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Where to Go in 2021

Destinations across California are preparing to welcome visitors back with new offerings that represent all facets of the California experience, from luxurious resorts to tempting taco trails to rejuvenating wellness experiences. Below are just a few of the exciting new developments visitors can enjoy in 2021.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley
Scheduled to open in late 2020, the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley represents Napa Valley’s first and only resort set within a working winery led by award-winning winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Tucked into the base of Mount Saint Helena in Calistoga and surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards, the new Four Seasons offers 85 spacious guest rooms and suites as well as 20 residences. Guests will be treated to a hospitality experience centered on food, wine and spirits featuring TRUSS Restaurant and Bar led by star chef Erik Anderson. In addition to wellness-inspired amenities, guests can sink deeper into relaxation at the Gran Roca Spa and two outdoor swimming pools nestled amid the vineyard. A Kids for All Seasons program and multiple meeting and events space accommodate the needs of every type of traveler.  

Two New Anaheim Resorts
Two new hotels are opening in Anaheim, just steps away from Disneyland Resort, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the Honda Center and the Anaheim Convention Center. The JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort opened in August on the Anaheim GardenWalk. The resort features 466 lavish guest rooms, including 19 suites with quiet floors. The Westin Anaheim Resort will open December 2020 in the heart of Anaheim’s Resort District. Featuring a modern design inspired by Anaheim’s historic orange grove roots, the resort will boast 618 guest rooms and suites, a signature WestinWORKOUT Fitness Center, over 47,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event spaces, an outdoor pool, and multiple signature food and beverage outlets, which include Anaheim’s only exclusive rooftop bar featuring incredible panoramic views of Disneyland’s nightly fireworks. 

Pendry West Hollywood
Scheduled to open in late 2020, Pendry West Hollywood will feature 149 luxury guest rooms and 40 Pendry Residences by Montage Hotels & Resorts in the heart of the iconic Sunset Strip. Guests and residence owners will have exclusive access to hotel amenities, including a rooftop pool and bar, multi-purpose live entertainment venue, screening room, bowling alley, Spa Pendry and state-of-the-art fitness center, private membership club, curated art collection, and multiple food and beverage concepts driven by world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. Pendry West Hollywood will debut as the flagship property and the third Pendry Hotels & Resorts property in the new luxury hotel brand’s portfolio.


ATTRACTIONS

Presidio Tunnel Tops
The Presidio Tunnel Tops, a new national park attraction in the Presidio of San Francisco, opens to visitors in fall 2021. This innovative urban design project features gathering spots with a fire circle; restaurants; gardens; views of the Golden Gate Bridge, bay and city; a youth campus with natural playscape; and more. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the makers of New York City’s High Line, the site creates 14 new acres of parkland over the tops of former highway tunnels, adding even more open space for visitors to enjoy. 

Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College
The Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College is anticipated to open in early 2021, beginning its new chapter in a new building designed by Machado Silvetti and Gensler. Located in the Los Angeles-area city of Claremont, the sophisticated structure is made of cast-in-place concrete and glass accented with wood and bronze. It features an outdoor courtyard with a newly commissioned sculpture by Alison Saar. The museum will celebrate its rebirth with a host of provocative inaugural exhibitions that demonstrate its longstanding commitment to contemporary art, which include a major retrospective of Saar and monographic exhibitions of work by Alia Ali and Helen Pashgian. Permanent collection installations will feature well-known pieces from the museum’s wide-ranging holdings alongside many objects never previously exhibited. 


CULINARY

Gilroy Taco Trail
The “Garlic Capital of the World” is, unsurprisingly, a great destination for foodies. Visitors on the hunt for authentic and affordable Mexican food can eat their fill and then some along the Gilroy Taco Trail, which features 28 local restaurants. Plan a post-taco stop at the iconic Casa de Fruta resort to stock up on fresh produce, dried fruits and nuts, local wines and sweet treats.

Concord Taco Trail
The Concord Taco Trail will launch on September 1 and feature more than 35 authentic local Mexican restaurants and taquerias. Locals and visitors can learn more about the stories of these often family-owned businesses on Visit Concord’s social media. Diners will also be eligible to win prizes such as Concord Taco Trail merchandise with the Visit Concord Passport, a mobile-exclusive website, which will also launch in September. 

Paso Market Walk
A trip to the Central Coast wine country isn’t complete without a stroll through the Paso Market Walk in Paso Robles. The Walk opened in August 2020 and features the full gamut of local delicacies, from sweet treats to vegan cheese. Visitors will be able to relax, shop and taste the culture of Paso at Just Baked Cake Studio & Bakery, Hog Canyon Brewing Company, Momotaro Ramen, Joebella Coffee Roasters, Montello Tasting Room Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar, just to name a few of the district’s eclectic local merchants. 


WELLNESS

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
Escape to Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary for the ultimate relaxation with new al fresco massages in outdoor pagodas tucked along Salmon Creek in Sonoma County. Private Japanese landscaped gardens and a Zen-inspired meditation garden offer a profound sense of peace and tranquility, with still deeper respite to be found in private rooms that offer traditional Japanese tea to sip on.  Osmosis also offers outdoor cedar enzyme baths, surrounded by a wooden paradise and tranquil atmosphere, infused with healing Pacific Ocean air. 

Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort 
The storied Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort the Napa Valley town of Calistoga is transforming into Dr. Wilkinson's Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs. The resort will offer a totally reimagined destination for an elevated "detox and retox" experience starting October 2020. Upscale yet approachable, Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs will honor the resort’s storied past as a destination for wellness while breathing new life and a new mid-century design into the property for the next generation of travelers.


Note: As communities re-open after COVID-19-related closures, some parks, businesses and attractions may still be closed or have new protocols in place. Please verify local guidelines and regulations for all destinations and hours and availability of individual businesses before publishing. Check out Visit California’s Responsible Travel Hub for guidance on how visitors can travel within California safely.

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