🌅 The West Is Calling: 5 Places Worth the Flight

Travel Newsletter Some trips require a boarding pass, and these are worth every minute in the air. This edition heads west—from a sun-soaked Santa Monica institution to a wellness ranch operating quietly near the Mexican border since 1940, a mid-century gem tucked into San Diego's Point Loma, a genuine Wyoming lodge that hasn't lost an ounce of its original character, and a Colorado mountain base that lets families actually breathe. Five properties, one direction. Start planning. Viceroy Santa Monica Santa Monica, CA For the New Jersey traveler with a West Coast trip on the horizon, this one earns its place on the shortlist. Viceroy Santa Monica has held its ground as a coastal institution for over two decades—162 rooms finished in ocean blues and sun-bleached naturals, two outdoor pools, and Sugar Palm, a wraparound poolside bar that captures the particular ease of a Southern California afternoon. Three minutes to the beach on foot. Complimentary bikes to reach the Pier, the farmers market, or the Expo Line into downtown LA. Private longboard lessons at sunrise or sunset are available, should you need a reason to wake up early. Read More Rancho La Puerta Tecate, MX An hour south of San Diego sits one of the Western Hemisphere's most quietly legendary wellness retreats—operating since 1940, long before the word "wellness" meant anything to anyone. Spread across 4,000 acres at the base of Mount Kuchumaa, the Ranch unfolds less like a resort and more like a self-contained village: 86 private casitas tucked among sculpted gardens, eleven gyms, three full-service spas, a running track, and 40 miles of hiking trails threading into the surrounding hills. The organic farm feeds La Cocina Que Canta, a cooking school where classes harvest, prepare, and eat together in a single sitting. Hammocks. A labyrinth. A juice bar around a bend you didn't expect. It earns every return visit. Read More The Wort Hotel Jackson Hole, WY The Wort Hotel anchors downtown Jackson Hole with the same Western authenticity as when it opened in 1941. The 55-room boutique property sits a half-block from the Town Square's iconic antler arches, so you're never far from the energy. The Silver Dollar Bar & Grill remains a local favorite: a Jackson institution since 1950, its bartop is inlaid with 2,032 uncirculated Morgan silver dollars, and the menu delivers innovative Western comfort with staples like bison burgers and corn chowder. For those drawn by the outdoors, you're never too far from the action—Grand Teton National Park is 10 minutes away and Yellowstone is an hour by car. The complimentary ski shuttle to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort makes winter easy. The Wort doesn't try to be more than it is. A genuine Western lodge, excellent service, and a bar that feels like it's been standing in that same spot for decades (because it has). Read More The Pearl Hotel San Diego, CA Point Loma doesn't get nearly enough credit, and The Pearl Hotel is a big reason it should. This 23-room mid-century property—originally a Sportsman's Lodge designed in 1959—wraps around an art moderne oyster-shaped pool that flows directly into Ponyboy, the on-site restaurant running seasonal menus built around relationships with local farmers, fishermen, and ranchers. Tuesday Supper Club: four people, $100, rotating menu. The rooms feature work by local ceramicists and printmakers, and in-room artwork pays tribute to the Ama, the Japanese women pearl divers who harvested oysters by breath alone. Ocean Beach is walkable. Downtown is a short drive. Small, considered, and genuinely local in a way most hotels only claim to be. Read More Legacy Vacation Resorts, Steamboat Springs Steamboat Springs, CO Steamboat operates on a different frequency than the flashier Colorado ski towns, and this hillside property matches that energy well. Positioned near Routt National Forest with views of Mt. Werner, Legacy Vacation Resorts, Steamboat Springs runs a practical, well-appointed operation: studio lofts through two-bedroom suites sleeping up to eight, an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and a lobby fire that earns its keep after a day on the mountain. A complimentary winter shuttle runs to Gondola Square and back into downtown for dinner. Ski lockers, a game room, EV charging—the kind of honest amenities that make a family trip actually function. No pretense, just a solid mountain base camp done right. Read More Interested in advertising in this newsletter? Fill Out This Form

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