Category: Northern California
Carmel Valley – Where to Stay and Play
Carmel Valley is a popular destination for luxury loving Californians. Resorts, lodges, and restaurants in this area two hours from San Francisco offer the food, wine, and activities that Golden State residents love. Want to connect with the local culture? You couldn’t make a better choice than to spend some time at Carmel Valley Ranch. When I […]
4 Secret Spots on California Highway 1
Highway 1 winds along nearly 650 miles of the California coast, providing breathtaking ocean views and glimpses of local life in picturesque communities. The road is discontinuous and relatively slow, so most travelers switch back and forth between scenic sections of Highway 1 and “making better time” on Highway 101. Highway 1 is one of […]
Winners Report – San Francisco America’s Cup
In mid-September, we held a quickie contest on this site to give away two pairs of tickets to the San Francisco America’s Cup races. Barbara, from San Diego, was one of the winners and today I received the creative note you see above from her. She claims it was easy to create in iPhoto, but she might […]
Carmel California Trip Report
A four-night stay in Carmel California was the prize in the first Getaway contest on Authentic Luxury Travel. Marie and Mark Bologna won the trip and spent their anniversary there in April. I always love hearing from readers, but this note was a special pleasure. Read on and you’ll understand why: Dear Elizabeth, I […]
Free Tickets to America’s Cup in San Francisco
Are you following the America’s Cup in San Francisco? The races are on now and I’ve just been given two pairs of free tickets for Saturday, September 14. Yes. I know that’s in a couple of days – but I just thought I’d mention it, because if you love sailing, you might want to move […]
Winner of the Carmel Four Night Getaway is..
Thanks to all of you who subscribed and submitted comments for the Four Fabulous Nights in Carmel Getaway. It was interesting to see which locations popped up as favorites. Here are the top ten: Country/Location Italy Carmel, California South Africa Indonesia Antarctica French Polynesia Ireland New Zealand Spain USA AND THE WINNER IS… The randomly selected winner of […]
Chasing California’s Surf Culture
Let me start by saying that the surf movie Chasing Mavericks is in no danger of being nominated for an Academy Award. Gerard Butler and Jonny Weston are sympathetic characters, but as one reviewer said “there’s a pretty good 90-minute movie trapped inside this 111-minute extravaganza.” * On the other hand, Authentic Luxury Travel is […]
Win Four Fabulous Nights in Carmel, California
Win a luxurious four-night stay for two in beautiful Carmel, California! Enjoy innovative meals and fine wines at Carmel’s landmark Cypress Inn and Carmel Valley’s award-winning Bernardus Lodge. Visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, walk white-sand beaches, stroll through vineyards, and enjoy scenic surroundings during the day. Relax by an open fire in the evening. […]
Best Places to Walk in Northern California
I love to walk and I recently took advantage of a great opportunity to experience the best places to walk in Northern California. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions that authentic travelers make because we’re open to spontaneous adventures on the road less traveled. A friend of mine had planned a walking trip from […]
Award Winning Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, California
While it can be foggy along the Carmel coast, the sun shines 320 days a year about 15 minutes inland in Carmel Valley. This makes the lucky people who are staying at Bernardus Lodge happy. The sunshine also makes many, many acres of grapes very happy. Northern California insiders know that Carmel Valley produces wonderful wine and […]
The Cypress Inn, Carmel, California
My husband and I just spent two wonderful days in Northern California at The Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and I can’t decide what I loved most about it. First of all, the inn is pet-friendly and standard schnauzers, labs, and cocker spaniels give it a homey feel and provided natural ice breakers for meeting other […]
Glamping in a US National Park
As I mentioned in my last post, President Obama’s recent Executive Order has made it easier for overseas travelers to visit the USA and he – and I – hope you will explore our country’s beautiful national parks. I think they offer our best Authentic Luxury Travel. If hiking sounds too rugged, remember that you […]
Napa Valley, California, USA, for the Holidays
Where to celebrate the holidays? That seems to be the question everyone is asking these days. If you’re looking for a small community with Currier & Ives appeal, I suggest you head to Yountville in Northern California’s Napa Valley. If you read my earlier post on Yountville, you already know that this small town is […]
Napa Valley the Way I Remembered
I used to visit Napa Valley every few years – not just because I like good wine and good food, but because the area was so serene. In addition to the vineyards, I loved the open spaces covered in wildflowers, the mom-and-pop businesses with friendly proprietors, and the grand European-style wineries. However, somewhere along the […]
