With rising airfare and ongoing TSA challenges, drive-to-destination demands are continuing to rise in popularity throughout California as a solution for families and travelers still looking to get away during spring break and summer. It’s also a strong indicator of how we are shifting priorities toward convenience, flexibility and value, along with an overall experience of disconnecting and reconnecting with nature, maybe learning a new skill, and in some cases, getting your hands dirty.
Experience Sonoma Ranch Life
NewTree Ranch, founded by hospitality veteran, designer and chef Edward Newell, is set on a sprawling private estate in Healdsburg, California, about 10 miles from the charming town square. In a short time, Newell has built a devoted under-the-radar following for its transformative, nature-rooted wellness experiences, that are redefining group travel around genuine connection and healing.
“As a lifelong traveler, I’ve experienced what it means to feel truly welcomed and cared for, and that perspective shaped every detail of NewTree Ranch,” Newell told the Courier. “We’ve created a space where guests can fully exhale, knowing they are held in an environment that is both deeply intentional and quietly luxurious.”
That welcoming could also include a helipad landing on the ranch grounds from the nearby Santa Rosa airport, right in front of the main house, a four-bedroom Estate Villa. Up the hill is the second accommodation, a two-bedroom luxe Barn House, but no matter where you stay, expect to be greeted by two adorable Golden Retrievers serving as “mascots” of the property.
Start your morning with farm-fresh eggs plucked from the chicken coop near the barn, followed by a goat yoga or sound healing session. The afternoons are perfect for stand-up paddle boarding or canoeing on the lake, hot air ballooning, apple picking, hiking, or perusing one of the three gardens and plucking a few fresh asparagus or snap peas. You will also find the floral bounty in every room of the house with tastefully arranged fresh bouquets, and classes are also available to try your own hand.
Horseback riding through the ranch is an opportunity for guests to connect more deeply with the property’s natural landscape and enjoy the calming benefits of time spent with the ranch’s rescue animal menagerie.
Back in the villa or barn, the pantries are well stocked with farm-fresh eggs, veggies, seasonal fruits, along with preserves, and salsa made on the grounds for serve-yourself breakfast or snacks throughout the day. This is true farm-to-table dining and not just a marketing slogan.
“Here, people step away from the pace of everyday life, reconnect with the land through meaningful experiences and leave feeling restored, grounded and inspired—rooted, in part, in the rhythms of our regenerative garden and farm, where the health of the soil and the well-being of our guests are one and the same,” added Newell.
Daytime meals might include a bento box from a local Japanese spot, sandwiches from highly coveted Quail & Condor, or a handmade pizza from the wood-fired oven in the garden. For evening dining, an award-winning personal chef can be arranged for meals cooked in the Estate Villa gourmet kitchen, utilizing fresh veggies and produce from the grounds that showcase the ranch’s seasonal bounty. Catered events from some of the best regional cafes, bakeries, and gourmet shops, including caviar tastings, can also be organized, but if you book for more than six nights, the latter is a complimentary perk. Newell also encourages exploring beyond the gates and partners with many top local restaurants, extending the ranch experience while providing guests coveted access to some of the area’s most acclaimed culinary talents.
As the sun sets, take a stroll or soak in the pair of outdoor claw-foot bathtubs by the glamping tent with a glass of local wine. Up by the Barn House, there is a Japanese Tea Garden with a deep soaking stone tub and a glass pavilion with a view that can be set up for a massage. Below that area is a full gym and a commercial catering kitchen for events. The ranch is a popular spot for weddings.
Wine tasting can also be arranged in-house, as well as excursions to nearby vineyards such as Kendall-Jackson, or a meal at refurbished Victorian B&B Madrona Manor. The town square of Healdsburg, with specialty shops, galleries and cafes is a short 10-minute drive from the ranch, and you can take the ranch Rivian for exploring further. For more information visit newtreeranch.com.
Also in Healdsburg, local pioneer Charlie Palmer of Dry Creek Kitchen, recently opened the contemporary Appellation Healdsburg Hotel, with dining options including Folia Bar & Kitchen and a rooftop bar-lounge with vineyard and garden views.
https://www.appellationhotels.com/hotels/california-healdsburg/
For offsite activities, Sonoma Zipline Adventures in Santa Rosa offers several guided eco-courses from the high-adrenaline to beginner or a Night Flight Tour at sunset through the redwoods.
Photo by Gregory Goode
Historic Ojai Hotel with Resident Tortoises
Hotel El Roblar is not just a historic ranchero 1919 property in the heart of town, and the longest-standing property, but also the home for two Aldabra Giant Tortoises visiting from the Turtle Conservancy. Abra and Cadabra are 15 and 20 years old, respectively, but can live up to 150 years. This endangered, vegetarian species live in the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean and can also reach 600 pounds. Guests can gently pet them, but if you want to see more, schedule a visit to the nearby Turtle Conservancy with the front desk.
After a 50-year closure, behind the meticulous property restoration are Eric Goode, Ramin Shamshiri of Studio Shamshiri, Warner Ebbink and Jeremy McBride. As a homage to the early California missions, the 50-room hotel preserves its Spanish Revival architecture.
On property, two distinct dining venues led by Chef Brandon Boudet (from Little Dom’s in LA) include Condor Bar, serving modern Mexican cuisine, and La Cocina for a casual breakfast or lunch. Additional spaces include an intimate lobby bar with a distinctive mural that depicts the natural history of the Ojai Valley, by artist Stefano Castronovo, a contemporary of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Most of the hotel’s impressive artwork was sourced locally.
Guest rooms are divided among the Main House, which holds 31 rooms, many with garden terraces, 11 private bungalows with expansive patios, and the newly added Sycamore House, offering eight cabin-style rooms. The hotel’s design preserves original architectural details, including the Mission-style entry archway, the lobby’s stone fireplace, and classic Monterey-style furnishings.
On the way to visit the turtles, or to take a dip in the pool, with six cabanas, you will encounter a lush Spanish walled garden with soaring palm and dragon trees, charming Spanish-style fountains, inlaid tile work, mosaic murals, and vibrant potted plants.
Just across the street, visit the Ojai Playhouse, a 200-seat single-screen movie theater, opened in 1914, adding to the historic charm of downtown. And, every Wednesday evening, they collaborate with the hotel for a dinner and a movie night. Every Condor Bar reservation (made via Resy) at 5 p.m., comes with a complimentary movie ticket per patron to the 7 p.m. showing. theroblar.com
Photo by Patrick Chin
Big Bear Mountain Retreats and Bald Eagles
Big Bear’s newly reimagined lakeside retreat, Hotel Marina Riviera, A Casetta Hotels Property—known for resorting and maintaining historic buildings from the Casy Cody in Palm Springs to Surf Rider in Malibu and The Pearl Hotel, San Diego—opened its doors along the shores of Big Bear Lake in June 2025.
Think of this as an updated version of retro-American lake leisure with mid-century mountain décor across 42 guest rooms, with wood-burning fireplaces, housed within the property’s original 1968 Viking lodge. Enjoy the year-round heated pool, cold plunge, and barrel sauna overlooking the vast Big Bear Lake, along with restorative rituals that invite calm, connection, and a deeper return to nature. With pet-friendly rooms, lakeside paths, and scenic winter walks, the hotel makes it easy to bring your four-legged plus-one along for an escape.
Of course, the winter activities include skiing and snowboarding or hanging out in a heated igloo on the patio, but the spring, summer and fall bring boating, hikes and bike rides around the lake, and fire pits for brisk evenings of stargazing or lakeside lounging.
The hotel’s signature restaurant, and the area’s only true lakeside dining experience, De La Nonna at the Water’s Edge, serves wood-fired comfort dishes, natural wines, and favorites from the contemporary Italian brand that made a name in the downtown LA Arts District for focaccia-style pizzas.
Just beyond the shoreline, resident bald eagle pair Jackie and Shadow, have amassed a large national audience via a live-streamed nest overlooking the surrounding pine forests. The pair recently laid new eggs, drawing thousands of daily viewers and renewed social media attention. This moment offers a distinctly “only-in-Big-Bear” cultural touchpoint, blending wildlife, an alpine setting, and modern Americana storytelling. hotelmarinariviera.com
Private Cabins from Arkouda Stays
Arkouda Stays is a newly launched hospitality group redefining the open-air getaway. Founded in 2025 by partners Joseph Lontos, Donna Mulchand, and Todd Calongne, the brand was created around a shared belief: meaningful travel happens when people can slow down, disconnect, and fully experience true nature.
Arkouda Stays brings together two distinct yet complementary properties between the Arkouda Cabins and the forthcoming Arkouda House. The vision is to offer stylish, accessible stays that connect travelers to nature, and adventure, yet with comfort in a chic design aesthetic. Whether you are drawn to the modern lodge atmosphere of Arkouda House or the intimate, nature-immersed setting of Arkouda Cabins, each property balances function and character in the forest, along with upgraded wellness amenities such as sauna pods and cold plunges.
These two new additions to the area confirm that Big Bear is not just a winter getaway, but also a top destination for fresh air wrapped up in a cool mountain escape. Arkouda Cabins is now open and accepting reservations year-round. arkoudacabins.com
