by Jane Leisteiner

Spend your next vacation exploring the Golden State. California offers everything from relaxing sunset walks along the beach to museums and art galleries to fine restaurants and some of the world’s best wineries. But to truly immerse yourself, stay at a bed and breakfast and you’ll enjoy the best in hospitality, as well. Here are some of the best bed and breakfasts in California to help make your trip perfect.


If you are planning a trip to Southern California, these two inns offer the best combination of the amenities of a hotel and the charm of a bed and breakfast. Situated on a bluff above Dana Point Harbor, the Blue Lantern Inn is new, but looks like a rambling Victorian. Its guest rooms include fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. The inn is within walking distance of several popular restaurants and just a few minutes from the galleries and shops of Laguna Beach. If you are heading to Los Angeles, the Channel Road Inn in Santa Monica is a perfect spot to enjoy the city yet stay by the sea. The guest rooms are beautifully decorated and many have a fireplace or jetted tub. The famous boardwalk is nearby, as well as many restaurants and boutiques. The museums and famous shopping of Los Angeles are just a short drive away.

California’s spectacular Central Coast region offers rugged coastlines, towering trees, beautiful gardens and memorable sunsets. Guests at the Green Gables Inn enjoy all this, as well as the historic ambiance of a restored Queen Anne Victorian. Green Gables, located in Pacific Grove, is one of the nation’s top inns, with its rich dcor, great food and stunning views. Another great Pacific Grove offering is the Gosby House. The guest rooms at this historic Victorian are decorated in period style and many have fireplaces. Both inns offer full breakfasts, afternoon snacks and homemade cookies, as well as close access to the aquarium and all the attractions of the Monterey Peninsula. These two inns are truly some of the best bed and breakfasts in California.

The West Cliff Inn in Santa Cruz is another Central Coast gem. Located on a bluff overlooking the beach, the impressive Italianate Victorian is like a small boutique hotel, with its nine individually decorated guest rooms, all with fireplaces and many with whirlpool tubs. As you head up the coast toward San Francisco, book a stay at the Seal Cove Inn in Half Moon Bay. The picturesque seaside village is less than 25 miles from the city, but a world away in terms of peace and relaxation. The inn is like a English Country retreat, surrounded by trees and wildflowers. Each of the spacious rooms has a fireplace and king-size bed. Guests are pampered with breakfast, afternoon tea and hors d’oeuvres.

If you are looking for the perfect place to stay in the famed wine country, Napa Valley offers several excellent California bed and breakfasts. The Blackbird Inn, located in historic downtown Napa, is a perfect romantic spot right in the center of it all. Guests can take part in the Napa Valley Wine Walk, stroll over to the farmers market or drive to dozens of nearby wineries. Just outside of Napa, but still close to all the fun, are two special bed and breakfasts that will make you feel like you have traveled to the wine country of France. Located in Yountville, Lavender, a cozy country inn combines contemporary style with a touch of Provence. Guest rooms are located in four different buildings, all with fireplaces and a king-size bed. Maison Fleurie, another Yountville offering, is surrounded by a half-acre of landscaped gardens. The guest rooms are decorated in warm French Country style, and you’ll find a teddy bear on the bed waiting to greet you.

The Sonoma area boasts great California bed and breakfasts, as well as plenty of wine-country attractions. In historic Healdsburg, the Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza features individually decorated guest rooms in a restored 1901 lodging. Some of the original features include antique clawfoot tubs. Guests are treated to full breakfasts and afternoon tea and are within walking distance or a short drive of shops, galleries and wineries. The Inn at Sonoma, located in the heart of its namesake town, features spacious guest rooms with fireplaces, and several have private balconies. Borrow one of the inn’s bikes and explore the area, or relax and enjoy one of the summer concerts that take place just outside the inn.