California Luxury Holidays

An almost legendary place where the sun always shines.

An almost legendary place where the sun always shines - California offers so much more than people expect. Discover an inspirational mix of exciting cities, theme parks, high sierra and arid desert, fine restaurants and outstanding wine regions, or simply laze away the days on glamorous beaches. Eternally glamorous Los Angeles continues to get the biggest press and famed attractions such as Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and Hollywood need no further description. Follow in the footsteps of the famous along Hollywood Boulevard outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, enjoy people-watching on Venice Beach, or simply be part of the scene in Santa Monica with its lazy streets, cool promenade and star-studded restaurants. San Francisco is a wondrous melting pot of class and culture, bursting with must-see attractions like Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge and criss-crossed by those fabled cable cars. There are magnificent National Parks to explore, such as Yosemite, surf-pounded beaches to view from the Pacific Coast Highway and quaint coastal towns to wander round including La Jolla, Montecito, Monterey, Carmel and the old mission town of Santa Barbara. Visit the world-class vineyards of Napa Valley, or call on the southernmost city of San Diego to experience a distinct Mexican influence. And everywhere there's that laid-back Californian ambience which makes a vacation so special.

Yosemite National Park – Forests with wildlife, spectacular waterfalls and towering sequoias. Joshua Tree National Park – Between LA and the Arizona border, this park consists of two large eco-systems, one high desert (Mojave), the other low (Colorado). Theme Parks – California’s best known amusement park is Disneyland at Anaheim, but there are plenty more throughout the state. Wineries – California is the fourth leading wine producer in the world, and has more than 2,000 wineries. Napa Valley is California’s most famous wine region, located to the North-East of San Francisco. Sonoma wine region, whilst not as famous as Napa, produces excellent wines and generally less crowded wine trails. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – A popular stop to see the hand and footprints of Hollywood idols in the forecourt. Cities – San Francisco and Los Angeles. Beaches – More than 1,100 miles of coastline. Head north of Big Sur for a wild and dramatic coastline or south for wider golden sands and long boardwalks.

Jan | International Film Festival, Santa Barbara Feb | San Francisco’s Chinese New Year celebrations – A fortnight of festivities Mar | Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Mar | Academy Awards Ceremony Apr | Big Sur International Marathon May | Bay to Breakers Race, San Francisco – One of the most popular 12 kilometre races in the country May | San Francisco Carnival Jun | Summer Solstice Celebration, Santa Barbara Jun | Union Street Festival, San Francisco – One of the city’s oldest street fairs, featuring arts and crafts, food and music Jun-Sep | Hollywood Bowl – Summer concerts in the largest natural amphitheatre in the United States Aug | San Francisco Jazz Festival – With outdoor concerts in Union Square and Levi’s Plaza Oct | Big Sur Jade Festival – A three day music festival Dec | Harbour Parade of Lights, Santa Barbara – Boats decorated with holiday lights cruise around Stearn’s Wharf and the harbour Dec | Hollywood Christmas Parade

Art and antiques from Monterey. Wine from the Napa Valley.

CLIMATE Summers are hot with cool evenings, whilst the spring and autumn months are mild, with cool evenings. The winter 'rainy season' is gentle and occurs between January and March. STATE CAPITAL Sacramento TIME DIFFERENCE GMT -8 hrs in winter, GMT -7 hrs in summer FLYING TIME Los Angeles: 11 hours 10 mins San Francisco: 11 hours

California Luxury Holiday Accommodation

• Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
• Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco
• The Fairmont San Francisco
• Campton Place, A Taj Hotel
• The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
• Calistoga Ranch
• The Ahwahnee
• Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
• Post Ranch Inn
• Bacara Resort & Spa
• Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore
• Shutters on the Beach
• Casa Del Mar
• Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
• The Peninsula Beverly Hills
• The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
• America's West
• Cities and Islands
• Deserts & Oceans
• The Resort at Pelican Hill

California Luxury Holiday Special Offers