Travel & Leisure

As the temps keep climbing here in the Valley, and the days keep getting longer, we are scrambling for an escape to cooler climates where the sunshine can truly be enjoyed. Thankfully our neighbor, The Golden State of California, has some fab experiences awaiting. We’ve highlighted our picks for adventures to be had in Cali this summer, so get your car ready for an epic road trip up north.

From Polaroids to pink sips, North Hollywood hot spot, The Garland, hosts a slew of fun summer programming.  

Snapchat, who? With Poolside Polaroids, guests can reserve a retro Polaroid camera poolside at The Garland with the help of a hotel employee and snap photos to take as keepsakes ($4 per photo). The hotel is brimming with must-see photo ops, from the poolside fireplace and the fountain...

Summer is all about splashing, sunning and, if you ask us, spa-ing. Through Sept. 30, Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia is serving up spectacular deals seven days a week. Get through that mid-week slump with Wellness Wednesday, which means spa-goers receive $40 off any full-price 50- or 80-minute spa service, plus a complimentary fitness class. Or step into the weekend on the right foot (newly pedicured, of course) with Sensational Saturday, which spotlights a complimentary hot stone add-on or aromatherapy...

Does the promise of falling asleep to the sound of crashing waves and the saline dew of saltwater air have you California dreaming? What about out-of-this-world dining, shopping and pampering? Read on for 14 of our most inviting neighbors to the west.

THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

The mecca for Hollywood’s elite (and aspiring elite, too), The Beverly Hills Hotel has been an icon in sunny Los Angeles for more than 100 years. Nicknamed the “Pink Palace,”