Angelenos are lucky. We’re bang in the middle of a glorious landscape stretching north and south, so a few hours drive means we’ve landed in beach, high desert or natural mineral springs. I live in Los Angeles, so names of the most charming small towns in California as well as some of the best beach towns in Southern California are flashing in my mind’s eye every time I glance up at a freeway interchange—just go, now—but alas, regular life calls. However, now I’ve got an extra impulse to hit the open road, since a handful of vintage motels have re-tooled themselves as chic little getaways with refreshed branding, updated interiors and elevated restaurants. The trend has been accelerated by the Covid Era, when flight-free road trips to rooms that opened not into a lobby but instead to the outdoors were a safety boon. As I visited and reviewed the following top sites, I appreciated how these independently operated motels reflected the personality of their towns, without overbearingly chatty innkeepers like in some hosted stays (love you, Airbnb!). Plus, these seemed to be at least 25 percent less expensive than nearby luxury hotels. And the casual vibe of it all means I don’t have to stress on dressing to impress or making any scene—the chillax of a pleasant hike, walk on the beach or hot springs soak (with or without a shot of rare agave spirits) are all that’s asked of me.
The Nouveau Cali Motel Is Trending—Here’s My Review of 9 No-Presh Getaways
I drove 1,000+ miles for the best affordable Southern Cali weekends
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1. Cuyama Buckhorn (New Cuyama, California)
- Distance from LA: 2 hours 17 minutes
- Why We Love It: scenic small town, bohemian charm
- Don’t Miss: fresh local cheffy fare at the Buckhorn Restaurant, bocce playing
This 1952 motel-cum-biker pit stop/bar has been reinvented by new owners. Today the 21-room high desert stop inland from Santa Barbara is a gorgeous oasis with a sparkling swimming pool. The morning-to-night lineup of delish food is “better than it has to be” as one foodie I dined with quipped. Standouts include house-made focaccia with sliced avocado, radish, pickled onion, smoked feta and crispy red five grain as well as smoked oyster mushrooms, cabbage, avocado and cilantro served on nixtamalized Tehachapi corn tortillas. And it’s ideal to end the evening with a Mexican lager from Bakersfield’s Temblor Brewery, then stroll out to enjoy a meteor shower in the dark desert sky.
2. Jacumba Hot Springs (Jacumba, California)
- Distance from LA: 3 hours
- Why We Love It: outdoor dining, natural mineral pools
- Don’t Miss: charming town shops, evening concerts
This charming natural mineral springs pools for healing in the high desert outside San Diego is right on the border with Mexico–driving in you literally are at places a few yards from the wall. This resort is notable as having operated for decades as a mineral springs resort, first in the ‘20s as a destination for Hollywood actors, then as a clothing-optional resort. Now everyone’s got their kit on as they enjoy swimming in naturally warm water in two pools, and lounging poolside or in the resort’s Bedouin-chic chill tent. Rooms are spacious and decorated in line with the Moroccan-accented décor throughout. The arts enthusiast owners host an ever-changing lineup of recording artists who perform under starlight; the free concerts are a short walk away, amid the ruins of a community bathhouse in a magical and unique experience.
3. San Luis Creek Lodge (San Luis Obispo, California)
- Distance from LA: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: quiet fireplace sleeping, sophisticated decor
- Don’t Miss: breakfast at Scout nearby, local wineries
Designed by Nina Freudenberger, author of cult collectible book, Surf Shack, this roadside inn is tucked away into a small leafy area between residences, and you feel like you are yourself a resident when you stay here. Marble bath countertops, Italian bed linens, cane headboards and bedside fireplaces are among the elegant appointments in the rooms, including original artwork by Los Angeles creatives Block Shop. Whether you’re headed to a day at the SLO beach or inland to a Edna Valley or Paso Robles valleys, this is your relaxing home base.
4. Pacific Motel (Cayucos, California)
- Distance from LA: Cayucos, 3 hours 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crisp cabins, sleepy ocean town
- Don’t Miss: curated gift shop
It’s called the last undiscovered sleepy beach in California, and I’m inclined to agree—the Pacific Motel is just up the coast from Morro Rock, the 50-story tied island that’s marks where a volcano once erupted. The re-opened motel in mid-Coast high ceilings, fireplaces in 20 rooms and bungalows stocked with local plant-based Fablerune personal care products, bikes you can borrow and every morning, hot coffee in the lobby/gift shop.
5. Skyview Los Alamos (Los Alamos, California)
- Distance from LA: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: charming vintage elements, Norman restaurant
- Don’t Miss: Los Alamos town browsing, Santa Barbara wine tasting
Locals nicknamed this the Bates Motel after the movie “Psycho,” but the hilltop views of the wine country and a vivid “Motel” sign were keepers and today, after a multi-million-dollar renovation, the 33-room property has a restaurant, the Norman, where guests dine on Bates burgers. There’s a large communal space with Adirondack chairs and a fire pit. The property has a rustic California feel, with a swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and spiky agave plants. Inside are a lot of midcentury modern-style features, like turquoise-blue bubble lamps and a hutch with a record player.
6. Alamo Motel (Los Alamos, California)
- Distance from LA: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: near vineyards, firepit gatherings
- Don’t Miss: Bar Alamo, the shed-cum-wine bar
This mid-state wine country getaway is from a hotel group that specializes in taking run-own properties and refreshing them with hipster décor and chill vibes. This one is a cluster of log cabins set along the sleepy town of Los Alamos. The dog-friendly rooms are camping chic and the hotel is walking distance to fine dining at Pico inside the old cattle town’s former general store, and a nightcap to dive bar Depot Bar inside the antiques mall.
7. Capri Hotel (Ojai, California)
- Distance from LA: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: groovy artistic design, inviting pool
- Don’t Miss: pink sunset onTopatopa Mountains, boat rental on Lake Casitas
Ojai, you're all about the vibrations—from the magical pink sunset off the Topatopa mountains to the population of expat Angelenos and international creatives who enjoy the area's relaxed, wellness-focused indoor-outdoor lifestyle. Whether you’re in town to attend a spiritual workshop led by bestselling author Byron Katie, visiting natural hot springs at Ecotopia or browsing downtown galleries and taking in concerts, Ojai feel like a real escape. And don’t miss a refreshing glass of agua fresca at my favorite restaurant, family-run The Nest, or leave town without a bottle of Ojai Olive Oil Company EVOO.
8. Ojai Rancho Inn (Ojai, California)
- Distance from LA: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: hippie-chic furnishings, pool
- Don’t Miss: Chief’s Peak bar
The rustic feel of old California blends with the New Age in these 17 guest rooms that feel more like a summer camp than a snooty resort. Borrow a bike for the five-minute ride into town or just go for a hike right from the property, before settling in with a cocktail and meeting other creatives around the fire pit at dusk…and try to coincide your trip with the community listening party every last Thursday of the month to hobnob with Ojai locals and the occasional digital nomad.
9. Hamlet Inn (Solvang, California)
- Distance from LA: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: family- and dog-friendly town, historic interest
- Don’t Miss: ghost-hunting tour, Danish waffles at the Solvang Bakery
Browse the charming little town of Solvang, styled like an old Danish village, with your family and eat all the Euro pastries. Or hit balls at the Alisal Golf Course just 3 miles away, or take a seven-minute drive to the Chumash Casino. Or just enjoy the wine you picked up at a nearby Santa Ynez valley winery while you play bocce on property…there’s no wrong move the the Hamlet Inn.
