Reviews

10740 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 475-8711 hotelpalomar.com Description  Situated in Westwood, home to UCLA and many a movie premiere, the Palomar LA Westwood is earth-friendly with a healthy does of chic. The Kimpton property abides by the brand’s longstanding EarthCare program, meaning  recycling program, low flow water systems, energy efficient lighting, and many other environmental initiatives. The pet-friendly rooms (from $240) are comfortable and stylish, and the property offers

525 S Winchester Boulevard San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 247-2101 winchestermysteryhouse.com Description Rumored to be the most haunted mansion in the Bay Area, San Jose’s infamous Winchester Mystery House is both  home to ghouls galore and an architectural road map to the psyche of its disturbed and eccentric creator, Sarah Winchester. After the 1881 death of her gun-magnate husband (whose family manufactured the famous Winchester repeating rifle), the distressed New England society wife

520 20th Street Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 452-2022 touchstoneclimbing.com Description The Great Western Power Co. is just one branch of the many state-of-the-art rock-climbing facilities operated by Touchstone Climbing Incorporated. Each club offers plenty of indoor climbing terrain, plus a variety of classes, from Intro to Climbing to unique fitness classes. Read about more unique workouts in the Bay Area. Directions Take BART  to the 19th St/Oakland stop and walk to 520 20th

The Moving School (class locations vary) (415) 887-9390 movingcenterschool.com Description Whether or not your body has “rhythm,” Gabrielle Roth’s world-renowned 5Rhythms program can teach your soul to dance. Following the five essential rhythms (flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness), the unique philosophy helps practitioners of all ages and skill levels to unite and heal psyche, body, and spirit. Based in Sausalito, the California Moving Center School was founded by two

2880 Mead Avenue Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 492-1139 sjc.jumpskyhigh.com Description No matter what your age, sometimes you just feel like bouncing off the walls. Sky High Sports, a.k.a. “The Trampoline Palace,” lets you do just that. Picture it: trampoline walls, trampoline floors, foam pits, and all the hopping you can handle. Drop in for an hour or two, jump into a calorie-blasting “AIRobics” class ($7), or bring the whole

785 7th Street Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-4800 kineticartscenter.com Description The clowns, the cotton candy, the dancing animals… Who didn’t want to join the Circus as a kid? You may not have boarded the train with the ringmaster, but now your circus (and fitness!) dreams can come true. Enter Kinetic Arts Center, a brave new “fitness and circus arts community” in Oakland. The center offers a broad range of classes

Sacramento, CA 95815 oldsacramento.com Description Set at the meeting place of the Sacramento and American Rivers, Old Town Sacramento is a living monument to the Old West, with no shortage of charm. Founded in 1849, this 28-acre section of town feels frozen in time, with 53 historic buildings and plenty of old-time fun— from the California State Railroad Museum (125 I Street) to old-fashioned photography studios like McGees Old Time Photos (103 K

San Carlos Between 5th & 6th Carmel, CA 93921 carmelcalifornia.org Description Downtown Carmel is chockablock full of tasting rooms and gourmet food shops serving up the best of varietals from the Central Coast’s finest vineyards and farms, and the Carmel Wine Walk by-the-Sea Passport ($50) is a fabulous way to sample and save. The pass grants you free tastings (usually $10-12 each) at seven tasting rooms. What’s more, participating restaurants (ask at