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California Road Trip

By dcontray

Trip Plan Tags:: road trip,; design + architecture,; wine,; city,; arts + culture,; shopping,; food

Destinations:: Berkeley,; California,; Greater Los Angeles,; Napa Valley,; North America,; San Francisco,; San Simeon,; United States

I can't believe we did all this in less than a week! We started in San Francisco, went up to Napa, and then drove back down the coast. The best meal was at Chez Panisse, of course, and if you are in Napa you have to do a tour of Frog's Leap. The highlight for me was the Hearst Castle. Love those Gilded Age mansions. We sadly had to skip Big Sur since it was prime wildfire time. That meant going back north and driving inland for a while. But road trips are all about going with the flow, right?

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Shop M.A.C. (Modern Appealing Clothing), California

Rich hipsters with a hankering for avant-garde Belgian and Japanese designers shop with the big dogs at M.A.C., the longtime Hayes Valley mainstay for... more

Shop Gump's, California

Founded in 1861 by Solomon Gump to introduce Gold Rush parvenus to the decorative arts, the famous Gump's purveys costly, beautiful, and unusual housewares in... more

See + Do Cable Car Rides, California

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964, cable cars are crowded but worth riding at least once for the gorgeous views. Of the three routes, Powell-Hyde... more

See + Do The Mission

Home of the city's Latino community and popular with artists and yuppies too, the Mission has taquerias and thrift stores jostling with hip bars and upscale... more

Shop Wilkes Bashford, California

A San Francisco original since 1966, Wilkes Bashford is the city's priciest and most exclusive department store, catering to local elite hungry for upscale... more

See + Do Golden Gate Bridge, California

Opened in 1937, Golden Gate Bridge is named after the Golden Gate Strait, the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. Its color, "international orange," was... more

Eating Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café, California

When Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in 1971, she sparked a "green" revolution that spread around the world. And though focusing on local, artisanal... more

See + Do Frog's Leap, California

Frog's Leap provides a playful counterpoint to Napa Valley's stuffier wineries. Built around a big red barn, Frog's Leap feels like exactly what it is: a farm.... more

See + Do Domaine Chandon Winery, California

One of the first French-owned wineries in California, Domaine Chandon opened with a splash in 1975 and is best known for its wide range of sparkling wines,... more

Eating Redd, California

When you want to don high heels and rock your new Marc Jacobs dress, book a table at Redd. On most nights, a who's who of the local wine industry gathers to... more

Hotel Carneros Inn, California

If you prefer Wallpaper over Town & Country, and Minis over Bentleys, you'll love the modernist-meets-farmhouse aesthetic of the Carneros Inn, located in... more

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Editor's Pick

Eating Bouchon, California

An offshoot of the celebrated French Laundry, Bouchon is a classic French brasserie, right down to the mosaic tile floor, zinc bar imported from France, and... more

Hotel Treebones Resort, California

Green is the watchword at this cushy Mongolian yurt camp, set on a steep hillside midway between San Simeon and Big Sur. The 16 yurts have been constructed... more

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Editor's Pick

See + Do Henry Miller Memorial Library, California

The brilliant and controversial writer was a native New Yorker, but his archive is here, in the town where he lived for 18 years and wrote some of his best... more

Hotel Post Ranch Inn, California

The hype is true: This place really is spectacular. It sits on a narrow ridgeline 1,200 feet above the crashing surf, and its architecture brings out the best... more

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Editor's Pick

See + Do Hearst Castle, California

Publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst's monument to himself is by far the best-known attraction on the California coast. Perched high atop La Cuesta... more

Eating The Counter, California

This mod-style diner in Santa Monica serves fun burgers with grown-up appeal. Choose a beer or wine chaser, customize the toppings to your liking, and get... more

Shop Decades, California

This fabulous vintage couture shop has supplied red-carpet gowns for the likes of Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Sheryl Crow. The... more

See + Do Hollywood Forever Cemetery, California

The "resting place of Hollywood's immortals" is L.A.'s answer to Père Lachaise in Paris; here, loyal fans can visit the tombstones of everyone from... more

See + Do Getty Center, California

This is architect Richard Meier's masterwork, a stunning 110-acre modernist complex in the Santa Monica Mountains housing the Getty Museum and other foundation... more

See + Do Griffith Observatory, California

This 72-year-old Greek Revival landmark on a hilltop in Griffith Park is one of L.A.'s most recognizable icons, forever enshrined in the zeitgeist by the movie... more

Hotel Millennium Biltmore Hotel, California

Set in a neighborhood of striking architectural landmarks (including MOCA and the Walt Disney Concert Hall), the 1923 Biltmore is a sprawling hodgepodge of... more

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Editor's Pick