By Alex
Sometimes the best trip is the one in your own backyard, and when I need to disappear without getting on a plane, Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica is my answer. This grand, golden-age beach hotel turns a simple weekend into a proper vacation.
Built in the 1920s, Casa Del Mar has all the romance of old Hollywood, with a soaring lobby, a glamorous lounge, and views straight out to the ocean. It feels like stepping back in time, in the best possible way, and yet every room is plush and thoroughly modern.
For a staycation, I love settling into a sea-view room, spending the morning by the beachfront, and the afternoon getting lost in a book on the sand. Cocktails in the lobby lounge as the sun goes down are non-negotiable, and dinner with the waves crashing nearby is pure magic.
If you live in LA and have never treated yourself to a night on the sand at Casa Del Mar, consider this your sign. A staycation here resets everything.
Why a Staycation Hits Different
There is a particular luxury in vacationing twenty minutes from home. No flights, no time-zone fog, no packing dilemmas, just the simple pleasure of checking into a beautiful hotel and pretending your real life does not exist for a couple of days. A great beachfront stay close to home is one of my favorite resets, and it always leaves me feeling like I got away with something.
The key is to fully commit. Turn off the work notifications, do not run any errands, and treat it exactly like you would a trip a thousand miles away. The proximity is the perk, not an excuse to keep one foot at home.
How to Spend the Days
My ideal staycation is gloriously unproductive. A long breakfast, a morning on the sand, an afternoon by the pool with a book, and a sunset dinner with the windows open to the ocean. The whole point is to do the things you never make time for when you are actually home, twenty minutes up the road.
Book a room with a view, schedule one nice dinner, and leave the rest of the itinerary blank. The best part of a staycation is having absolutely nowhere you need to be.
