Spanish-Colonial-Style Resort with Lush Gardens

In the 1940s, the guest list at this Spanish-colonial-style estate consisted of thoroughbred horses. Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa pays homage to its horse-farm heritage with original stable doors and beds draped with equestrian blankets, and clay-tile roofs, wrought-iron fixtures, and whitewashed façades embody quintessential hacienda architecture.

The resort's lush, manicured grounds are dappled with native plants including palms, succulents, and vibrant flowers. In the deluxe rooms, potted plants and wafts of the ocean breeze seamlessly integrate outdoors and indoors. Serenity runs deep at Estancia, especially at the full-service spa, where massage therapists knead away muscular tension in a private garden filled with lavender and eucalyptus. Organic-based treatments are performed beneath the rain bar of the spa's vichy showers, and the heated pool and surrounding chaise loungers beckon as the afternoon sun wanes.

Come evening, live Spanish guitar music can be heard rising from the patio of the hotel’s lounge, Mustangs & Burros, where Baja comfort fare and inventive cocktails are served in the glow of an outdoor fireplace. For an upscale yet decidedly casual dining experience, the on-site Bodega Wine Bar pairs California reds and whites with tapas-style eats such as crab-cake sliders ($8). The sleek wooden tables and golden-lit dining room of Adobe El Restaurante cultivate a sophisticated atmosphere for a lunch of locally sourced market salad topped with goat cheese and a meyer-lemon vinaigrette ($9).

La Jolla: Upscale Coastal Community Conveniently Close to San Diego Attractions

La Jolla sits on San Diego’s northern outskirts on a stretch of hilly coastal terrain marked by sprawling mansions and dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific. Boutiques, galleries, and upscale restaurants mingle in the Village, La Jolla’s downtown business district, but Mother Nature takes center stage throughout most of the area. Kayakers cruise along the 6,000 acres of rocky reefs at the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, exploring the seven sea caves and glimpsing marine life ranging from sea lions and orange garibaldi to slightly disoriented surfers. The park’s La Jolla Cove draws in divers and snorkelers who take advantage of the calm, clear waters to get up close to the living coral, and the white-sand beachfront offers a relaxing base for soaking up the sun.