From the natural beauty of the Redwood trees to the manmade splendor of the Golden Gate Bridge, California has so much to offer. It’s a state of duality. Our personal favorite is the contrast between its beaches and the deserts, and there are no two places more exemplary than Palm Springs and Laguna Beach. Each offers its own uniquely special experience, whether that be for a bachelorette trip, destination wedding, or much-needed solo getaway. Here is where to stay, what to pack, what to do, and where to dine as you voyage from the beach to the desert.
Palm Springs
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the desert has beckoned to celebrities and tourists alike. They would retreat Los Angeles to the mountains here and make their home-away-from-homes in the dusty hills. To its credit, Palm Springs has done an incredible job preserving their glamorous past. Just consult the 26-foot-tall Marilyn Monroe statue for proof. This is a town that loves its own drama.
Where to Stay
Korakia Pensione is easily one of the most romantic, unpretentious hotels in Palm Springs that blends the charm of Southern Europe with North African accents. In the check-in line, a returning guest said, “This is the place you go with your partner on your baby moon—or to make a baby.” There could be no more compelling endorsement than this. The property first started as a Moroccan hideaway called the Dar Marroc, built in the 1920s by Scottish painter Gordon Coutts to recreate his life in Tangier. He hosted artists across mediums—Winston Churchill is even rumored to have painted in the studio. . . Coutts’s neighbor was silent screen actor J. Carol Naish who lived in a 1930s Mediterranean villa across the street. Today, Korakia Pensione is a 1.5-acre petite resort with 16 Mediterranean and 12 Moroccan-style homes, including Coutts’ and Naish’s.
I met a woman on a solo trip after her divorce, honeymooners snuggling on pool chaises, and longtime friends enjoying their annual Palm Springs vacation. Whatever the cause of celebration, you can savor it at Korakia. It’s a place for every stage of life. Participate in the morning group yoga and end the day with one of their outdoor showings of classic Old Hollywood films. It’s also the ideal destination for an intimate Palm Springs wedding.
What to Pack
Depending on your trip duration, stash everything in your Stubbs & Wootton weekender or stow it in a T. Anthony rolling suitcase. Load up on moisturizers for this dry climate and stash all of your toiletries in the exclusive Kassatex for Over The Moon Cosmetic Case.
Regardless of what luggage you take, you’ll need plenty of linen for the desert weather with ample coverage for when you step underneath the desert sun. Think Lola Hats with wide brims and airy Fanm Mon dresses. Match the blooming bougainvillea and wear something like the Fanm Mon for Over The Moon Cathleen Dress, even. When it’s not a sweltering, staggering temperature, slip into your comfiest walking shoes. Any flats from Andrea Gomez will swiftly traverse the Palm Springs Walk of Fame.
You’ll spend lots of time dipping in the pool, so be sure you have a swimsuit for the water. We’re partial to the Follow Suit exclusives, paired with our Shellona Cover Up exclusive for additional protection.
This is a place well-known for its parties, after all. For black tie events and upscale outings in Palm Springs, this would be a wonderful opportunity to lean into Old Hollywood glamour with anything from Alexia María, and we’re of course partial to our exclusive collection with Alexia María and Caitlin Wilson.
What to Do
As a society, we will forever be smitten with mid-century modern architecture, and in Palm Springs, it’s all around you. Take for the hills and go on a Slim Aarons tour to see the Poolside Gossip home (and formerly Barry Manilow’s abode) for yourself, which recently sold for a record-breaking sum.
OTM Directory-approved planner Jove Meyer got engaged at the Korakia Pensione, and you already know a proposal is OTM’s favorite thing to do on a vacation! Check out his cool Palm Springs-inspired Dream Registry here.
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Additionally, the Palm Springs International Film Festival annually brings some of the best Oscar contenders, especially in the foreign language category, to the big screen. Go see the latest and greatest pieces of cinema and even actors. Celebrities like Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Hathaway, Allison Janney, Brie Larson, and Leonardo DiCaprio have attended the festivals award ceremonies.
Where to Dine
Le Vallauris is a French fine dining institution that is not to be missed. From within this Spanish revival building, this restaurant has seen the likes of nearly every celebrity who has stayed in Palm Springs. Forget a handheld menu—that’s so gauche. Instead, sit and face the door, so you can see friends (or enemies) enter, just as Frank Sinatra used to do here. There is also the romantic outdoor patio with a looming tree that offers plenty of coverage from the sun during brunch hours.
Don’t go to Palm Springs without trying a legendary date shake. It doesn’t even have to be date night! This dessert is simply one of those must have things in the Coachella Valley, a delicacy southern California has enjoyed since the 1930s. It’s a concoction of vanilla ice cream, toffee, caramel, molasses, and true to name, dates. No matter where you eat in town, just be sure you stay hydrated in the desert and always keep a water bottle with you!
Laguna Beach
Now, it’s time to retreat to the shore. Laguna Beach is beloved by all kinds of characters—artists, surfers, spiritual gurus, and everyone in-between. It’s no wonder Diane Keaton used to live here by the bluff, so indulge your innermost Nancy Meyers aesthetic whims and travel down the coast to Laguna.
Where to Stay
Book a stay at the boutique Hotel Joaquin, another treasured Auric Road property. It resembles its sister Palm Springs property, Korakia, with daily coffee service, lobby lending-library filled with vinyls you can take to your room, and magical ability to be completely timeless Equal parts Wes Anderson whimsy and Beach Boys nostalgia, this former motel has been revamped for the sandy barefoot luxury of today with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. It’s SoCal meets Cape Cod, thanks to interior designer Robert McKinley’s touch.
Vogue says “you’ll never want to leave,” and you won’t. Except for maybe a quick trip to the beach. Shaw’s Cove is less than a five-minute walk from the property. Just don’t expect to catch up on any of your favorite shows—this is a TV-less property. Either tune into your partner or your record player, which comes in every room.
This isn’t the place you go for all-night ragers and non-stop action. It’s a quiet spot for solo trips, romantic getaways, intimate dinner parties, laidback bachelorette trips, and even micro-weddings for up to 45 lucky attendees.
What to Pack
Obviously anything from our Nancy Meyers edit is fair game. Sweaters and shawls are recommended to weather the cool temperatures at night. When the temperature is warm enough for wading in the ocean water, take a trip to our Swim Shop and find your next water-friendly look.
What to Do
There’s a little bit of everything here, so why not try it all? Be outdoorsy and take to the hiking trails in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, surfing in the water, or our favorite competitive sport—finishing beach reads. Dabble in the metaphysical and things unseen with a professional astrology reading or sound bath to balance your chakras.
In the summertime, attend the Pageant of the Masters. It’s a festival where actors recreate famous works of art as tableaux vivants. (Gilmore Girls fans may remember this from the season five episode when Lorelai poses in Renoir’s Dance at Bougival and Rory dresses as an unidentified Renaissance woman for Stars Hollow’s impromptu Festival of Living Art.)
Where to Dine
The family-owned Selanne Steak Tavern is the ultimate classic American steakhouse of yesteryear located inside of a historic 1934 home. Its 2,750-bottle wine list is staggering and fully stocked with all of the California wine brands worth knowing. When the weather is nice—and it almost always is, you can walk from each block to block along the Pacific Coast Highway back to your oceanfront hotel and hit every coffee shop, gelato store, and dive bar on the way. Hotel Joaquin’s restaurant Saline is also incredible and only available to its guests.
