Our Favorite Coastal Inns, Hotels, and Resorts from Seattle to San Diego

Long-time staff favorite Inn at the Market overlooks the iconic waterfront and stands alone as a boutique property. Ask for a third-floor room with a water view and the floor-to-ceiling expanse of the bay will have you floating when you draw back the curtains each morning. You’re also within fish-tossing distance of some of our favorites on that side of town: Sushi Kashiba and the cocktail classic Tip Top Cafe just down the stairs, and for shopping there’s the Fjällräven store just across the street. Pop into Storyville Coffee in the Pike Place market for an architectural and espresso experience not to be missed. Up the street, check in to the craft beer scene at Cloudburst Brewing or trek just a bit north to visit Holy Mountain.

Six-foot social distancing? Try six acres! That’s how much room you’ll have to explore at the Captain Whidbey, which might be the most charmingly nautical, knotty pine-festooned, throwback option for lazing and lodging in Puget Sound. Off property must-dos: Ebey’s Landing nature preserve for hiking and Deception Pass State Park for its stunning sunsets.

With sweeping views of Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountain range, The Thompson serves up the brand’s trademark just-right modernism steps from Pike Place Market. Keyless mobile entry throughout the property is a recent addition and a generous up-to-check-in cancellation policy is a smart adaptation. The Nest restaurant offers one of the best socially distanced open-air dining options in the neighborhood and offers a globalist cocktail menu as evidenced by drinks such as the toki highballer, a grapefruit-spiked take on the Japanese go-to whiskey highball. Good news for respectful travelers wanting to keep their sojourns staycation-adjacent: The hotel offers discounts for residents of California, Vancouver, Montana, Oregon, and Idaho.

This iconic resort has its roots in the midcentury main building, lush with Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar from nearby lumber yards. First built by entrepreneurs and Oregonians John and Betty Gray in 1965, it was meant to provide a model of responsible land development. Rebooted in 2017, the resort now offers a top-flight culinary and cocktail program as well as showstopper outdoor features such as a high-tree ropes course and kayaking and SUP adventures. And yes, you’ll still get golf and tennis and the like. Pro tip: Your room key gets you access to the spit of land running out into the ocean past the Siletz Bay; sundown there is one of the most unique experiences to be had on the coast.

This tiny lodge is the perfect respite for a trip up or down the coast; it’s cozy, but comfortable, and is managed by a lovely couple with a friendly pup. Each room looks out over a marina situated in a cove (think fishing boats, not yachts). The hotel’s new food program had us considering second servings of avocado toast and smoothie bowls while a quick jog up the beach to a rugged outcropping of coast was the ideal way to start the day before trekking out.

Five separate courses plus a free par-3 make this a Mecca for golfers on the Oregon coast. We’re partial to the 13-hole, walking-only links course, a gem in and of itself. But even if golf’s an afterthought for you, Bandon Dunes has much more to offer—from energetic architecture in the roomy suites to a hiking trail that winds through the woods with sculptures and landscaping features galore.

Perched on 25 acres overlooking the Sonoma Coast, this 45-room resort offers the ultimate escape from the Bay Area—or an ideal launch pad for an excursion up the Lost Coast. Initial architectural nods to Frank Lloyd Wright have been retained throughout renovation, though modern touches like vinyl record players and a stellar food and drink program help round out the experience. The A-frame main room is a showstopper, to be sure. Fireplaces in every room contribute to the cozy vibe, and there are ample outdoor spaces to ensure you can enjoy a glass of wine and some oysters at safe remove from other guests.

This spot of luxury sitting on a sliver of unspoiled rolling hills and rocky coastline in Half Moon Bay offers one of the most stunning locations to hit the links outside of Scotland. Surrounded on three sides by an Arnold Palmer-designed course, with the churning blue of the Pacific just off its lawn, the hotel offers comforts to satisfy non-golfers as well. Yes it has a world-class spa and a chef with Michelin pedigree, but the ultimate amenity may be the 11 miles of the iconic Coastal Trail that runs through the property.

While other California boardwalks have come and gone, Santa Cruz offers one of the most complete and perfectly preserved examples of the seaside holiday writ small: rollercoaster? Check. (although closed due to COVID-19). Sandy beaches with gentle waves? Check. A meandering coastal promenade? Check. A festive and convivial mid-century hotel with beach access, affordable rooms, and poolside taco pop-up? Check. This is the rightly named Dream Inn, as iconic a beachy bolthole as can be (name checked in Patti Smith’s most recent memoir no less) and the must-book mod hotel in town.

An iconic destination that we’d recommend experiencing at least once in your life, this resort has deep roots in the California coastal community. Opened in 1992, and now with a slate of renovations and new rooms, the property offers stunning, private vistas from each of its waterfront rooms and treehouse options that conjure up Ewoks and lightsabers.

Soaking in your own private hot tub as the sun sets and fog rolls in above the cliffs of Big Sur is a luxury that every coastal road tripper should reward themselves with—and Ventana Big Sur sits at the top of the list of spots to do it. If you tire of eating exquisite meals above the clouds at the open-air Sur House restaurant, load up on brisket and hot links at the only smokehouse on Highway One. The meandering timber property is nestled on the edge of a redwood forest and gives guests access to otherwise inaccessible trails.

This comfy lodge just 10 minutes from Hearst Castle is a great respite on any Central Coast road trip. Cozy rooms feature updated bathrooms, reading nooks, and some even feature fireplaces. A brand-new lobby completes the wholesale overhaul of this ideally situated hotel.

Just off the main waterfront drag, this modest-sized inn is great for families or anyone who wants proximity to the far side of the beaches in town. What’s more, a wide central courtyard with seating gives groups a safe gathering space for recapping the day or sharing some take-out food.

With its red roof tiles and vivid Moroccan-inspired interiors and tilework, this rambling jewel of a Spanish revival hotel looks like it’s always been in Santa Barbara. The rooms are stylishly appointed and the spa is bedecked in Moroccan blue tile, but the location, just steps from the walkable Funk Zone with its galleries, shops, and 50 bars and restaurants, sets it apart from so many other beachside getaways in town. The pro move is to ease into the evening with drinks and snacks at the poolside Tan Tan lounge before heading out into the balmy Santa Barbara evening.

This brand-new reboot of a classic directly across the street from East Beach features an on-property pool and easy access to the beach. Balcony rooms add to the allure. For anyone using points, this Hyatt property is within reach.

The historic Santa Catalina Island hotel celebrates its centennial this year, fresh off a redesign in late 2019. Originally built for the Wrigley family, the 95-room property features a spacious lobby flush with artifacts, and is situated in a prime part of the only incorporated city on the island, Avalon. Bonus: You’re only blocks from the beach and a short walk (or golf cart ride) from the Avalon Beach Club, which offers outdoor dining, cabanas, and chaise lounges spaced suitably for safety.

As beachside as you can get in Malibu, this iconic property features a redesigned lido deck by notable architect and Sunset partner Douglas Burdge.

The latest addition to luxury lodging in one of the California Riviera’s most luxe locations manages to convey old coastal elegance. It’s over the top in just the right ways: from the undulating lines of the massive Gatsby-esque pool, to little things like a bocce court and a pink electric shuttle on call to take you to the exclusive beach should you grow tired of lounging in your private cabana or eating at one of the six on-property restaurants—including an outpost of Malibu Farm and Scoop Shop for the kids.

Despite an influx of tech businesses, Venice still retains its funky charm and this is a hotel that nicely bridges the neighborhood’s past and present. Sure, you can get slices of artisanal pizza, of course the groovy rooms have blazing fast WiFi for your work-from-hotel needs, but it’s really all about the High Rooftop Lounge—the only rooftop hotel bar in Venice with mind-altering coastal views that instantly elicit California beach vibes, particularly when the sky goes pink and the sun sets into the sea.

Once home to an animal park called Marineland of the Pacific, this statement resort is now home to spa-goers and waterfront walkers instead of Orca and sea lion species. The jaw-dropping coastline is the main draw, with beachside service along with trails for sightseeing. Just a short drive from Los Angeles, the resort is on the short list of nearby immersive getaways.

A standout among the Newport Beach scene, this resort occupies an improbable 500-plus acres of prime real estate overlooking the ocean. With two high-end restaurants, a 136-foot wide circular pool, and bungalows and villas for lodging, you might as well be off on a secluded island somewhere. Two 18-hole golf courses will keep duffers occupied; at the bottom of the hill, beachfront access offers a jaw-dropping sunset.

With turntables in every room, a chill pool scene, a lounge that feels like your rich friend’s seaside rec room, and beach cruisers standing by ready to whisk you away to nearby Shaw’s Cove, the Joaquin is the old-school Laguna Beach crash pad of your dreams. It’s run by the smart and stylish folks behind Palm Springs’ legendary boho bolthole Korakia and Montana’s Lone Mountain Ranch. Translation: The decor is simultaneously chill but super dialed in.

Part of Montage Hotel’s younger, hipper Pendry group, this hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp district is a one-stop palace of urban diversions: six newly reopened restaurants and bars, a spa with a pandemic “peace of mind” safety protocol, and rooms so well appointed you won’t want to leave—but the pro move is an afternoon hang at the rooftop Pool House, which offers a breezy open air bar, spacious cabanas, and views of the city skyline.