5 Fall Escapes

Editorial StaffSeptember 9, 2025
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From Oktoberfest in Flag to coasting on Coronado, live your best autumn with this quintet of regional getaway schemes.

By Jessica Dunham, Leah LeMoine, Craig Outhier & Madison Rutherford

Escape No. 1
Enjoy the natural splendor in Strawberry & Pine

by Leah LeMoine

If you’re a leaf-peeper in Arizona, you know the fall drill: drive to Flagstaff to take in the golden glory of the aspens in Lockett Meadow and the Inner Basil Trail. It consistently tops lists of the best fall foliage spots in the state, and Flagstaff’s tourism bureau even has a LEAF-ometer to track the changing colors in the area. By all means, hit Flag this season. Just don’t let it be your only overstory adventure.

“Fall in Rim Country is amazing,” high country entrepreneur Amber Eilers says of the area around the Mogollon Rim, the majestic escarpment that cuts across the eastern part of the state. “There are actually some mini aspen groves – and it’s so much closer than Flagstaff for people coming from the Valley.”

In 2016, Eilers and her husband, Carson, bought and rehabilitated The Strawberry Inn (see Where to Stay), a charming, circa-1960 hostelry in the tiny unincorporated community of Strawberry. Every year, they see hikers, bikers (motor, mountain and road), photographers and families flock to Strawberry and its neighboring town, Pine, for fall fun. By the time Phoenicians hit Payson on the Beeline Highway/AZ-87, they’re immersed in the area’s signature ponderosa pines, which do not put on a fall show. But look further and you’ll find enchanting deciduous trees (the kinds that change color and shed leaves), too.

“The trick to tracking fall leaves is to look around the creeks and lakes,” Eilers continues. “One of my favorite leaf-peeping areas is Washington Park Trailhead,” through which you can access the Arizona Trail and the Highline Trail. “Because so much of the trail is covered with tree canopy, it turns into a vibrant sea of yellows, reds and oranges during autumn. A trip to Strawberry should be on everyone’s fall list.”

If you’d rather bike than hike, head to The Rusty Pine Cone (3788 AZ-87, Pine, 612-467-9959, therustypinecone.com), a gift shop that rents Pedego Trail Tracker electric bikes by the hour, half-day or full-day ($30-$200). Their grippy fat tires make them suitable for off-roading and tooling around town. For a challenging but rewarding ride, tackle the Pine-Strawberry Trail No. 15 off of Hardscrabble Mesa Road. Steep inclines lead you to an unparalleled view of Pine and the Mogollon Rim.

You can also take in the crisp autumn air and views of nature from many restaurants in Strawberry and Pine – most have patios, and some only have outdoor seating. PIEbar AZ (5096 AZ-87, Strawberry, @piebaraz) is one such place. Peruse dozens of varieties of sweet and savory empanadas (try the chicken pot pie and loaded baked potato), order at the counter and eat your hand pies on umbrella-shaded picnic tables. Foodie favorite Old County Inn (3502 AZ-87, Pine, 928-476-6560, oldcountyinn.com) has two patios on which you can feast upon its wood-fired pizza, green chile beer cheese and chicken tenders with beguilingly citrusy ranch dressing: one completely open to the elements and one that’s screened in with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Old County Inn chef-owner Michael Dahling opened a new spot in June – Old County Burger (6240 W. Hardscrabble Mesa Rd., Pine, 928-476-3536, @oldcountyburger), which follows the In-N-Out model of doing two things and doing them well: burgers (in this case, juicy, lacy-edged smashburgers) and fries (super crisp and cooked in beef tallow).

Foodies will want to plan their trips around their meals – hours of operation in these sleepy burgs are as fleeting as the fall color.

PIEbar AZ
PIEbar AZ
Old County Burger
Old County Burger
The Strawberry Inn. Photos by Rachel Baker, Marquette Mower
The Strawberry Inn. Photos by Rachel Baker, Marquette Mower

Where to Stay

Make The Strawberry Inn (from $100/night) your base camp for autumn exploring. In addition to single rooms in the hotel proper, the inn has expanded to include adorable Airstreams, dog-friendly tiny cottages and larger cabins. Don’t miss on-site Windmill Coffee, set in a Dutch-style windmill. 5073 AZ-87, Strawberry, 928-202-7790, thestrawberryinn.com

The Strawberry Inn. Photos by Rachel Baker, Marquette Mower
The Strawberry Inn. Photos by Rachel Baker, Marquette Mower

Escape No. 2
Live Your Fest Life

Our guide to four not-to-miss autumn festivals, events and happenings.

By Jessica Dunham

Apple Harvest in Willcox

In Willcox wine country, fall means a mad dash to pick grapes – a crucial few months after a year spent carefully tending to the vines. The wine harvest season also coincides with the harvest of that most autumnal of fruits: apples. And there’s no better place at which to lean into all things apples than Apple Annie’s Orchard. From its September 13-14 kickoff party, Taste of Fall – where visitors nosh on apple cider doughnut sundaes and caramel apple cider slushies – the orchard is open daily through October 31 for all manner of fall festivities. There’s My-Oh-My Apple Pie Weekend (September 27-28), with apple pie pancake breakfasts and samples of apple pie fudge; a 12.5-acre corn maze through 600,000 towering stalks; pumpkin-picking straight from the vine; weekend hayrides among the gourds; and, of course, the chance to pick your own apples (and squash, green beans, peppers, chiles and tomatoes). Don your cutest flannel for family photos in the orchard’s sunflower fields.

Apple Annie’s Orchard 2081 W. Hardy Rd., Willcox 520-384-2084, appleannies.com
Apple Annie’s Orchard 2081 W. Hardy Rd., Willcox 520-384-2084, appleannies.com

Where to Stay

Sip the microbrews and estate wines at Tirrito Farm, then nestle in for the night at one of Tirrito’s six geodesic glamping domes ($130-$180/night) or cozy casitas ($150/night). 6150 S. Kansas Settlement Rd., Willcox, 520-200-7270, tirritofarm.com/stay

Leaf-Peeping in the Verde Valley

Every October, the Verde Canyon explodes with color. Sycamore trees in hues of amber, cottonwoods glittering gold against crimson canyon walls. This brilliant backdrop, when paired with the Verde Valley’s crisp air, makes for an idyllic fall foliage excursion on the Verde Canyon Railroad. The railroad offers its 40-mile round-trip adventure from Clarkdale to Perkinsville year-round. But autumn is special. That’s when the outfit hosts Ales on Rails (September 14-October 31, $139/person, reservations required), its train-themed nod to Oktoberfest featuring a slew of Arizona beers – from Tucson’s Barrio Brewing Co. and Tempe’s The Shop Beer Co. to Mesa’s Cider Corps. How it works: On the date of your departure, arrive at the depot 90 minutes before boarding for beer flights, pints and a hearty lunch. Then it’s all aboard for a four-hour trundle through the red rocks of Verde Canyon, where the first-class accommodations include comfy seating in climate-controlled passenger cars. For full fall-foliage immersion, head straight to the open-air viewing deck.

Where to Stay

Regain your land legs at Park Hotel (from $199/night), a historical property a half-mile stroll from the railroad. Guestrooms showcase Mingus Mountain and its quilt of Gambel oaks and maples glowing burgundy and ochre. 921 Main St., Clarkdale, 877-560-7701, clarkdaleparkhotel.comtirritofarm.com/stay

Corn Mazes and Barn Dances in Dewey

The 324-acre Mortimer Farms grows 54 crops and raises beef cattle, working diligently year-round from dawn to dusk. But come fall, “work” looks a little different around the farm. That’s because Mortimer opens its gates to visitors September 26-October 26, welcoming them to celebrate the season in ways both educational and fun. During the week, groups can sign up for hands-on agriculture tours to experience farm life up close. Book a tour on a Friday then stick around for the all-ages Barn Dance, hosted Friday evenings during the season, complete with live music and farm-fresh fare. Weekends mean wandering acres of pumpkin patches to select the perfect gourd, picnicking in flower fields, shopping artisanal wares from local vendors and navigating a themed corn maze. This year’s theme: Proud to be Farmers, a journey from seed to supper with interactive checkpoints and QR codes that play audio of real stories from every-day farmers.

Mortimer Farms 12907 E. AZ-169, Dewey 928-830-1116, mortimerfarmsaz.com
Mortimer Farms 12907 E. AZ-169, Dewey 928-830-1116, mortimerfarmsaz.com

Where to Stay

Make Air Village (from $291/night) your home away from home for the weekend. Just steps from historical Courthouse Plaza, 10 stylishly appointed, meticulously restored vintage Avion trailers encircle an elm-shaded, firepit-dotted lawn.
302 Montezuma St., Prescott, 928-910-9114, airvillage.com

Oktoberfest Prost in Flagstaff

Sure, Flagstaff Oktoberfest offers beer, and plenty of it. And, yes, they encourage folks to dress up in lederhosen and dirndl – which attendees happily do. And there are all the must-have traditional Oktoberfest competitions like beer-stein-hoisting and brat-eating, even a not-so-standard frozen T-shirt contest. But this annual event is also famous for having raised more than $160,000 for local charities throughout its 15-year run. When you join this year’s Oktoberfest at Wheeler Park (October 4), you’ll be contributing to several feel-good efforts. For example, the wiener dog race comes courtesy of High Country Humane, which offers puppies in need of a home for guests to adopt, and a percentage of all alcohol sales from the day goes to Flagstaff Unified School District. If you’re just here for the party, that’s OK, too. Enjoy the aforementioned plentiful beer, plus live music, great food, arts and crafts vendors, and a root-beer garden for kiddos.

Ales on Rails September 14-October 31 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale 800-293-7245, verdecanyonrr.com
Ales on Rails September 14-October 31 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale 800-293-7245, verdecanyonrr.com

Where to Stay

Bed down in retro-modern style at Americana Motor Hotel (from $184/night), a reimagined 1960s Red Roof Inn. Selfies with the giant astronaut statue out front optional. 2650 E. Route 66, Flagstaff, 928-833-3060, americanamotorhotel.com

Escape No. 3
Savor One of Arizona’s Most Comely Canyons at

Enchantment Resort

By Craig Outhier

To gaze on the rocky fortress walls of Boynton Canyon at sunset is to feel protected. Massive and striated with yellow, orange, russet and countless optic variations, the cliffs stand sentry over the Enchantment Resort Sedona (525 Boynton Canyon Rd., Sedona, 928-282-2900, enchantmentresort.com) and seem to accompany every meal, every nature stroll, every lazy second of your private pool soak.

And they really light up when the sun gets low, reflecting the day’s vanishing heat back on the resort, delaying the nighttime desert chill. Catching some of the waning warmth is a sure recipe for goosebumps – especially if you happen to be toweling off after a plunge.

Decorated with improbable hoodoos and rogue juniper trees, the canyon cliffs contribute much to the serene, unbothered personality of the Enchantment – but they’re not the only thing. If you’ve never experienced Boynton and its pet resort, this fall might be the time.

The Enchantment experience starts with your on-site abode. Originally opened as a tennis ranch in 1987, the resort now comprises 218 casita-style guest rooms and suites (starting at $604/night in September and October) across its 70 manzanita-quilted acres, all connected by a rolling network of footpaths. The options range from simple but spacious casita guest rooms all the way to clan-friendly “hacienda” suites that sleep 10.

The most bewitching of the lot: a colony of “pool suites” on the property’s south end, each equipped with a private patio dipping pool seemingly nestled among the treetops. Book one of these babies, and it will almost certainly become your new Arizona happy place.

That is, if Mii amo (miiamo.com) doesn’t bump it from the conversation. Less a spa than a wellness township, the Dana Tang-designed, pueblo-like complex includes more serenity spaces, sensory lounges, salt grottos, meditation paths and places of general beauty than you’ll care to count. Oh, yes – they offer facials and massages, too, plus a fine, minimalist-chic sauna for afterward to fully drain any remaining lymph. (Word to the wise: Given a choice between a deep-tissue or sports rub, choose the former.)

Located across the main drive from the resort proper, Mii amo is something of a resort unto itself. It even has its own trio of on-site restaurants and about two dozen guest casitas.

Enchantment Extra! Autumn Pickleball Festival September 5-8 It was an easy proposition to pound Enchantment’s tennis swords into pickleball ploughshares when the craze hit a decade ago. Now the resort hosts seasonal pickleball festivals, with beginner and advanced instruction, open play and tournaments. enchantmentresort.com
Enchantment Extra! Autumn Pickleball Festival September 5-8 It was an easy proposition to pound Enchantment’s tennis swords into pickleball ploughshares when the craze hit a decade ago. Now the resort hosts seasonal pickleball festivals, with beginner and advanced instruction, open play and tournaments. enchantmentresort.com
Photos Courtesy Enchantment Resort
Photos Courtesy Enchantment Resort
Photo Courtesy Enchantment Resort;

Speaking of food: Located deep in the wilderness roughly a 15-minute drive from Highway 89A, the Enchantment is far enough away from Sedona’s ever-improving dining scene that you probably won’t want to leave the property for meals. This conundrum is solved by the handy kitchenettes you’ll find in most suites, and the bacon jam and romesco-flecked crispy Brussels sprouts you’ll surely want to destroy at Tii Gavo, the resort’s indoor-outdoor Southwestern restaurant. Filled with such exuberant, chef-driven dishes as chipotle chicken lollipops, short rib street tacos and smoked poblano and shrimp tagliatelle, the restaurant plays casual counterpoint to the more formal, “composed features” of Che Ah Chi, Enchantment’s fine dining restaurant, where grilled quail, rack of venison and duck breast with charred bok choy rule.

Both restaurants have expansive patio views, and both boast the culinary DNA of chef Matias Caceres (formerly of Rancho Bernardo Inn), but only Che Ah Chi does breakfast – and the frittata with fromage blanc is off the hook.

You’ll need those fromage calories if you plan to fully savor the resort and its red-rock surrounds. After a light game of bocce ball on the massive, Carrollesque croquet lawn, head over to the Trail House, the resort’s biking and hiking outfitter. Part education center, part gear shop, it was launched in 2020 and quickly distinguished itself as one of the most well-conceived resources of its kind in Sedona – a perfect place just to pick up some quick hiking tips or rent a full-blown mountain biking rig.

“All this was under the ocean at one point,” Trail House activities ambassador Billy Gosnell genially says during a hike of nearby Doe Mountain. “The red color in the rocks comes from iron in the seawater – they’re actually rusting.”

Other fascinating bits of geologic arcana spill from Gosnell’s well-versed mind on the way to the top, along with directions to the Boynton Pass Vortex, accessible via a trailhead on the resort grounds itself – a mere 30-minute hike that affords pretty views of the Enchantment.

It will be a glorious day of hiking. And a goosebump-inducing session of canyon-worship in the pool later on, if you take the plunge.

3 New Sedona Stays

These new overnight options may have sprung up since your last visit to Red Rock Country.

The Wilde Resort and Spa
The Wilde Resort and Spa

The Wilde Resort and Spa
Morning yoga? Check. Meditation labyrinth in a grassy courtyard? Double-check. Nightly Native American flute blessings? Need you ask? Transforming the old Sedona Rouge into a proper boutique property, ownership dived hard into 21st-century hospitality trends, including a chef-driven dining philosophy at on-site restaurant Rascal. 2250 W. State Rte. 89A, Sedona, 928-203-4111, thewilderesort.com

 Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock
Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock

Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock
Located at the foot of one of Sedona’s top uptown hiking gems, this refurbished and rebranded property proudly offers “Fire Bowl” rooms, equipped with outdoor patios and firepits. Other points of interest include the “energy vortex experience” at eforea Spa and seasonal menus at flagship restaurant ShadowRock Tap + Table. 90 Ridge Trail Dr., Sedona,928-284-4040, hilton.com

Mountain Modern Sedona
Mountain Modern Sedona

Mountain Modern Sedona
Located in West Sedona near the Airport Mesa, this 89-room property is affiliated with the whimsical, outdoor-sports-oriented Jackson Hole hotel of the same name. Amenities include The Den – a restaurant-social hub hybrid; gear storage and bike-tuning; and the “wise guides,” a group of concierge-like locals “brimming with insider knowledge.” 95 Arroyo Pinon Dr., Sedona, 928-282-1414, mountainmodernsedona.com

Escape No. 4
Sleep with the Syrahs at

Los Milics

By Craig Outhier

“I think you’ll like that with the Passorosso,” Pavle Milic says, eying the medium-rare flank steak I’ve just ordered at his winery restaurant in Southern Arizona. Known in the Valley as the genial co-owner of Scottsdale farm-to-table restaurant FnB, Milic – who also writes the wine column at PHOENIX – is a man of infectious energies. By the time the wine arrives, I’ve heard its story, and I’m excited to drink it.

And, by Pete, it is wonderful. Fruity but structured, perfect with this exquisite steak.

On this weekend evening, Milic is also energized by an upcoming, 12-page profile in Food & Wine magazine that will tell the fantastical story of this winery, Los Milics Vineyards, which is no longer just a winery, but also a James Beard-caliber restaurant and, for lack of a better term, boutique hotel. Where you can bed down for the night. Right in the middle of the vines.

Milics pours me another glass and tells me the latest. It’s exciting.

Los Milics Vineyards 423 Upper Elgin Rd., Elgin, 520-221-0180, losmilicsvineyards.com
Los Milics Vineyards 423 Upper Elgin Rd., Elgin, 520-221-0180, losmilicsvineyards.com

THE FNB

Getting the wine off the ground at Los Milics was comparatively hassle-free compared to the food. Partnering with his friend and patron Mo Garfinkle, Milic purchased the 20-acre property (a former cattle ranch in the Mustang Mountains foothills about 10 miles east of Sonoita) and started planting varietals he suspected would thrive in the high-desert ecosystem, including zippy Petit Manseng, winsome Grenache and other sun-loving Rhône styles. He bottled his first estate vintage in 2022.

Getting the kitchen running at his groundbreaking tasting room – instantly recognizable for the Kubrickesque monoliths planted around the structure by designer Chen + Suchart Studio – was trickier. Navigating the dark heart of Santa Cruz County’s permitting and transient lodging laws, Milic was finally able to fire up a proper kitchen last year after soft-launching the restaurant with charcuterie plates and salads.

by Kevin Kaminski/Courtesy Los Milics
by Kevin Kaminski/Courtesy Los Milics

Anointed The Biscuit in honor of the odd, hump-shaped mountain that looms beyond its patio, the restaurant is led by chef Trevor Routman, who cooked under Claudio Urciuoli at Pa’La and Source and works the plate with the same disarming culinary one-two punch: a baker who loves seafood. Paired with Routman’s fresh sourdough bread, fillets of marinated white anchovies, or boquerones, leap around your taste receptors, served with shaved fennel and a delightful bowl of house-brined Casteveltrano olives. The nimble Petit Manseng happily joins the dance.

Routman also brings out a salad of organic greens, wheatberries, cherry tomatoes, artichoke, ricotta salata and crisp chickpeas – “just stuff I like in a salad,” Routman says bashfully. Simultaneously tart and sweet, crunchy and succulent, it’s a clinic in balanced vegetal deliciousness.

Finally – or, at least, the final trial-size plate before my flank steak arrives – is a warm ceramic bowl of wheatberry risotto with local oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms, the bane of my callow pre-teen palate transformed into a gloriously rich, nutty-chewy-savory porridge crowned with a crisped leaf of kale. Truly, the umami on this one cannot be measured.

Dry-aged for 21 days, the steak radiates healthy mineral flavor, finished with sautéed pearl onions and blackberry vinaigrette.

So, yes: The food situation at Los Milics is doing quite well. Be warned: The Biscuit is only open Wednesday-Sunday and only for dinner, with the last seating at 7:30 p.m.

“We retire pretty early around here,” Milic explains.

THE CASITAS

So, let’s talk about retiring. After my meal, I step out into an utterly dark, inky high-desert evening and whip out the small flashlight they give all the guests here, and make my way back to my casita, named the Grenache.

Each of Los Milics’ nine, space-efficient “small houses” (starting at $255/night) have wine names, you see – and well they should, given their fall-out-of-bed proximity to the grapes. I spent part of the afternoon wandering the vineyards, admiring their beauty, picking the odd piece of fruit, zoning out, basically – and now I sit here on the casita’s back patio, admiring the way the same plants rustle in the gentle night breeze.

Empathy Films/Courtesy Los Milics
Empathy Films/Courtesy Los Milics

Inside the casita, it’s a model of modern European minimalism, anchored by retractable beds that pneumatically disappear into the ceiling with the press of a button, replaced by a comfortable couch. The casita also has a nifty kitchenette; LED light mirrors in the bathroom; and high-end toiletries.

Which is to say: You’re not staying in someone’s trailer. It’s unmistakably elevated and a ticklish culmination of Milic’s long-held fantasy to create an upscale hotel experience in Arizona wine country. “I don’t know if it will be the biggest triumph of my life or the thing that will make my family disown me,” the famously wry winemaker says.

The early returns certainly look promising. Last year, Los Milics was named the No. 2 tasting room in America in a USA Today readers’ poll, and the upcoming Food & Wine feature will certainly get Arizona in front of an international wine audience. “I do hope it uplifts Arizona’s entire wine community,” says the Serbian-Colombian impresario, who memorably staged the “Judgement of Arizona” event in 2010, pitting Arizona wines against the world in a blind taste-test, as one of the community’s earliest advocates.

Like the boutique hotels of the Napa and Sonoma valleys, having a nice local place to crash after a day of sipping definitely adds a romantic – and pragmatic – layer of appeal to the tasting trail.

To top it off, the staff sets you up with one of Routman’s unbelievably luscious blueberry muffins for breakfast. And another for the road, if you insist.

The “SR-82” Trail

Distinct from the well-trod wine trail on Elgin Road about 5 miles south (including Callaghan Vineyards and Twisted Union Wine Company), this colony of emerging wineries on SR-82 includes Los Milics and these high-desert upstarts.

Rune Wines
Rune Wines

Rune Wines
Originally operated out of a trailer, James Callahan’s estate winery has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2013, adding a combo tasting room and crush facility, and most recently a spacious ramada and patio with breathtaking views of the Mustang Mountains. 3969 AZ-82, Sonoita, 520-338-8823, runewines.comthewilderesort.com

Arizona Hops and Vines
Arizona Hops and Vines

Arizona Hops and Vines
“Tasters wanted!” reads the hand-painted roadside billboard outside this reliably free-spirited winery, gift shop and hang-space, run by sisters Megan Stranik and Shannon Zouzoulas. You haven’t wine-tasted until paired a rose with Cheetos. 3450 AZ-82, Sonoita, 301-237-6556, azhopsandvines.com

Hannah’s hill Vineyard
Hannah’s hill Vineyard

Hannah’s Hill Vineyard
Vigneron Ann Gardner and her husband, James, started making wine in their garage in Phoenix and named their Elgin winery after their daughter, cultivating a diverse selection of varietals that includes many Rhône styles and a Riesling. Know the winery by its trademark ruby red barn. 3989 AZ-82, Elgin, 520-456-9000, hannahshill.com

Escape No. 5
Make a Last-Ditch Dash to the Coast

By Madison Rutherford

Pumpkin patches and fall foliage are fine and dandy – and pretty pervasive in Arizona come mid-September. One thing that’s in short supply: the beach. Instead of driving up north for harvest hues, head west to San Diego for one last glimpse of the Pacific during that seasonal sweet spot – when sea breeze and crisp fall air merge.

If you’re opting for the ultimate autumn beach vacation, wouldn’t it make sense to vacation on the beach? Few of San Diego’s so-called “oceanfront hotels” are truly steps from the sand. The historical Hotel Del Coronado (1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619-435-6611, hoteldel.com) puts its money where its mouth is – the 28-acre beachfront resort boasts a 20,000-square-foot stretch of private white-sand beach, just a seashell’s throw from its 800-plus rooms, suites, villas and cottages.

Photos by WeCreate
Photos by WeCreate

The “Hotel Del” made its debut in 1888, featuring 399 guestrooms equipped with indoor plumbing, oil-heated furnaces and electric lighting – amenities that were considered cutting-edge at the time. Eight years after establishing the Edison Illuminating Company, Thomas Edison himself paid a visit to the hotel to oversee the installation of its electricity. But the legendary property’s illustrious legacy doesn’t end there – its first few decades were a revolving door of celebrity guests, including Charlie Chaplin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe, the star of the 1959 classic Some Like It Hot, which was famously filmed at the hotel. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, the Hotel Del remains one of the world’s only surviving wooden Victorian beach resorts, drawing international travelers to this quaint coastal town – just a six-hour drive (or a one-hour flight) from Phoenix.

This summer, the Hotel Del celebrated its 137th birthday by unveiling a six-year, $550 million renovation, one of the most comprehensive and costly overhauls in U.S. hospitality history. Naturally, its big reveal was an extravagant multiday affair, featuring celebrities, synchronized swimmers, musical performances and fireworks.

Courtesy Nobu Del Coronado
Courtesy Nobu Del Coronado
 Courtesy Hotel Del Coronado
Courtesy Hotel Del Coronado
 Courtesy Hotel Del Coronado
Courtesy Hotel Del Coronado

The resort’s extensive revitalization included upgrades to the Victorian building’s guestrooms (starting at $599/night), garden courtyard, front porch and lobby. Events spaces like the Crown Room – which features whimsical crown-shaped chandeliers designed by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum – and the Ocean Ballroom were also refreshed, uncovering original 1888 hand-painted ceiling frescoes. Both spaces can be explored during in-depth, docent-led walking tours.

The preservation of the property’s vintage charm is balanced by the debut of the Shore House (starting at $1,699/night), a modern colony of 75 seaside villas equipped with private verandas, full kitchens and multiple rooms for a residential-style resort experience. Shore House guests can take advantage of a custom concierge service to curate on-site experiences like customized spa treatments and beachside fitness classes or off-property adventures like surf lessons and yacht excursions.

Last but not least, the Del’s epic transformation introduced two new dining darlings – Veranda, an al fresco restaurant that serves steak and seafood with a side of panoramic Pacific views, and Nobu Del Coronado, an oceanfront outpost of the renowned Japanese-Peruvian fine-dining chain founded by Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro. These haute cuisine newcomers join the Del’s already diverse culinary lineup that includes Serea Coastal Cuisine, Babcock & Story and ENO Market & Pizzeria – which makes a pretty mean pumpkin spice latte, if you insist.

More Luxury Lodging in San Diego County

Branching out to the other 70 beaches and 4,000 square miles of beautiful Southern California scenery that “America’s Finest City” has to offer? Here’s where to stay.

 Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
This hacienda-style resort cradled between the seaside enclaves of La Jolla and Del Mar recently completed a $26 million property-wide restoration, which revitalized its 210 guestrooms and suites, expanded its lobby and common areas, and introduced a brand-new pool bar and private cabanas. estancialajolla.com

 The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
Nestled among the rolling hills of rural Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego’s North County, this historical gem celebrated its centennial with the conclusion of a multiphase, $42 million renovation. Guests can now enjoy luxurious stand-alone bungalows as well as upgraded spa and dining experiences. theinnatrsf.com

 Hilton Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach
Hilton Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach

Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach
Traveling with your pooch? Set up camp at stunning Cape Rey Carlsbad, the coastal city’s only dog-friendly oceanfront resort. Then, take in unobstructed ocean views from your room’s private balcony or book a surfing lesson with the property’s surf school partner, Surfin Fire. caperey.com