California packs an extraordinary range of resorts into one state — clifftop hideaways above the Pacific, grand Victorian landmarks, desert golf retreats in the Coachella Valley, and spa escapes tucked among Napa’s vineyards. Whatever kind of getaway you are chasing, the Golden State has a stay to match it.
When you are choosing, think about the region and the vibe: coast, wine country or desert; family-friendly or romantic; golf, spa or beach. The better a resort fits your trip, the more you will enjoy it. Here are 25 of the best resorts in California.
Map of Resorts in California
Resorts in California
Fun Facts About California
California’s resorts span three very different worlds — the Pacific coast, Napa and Sonoma wine country, and the desert around Palm Springs.
The Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888 and is one of the largest all-wooden buildings in the United States, a designated national landmark.
The desert resorts of the Coachella Valley are best in winter and spring, when the searing summer heat gives way to warm, clear days.
Wine-country resorts around Napa peak in September and October, during the grape harvest.
Many California resorts are destinations in themselves, with golf courses, full spas and multiple pools on sprawling grounds.
La Quinta Resort & Club, dating to 1926, was a longtime hideaway for Hollywood’s golden-age stars.
Built in 1888 on Coronado Island in San Diego, the Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton is a legendary beachfront resort. This immense, castle-like Victorian structure is built entirely of wood and stands as a designated landmark, known affectionately to locals simply as "The Del." Its grand interiors gleam with chandeliers throughout.
Beyond the historic architecture lie beautiful gardens and a stretch of white-sand beach fronting the Pacific. Film buffs will recognize it from Marilyn Monroe's classic "Some Like It Hot." Today the resort pairs its Victorian heritage with renovated rooms and a lively complex of pools, bars and restaurants, blending old-world grandeur with modern comfort.
Less than 30 miles from Sacramento, Thunder Valley Casino Resort welcomes guests with earth-toned decor and a tribal theme that carries throughout the property. Its centerpiece is a sprawling casino floor, where slot machines, table games, poker and bingo keep the energy running around the clock for players seeking a lively, action-packed stay.
Beyond the gaming, the resort balances excitement with relaxation. A well-equipped gym, sauna, steam room and spa offer plenty of ways to unwind after the tables. When hunger strikes, a food court gathers several dining outlets under one roof, while the on-site Thunder Cafe provides a comfortable spot to refuel between rounds of play.
Perched on the cliffs above the Pacific in elegant Rancho Palos Verdes, Terranea Resort makes a striking coastal escape less than 15 miles from Long Beach. Its upmarket Mediterranean-style design suits the dramatic setting, while sweeping ocean views frame nearly every corner. This is a true haven for relaxation, unhurried and refined from the moment you arrive.
The amenities are generous and thoughtfully spread across the grounds. A spa invites you to slow down, four swimming pools offer plenty of room to unwind, and eight restaurants cover every appetite. Golfers can take to the course, while fitness options and yoga classes keep active guests engaged. It is a place built for easy, restorative days by the sea.
Just outside the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite keeps families busy year-round. A well-appointed spa offers dry and wet saunas, while a heated pool and modern gym round out the wellness options. Daily guided tours explore Yosemite and nearby Bass Lake, putting the park's grandeur within easy reach of your door.
Seasonal activities shift with the calendar, from an ice-skating rink and a sledding snow area to guided snowshoe hikes offered by day or night. Equipment rentals make it easy to gear up, and archery adds a bit of friendly challenge. A kids' club keeps younger guests entertained, so every member of the family finds something to enjoy.
Perched high on a bluff above the Pacific, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is a clifftop retreat often rated among the finest hotels on the coast. Sweeping ocean views frame memorable sunsets, while wood-paneled lounges, crackling fireplaces, a restaurant and a bar bring warmth and polish to this luxurious seaside setting.
The location puts you close to Pillar Point and the famed Mavericks surf break, where big waves draw serious surfers. A coastal trail runs along the sea, then a stairway leads down to the beach, so you can wander the bluffs and shoreline before returning to the comforts of the resort.
The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego is a luxury high-rise hotel set in the city's Marina District, with sweeping views across the bay toward Coronado Island. Positioned right beside Seaport Village and less than five kilometers from the airport, it makes an easy, well-connected base for exploring downtown San Diego and its lively waterfront.
Guests can unwind at the pool, soak in the hot tub, or relax at the spa, while the fitness room keeps active travelers on track. The location puts you within reach of the USS Midway Museum and the San Diego marina, so days here move easily between waterside walks, harbor views, and unhurried resort comforts.
Set on the waterfront overlooking Monterey Bay, the recently renovated Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa sits just steps from Cannery Row. The large, well-lit rooms open onto some of the finest bay views in Monterey, and the beachfront setting puts the shoreline and the city's celebrated seafront within an easy stroll of your door.
Downtime is well covered, with a jacuzzi, gym and full spa on hand after a day exploring. An ocean-view restaurant frames the water while you dine, and free Wi-Fi and parking round out the stay. Best of all, everything worth seeing here is walkable, so you can leave the car and wander the bay on foot.
Set on the coast north of San Clemente, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach delivers oceanfront luxury less than four miles from Aliso Beach. Shops and restaurants line the grounds, and the resort welcomes dogs. Attentive service is the hallmark here, following you from the first breakfast right through to the evening turndown.
Families find plenty to do, with a full slate of kids' activities to fill the days. Golfers, meanwhile, get a course that is as beautiful as it is challenging, its 3rd hole teeing off with the Pacific spread out ahead. Between the fairways, the sand, and the sea air, there's a rhythm here that's easy to settle into.
Surrounded by water on Coronado Island, Loews Coronado Bay Resort sits on a 15-acre peninsula about four miles from Orange Avenue. It's well suited to families who want to slow down and enjoy the beach, with spacious rooms dressed in clean decor and spectacular bay views stretching out across the water.
The resort makes it easy to unwind without leaving the grounds. A leisure complex brings together four swimming pools and a private beach, so there's plenty of room to swim, splash, or simply settle in by the water. Between the pools, the sand, and those wide bay views, it's a restful base for a relaxed family stay.
Set on a bluff in Carlsbad with views over the Batiquitos Lagoon, the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa is a well-rated retreat built for families. Rooms run large, and the leisure complex leaves little reason to wander: a pool, golf club, tennis courts, a full spa, a game room and a dedicated kids' play area.
Mornings begin at the Ponto Lago restaurant, where a creative breakfast sets the tone for the day ahead. When you do venture out, South Carlsbad State Beach sits close by, and the San Diego Botanic Garden lies about six miles away, making the resort an easy base for pairing lazy pool days with a little coastal exploring.
Tucked into Napa Valley, the Meritage Resort and Spa welcomes families with two restaurants, a cafe, a large swimming pool and a well-equipped gym. Its most memorable feature waits underground: a standout spa carved into a cave beneath the vineyards, where the setting alone makes every treatment feel like a genuine escape from the everyday.
The cave spa leans into its winemaking surroundings with wine-based treatments, including a grape-seed exfoliation and cream that draw on the valley's signature harvest. When you're ready to explore beyond the grounds, a convenient shuttle runs to downtown Napa, putting the town's tasting rooms, shops and dining within easy, car-free reach of your stay.
Montage Laguna Beach is a sophisticated luxury resort perched above the coastline, offering some of the best views in California. The lobby sets an unmistakably local tone, displaying works by Californian artists alongside handcrafted wood-and-stone design that feels both refined and rooted in its dramatic seaside surroundings.
From private balconies, guests look out over cliff gardens, secluded coves and, in the distance, Santa Catalina Island rising from the Pacific. Dining reaches the same standard as the setting, with contemporary California-French cuisine served at the signature restaurant, Studio, where the ocean panorama becomes part of every unhurried meal.
Set near Legoland in a graceful Spanish-colonial style, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is grandly appointed and famously kid-friendly, with a lively kids' play area and eight pools, some tumbling into waterslides. Two golf courses and several tennis courts spread across impeccably maintained grounds, making it an easy pick for active families seeking room to roam.
The spa is the calm counterpoint, pairing sauna, steam room and hot tub with a bracing cold plunge and soothing heated pools. Between the fairways, the courts and the water, days here flex from playful to restorative without ever leaving the property. It's a polished, generously scaled retreat where grown-ups unwind while the youngest guests happily wear themselves out.
Tucked into the mountains inland from Santa Barbara, the Ojai Valley Inn is a historic 220-acre luxury resort framed by the Topa Topa Mountains. Its George Thomas-designed golf course dates to 1923, and the sprawling grounds hold multiple pools and several dining outlets, making it a quintessential Southern California getaway with deep roots and unhurried charm.
At its heart sits Spa Ojai, a 31,000-square-foot spa village built for slow, restorative days. Beyond the treatments, guests can wander to an artist cottage, browse the apothecary, and visit the on-site apiary. Between the golf, the pools, and the mountain backdrop, it distills the classic Ojai experience into one relaxed, elegant retreat.
Set near the Coachella Valley and wrapped in lakes and gardens, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa pairs contemporary design with a genuine sense of retreat. Dining spans a wide range, from Japanese cuisine to a classic steakhouse, so there's plenty to explore across the grounds without ever leaving the property.
Leisure runs deep here, with 2 golf courses, 3 pools, tennis courts, a lively nightclub and a dedicated kids' play area to keep every guest occupied. Rooms feel more like suites, offering a separate living area and good views, making this a comfortable base for both active days and unhurried desert evenings.
Set between California and Montgomery streets in San Francisco, the Omni San Francisco Hotel wraps guests in 1920s-inspired decor and an unmistakable air of celebrity glamour. Its luxurious rooms make an elegant base for exploring the city, while the location keeps you close to everything the surrounding neighborhood has to offer.
Practicality matches the polish here. The BART Montgomery Street station sits very close by, making travel around the Bay Area effortless. On-site, an inviting restaurant serves local cuisine, and a gym, meeting facilities, a tour desk and luggage storage round out the amenities, so both leisure travelers and business guests find everything they need close at hand.
The mission-style Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort sits beside the harbor, just across the street from East Beach. Spacious, cozy rooms open onto private balconies with ocean or mountain views, while the immaculate, peaceful grounds make it an easy choice for weddings or a quiet coastal getaway close to the water.
Days here move at their own gentle pace. Play a set on the tennis courts, unwind in the heated pools, or book a treatment at the spa. When hunger calls, choose the grill restaurant, the cafe, or the breakfast lounge, then round out the evening sampling local pours in the resort's own wine-tasting room.
Perched in central Laguna Beach, the highly rated Surf and Sand Resort earns its in-demand reputation with private beach access right at your doorstep. A well-regarded on-site restaurant serves local cuisine, while an on-property bar, an outdoor pool and terrace, and a full gym round out a stay built for both relaxation and coastal indulgence.
Rooms are designed for comfort, featuring private bathrooms with a bathtub, plush robes, quality bath products and air conditioning to keep things cool. Whether you come to swim, dine, or simply soak up the seaside setting, this Laguna Beach retreat pairs an unbeatable location with the amenities that turn a getaway into something memorable.
Sprawling across roughly 1,000 acres in Napa, Silverado Resort and Spa places you minutes from hundreds of wineries. The amenities are genuinely enormous in scope, spanning many tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, two professional golf courses, and a full spa. It is the kind of place where a single weekend never feels like nearly enough time.
Beyond the courses and courts, you will find meeting rooms, restaurants, and a well-equipped gym, plus bike and tour rentals for exploring the surrounding wine country. Breakfast is served a la carte, letting you order exactly what you fancy before a day on the greens, in the vineyards, or simply unwinding at the spa.
20. La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Dating to 1926, La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort is a historic desert retreat in the Palm Springs area. This beautiful old-style golf-and-country-club property spreads across sprawling, well-landscaped grounds bright with lovely flowers. Comfortable rooms, excellent dining and a genuine sense of vintage character make it a memorable Southern California escape.
Six restaurants keep dining varied, while a pool and a spa round out the amenities and nearby hiking trails beckon the more active. Guests can choose the lively main pool or settle into quieter poolside rooms for a calmer stay. When evening falls, the nightly firepit music becomes a favorite way to unwind beneath the desert sky.
In San Diego, the Fairmont Grand del Mar unfolds like a former grand estate, its 249 refined rooms wrapped in palatial detail. The architecture is designed in homage to the Spanish and Mediterranean Revival style of Addison Mizner, the architect celebrated for his 1920s work in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, rather than by his own hand.
Days here stretch across a full spread of amenities, from tennis courts and a golf course to a restful spa. Swimming pools and heated pools invite unhurried afternoons, while trails wind through the grounds for wandering on foot. Families settle in easily too, with a dedicated kids' club that keeps younger guests happily occupied throughout the stay.
Perched above the Pacific in Santa Barbara, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara pairs Mediterranean architecture with Spanish-colonial-designed rooms that gaze out over the ocean. It feels private and secluded, yet sits an easy trip from downtown Santa Barbara and neighboring Montecito, offering the best of both quiet retreat and coastal access.
The grounds reward long, unhurried days: saltwater pools, tennis courts and several dining options, plus a kids' club for younger guests. A secluded beach lies just out front, threaded by a nature walk and the Elwood Pier. Between the water, the trails and the courts, there's ample room to spread out and unwind.
The Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel sits right at Huntington Beach, a polished stay where cozy ocean-view rooms look out over the water and the sand is just across the street. Settle in for easy coastal days, then wander back to a heated pool, a hot tub and a well-equipped gym whenever the mood strikes.
The pools suit every traveler: one has two waterslides that keep kids happily busy, while a second, smaller pool is set aside for adults seeking a quieter soak. When hunger calls, the resort restaurant opens onto a terrace with live entertainment, an inviting spot to linger over a meal as the ocean breeze rolls in.
Set about half a mile from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Ventana Big Sur, An Alila Resort brings woodsy-chic luxury to a sprawling property along the coast. Part of Hyatt's Alila brand, it wraps you in gorgeous ocean views and a tranquil, couples-oriented calm, making it a natural retreat for anyone chasing quiet romance among the redwoods.
Stays here include breakfast, guided walks, wine-and-cheese receptions, and daily yoga and Tai Chi. Unwind at the farm-to-table restaurant and bar, the Japanese-style bathhouse, the dry sauna, the spa or the fitness center. The adults-only, clothing-optional infinity pool completes a grown-up hideaway where every detail leans toward slow, restorative days above the Pacific.
Just outside historic Calistoga in Napa Valley, Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection is a hideaway of chic studios and wooden cottages. The impeccably designed, spacious rooms channel a relaxed "luxury adult summer camp" feel, and you can borrow bikes to ride into downtown Calistoga whenever the mood for wandering strikes.
Days here unwind around a farm-to-table restaurant and easygoing patio lounge, with yoga to start the morning and the famous Calistoga mud baths to soak away the afternoon. A hot-springs mineral pool rounds out the amenities, making this a genuinely restful base for exploring the vineyards and small-town charm of the surrounding valley.
Free Things to Do at California Resorts
Even at California’s most luxurious resorts, some of the best experiences come free with your stay. Many properties — from Terranea on the Palos Verdes cliffs to Montage Laguna Beach and Ventana Big Sur — offer coastal trails, ocean overlooks and public beach access you can enjoy without spending a cent.
Look, too, for the extras folded into a resort stay: guided nature walks, yoga and Tai Chi classes, wine-and-cheese receptions, firepit gatherings and landscaped gardens made for wandering. Strolling the historic grounds of a place like the Hotel del Coronado or the Ojai Valley Inn is a pleasure in itself, no reservation required.
FAQ: California Resorts
What are the main resort regions in California?
California’s resorts cluster in a few distinct areas: the Pacific coast (San Diego, Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara, Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula), the Napa and Sonoma wine country, and the desert around Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, plus mountain lodges near Yosemite.
When is the best time to visit a California resort?
It depends on the region. Desert resorts near Palm Springs are best in winter and spring; wine-country resorts shine in September and October during harvest; and the coast is often at its clearest and warmest in the fall. There is a good resort season somewhere in California year-round.
What is the most famous resort in California?
The Hotel del Coronado, built in 1888 near San Diego, is among the most famous. Its castle-like all-wood Victorian architecture, beachfront setting and film history — including Marilyn Monroe’s Some Like It Hot — make it a California icon.
Which California resorts are best for families?
Family-friendly picks include Tenaya Lodge near Yosemite, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Park Hyatt Aviara, Omni La Costa near Legoland and The Waterfront Beach Resort at Huntington Beach — all with kids’ activities, multiple pools and space to roam.
Which California resorts are best for a romantic getaway?
For couples, coastal and wine-country retreats such as Ventana Big Sur, Montage Laguna Beach, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and Solage near Calistoga offer secluded settings, spas and ocean or vineyard views ideal for a romantic escape.
Are California resorts good for golf?
Yes. Golf is a signature of many California resorts, including La Quinta Resort & Club, JW Marriott Desert Springs, Silverado Resort in Napa, Ojai Valley Inn and Omni La Costa, several of which feature two or more championship courses.
Do you need a car to visit California resorts?
Usually yes. California’s resorts are spread across a very large state and most are best reached by car, which also lets you explore the surrounding coast, wine country or desert. A few, like the Omni San Francisco and Manchester Grand Hyatt, sit in walkable, transit-served cities.
