California

Big Sur

What it is: Sixteen yurts overlooking the Big Sur coast, offering an adventurous, eco-friendly atmosphere.

The rooms: Four of the yurts are specifically designed to accommodate families. The furnishing is purposely sparse—queen-size beds, cozy quilts, electric lighting, and a hot-and-cold sink vanity. Each room offers an incredible ocean view, and bathroom facilities are a one-minute walk away. A sky dome offers the perfect view for enjoying the night sky.

Amenities: Treebone's greatest offering is the serenity. There's no cell-phone service on the grounds. Spend time in the lodge enjoying food, drink, games, and time to connect. You can also schedule a private massage in your yurt or relax in the ocean-view pool (heated in winter) or hot tub.

Activities: Watch for whales on Whale Rock, or visit Sand Dollar Beach to the south. Choose between two eco-tour options: the Big Sur hike or ocean kayaking.

Details: 71895 Highway 1, from $189 for four people.

Lake Tahoe

What it is: A modern boutique hotel built at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains for the 1960 Winter Olympic delegation. It was renovated in 1995 as a mountain escape with year-round access.

The rooms: All 61 rooms and suites offer breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and are equipped with bars, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and movies on demand. The family suite has two queen-size beds and an adjoining room with two single beds, along with an extra TV/DVD player and an Xbox game system.

Amenities: Enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, patio, and sundecks, along with two hot tubs. Work up a sweat in the fitness facility, or take advantage of the surrounding mountains with complimentary ski and snowboard rental and storage. When hunger strikes, indulge in the PlumpJack Café dining room, Café Bar & Patio Menu, or cozy up with room service.

Activities: The Lake Tahoe area offers a variety of outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, kayaking, and golfing. Take a wine seminar or class or experience a ride in the Squaw Valley USA Cable Car, which will take you to an elevation of 8,200 feet for incredible views of the mountains and lake.

Details: 3129 Fillmore Street, from $169 for a King or Queen room, includes daily breakfast buffet for two.

Napa Valley

What it is: An estate-style hotel with 85 cottages, suites, and lodges tucked into the scenic 250-acre valley.

The rooms: The rooms are decorated simply but warmly. Rent a Family Lodge with two to four bedrooms.

Amenities: A full-service health spa and nightly wine receptions create perfect opportunities to relax. Take a wine-tasting course or vineyard tour, or take a lesson with the hotel's tennis, croquet, or golf professionals. Dine at the Restaurant, famous for it's food and wine pairings; in the Restaurant Bar & Terrace, which is open year-round due to its large stone fireplace; at the Grill, which features ingredients from Meadowood's own garden— or call room service.

Activities: Take advantage of Meadowood's championship croquet lawns, seven tennis courts, nine-hole golf course, hiking trails, and swimming pool, or relax on the grounds with an expertly prepared picnic.

Details: 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena from $575 for a double.

Calistoga

What it is: An 89-room modern hotel from the luxury company Auberge Resorts.

The rooms: Solage Calistoga offers five room layouts, from studios to an indulgent Capella Suite, with a king-size bed, living area, two 37-inch plasma TVs, a steam shower, and separate deluxe bathtub. Each room is equipped with two cruiser bikes, wireless Internet, a high-definition LCD TV, and DVD and CD players.

Amenities: Work out in the hotel's fitness facility or relax at Spa Solage. Dine on a savory burger or a salad of handpicked organic greens at Solbar, Solage's casually trendy restaurant. The kids' menu is sure to satisfy even the pickiest palate.

Activities: Explore the 22-acre grounds or play a game of bocce ball on the hotel's courts. There are also miles of hiking and jogging trails. Cool off in the pool (or children's pool), or set the kids loose in the play area. Off-site, take a vineyard tour, visit art galleries and museums, or shop. The Napa Valley Opera House and Lincoln Symphony Hall are also nearby.

Details: 755 Silverado Trail, from $425 a night for the Vega King Studio.

Pescadero

What it is: An eco-adventure resort an hour south of San Francisco on the California coast.

The rooms: Stay in any of the 40 Lodge rooms throughout the North and South Lodge buildings or one of the Douglas Fir Cabins overlooking Whitehouse Canyon and enjoy one king-size or two double beds, a Bose stereo, and wireless Internet. For a more rustic experience, try a bungalow, and use the bathrooms in one of three nearby comfort stations. Guests who want to rough it can bring their own camping supplies and stay on the grounds on wooden platforms with a parking space, fireplace, water, and electricity.

Amenities: Visit Spa Costanoa for one of their integrative massages, and hit up the Cascade Bar & Grille for coastal cuisine, local wines, and a kids' menu. The General Store is a great stop for organic snacks, assorted beverages, board games, and books for your stay.

Activities: Hike, mountain bike, or horseback ride through four state parks, 30,000 acres of trails, and a vibrant wildlife reserve. Enroll children in the Costanoa Kids' Camp to let them participate in nature walks, tide pooling, bug hunting, and arts and crafts while you take a surfing lesson or unwind in a yoga class. An outdoor hot tub is also available to Lodge, Cabin, and Cypress Bungalow guests.

Details: 2001 Rossi Road at Highway 1, from $95 to rent a campground and $145 for a Cabin King.

San Francisco

What it is: A luxury, 199-room on the San Francisco waterfront.

The rooms: All rooms in this four-star hotel offer 440-thread-count sheets, complimentary Internet, LCD flat-screen televisions, and CD players. The Family Studio offers a choice of a king-size bed or two queen-size beds, a sofa bed, and a dining table.

Amenities: Free yoga and stretching classes are offered every morning at the penthouse-level yoga studio, and there's a fitness center and waterfront running trails. Hotel guests also get free passes to the nearby YMCA. The hotel spa offers private soaking tubs and three treatment rooms with massages and facials for a relaxing break. Stop into the Americano restaurant, bar, and lounge for a taste of Northern California cuisine, including crusted Pacific black cod for adults and Fulton Valley chicken tenders for kids. Room service is also open 24 hours. The hotel also offers complimentary car service within one mile of the hotel.

Activities: With the Embarcadero Waterfront conveniently located nearby, there are plenty of options for fun. Peruse the Historic Ferry Building Marketplace for fine cuisine, or hit up the Embarcadero Shopping Center. The AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, is only a trolley ride away.

Details: 8 Mission Street, from $301 for a Deluxe King.

What it is: A 552-room luxury hotel in the heart of the San Francisco Financial District.

The rooms: From a Superior room to the Governor's Suite, all rooms have 14-foot ceilings, 37-inch LCD flat-screen TVs, 24-hour room service, and refrigerators.

Amenities: Take a dip in the hotel's immaculate indoor pool, set under an arched glass ceiling and surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs. The hotel's fitness center overlooks the pool. The Equilibrium Spa on the fourth floor offers services from massage to facials. Room service is available day or night, but the hotel offers three restaurants: Kyo-Ya, a Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi and sashimi, Maxfield's, a classic American restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and the Garden Court, which serves breakfast and lunch in a beautiful glass-domed atrium.

Activities: From popular attractions like the Museum of Modern Art, Chinatown, and Golden State Park, the surrounding area has an abundance of attractions. The hotel can help arrange car rentals, limo service, and theater and sports tickets. Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, and North Beach are all within four miles.

Details: 2 New Montgomery St., from $260 for a Superior room with two double beds.

What it is: A luxury hotel that includes a historic building, a 40-story tower, and the Museum of the African Diaspora.

The rooms: Choose from the contemporary one-bedroom Superior guest room to the extravagant 3,200-square-foot Presidential suite. All rooms come standard with plasma-screen televisions, flat-screen LCD TVs in the bathroom, DVD and CD players, and 24-hour room service.

Amenities: St. Regis will pamper you in their Reméde Spa, featuring whirlpools, steam rooms, and Laboratoire Reméde beauty treatments. But the most extravagant indulgence comes from the signature St. Regis butler service, which provides personal packing and unpacking, coffee and tea service, pressing, making spa appointments, and making reservations at either of the hotel restaurants, Ame (which serves American cuisine made from local ingredients) and Vitrine (the 74-seat breakfast and lunch café).

Activities: Take in a game at the SBC Ballpark, stroll the Yerba Buena Gardens, or take advantage of shopping opportunities, all within two miles of the hotel.

Details: 125 Third Street, from $649 for a Superior room with one king-size or two double beds. An extra roll-away or crib can be added for no additional cost.

Santa Barbara

What it is: A luxury camping resort consisting of four "villages" of nature lodging and safari tents along the Southern California coast.

The rooms: You can stay in a Canyon Cedar Cabin, which comes in various floor plans, including lofts, suites, kings, doubles, and bunks. The cabins are equipped with standard bathroom facilities, kitchenettes, wireless Internet, telephone services, and several offer fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs. If you'd prefer to "rough it", stay in one of 26 classic Safari Tents, each of which is furnished with either a queen-size or two double beds, and use nearby private bathroom facilities. Both options let you use outdoor picnic tables and benches and grills and firepits.

Amenities: Take a swim in the resort's heated swimming pool. You can bring your own cooking supplies or enjoy meals from the Canyon Market & Deli.

Activities: Hike the canyon or take a ride on complimentary beach cruiser bikes. You'll also find ocean kayaking, horseback riding, surfing lessons, even wine tasting. There are also jeep tours, boat charters, whale watching, and various performance-arts shows.

Details: 11560 Calle Real, from $235 for a Creekside Queen Cabin, or from $125 for a Safari Tent Double.

What it is: A Spanish Colonial-style hotel on Butterfly Beach.

The rooms: The 207 guest accommodations in the Four Seasons include rooms, suites, and 12 private one-story cottages. All rooms include DVD and CD players, Internet access, and a private bar.

Amenities: The hotel's spa offers signature massage and skin-care rituals, or you can schedule in-room massage and spa services. Eat breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner at the casually chic Bella Vista restaurant. Or dine in your room with 24-hour room service, complete with special menus for children and young adults. There is also a fitness center with complimentary fruit and juice. For younger guests, the hotel offers a welcome amenity, complimentary baby and children's toiletries, and child-size bathrobes.

Activities: The Four Seasons Biltmore offers a variety of outdoor activities, from lounging by their outdoor pool to enjoying a round of golf, tennis, or croquet. On nearby Butterfly Beach, take part in body boarding, deep-sea fishing, sailing, scuba diving, or surfing. Your concierge can help arrange dune buggying, gliding, horseback riding, and hot-air ballooning.

Details: 1260 Channel Drive, from $600 for a standard room with one king-size bed.

Yosemite National Park

What it is: Eighteen standard motel rooms, 100 cabins with private baths, three specialty cabins with baths, 80 cabins with central bath houses, and 427 canvas-tent cabins in the heart of Yosemite.

The rooms: The canvas-tent cabins offer a comfortably rustic experience. There aren't any electric outlets, telephones, televisions, or plumbing, but the trash is emptied and towels are changed daily. A few tent cabins can be heated. The cabins without baths have two double beds, and those with baths can be configured with one or two double beds, or a double bed and one single bed. Maid service is provided only in cabins with baths. The cottages are available with one or two double beds and maid service. Finally, one- and two-bedroom specialty cabins have sitting areas and television, and some have fireplaces.

Amenities: There are several dining options available in Curry Village, from the Ski Buffet in the pavilion to all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner buffets from Mother Curry's Kitchen, including taco stations, pasta, and desserts, to the Pizza Deck, Curry Bar, Taqueria, and Ice Cream & Coffee Corner. Barbeque grilling is also available at many picnic areas of Yosemite.

Activities: Rent bicycles and rafts rentals. Swim in the pool in the summer and skate on the ice rink in the winter. You can also take part in the Yosemite Mountaineering School and experience guided group and private lessons and trips for rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking. Near Curry Village you can arrange for stable rides, fishing, naturalist programs, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Free shuttle service is available to various locations in Yosemite Valley.

Details: Yosemite Valley, from $64 for an unheated tent (each child $4 extra) to $71 for a heated tent. (You must book one year in advance.)

What it is: A four-diamond hotel in Yosemite National Park with 123 guest rooms, including 99 hotel rooms, parlors, and suites, and 24 cottages.

The rooms: Hotel rooms in the Ahwahnee are all decorated with a Native American motif and offer incredible views of Yosemite Valley. They include one king-size bed or two double beds. Cottage rooms have private baths, television, small refrigerators, and stone patios. They don't have air conditioning, but shade trees and fans keep the rooms cool in warmer months. Choose from one king-size bed and two double beds. Junior Suites are available in two configurations. The El Dorado Diggins Suite sleeps four and has a sunken living room and the only Jacuzzi in Yosemite. The Mary Curry Tresider Suite has a canopy bed and was once stayed in by Queen Elizabeth II.

Amenities: The hotel offers bell service, a full-time concierge, maid service, room service, afternoon tea service, a year-round outdoor heated pool, and seasonal tennis courts. Enjoy a casual breakfast, brunch, or lunch and a stately dinner (collared shirts, slacks, dresses, skirts, and blouses are required) in the Ahwahnee Dining Room. Valet parking on the premises is complimentary.

Activities: Enjoy an adventure in Yosemite Park, from hiking to backpacking to downhill skiing. Children's programs in the park include the Wee Wild Ones group for children under 6, the Junior Rangers Program for children 3 to 7 years old, and Story Time for children under 12. There is also golfing, rafting, and water sports, and various nature and history programs available.

Details: Yosemite Valley, from $394 for a double. (You must book at least 366 days before your trip.)