These lush resorts listed below cater to crowds, offering food, wedding venue, party space, luncheon, gift shop and overnight accommodations. These huge wineries are popular places with large facilities, parking lots, golfing nearby and restaurants.
Bacara, Santa Barbara
8301 Hollister Ave
Goleta, CA 93117
855-968-0100
Carneros Resort and Spa
4048 Sonoma Highway
Napa, CA 94559
707-299-4900
Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn
2860 Grand Ave
Los Olivos, CA
805-688-7788
800-841-1104
A rare gem: a rustic river ranch in Baja California Mexico. Fully operational, clean hotel with great rates & home-cooked meals. Open year round.
This historic place is a living legend; well known throughout the tourists circles. A quaint, family run, secluded backcountry lodge – in the middle of nowhere. A motorcycle haven, well known w/ crowds. Hundreds of bikes, buggies, sand rails & jeeps each year make it to this lovely destination.
Also a popular destination for campers with the horses, 4×4 clubs, SUV travelers as well. No motorhomes, caravans of clueless, nor RVs should attempt this remote Baja location.
Mike’s Sky Ranch rests on a hillside overlooking the Arroyo San Rafael, which is a somewhat wooded river valley with steep, brush-covered mountains. The ranch offers motel-type accommodations for a very reasonable price: family-style meals, a swimming pool, horse-back riding, sycamore-shaded campsites. The individual hotel rooms are adequate with a bathroom, plus a variety of bed sizes & combinations.
Remote Ranch in Baja
The price is right. Mike’s Sky Ranch charges on a per person basis. The rental includes a bed, plus two meals:
dinner the night you arrive
breakfast the next morning
bring cash for bar drinks
bring snacks, lunches & own ice chest
Camping also available; inquire for rates
Mikes Sky Ranch Reservations
write a letter:
667 Twining Ave.
San Diego, CA 92154
Call during the week Mon-Wed
phone # 011-52-664-68-15514
Ask about information regarding nearby day-trips to – the Oberservatory by vehicle or, on foot, into the rugged country to the east. A nice watrerfall is only 1 mile hike up the canyon. Depending on the year and waterflow, this may or may not be impressive. Small rainbow trout sometimes can be found in the river next to the ranch. Hunters may find deer, rabbit, & quail.
Imagine the remote, dirt, back roads of Baja Mexico. Dusty, bumpy, undeveloped & adventurous. Some areas may require 4 wheel drive depending on the rainfall & erosion at that time. Road conditions can change from year to year, so come prepared. Although a 2WD truck or SUV can easily make it all the way out to the infamous Mike’s Sky Rancho, it may not always be the case. Let’s just say on a heavy winter rainy season, beware. You may wanna see just how deep that river crosing really is before attempting that last obstacle.
The swimming pool is clean & the properties water source is straight from the mountains via the year round flowing river next door. Camping out is an option down by the river.
There is a small bar that is open nighly; but please don’t expect poolside Palm Springs style service. This is a rustic place that caters more to the ‘roughin’ it’ types.
Getting there is half the fun. I wouldn’t try your first visit arriving at night, since the small dirt roads can get confusing with limited signage. There are no telephone poles out here, or even electricity wired this far out, so the small ranch uses a generator every night from dusk until 10pm. “Man, when that generator goes off. Poof … the stars come on!”
30 mile Dirt Road access only
MSR Baja California MX
Located approx. 50-60 miles; south east of Ensenada, Baja south off MX Hwy 3
DIRECTIONS: From Ensenada & Hwy. 3 East bound: This road to Mike’s begins at signed junction 10-11 miles south east of Valle de Trinidad. High-clearance vehicles are necessary; 4WD is not required. The entire route is on rough dirt roads. The first part rises over rural dry brush landscape & then decends down into a wooded river valley – where the resort is located. The overall mountainous region has few large trees & plenty of dust. The road becomes rougher as it winds down & approaches a junction at mileage 13.8. Bear left to continue 8 miles to the ranch. Creek crossings and river crossings, slow down!
The BAJA ALMANAC is by far the best back roads guide to Baja California MX. Numerous versions span from 1990-2001. May be difficult to find cuz it is out-of-print. Fast becomeing a collectors item, since so few can be found on the ‘used book market’
Rainy New Years EveRiver Crossing at RanchTent Camping MSR, Baja California
From motorhomes to mobile homes, California has vacation and retirement appeal. Pre-fabricated homes from the 1960’s still line canyons of Northern California. New luxury homes, geodesic dome homes, with a moldy-oldie cabin, all right next to each other. Plenty of 1970-something mobile homes still in use.
The tiny home revolution may take California by surprise, as more people choose to downsize their life and amount of belongings. Yurts, cabins, ranch homes, cottages, kit cabins, log cabins. Shipping container homes, double wide, single wide with roof awning, 5th wheel with slide-outs – and woodstove?
Wild Land Ranches on Road 308, Mendocino
wild land urban inter face
Konkow @ Lake Concow, CA
Living in the wild has some disadvantages. Wildland fire is one of them.
MOBILE culture: temporary shelter, motorhomes, kit homes, cabins, yurts, inexpensive homes
new modular homes
Build New or Rebuilding options and ideas, some under $200k
Bryce Canyon Lodge aka The Lodge at Bryce Canyon 877-386-4383 Steps from the canyon’s rim, inside the NP 114 rooms
Bryce Canyon Resort
3 miles from Bryce Canyon on the corner of Hwys 12 & 63 58 rooms
Bryce Valley Inn
10 scenic miles from Bryce Canyon NP 65 rooms
Marianna Inn
Panguich, Utah
Gateway to Bryce National Park 34 rooms
Cedar Breaks
Cedar Breaks National Park
Cedar Breaks Lodge Brian Head
Minutes of Zion, Bryce, Cedar Breaks; skiing, summer biking & hiking. 130 rooms
Willow Glen Inn Bed & Breakfast
Located in Cedar Valley in a very quiet rural location. 10 rooms
Ivins, Utah
Red Mountain Resort
Adventure & Fitness. Health Spa. Red Rock Therapy-service & spa facilities at a full service resort with impressive mountain views. 116 rooms
Moab, Utah
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Desert Chalet Bed & Breakfast
off Holyoak Lane, on San Juan 5 rooms
Rustic Inn Motel
third traffic light & 1 block east 33 rooms
Sleep Inn Moab
Newer hotel, on the main drag 61 rooms
Torrey, Utah
Capitol Reef National Park
Austin’s Chuckwagon Motel
12 W Main St
Torrey, UT 84775
435-425-3335 showers, laundry, motel & cabins
Motel Torrey
415 West Main St
Torrey, UT 84775
435-425-3800
Zion, Utah
Zion National Park
Zion Lodge
1 Zion Lodge
Springdale, UT 84767
435-772-7700
Beautiful lodge in the middle of Zion Valley inside Zion NP. 121 rooms
While the well-known explorers Lewis and Clark were both freemasons and some of the first white men to walk across the continent to reach California, we are not interested in ‘Masonic Lodges’ of the West Coast. Nor any ‘Worshipful Masters’ that came after.
The most interesting Historic Lodges of California are the ones located deep within nature, surrounded by grandeur and real beauty. The historic hotels in which we list here have been accommodating guest for well over 100 years. Ideal locations, from rustic mountain cabins to impressive beach resorts, gold country to desert oasis, this is Total Escape, California off the beaten path.
California Deserts
Amargosa Hotel
Amargosa Opera House
Death Valley Junction, CA
760-852-4441 Historic mining location; Mojave Desert, east of DVNP
The Inn at Furnace Creek
Inn at Death Valley
Furnace Creek, California
Death Valley National Park Palmed poolside resort with luxury, opened in 1927
So Cal Mountains
The Julian Hotel
Julian Gold Rush Hotel
2032 Main Street
Julian, California
800-734-5854
760-765-0201
East San Diego Mountains Oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California
California Cities
Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave
Coronado Island, CA
800-468-3533
619-435-6611
West of downtown San Diego Wooden Victorian Beach Resort, facing the Pacific Oldest lodge on the West Coast, established 1888
U.S. Grant Hotel
326 Broadway Avenue
San Diego, CA
800-237-5029
619-232-3121 Downtown, directly across from Horton Plaza
The Mission Inn
3649 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA
909-784-0300
The Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills, CA
Biltmore Hotel
The Biltmore
downtown Los Angeles
The Queen Mary
Historic Cruise Ship
Long Beach, California Port of Los Angeles, busy harbor w/ seaside village
The Fairmont Hotel
San Francisco, CA
Sierra Nevada Mountains
Camp Nelson Lodge
Camp Nelson, California
559-542-0904
Western Sierra Nevada near Giant Sequoia National Monument
Evergreen Lodge
Groveland, CA
800-935-6343
West of Yosemite National Park
Hwy 120 (CA SR 120) 88 cabins w/ historic mountain lodge, built in the 1920s
The Ahwahnee Hotel
Yosemite National Park, CA
559-252-4848 Next to the granite walls of Yosemite Valley
Murphys Historic Hotel
457 Main Street
Murphys, CA
800-532-7684
209-728-3444 Gold Rush California, Historic Mining Community
Rainbow Lodge
at Royal Gorge
Interstate 80, west of Donner Pass Sierra Nevada
The National Hotel
211 Broad Street
Nevada City, CA
530-265-4551 Oldest continuously operating hotel in California, built in 1852
Wawona Hotel
Wawona, California
South Yosemite, Hwy 41 (CA SR 41) Meadow setting inside Yosemite National Park
Silver City Resort
Mountain Cabins
Mineral King Canyon, CA Southern Sequoia National Park
Tioga Pass Resort
Tioga Pass, Hwy 120 (CA SR 120)
Eastern Sierra, east Yosemite National Park Oldest resort in the Inyo National Forest, established in 1914
The phrase ‘High Sierra’ commonly refers to the highest mountain peaks in the U.S. Located in the Eastern Sierra region of California, as seen all along US Highway 395. The tallest granite ranges protected by Wilderness Areas. No roads, no building, no development.
various types of Sierra lodging
wilderness camps – hike-in access
rustic cabins – big snow country fishing lodges – river front
historic forest lodges, inns & resorts
lakeside resorts – often closed in winter tent cabins – summer months only
Listed below is a small selection of Sierra lodges in Calif. The list will grow over time as we add more recommended stays. Follow the links and call ahead for reservations, cuz some of these remote places close seasonally, or they can get damaged during winter storms.
Vaulted ceilings, large windows, huge wooden beams and granite rock fireplaces are typical of interiors inside the large, historic lodges. Hotel rooms, log cabins, maybe a huge dining room and even a bar. Usually no swimming pools; since alpine lakes and rivers abound.
Sierra Lodges can be found on paved access roads, along busy highways or interstates, near railroads, in neighboring small towns, close to hiking trailheads, and always near mountain destinations. Often open during winter months, but not always.
Lodging is super scarce in the wilderness high country. Rustic cabins, community dorms, bunk houses or tent cabins are typical overnight shelter. Daily meals may be provided (when requested in advance). Much desired time frame: June through September, wilderness accommodations can be reserved up to a year in advance, with a hefty fee, of course.
Most popular mountain areas could have seasonal outfitters that provide access to the remote backcountry; usually by horseback, snowmobile, or cross-country skiing. Reservations are needed for such services.
High Elevation Lodges & Cabins in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
elevation: 4000′ – 9000′
Overnight lodging in California; alpine country, located high in elevation. Mountain peaks, fire lookouts, cabins, historic inns, guard stations.
The highest of elevations – cabins, lodges, small inns, all in perfect locations, totally immersed in alpine wilderness. Many of these are accessible only half the year, due to deep snow. A few can be reached by snowmobile or snowshoe in winter months. Some also have snow ski resorts nearby.
High Sierra Camp (HSC)
(horseback or hike-in only)
Giant hiking loop in high country = Tuloumne Meadows, Vogelsang, Lake Merced, Sunrise Camp, May Lake
elevation 9000′ – 12,000′
Tioga Pass, Highway 120
Within Yosemite NP
Snow melts from MAY into JUNE. Expect closure or mud on dirt back roads. Wildflowers bloom APRIL through AUGUST in the Sierra Nevada, above 3000′. Autumn arrives with aspens and fall colors in the Eastern Sierra, through OCTOBER.
