engines. Today it is a designated U.S. Historic District located in the 1-6-million-acre Mojave National Preserve, a fascinating side excursion via I-40 and Kelbaker Road, and a shard of a desert ghost town. The depot, circa 1924, has museum exhibits, historically restored rooms, café, theater, bookstore, and an amusing outdoor, freestanding jail, perfect for the over-served ruffians of the day.

Southwest of Kelso off Kelbaker Road, the Kelso Dune Field, covering 45-square-miles, rises some 650-feet into the sky. Accessed by a three-mile gravel road, the wind-swept dunes, at times, can be heard singing a timeless, wordless and unending desert song.

Returning to Route 66 via a thirty-minute drive to Amboy, population eight, today’s travelers can stop by Roy’s Café (named for one of the owners), an historic landmark in Route 66 lore, noted as the only food, lodging, and gasoline stop for miles in the eastern part of the Mojave.

Visitors can sit at the original 1940s lunch counter, enjoy Roy’s famed Route 66 Root Beer, and feel as if the Mother Road is giving you an endearing embrace. The lone gas pump is a bit ragged around the edges, while across the highway a small post office mails “wish you were here” postcards stamped Amboy.

A few miles west the Pisgah Crater and the 6,000-year-old Amboy Cinder Cone Crater, emerge on the horizon. Further down the highway is the famed Bagdad Café, popular with Europeans who descend by the busload. Sometimes it is frivolous French tourists beset with the celebrated café’s awesome ambience, who pose for pictures as if in the throes of a Paris fashion shoot. Other days German fills the air, or the sibilant lisp of Castilian Spanish. Prince Albert of Monaco, forgoing a bus, also has memories of the Bagdad Café.

The 1988 cult film Bagdad Café, borrowing characters from the café and starring Jack Palance, was filmed here creating yet another chicken-and-egg conundrum: Was the café chosen because it already gave the appearance of an uproarious movie set, where anyone from Elvis to Bogart could be standing around enjoying the place? Or did that look rub off on it during filming? Either way, it has a Hollywood look all its own.

Walls are plastered with travel memorabilia from every corner of the world. Hundreds of hats line the ceiling while an old jukebox on its last legs is willing to play after a kick or two, just loud enough to be heard over the noisy floor fan working hard to cool a few tables.

Barstow, a 30-minute drive from the Bagdad Café, is another Route 66 bonanza.

A bypassed desert jewel, the tree-lined roadway runs smack through downtown past 15 huge wall murals and the site of the fascinating Route 66 “Mother Road” Museum tucked away in the historic Casa del Desierto Harvey House, dating to 1911.

Visitors can pick up a t-shirt and browse among the exhibits. Near the west end of town the Route 66 Motel, one of the oldest motels in the city, in keeping with the era, has rusted vintage cars and Route 66 memorabilia decorating its yard.

The first sight of The Bottle Tree Ranch, 20 minutes from Barstow, etches itself in the memory as an outrageously whimsical vision of life on the other side of somewhere. Friendly owner Elmer Long created a forest of 200 one-of-a-kind bottle trees using a mish-mash of junk yard treasure items such as typewriters, pistols, telephones, deer horns and road signs including one that reads Route 66, Bagdad, CA 1893.

Greeting visitors after the short drive to Victorville is a large sign reading, “Old Town – Route 66.” Nearby is the celebrated, five-star, Route 66 Museum, noted as one of the largest and most complete museums on the Mother Road.

The museum showcases everything from a 1966 Volkswagen and classic teardrop trailer, to old Pepsi machines, juke boxes, signs reading “Gas, 18 Cents,” and joyful memories of Route 66’s glory days and driving holidays. Sharon Foster, a Museum Board Member said, “Admission is free, there is parking for everyone, and remarkably, 60 percent of our visitors are international.”

The historic discoveries along Route 66 are endless. The notable 1949 Wigwam Motel, 42-miles from Victorville, on the border of Rialto and San Bernardino, was depicted in Disney’s Pixar film, Cars, along with Route 66 and Roy’s Café. At the Wigwam nineteen 30-foot-high teepee-style accommodations created for Route 66 travelers of concrete and stucco live on.

The Mother Road, sharing its name with Foothill Boulevard runs through the heart of Rancho Cucamonga past Vince’s Spaghetti Restaurant, a family tradition since 1945, serving spaghetti and meatballs to eager diners on Saturdays.

Though Ontario is a few miles south of the original Route 66 route, the city celebrates Route 66 with the Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion Festival. For three days each September several thousand classic cars are on display along with 16 rotating bands, dancing and food stands.

Those with a clamoring for a taste of olives can tour Ontario’s world-renowned Graber Olive House producing olives since 1894. Located on 4th street, Graber has been awarded numerous honors with their hand-based equipment. There is not a computer to be seen and family members reside here helping to create a friendly feel in the packinghouse.

A couple from Chicago enjoying their second Route 66 journey and the classic car festival in Ontario remarked, “The future is somewhere ahead, the moment is now, but nostalgia is forever.” It is the perfect motto for Route 66 travelers young and old.

When You Go

County of San Bernardino, California; www.sbcounty.gov/

This article was originally published April 2017.

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After a 60-minute cruise across the San Pedro Channel, we spotted the rugged island’s iconic round Catalina Casino and its tiny harbor full of colorful boats. We had made it to Catalina and our getaway to The Avalon Hotel was before us. Our journey to the island began aboard a Catalina Express high-speed catamaran, slicing smoothly through the deep blue water. After disembarking, we walked 15 minutes through town to the hotel, where we found a property so idyllic and charming, it reminded me of a Hallmark movie set.

A Masterclass in Cozy Design

The hotel blends the charm of a European seaside boutique with the warmth of a cozy bed-and-breakfast, greeting you with rich, beautifully hand-carved African teak wood wrapped around the lobby. After a warm and friendly greeting from the front desk, we checked into suite 206. Inside the room, we found a masterclass in efficiency. Built-in storage drawers offer tons of luggage space, and a clever office desk nook provides a dedicated workspace without crowding the room.

The sleeping arrangements are brilliantly flexible: a big, comfy queen bed anchors the space, supplemented by a cozy, fold-down Murphy bed. In the bathroom, old-fashioned black-and-white checkered tile floors add vintage luxury to the bathtub and shower combo.

One of the first things that struck us upon entering the room was the ocean view taking up the balcony door windows. From this vantage point, we could see the historic Catalina Casino and boats bobbing in the crescent-shaped harbor. Some people actually live and stay on those anchored boats, waking up over the water and literally swimming straight to the beach each day. Once acquainted with the room, we climbed up a couple flights of hotel stairs to a hidden rooftop paradise. This guest-only escape offers tables, chairs, and complimentary drinks, boasting panoramic views of the island and ocean.

The Charm of a Car-less Community

Location is everything, and the hotel sits just one block from the main drag. Like the rest of town, everything is within walking distance. A quick stroll from the hotel leads straight to the sand, where a roped-off beach area provides a safe haven for the kids to play. While here, we rented inner tubes and the kids zoomed in and out of the gentle waves and then built sandcastles. For lunch, we walked a couple blocks to Vons market and picked up some chicken and sandwiches from the deli. We then enjoyed a picnic on the beach.

After lunch, we explored town and one of Avalon’s most unique quirks: its vehicles. Because the city strictly limits the size and number of vehicles allowed on the island—resulting in a decades-long waiting list for a standard car—residents rely heavily on micro-vehicles. Amidst the sea of golf carts, Japanese Kei trucks stand out.

These tiny, 660cc-engine workhorses are imported directly from Japan. They are prized by locals because their narrow frames easily navigate Avalon’s tight, steep streets while legally bypassing standard vehicle size limits. My son and I love small trucks, and getting to look at them was one of the main reasons we came to the island.

To make our walks a little sweeter, we made a daily stop at Lloyd’s of Avalon for ice cream. Centrally located on Crescent Avenue, this legendary sweet shop has been a Catalina institution since 1934. The shop even holds a famous piece of Hollywood lore: a teenage, pre-fame Marilyn Monroe—then still known as Norma Jeane Dougherty—worked a part-time job right behind the counter during WWII.

Kelp Forests and Local History

The next morning, we headed down to the hotel’s patio for complimentary breakfast. Here, in a garden-like setting surrounded by a trickling fountain and a peaceful koi fish pond, we enjoyed fresh homemade pastries, hard-boiled eggs, toast, bagels, juice, and coffee.

We then took a glass-bottom boat tour out to Lovers Cove Marine Preserve, which offered a window into Catalina’s crystal-clear waters. Looking through the viewing panels, the ocean floor came alive with thick, towering amber kelp forests. Bright, neon-orange Garibaldi—California’s official state marine fish—darted through the kelp alongside schools of striped Opaleye, silver Kelp Bass, and camouflaged Calico Bass.

Back at the hotel, the rooftop deck provided the perfect spot to unwind and read up on the building’s history. The Avalon Hotel stands on ground steeped in island lore, built on the site of the original 1920s Catalina Hospital. Reimagined as a boutique hotel, it preserves the classic Craftsman architectural style that defined early 20th-century California coastal living, blending historical preservation with modern comfort.

Reading about the island, I learned that chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. bought the island in 1919 and shaped it into a premier destination. He even brought the Chicago Cubs here for spring training. Beyond Avalon’s town limits lies a wild interior managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy. This backcountry is famous for its wild American bison. A movie crew originally brought 14 bison to the island in 1924 for a silent film shoot. When the production ran out of money to herd them back, Wrigley allowed them to stay. Today, a managed herd of about 150 bison still roams the golden hills. Visitors can explore this rugged side of the island via classic inland motor tour buses or rugged, open-air 4×4 Humvee eco-tours that climb up to the 1,500-foot peaks.

Scaling the Hills

Our next adventure was renting a golf cart. This is the island’s primary mode of transportation for locals and tourists alike, making the roads feel like a whimsical, slow-moving parade. Driving up the steep, winding hills reveals beautiful homes precariously perched on the cliffsides, alongside even more hidden tiny vans and utility trucks tucked into narrow driveways. Along the ridges, we encountered mule deer grazing by the roadside. These deer are not native either; they were introduced to the island in the 1930s to encourage tourism and have since completely adapted to the rugged terrain.

Local Flavor at The Lobster Trap

For dinner, we discovered a beloved island landmark tucked just off the main waterfront: The Lobster Trap. Stepping inside, the restaurant immediately wraps you in a lively, casual, and unapologetically maritime atmosphere. A giant replica fish hangs proudly from the ceiling, flat-screen TVs show sports games, and the energetic chatter of tourists and locals creates a welcoming, family-friendly hum. The extensive menu has plenty of crowd-pleasers. The kids kept it simple and completely cleared their plates with orders of golden chicken nuggets and a classic, juicy grilled hamburger. I opted for their signature lobster roll sandwich, featuring a perfectly grilled bun packed with chilled claw and knuckle meat tossed in a creamy, subtle tarragon sauce. It was the ultimate, authentic bite of coastal comfort food to fuel us after a long day of exploring.

Riding in Style with Catalina Express

The following morning, we said goodbye to The Avalon Hotel and boarded the Catalina Express. Upgrading to the Commodore Lounge granted us priority boarding to skip the lines and sink into spacious, leather-trimmed seats inside the exclusive upper-level cabin. With complimentary drinks and snacks in hand, we relaxed in quiet luxury on the smooth ride back, watching Catalina Island slowly dissolve into the ocean mist.

For more information on staying at The Avalon Hotel, visit The Avalon Hotel or call 310-510-7070. For more info on getting to the island, visit Catalina Express at Catalina Express or call 800-613-1212.

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I was lucky but didn’t know it. My high school years were spent at Queen Anne High School, nestled on top of one of Seattle’s seven hills. With views of the Space Needle, Puget Sound, downtown and Mount Rainer. We had a joke, if you could see this volcanic mountain, it meant it was about to rain. But we didn’t care, taking our lofty location for granted.

Mount Rainer was sacred to my family. It was where my parents had their first date, picnic prepared by mom’s mother. This time the joke was on my dad. He had thought that the elegant picnic basket, full of delectables, was made by my mom, later realizing she could barely boil an egg. Today, she can.

Mount Rainier National Park serves as an icon for Western and Central Washingtonians. The park is about 65 miles southeast of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area and 65 miles west of Yakima in the Cascade Range.

It’s an active volcano, strewn with glaciers, wildflowers, wildlife and well-designed hiking trails, ideal for seniors and children.

Mount Rainier National Park covers about 236,381.9 acres. This area includes all of Mount Rainier, a 14,410 foot stratovolcano (a tall, steep-sided composite volcanic cone built by alternating layers of hardened lava, ash, and rocks), along with surrounding valleys, waterfalls, subalpine meadows, and over 91,000 acres of old growth forests. Ninety seven percent of the park is designated as wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The park spans a dramatic elevation range from roughly 1,600-1,700 feet at its lowest points to the summit of Mount Rainier, and it is home to more than 25 named glaciers, the largest glacier system in the contiguous United States.

Around 10,000 climbers come from around the world each year to attempt the summit.

Paradise, at 5,420 feet elevation, is my favorite. In August it is blessed with wildflowers, huckleberries and blueberries. Mount Rainier National Park was recognized by the United States Congress. This made it the fifth national park in the United States. The park was created to protect and preserve Mount Rainier, once again the tallest volcano in the contiguous U.S. outside Alaska, along with its natural and cultural resources.

Mount Rainier National Park was established by an act of Congress signed into law on March 2, 1899, by President William McKinley. While
McKinley signed the bill, the park’s creation was the result of sustained local advocacy in Washington state. Efforts began in 1893 when state lawmakers introduced multiple bills in successive
congressional sessions to set aside the area. The campaign drew support from local mountaineering clubs, newspaper editors, University of Washington faculty, and conservationists like John
Muir, who praised the region’s natural beauty.

Mount Rainier National Park is open all year, 24 hours a day. Visitation is at its peak in July and August, when the weather is warm and dry and the wildflowers are blooming. If you are planning a summer trip to Mount Rainier, consider visiting mid-week, which is generally less crowded..

For further information, visit Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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First, a little background. During the late 1800’s, distilleries in the area were abundant. The mountain geography provided secluded protection for hidden stills. Corn was plentiful and easily turned into whiskey – and making moonshine was profitable. And then Prohibition hit! Consensus thinking at the time was that it would inhibit drinking and the making of it. But, of course, that was nonsense. Binge drinking probably got its start during Prohibition.

The demand for illegal alcohol skyrocketed – and the Franklin County bootleggers were more than happy to oblige, developing sophisticated transportation routes to move liquor up and down the East Coast. It famously claimed to produce more illicit liquor than anywhere else in the U.S. during Prohibition, entitling them to the moniker of “Moonshine Capital of the world,” a label they remain proud of to this day. My recent visit to the area reinforced that impression. After all, there’s a museum devoted to the very idea – albeit with a slightly different orientation.

The Moonshine Explosion Museum is devoted to just that – a June 11, 1930 literal explosion of two over-heating Model T Fords that drove into a garage for repair. Why did they explode? Trunks full of illegal liquor also over-heated. Charred remains of the cars are still ensconced in the basement of the original building which was built in 1912, but they weren’t discovered until 2017 during basement renovations – although the story proliferated well before and after.

But despite the museum’s singular name, it also paints a much more complete picture of the still celebrated history of moonshine, which kept many an Appalachian family able to survive. The museum highlights the connection between “white lightning” (AKA Firewater, Hooch) and the community, fostering a sense of resilience and ingenuity – and, oh yes, a massive evasion of the law. Franklin County became known for its high-quality moonshine and the persistence of its moonshiners in resisting authorities.

And apparently, ramifications of that questionable ability exist today. Because many moonshiners modified cars to outrun law enforcement, the culture influenced early stock-car racing, and that tradition helped contribute to the origins of NASCAR. Not entirely sure how I feel about that particular legacy….

But back to bootlegging – and the notorious Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935, the second longest trial in Virginia history. It involved a high-profile legal case involving 23 defendants accused of multiple large-scale moonshine operations. Many were convicted but the illegal operations continued to thrive.

A visit to Twin Creeks distillery underscores the appeal of the original moonshine. For starters, Twin Creeks owner and master distiller, Chris Prillman, is the grandson of Peg Hatcher, one of the kingpins convicted in the Great Moonshine Conspiracy of 1935. That’s one hell of a family legacy! As much as it sounds like an oxymoron, they serve legal moonshine – slightly less high-octane than the mountain variety and government-regulated. It’s the only establishment in the area to do so. And Chris continues to pay tribute to his grandfather by crafting spirits just as he did.

So when I say master distiller, I mean Chris is still making his “bathtub gin” – the colloquial term for stills that are large enough to be utilitarian and small enough to easily hide — at home. Whether he’s still using a bathtub, I don’t know. Back at the distillery, I sampled – okay, guzzled — a coffee moonshine made by a local coffee shop owner who still refuses to divulge his recipe that far and away surpasses any Expresso Martini I’ve ever had.

Flights of “cocktails” adorn the menu. Apparently, fancy cocktails were the norm during Prohibition as bartenders had to get creative in order to mask the taste of poor-quality liquor. Of course, Franklin County probably didn’t have any poor-quality hooch…..

More family legacy is carried on by Twin Creeks’ manager, Kathy, whose father owns three of the original moonshine cars that led to NASCAR, with enhanced power and extra-large trunks designed to transport the profitable product.

According to Steven Ray Tickle, another proud moonshining legacy and star of the surprisingly popular TV show Moonshiners, “People mistakenly think moonshiners just want to break the law, but that’s not true. They just want to carry on a tradition that’s part of the American heritage. They helped found and fund the Declaration of Independence….If you really love your country, you’re gonna have to love moonshine.”

So if you’re thinking that pretty much brings the story of moonshine to the current day, keep reading. On yet another modern-day front, Franklin County’s moonshine era may seem like a relic of Prohibition, but the legal arguments surrounding home distilling are still alive. More than a century after moonshiners in Virginia’s Blue Ridge battled federal liquor laws, the question of who can legally make whiskey — and under what authority the government can stop them — remains unsettled. In an unexpected twist, a debate that once played out on the ridges and hollows of Virginia’s moonshine country – very much still “The Moonshine Capital of the World” — may soon be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. I’ll drink to that!

For more information, visit visitroanokeva.com; mainlymuseums.com; twincreeksdistillery.com.

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Known as “The Jewel” of San Diego, La Jolla is famous for its unique geography that combines rugged sandstone cliffs, hidden sea caves, and pristine beaches. But besides all of its natural beauty, the town is also home to the 113-year-old Grande Colonial, one of the most historic and charming hotels around. 

My family and I began a recent visit to the Grande Colonial by checking into a gorgeous suite overlooking the ocean and the round hotel pool. The rooms and suites maintain the same classic sophistication as the rest of the Colonial Revival-styled hotel. Each accommodation is outfitted with warm coastal décor, goose-down comforters, and luxury amenities. 

The rooms feature old fashioned windows that open to the sights and sounds of crashing waves just a block away. The windows also provide a perch for friendly seabirds, such as the big white seagull that stopped by our room for some bread crumbs. 

Outside the room, the hallways lead to more history, with a central outdoor balcony on each floor overlooking town, and old fire escape ladders on the side of the building. The story of this landmark began in 1913, when it opened as the Colonial Apartments and Hotel. Designed by architect Richard Requa, the original white, wood-framed structure quickly became a community cornerstone, famous for its pristine ocean-view sun parlor. 

When owner George Bane completed a massive renovation in 1928, the revamped hotel boasted ornate chandeliers, marble fireplaces, and leaded glass windows alongside groundbreaking infrastructure, including the first sprinkler system west of the Mississippi. Notably, the new design integrated a popular local pharmacy run by the father of a young soon-to-be actor named Gregory Peck.

Following World War II, the property earned a reputation as “Little Hollywood.” When local Gregory Peck co-founded the nearby La Jolla Playhouse in 1947, the hotel became the premier home-away-from-home for performing stars like Groucho Marx, Charlton Heston, David Niven, and Dorothy McGuire well into the late 1950s.

Stepping outside the hotel puts you right in the middle of the Village of La Jolla. During our stay, we grabbed burgers and ice cream for lunch at Burger Lounge, and then explored a myriad of interesting boutique shops throughout town. 

After window shopping we headed down to the waterfront. The Grande Colonial sits steps from La Jolla Cove, a spectacular small beach flanked by cliffs. Protected by an ecological preserve, the La Jolla Cove boasts a mild microclimate with comfortable year-round temperatures, making it a haven for swimming, scuba diving, and snorkeling. It is also famously home to resident sea lions and harbor seals that love sunning themselves on the rocks. Just nearby, a walk along the seawall at the Children’s Pool offers gorgeous, sweeping views of the Pacific coastline.

After a day at the beach we returned to the Grande Colonial hungry and ready for dinner at NINE-TEN Restaurant, the property’s signature dining spot. Led by nationally recognized Chef Jason Knibb and Pastry Chef Jose Alonzo III, the MICHELIN Guide Distinction destination delivers an evolving California coastal menu rooted in a farm-to-table philosophy. Utilizing fresh products from local providers like Chino Farms, the daily offerings feature fresh seafood arriving from Hawaii and the North Pacific. 

Highlights from our dinner included house-made sourdough country bread; Hamachi sashimi with marinated baby shiitake mushrooms in a scallion vinaigrette; and grilled prime ribeye, with golden thread mushrooms, torpedo onions, mushroom butter, onion flowers, shaved asparagus, and sherry vinaigrette. Other menu standouts include smoked Liberty duck breast, and a Jamaican jerk pork belly served with Swiss chard, plantains, and a spicy jelly. 

Because we were hotel guests we enjoyed a 10% discount on food and beverages at the restaurant.

If you are planning your own escape, the hotel is currently running two notable promotional packages:

• Limited-Time Advance Purchase Offer: Save 15% off best available rates on select dates through July 9th when booking ahead. This deal includes a complimentary waiver of the $45 nightly hospitality service charge, covering your valet parking and added guest amenities.
• Suite Land of Liberty Escape: Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, this package features spacious ocean- or garden-view suites (some equipped with full kitchens and fireplaces). It includes a reduced $25 nightly hospitality charge, a $50 daily dining credit for NINE-TEN or room service, two welcome cocktails, complimentary valet parking, daily fitness club passes, and a self-guided walking tour of the hotel’s rich history. Guests can also enjoy the heated outdoor pool, complimentary beach gear (chairs, umbrellas, towels), and one hour of complimentary electric bicycle rentals to cruise the coastline.

The Grande Colonial Hotel is located at 910 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. The hotel also offers 5,000 sq-ft of indoor and outdoor event space, in-room dining and spa treatments, concierge-arranged ocean activities; airport shuttles and more. For more information and reservations, call (888) 828-5498 or visit: www.thegrandecolonial.com

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