Terranea Resort

The place

One hundred acres of waterfront on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with the Pacific on every horizon. Terranea's accommodations run from spacious guest suites to private bungalows; the coastal casitas, with their charming furnishings and living spaces, keep the ocean in view.

Water shapes the days here. Four outdoor pools — the main 5,000-square-foot pool, a spa pool, a vista pool, and the Cielo Point pool. The spa adds a jacuzzi, a eucalyptus steam room, a cold plunge, a dry sauna, and a gym.

At the table, the range is wide — Catalina Kitchen's coastal cuisine at one end, Bashi's Asian-inspired dishes at the other.