One of Mendocino's best hotels is the Stanford Inn by the Sea, with its acclaimed vegan restaurant, organic gardens, eco-friendly approach, spa, pool, and yoga classes.
The Carter House Inn is a romantic hotel made up of four historic Victorian houses in the Old Town of Eureka, near the Pacific Ocean and close to Pacific Coast Highway.
Romance and comfort in Napa Valley wine country is found at 1801 First, a historic, luxury boutique hotel a short walk from downtown Napa's wine tastings and restaurants.
Rickey's Restaurant in Novato's Inn Marin in Marin County has live jazz at weekends, a bar, and good food, making it one of this California town's best dining choices.
Green and pet-friendly, the Marin County Inn Marin has a perfect location for Napa Valley wine country, California Coast, and it's a hotel that's near San Francisco, too.
One of the best hotels in Bodega Bay, the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa is just off the Pacific Coast Highway near San Francisco with ocean views, pool and fitness center.
The newly-opened FIG Restaurant in the Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica Hotel offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere, and is highly praised by top restaurant critics.
In Southern California, San Diego is one of the best places for whale watching cruises. Hornblower Cruises sail from the harbor to see Pacific gray whales and dolphins.
Olio e Limone is one of downtown Santa Barbara's best Italian restaurants, offering fine dining, wine, and gourmet cuisine just off California's Pacific Coast Highway.
A fascinating array of seahorses are the latest stars of the underwater world at the award-winning Monterey Bay Aquarium, located along the town's famous Cannery Row.
The Franciscan Inn is a historic hotel in the center of Santa Barbara, close to the beach, Amtrak station and California's Pacific Coast Highway but room rates are cheap.
The Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in a quiet but central location in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, is a historic pet-friendly guesthouse-hotel just off the PCH.
Sharks, seahorses, penguins, sea otters, touch pools and a fun Splash Zone for kids make the Monterey Bay Aquarium a top family attraction on California's Pacific Coast.
The Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea on California's Pacific Coast Highway is co-owned by movie legend Doris Day and is itself famous for being extremely dog-friendly.
Few luxury inns are historic and have spa facilities, a business center, gourmet breakfasts, free parking and wine tastings, but Casa Laguna on the PCH is a Unique Inn.
For the visitor on a budget, there's lots to do this summer for free in San Diego, including beaches, Balboa Park, Gaslamp Quarter, wildlife, and the Children's Museum.
The new Sè San Diego luxury hotel in downtown is one of the best accommodation choices for travelers who want comfort and style, with a top spa and restaurant too.
Walk along the beach, watch wildlife and relax in cozy oceanside accommodation at Pelican Cove Inn on California's Central Coast, just outside the rustic town of Cambria.
Santa Monica's Embassy Hotel, no relation to the Embassy Suites, is a historic Mediterranean-style villa with apartments and rooms in lush gardens near the pier and beach
Frommer's new guide to San Francisco Free and Dirt Cheap lists budget hotels, free films, free music, cheap food, recession-busting information on happy hours and more.
The luxury Wine Country Inn and Spa in Napa's St. Helena is one of the best hotel choices, with free wine tastings and gourmet breakfasts, and help with Napa wine tours.
From California to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, Unique Inns has the best luxury lodges, boutique hotels, and historic inns on the Pacific Coast and in Napa Valley.
Plan a visit to San Diego's Balboa Park with care as some museums are closed Mondays, while others have free entry on some days and the Zoo alone can take a day to see.
The 2009 edition of Frommer's California Guide covers the best of Wine Country, Where to Eat in Los Angeles, Where to Stay in San Diego, and more, in almost 800 pages.
If looking for the best San Francisco hotels let the travel experts be the guides, with top hotel tips from Frommer's, Fodor's, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness, Suite101.