Monterey, California

As a lover of cars and motorsports Monterey CA is my happy place. Internationally known as the hub for car enthusiasts around the world, it is home to the iconic Laguna Seca raceway and the Jewel in the Crown of its yearly events – Car Week. Car Week draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and features cars of every make, model and vintage making it a car lover’s paradise. The only draw back is that hotels in Monterey and the neighboring cities get booked up far in advance and prices for even basic 2 star hotels are ridiculous. So best to make reservations far in advance.

If you’re not a gear head, the guided walking tours of the Old Town center of Monterey are really fascinating and are reasonably priced. The tours focus on the pioneering history of California when it began as territory of Mexico.

My Monterey holiday usually ends with a decompression pampering session at The Spa At the Clement. This is a very small spa that is somewhat off the beaten track as I never see too many clients there. The service is quietly professional which is in keeping with the Zen like atmosphere. The price of services is in keeping with spas of many 5 star hotels, but from time to time they will run discount offers, so it pays to check their website or Groupon.

Generally, I find the vibe in Monterey to be rather chill as long as you avoid the hectic Wharf area. And, it offers up enough to do to keep you engaged without making you feel overly stimulated. So, if you’re looking for a brief “Staycation” to do a Vibe reset, Monterey is the place to be.