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There are few places in the world that conjure up images of luxury quite like the southern California Coast region. Home to one of the world's entertainment meccas, this region has a longstanding courtship with those discerning visitors who wish to live it up in the lap of luxury. From Hollywood to Beverly Hills, from San Diego to La Jolla, if you've got the “ka-ching ka-ching,” it's in this region you'll find the “bling bling.”
Luxurious Accommodation in the Southern California Coast
The beginning and end of luxury in this region will no doubt be your choice of lodging. There are a select few that measure up to this intentionally precocious standard. Let's start off with the chic and posh Montage. Gracing the shore at Laguna Beach, it's everything you want and more. Much more! It's a spa, a resort, a top-notch dining experience, and a high-end boutique. Guests can expect to drop serious coin here. Another gem in the pantheon of luxury lodging is the graceful Spanish architectural classic LaCosta Resort and Spa in Carlsbad.
Other top choices that make the cut are the venerable Beverly Hills Hotel (a.k.a., the “Pink Palace”), the legendary Beverly Wilshire (where “Pretty Woman” was filmed), and the gorgeous Hotel Viceroy Santa Monica. Last, but by no mean least, is the quaint but pampering Avalon Beverly Hills. This property certainly spoils its guests with the best of everything - but the old real estate adage applies here; location, location, location. The Avalon is just steps away from the ultimate in luxury shopping - Rodeo Drive, where, if you haven't spent enough on a luxurious place to stay during your vacation, the vendors will surely assist you in relieving your wallet of some Benjamins in exchange for some exquisite items.
Luxurious Dining in the Southern California Coast
Walking the walk and talking the talk in Tinseltown goes hand-in-hand with eating out at the right places. Dress up to the nines and stake out a place to quench your thirst and get rid of your munchies, SoCal style. This brings us to dining, which, in this region is a real experience with some of the trendiest spots serving all manner of delectable dishes. One such bistro is Triumphal Palace. Located in Alhambra, this is “the” place for Chinese eats.
For the more traditional and centrally-located places to see and be seen, none can compete with Chef Wolfgang Puck's Spago, in Beverly Hills. This is where the “beautiful people” wine and dine. But, the king of the hill (for the moment, anyway) is Bastide. This is unquestionably the most expensive restaurant in Los Angeles, offering patrons a one-kilogram, $35,000 white truffle. For that sum, you can also expect fresh flowers, exquisite crystal and china, and constant refurbishment of the dining room. Tip is extra, though. It's a perfect choice if that car you've been saving up for months suddenly loses favor in your eyes.
Luxurious Activities in the Southern California Coast
Once the meal is out of the way, it's time to kick up your designer heels and get your groove on. Dancing the night away at one of several southern California coast hotspots is a great way to mingle with the people that make this region sizzle. Check out Circus Disco, Element, LAX, Gabah, Zanzibar, Spider Club, or other clubs for a great time. Many such establishments make their permanent home on the renowned “Sunset Strip” (Sunset Boulevard). If live music is your thing, fear not! There is no shortage of premium concert venues available in this region.
Shopping in the Southern California Coast is not for the timid. If you want Prada, you'll find it here. If you happen upon the shops for Giorgio Armani, Vera Wang, and many other designers, you may actually see them there, working with the stars on their latest red carpet apparel. Luxury shopping in this region is all about those who cater to the local glitterati. It's not surprising either - it isn't everyone who can afford such lofty price tags for designer duds.
Now, before you hit the town, you have to look your best, right? Leave it to the only “Zen themed” hair salon in the area - Kenworthy Salon in Beverly Hills. Lotus blossoms and feng shui style set the ambiance as your hair is coiffed to perfection. Talk about pampering! These guys cater to the stars, but will try to fit you in. However, if you have to ask how much, you probably can't afford it.
Looking good isn't just about wardrobe and hair, though. For those who like to tool about town in style, Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car will set you up with a choice of high profile automobiles such as Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, or even a Rolls Royce. This really could be the cherry on top of your luxury stay in the southern California coast.
Another way to live it up is by just taking in the exquisite sights that pepper the region. Spanish missionaries made their mark with a selection of beautiful structures, most of which are now museums. See how luxury was defined in the early days of colonial California.
Strut your stuff on the beach with the southern California coast's ocean-side offerings. So, toss on the Gore-tex bathing suit, take along a nice picnic lunch prepared by your host hotel, and hit the sand on one of the many various beaches that litter the region's coastline. Some suggestions for popular upscale beach areas to consider are Huntington Beach, Malibu, Catalina Island, and La Jolla Cove.
If the lifestyle of the moneyed and powerful is your thing, the southern California coast will certainly be the perfect canvas for you to paint the town red. Plus tax.
Luxury Vacation Ideas in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Southern California
Luxury-Vacations
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