The Getaways issue
Edgewood Tahoe Resort, Carlsbad, hot springs resorts, Kona Village, MORE
ABOUT FOUND • Getaways
FOUND is deeply interested in getaway destinations within driving distance (or a short flight) of San Francisco. That means Napa and Sonoma, the Central Coast, Tahoe, Palm Springs, and more. What do the regulars eat and drink, where should you stay and shop, and, to take this to its logical end — what about buying a second home of one’s own there?
Beyond the world of weekend escapes, FOUND closely tracks the local hotel scene and airports, particularly Bay area airports, and the need-to-know intel that can make or break a trip. From time to time, special correspondents will file reports from far-flung destinations like the French Riviera, because there are some experiences that transcend this mortal plane and beg to be shared.
Collect the full set here. In the meantime, enjoy a few selections from the past year in FOUND.
GETAWAYS • Carlsbad
Block party
Chef Eric Bost currently oversees two restaurants on the same block in Carlsbad. While both spots have different menus and vibes, both are worth the trip.
The first, Campfire (above), features a massive, relaxed indoor-outdoor dining room, where shelves of chopped wood double as decor and cooking supply. Outside, string lights hang from retractable canopies. There’s always a convivial energy here, with a hint of smoke in the air. As per the name, fire’s at the center of the menu. Oysters warmed over coals are topped with smoked oxtail dashi. Octopus gets roasted over fire. Coffee-rubbed brisket is smoked and served with polenta. Even the bread comes with charcoal butter.
If Campfire is dark and rustic, sister restaurant Jeune et Jolie is a more subdued, pastel-colored spot. There’s a central U-shaped, eggshell-blue bar and pink velvet banquettes. The dining room menu is a French-Californian four-course prix fixe ($115 per) with a supplemental raw bar, but there’s also an a la carte menu at the bar. On that menu is seabass with perfectly crisped skin and a sauce of saffron, vanilla, and warm spices — an extraordinary execution.
Campfire’s menu is best explored with a group, while Jeune et Jolie is tuned for couples or solo diners — even those who, if you’re anything like me, insist on eating an entire plate of mornay-filled gougeres, each topped with a sliver of black truffle.
If one night is all you can spare in Carlsbad, no matter. Sidle up to the bar at Jeune et Jolie when it opens at 5p for some light bites, and then stroll over to Campfire for dinner. –Fiona Chandra
→ Campfire (Carlsbad) • 2725 State St • Mon, Wed & Thurs 5-10p; Fri & Sat 5-11p; Sun 4-9p.
→ Jeune et Jolie (Carlsbad) • 2659 State St • Wed-Sun 5-10p.
–02/5/2025
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Hot springs resorts, NorCal
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the Bay Area’s best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundsf.com. For the full archives, click here.
Vichy Springs (Ukiah), no-frills historic landmark, North America’s only naturally carbonated mineral bath resort, $350
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (Sonoma), full-service spa, five geothermal pools, Roman-style bathhouse w/ sauna + steam room, $385
Indian Springs (Calistoga), Olympic-sized mineral pool + smaller adults-only pool fed from on-site geysers, both open until 12a, $643
Solage (Calistoga), luxury spa emphasizing mud and mineral water therapies, self-serve Mud Bar, $1065
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs (Calistoga), three mineral pools, vintage-modern daybeds and cabanas, $450
Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa (Calistoga), hip restored motel, three spring-fed pools, clay w/ volcanic ash from Mt. St. Helens, $336
Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort (Calistoga, above), 50-year-old family-run resort, spring-fed pools, mud baths rooted in Wappo tribe traditions, $335
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs (Calistoga), four geothermal pools, fire pits, daily massage service, $407
Esalen Institute (Big Sur), holistic retreat center w/ clothing-optional hot springs overlooking ocean, $645
All rooms king or queen, one night, Jan weekend (some require minimum stays); day passes may be available for non-resort guests.
–04/25/25
GETAWAYS • Lake Tahoe
Living on the edge
Nestled on the shores of Lake Tahoe, Edgewood Tahoe Resort is undoubtedly South Lake’s most stylish stay — and the only luxury lakefront hotel property on this side of Big Blue. The independent, family-owned lodge and golf course have a long history on these lands, where the Park family settled as cattle ranchers 150 years ago. Hailed as South Lake’s premier luxury resort when it opened in 2017, it still has all the familiar comforts and alpine charm you’d expect at a mountain lodge: roaring fires, cozy reading chairs with fur trim, and rich textures throughout its 154 guest rooms and suites, all of which have fireplaces, balconies, and large soaking tubs. In winter, its prime location — just minutes from Heavenly Mountain — is just one of several reasons to book a stay here.
What Edgewood lacks in ski-out, ski-in access, it makes up for in top-of-the-line service. Consider booking a three-night stay in one of the resort’s new Villa Suites and arranging a full-day private mountain tour guided by a local expert, whose powers include skipping lift lines to hit the slopes. All lodge and villa guests can use Edgewood’s white-glove Ski Butler program, where a dedicated team member assists with gear fitting and delivers rentals to your room. A ski valet will then whisk you and your gear straight to the Heavenly gondola, five minutes away.
Aprés perks abound here too. Green juice and granola are served daily in the lodge’s Great Room; activities include snowshoeing, ice skating, hot cocoa with board games, and an evening s’mores bar. And this spring marks the opening of an oxygen bar at Edgewood Spa, which also offers holistic treatments and gemstone rituals. Two onsite restaurants (one, Edgewood Restaurant, reopens Summer 2025), a heated lakefront pool and hot tub, and ample outdoor firepits also sweeten the deal for one of South Lake’s best stays. –Allison McCarthy
→ Edgewood Tahoe Resort (Stateline) • 180 Lake Pkwy • Rooms from $738/night/Jan weekend
Credit: Edgewood Tahoe Resort
–02/19/25
GETAWAYS • Hawaii
Volcanic vista
The open-air Kona International Airport is breezy and calm, a gentle preview of what’s to come at Kona Village, Rosewood’s respectful revival of a Big Island legend. Once a fishing village at the edge of a black lava field, it became an off-the-grid resort frequented by the likes of Steve Jobs and Jim Morrison (who, legend has it, downed 21 mai tais in a single sitting) before being wiped out by a tsunami in 2011.
The property’s new incarnation honors its past with intention. Some returning guests book the same room they stayed in 40 years ago — and still place a coconut outside their door instead of a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, just like they used to. The Shipwreck Bar, a sailboat-turned-cocktail lounge, still anchors the beach, while the Talk Story Bar remains a nightly ritual for sunset drinks.
Spread over 81 acres, the 150 free-standing hale (traditional Hawaiian villas) feature thatched roofs, outdoor showers, and views of the ocean, lagoons, or lush gardens. The interiors blend the outdoors in, layering wood, linen, lava rock, and Hawaiian artwork in a barefoot, considered style. Despite the luxury, the mood is unmistakably laid-back.
The same could be said of the food there. Kona Village’s signature restaurant Moana is an exception to hotel dining clichés. Locals came in every night when we were there. Dishes are built around Big Island bounty, and favorites included miso kanpachi, kalbi-braised beef cheeks, and abalone with brown butter sabayon. Elsewhere on the property, Kahuwai Cookhouse, a toes-in-the-sand beach spot, specializes in open-fire cooking. Their zarandeado-style whole fish, slicked in chile salsas, reminded me of Contramar’s famed pescado a la talla — bold and messy.
While there are two pools on-site, we headed straight for the beach, where whales breach offshore and the sand is salt-and-pepper from crushed volcanic rock. There’s paddleboarding, snorkeling, and tennis, while the spa offers treatments with views of the Hualālai volcano. Bikes are the best way to roam the grounds, and for kids, there’s a full club with activities rooted in local culture.
The resort is powered entirely by solar and a reverse osmosis water treatment plant, and petroglyphs etched into lava have been preserved with reverence. Here, the island isn’t just a backdrop. It’s the main character. –Victoire Loup
→ Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort (Kailua-Kona, Big Island, HI) • 72-300 Maheawalu Dr • Rooms from $1890/night, Jan. weekend.
–11/7/25
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Dining, Big Sur
Wild Coast Sushi Bar (Tree Bones), 15-course omakase w/ optional beverage or tea pairing, bento box lunches, reserve
Deetjen’s Restaurant (Rancho Grande Rd), antique barn, homestyle cooking, legendary stuffed French toast, reserve by phone: 831-667-2377
Nepenthe (Highway One, above), cliffside institution w/ sweeping ocean views, famous Ambrosia burger, sneakily great Champagne list, walk-ins only
Sierra Mar (Post Ranch Inn), pre-dinner cocktails w/ unparalleled views, 4-course dinner, approachable prix fixe lunch, reserve
Big Sur Roadhouse (Glen Oaks), casual California picnic fare, full roadhouse breakfast, reserve by phone: 831-667-2370
Sushi Jawn (Riverside Campground), Fri/Sat pop-up, hand rolls, 6-pc sashimi, poke bowls under the redwoods, walk-ups only
The Sur House (Ventana), open-air terrace, brunch/lunch/dinner w/ dramatic ocean views, on-site organic garden, small-production Central Coast wines, reserve
Big Sur Taphouse & Deli (Loma Vista), local pub + deli, takeaway picnic sandwiches, dine-in nachos, wings, pints, walk-ins only
Solstice (The Village), sustainably sourced seafood, hyper-local produce, wood-fired hearth cooking, reserve
–10/1/25