Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, North San Diego

In the same league as the Monterey Peninsula, the North San Diego coastline is all about the view. Boulder-encrusted hills, aqua lagoons and glistening ocean blend idyllically in Carlsbad, the region’s undisputed star. Stretching between the vacation-home mecca of Oceanside to the north and a string of drowsy seaside cities—including Encinitas and Solana Beach—to the south, this majestic town is a prime setting for Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, North San Diego, perched atop a bluff just north of Encinitas. To get up close and personal with the view, cruise the iconic, shore-hugging Pacific Coast Highway, visiting The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, a 50-acre (20-hectare) sweep of blazing colour featuring giant ranunculus blooms. Commune with white pelicans and native flora at Batiquitos Lagoon; explore Mediterranean landscapes at Quail Botanical Gardens. Juxtaposed with the staggering scenery is the unassuming village of Carlsbad, a trove of antiques shops two blocks from Southern California’s storied surf.