When spring roared in like a lion last week, we at 7x7 couldn’t help but turn our attention to one of our favorite seasonal rituals: the spring break getaway.
But with gas prices raging and plane tickets at a premium, we thought that, maybe this year, we’d stick a little closer to home. Lucky for us, it’s just a couple of hours drive to some of the best escapes Northern California has to offer.
If you need us, you’ll find us at one of these refreshing new Northern California stays.
Sonoma Coast: The Madeira House
(Courtesy of @moksadesign/@madeirahouse_sonoma)
Even before the Jenner Inn transformed their under-the-radar waterfront suites into a new, boutique hotel, I made an annual pilgrimage to this tiny corner of the Sonoma Coast. The quiet at the mouth of the Russian River, the otters and seals that roll in and out with the tides, the constant churning of the Pacific in the distance—virtually everything about it was perfect. And then, somehow, the renovation and rebranding of the property into the Madeira House last fall, made it even more so.
The property now consists of 11 bungalows across three “houses,” those in the Boat House still wrapped with the wood-paneling and wide windows that have always given them their magical cabin-on-the-water feel. Other furnishings have been updated with modern lounge chairs and sofas; brand new Keetsa mattresses; kitchenettes with a microwave, fridge, kettle, and coffee maker; and renovated baths with rain showers and heated floors. They’ve also added to the property, creating more coastal garden areas around the wooden staircases leading to the suites, a communal fire pit with seating, and a new coastside reception area with a lounge, grab-and-go snacks, and filtered water. Best of all, it’s still just a five-minute walk down Highway 1 for breakfast or drinks with a view at the beloved Cafe Aquatica. Across the street, kayaks and SUPs are available for rent for a spin around the marshy inlet that’s so teeming with wildlife, it may as well be a safari.
// Rates start around $270/night; 10625 CA-1 (Jenner), themadeirahouse.com
Napa Valley: Hotel Yountville Resort & Spa
(Marcus Edwards)
Tuscan-inspired Hotel Yountville isn’t exactly the new kid on the (vineyard) block. But in January, they began a new chapter in their Napa Valley story. Spearheaded by the award-winning design firm Premier, the property and its 80 guest rooms have been refreshed with the timeless sophistication of “monastic Italian villa influences” (think wood floors, pebble tiles, white stone fireplaces, and metalwork) softened by blush- and lavender-hued linens and upholstery and contemporary landscape art.
Every room has French doors that open onto private patios or balconies and several have spa tubs alongside their rainfall showers. Suites up the ante with dual fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, wet bars, and full living spaces. The hotel’s spa is exclusive to guests, offering signatures like “vino therapy,” a full-body, cabernet-enriched exfoliation, aromatherapy bath, and grapeseed oil massage that comes with a glass of local wine. The onsite restaurant, too—the sustainable, organic, biodynamic Heritage Oak—is only for those staying on the property. If that’s not intimate enough, they’ll set up an elegant meal for you on your patio.
// Rates start around $759/night; 6462 Washington St. (Yountville), hotelyountville.com
Sonoma Wine Country: Duchamp Healdsburg
(Courtesy of Duchamp Healdsburg)
The last year in Healdsburg has brought a whirlwind of new stays, tasting rooms, and restaurants to the little Sonoma Valley town. Its most recent arrival, though, is just a few weeks old—new enough to be something of a hidden gem… for now. The Duchamp Healdsburg is hidden in plain sight just steps from downtown, a collection of four buildings encircling a courtyard crowned with a gem of a pool 50 feet in length.
The line between home and resort, between indoors and outdoors, between luxury and unfussiness is blurred throughout the property. The boutique hotel has just 20 suites outfitted by Shalls Design Studio with king beds, dual vanities, smart TVs, expansive sitting areas, and goodies like Blue Bottle Coffee and Polaroid cameras. (Two second-story suites have full living, dining, and bedroom areas.) Small gathering spaces, including one with a built-in firepit, encourage conversation, and an on-site spa has room for up to 11 guests. Mornings, you’ll wake to pre-breakfast bites from a local bakery. Developed and owned by legit, longtime residents, Duchamp is about as close to real (upscale) Healdsburg living as you can get.
// Rates average $750/night; 420 Foss St. (Healdsburg), duchamphotel.com
Monterey Bay: Monterey Beach Hotel
(The Nomadic People)
The only literal on-beach stay in Monterey, the Monterey Beach Hotel, was fully renovated and rebranded about a year and a half ago. But it wasn’t until fall 2025 that they opened their Reset Lab, an al fresco Nordic Cycle wellness center complete with Scandinavian-inspired barrel saunas, cold plunges, and access to the hotel’s chic heated pool and jacuzzi.
You don’t have to stay overnight to spend the day squeezing every last drop out of the Reset Lab, but you’d be missing out on a real treat. Rooms at the hotel are designed with clean lines, geometric tiles, and seaside tones. Oceanside rooms come with uninterrupted vistas (and binoculars for sighting whales), but so do the lobby and restaurant, The Lantern Room. Just beyond the hotel is the 18-mile Monterey Recreation Trail, for which e-bikes are available for rent on site.
// Rates start around $309/night; 2600 Sand Dunes Dr. (Monterey), marriot.com
Yosemite National Park: Under Canvas Yosemite
(Courtesy of Under Canvas Yosemite)
Stay in comfort near Yosemite National Park at Under Canvas Yosemite, a new glamping site officially opening April 16th. Spend your days among towering granite cliffs and your nights roasting marshmallows by a campfire, or unwinding in a safari-inspired tent equipped with a plush king bed and ensuite bathroom.
A scenic three-hour drive from the Bay Area, Under Canvas Yosemite offers an effortless weekend or midweek retreat to one of the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Located just 10 minutes from Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance and hosting a designated YARTS stop onsite, you can even ditch your car once you arrive and travel in and out of the crowded park with ease. They’re accepting reservations now for the first guests to sleep under the star-lit Sierra sky in total comfort.
// Rates start at $329/night; 30801 Hardin Flat Rd. (Groveland), undercanvas.com
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