Under-The-Radar Southern California Destinations to Explore for Summer Travel

With summer travel right around the corner, popular Southern California destinations like Santa Monica and La Jolla are soon going to be flooded with tourists, taking away from the beauty and ease that travelers seek while on vacation.

With this in mind, why not add some lesser-known SoCal towns & resorts on your radar that offer peaceful, unique, and authentic California experience, from coastal beaches to the glowing desert.

Let’s see which Southern California vacation destination is right for you!

Carlsbad: Park Hyatt Aviara is the chic resort just a short drive away from the beautiful beaches of Carlsbad. Park Hyatt Aviara offers world-class wellbeing experience, an array of dining venues, adult and family pool experiences, state-of-the-art tennis facilities and Southern California’s only coastal designed Arnold Palmer signature golf course, Aviara Golf Club. The resort– one of Southern California’s grand dame properties–unveiled an enhanced look following a $60+ million property-wide transformation, refreshing all public spaces, guestrooms and suites and function/social spaces while introducing amenities such as a Topgolf Swing Suite, new pool concepts and the recently debuted Miraval Life in Balance Spa Aviara.

Irvine: Hyatt Regency Irvine is the only ultra-refined hospitality experience in the under-the-radar Irvine destination. The hotel is coming off a $55 million property-wide transformation featuring thoughtfully modern interior design, crafted furnishings and hardware, unique artwork and light fixtures, and curated layouts to fit various lifestyles. This summer, the hotel will debut a new on-site, full-service restaurant and bar, outdoor patio areas, and luxe pool experience. Hyatt Regency Irvine’s central location in Irvine, recently deemed as one of the happies cities in the US, places guests within convenient reach of landmarks such as Disneyland, South Coast Plaza, Irvine Spectrum Center, Newport Beach, and much more.

Oxnard: Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach is California’s only all-suite oceanfront resort boasting 250 spacious suites, an expansive oceanside pool deck with private cabanas, acclaimed signature restaurant Ox & Ocean, full-service gear rental Henry’s, luxury spa experience Float, extensive indoor and outdoor event space and direct access to pristine and uncrowded Mandalay Beach. Located minutes from Channel Islands Harbor, the resort’s location offers easy access to Channel Islands National Park, one of only two national parks in Southern California. Known as “North America’s Galapagos,” the islands offer unique outdoor experiences found nowhere else in California including kayaking through prehistoric sea caves, snorkeling through biodiverse kelp forests, observing 145 endemic species of animals and plants and more.