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From glitzy Coronado to rugged San Onofre, these represent the best of the SoCal coast.

The top minibars around the world are sustainable, locally sourced, and customized.

These are the 15 best luxury hotels to book in the Golden State, where experiences range from world-class culinary destinations and beachfront retreats to storied city hideaways.

As delays in U.S. passport processing mount, the U.S. State Department is hosting a series of events throughout the country to help travelers submit their passport applications.

The Golden State boasts 840 miles of biodiverse coastline and an abundance of beachside campsites.

They’re lean, green hospitality machines—we unveil our list of the 14 best sustainable new hotels in the world.

Now, more than ever, we want to deepen our appreciation of nature around the planet—but rather than just see and do, we want to serve and protect.

One writer finds community in the world’s largest open-water swim group—and picks up some trash while she’s at it.

America’s cities were hit hard by the pandemic, but they’ve roared back to life with new attractions, a renewed focus on outdoor spaces, and plenty of dining and hotel options. Here are seven particularly exciting places for the coming months.

Fish tacos, craft beers, and endless sunshine, of course. But San Diego has raised its game even more for 2021.

Swami’s Beach, off hwy 101 in Encinitas, has some of the best surfing in the nation, especially during the winter months. Due to the competition for the waves, mostly expert surfers and locals are found in these waters. In this photo- Swami’s beach is actually the furthest point on the beach. So called “Swami’s” because of the Self Realization Fellowship Center located on the cliffs above. Even if you don’t surf, this part of the CA coastline is gorgeous. After enjoying the beach, you can head down the road to have lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants that line hwy 101.

The spirit of Jacques Cousteau is very much alive at this Encinitas restaurant, which specializes in tacos filled with local fish, organic meat, and fresh vegetables. The Cousteau taco—featuring catch of the day (like California halibut) with cumin-lime crema, mango salsa, and cabbage slaw—should be in the running for San Diego’s best fish taco. Equally delicious are the Azul (grass-fed flank steak, caramelized onions, mushrooms, blue cheese, arugula, and cilantro) and the vegan Veronica Corningstone (red quinoa, sweet potatoes, garlic, Daiya vegan cheese, avocado, and cilantro). One look at the menu and it’s easy to tell the owner is a movie buff—many of the items are named after famous characters, from Ron Burgundy to Kelly Leak from The Bad News Bears.

I love this spice shop- the concept is so ingenious, yet why has it taken so long to develop? At Savory Spice, you are allowed to taste any spice blend you want. Savory Spice has only been open a couple years, but my husband cooks gourmet for a hobby and every couple months, we make the short drive up to the shop to find more spice blends. My personal favorite is the truffle salt, I’m sure they must want to hide the sample jar when they see me coming in the door! All the spices and herbs are brought in to the shop in bulk and they mix all the blends and package them in the back room. Every type of spice has a sample jar so you can sprinkle a little into your hand, taste and then brush off onto the floor- yes, you are encouraged to do so! If you love to cook, or know someone who does, check out Savory Spice!

Good, old-fashioned pie can be hard to find these days, which makes Betty’s in Encinitas more than worth a trip. Don’t be turned off by the location in a strip mall, Betty’s pies are delicious; they always use real fruit, pure butter, premium chocolate and local eggs. Betty’s doesn’t sell pie slices, hence the name Betty’s Pie Hole, but they do make sweet and savory pies in individual and full-size portions. The chicken potpie is hearty and delicious—but it’s the fruit pies, like the perfectly balanced strawberry-rhubarb with a flaky crust, that you’ll be dreaming of for days.

The San Diego Botanical Garden contains 29 types of gardens. From New Zealand to South America to Africa, this huge botanical garden contains specimens from all over the world. There’s even a native California plant section and also a gift shop. What I really enjoy are the hidden benches found along the path among jungle palms, shady bamboo groves, and a large waterfall. Definitely plan to spend a good many hours exploring this amazing place.