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Sandpiper Golf Club- Goleta, CA
I love playing particularly scenic golf courses because you just don’t care when you play poorly. Well, maybe still a little, but at least there is a consolation prize. Sandpiper is impossibly scenic. With a half mile of Pacific Ocean frontage, this challenging links style course practically turns your golf round into a day at the beach. The first five holes work their way back to the beach, offering little more than distant ocean views. That is not to say the holes aren’t scenic, or fun; they are for sure, but they are fairly straightforward land locked holes, and largely unremarkable. Relatively speaking that is, they do have wonderful mountain…
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Spanish Garden Inn- Santa Barbara, CA
While I do prefer historic hotels, if a place has sufficient character I will overlook youth. After all, my problem with most modern hotels isn’t so much age, but lack of architectural details, and uninspired interior design. Indeed, uniformity is the selling point of branded hotels- you know exactly what to expect; the same template used from coast to coast. Fortunately independent hotels can still be found, and most proudly showcase their sense of place. A perfect example is the Spanish Garden Inn; though less than 20 years old, it is reminiscent of Old California. A collection of low slung buildings, set around a breezy courtyard, it is the essence…
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Joshua Tree National Park- Joshua Tree, CA
Summer is prime time for road trips, and among the most popular destinations are our National Parks. The well known big hitters get the lion’s share of traffic; Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon see tens of thousands of tourists a day. Over 900,000 people visited Yellowstone in July alone last year. Which is madness. But there are always options, such as visiting off season, or choosing a less popular park. Joshua Tree is a perfect example, and a perfect park for desert fans. Even during its busiest month, Joshua Tree is much quieter than some other parks. If you are hell bent on a summer park vacation, you could…
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Palm Springs Aerial Tram- Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs is just about perfect. Not only does it have wonderfully mild winters, too many golf courses to count, and more retro architecture than anyone has a right to, it has an aerial tram. Aerial trams rate right up there with funiculars for me, and Palm Springs certainly boasts one of the best.
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Sunset Cruise- Dana Point, CA
It’s hard to beat a day out on the water. If you find yourself there at sunset, with a beverage in your hand, all the better. While you can find similar excursions up and down both coasts, dramatic cliffs, abundant wildlife, and a sunset right out of Endless Summer make the trip out of Dana Point one of the most unforgettable.
