48 hours in the OC, California

Make like a Hollywood A-lister and head to Orange County for your own weekender. Dilvin Yasa suggests the perfect itinerary.

DAY ONE

For many of America’s wealthy, fabled Orange County, with its celebrity estates, coastal golf courses and superyachts, is considered ‘home’.

But for the 42 million annual visitors pulled into the county by Disneyland – southern California’s biggest drawcard – it’s also the gateway to 64 kilometres of stunning Pacific beaches, wilderness trails, and yes, some of that Desperate Housewives of Orange County glam.

Want a piece of the action? It all starts 35 minutes south of Los Angeles.

7am

Arrive in Huntington Beach, AKA Surf City, and head straight to the town’s iconic pier for a coffee.

Stretching 560 metres into the Pacific, it’s the perfect spot to watch the locals play beach volleyball, cycle, surf or jog along the famed Ocean Strand.

8am

Get seated for a traditional (and generous) American breakfast at Ruby’s Diner (rubys.com).

Located at the end of the pier, the diner not only has some of the most breathtaking views in town, it’s also got menu options to please everyone (even the health conscious).

9:30am

Indulge in a bit of segs on the beach by hiring a Segway to take a tour of the town through GW Tours (hbsegwaytours.com).

The 90-minute Beachcomber Tour is popular with visitors, but you can also customise your own.

11am

Kelly Slater you may not be, but if there’s anywhere you need to give surfing a try, it’s at the home of the US Open of Surfing.

Fortunately, there are no less than 15 surf schools dotted along the beachfront for you to trial (Corky Carroll’s Surf School – surfschool.net – is one of the most popular), but terra firma lovers can also tick the surf box by visiting the International Surfing Museum (surfingmuseum.org) instead.

1pm

There are some places you go for food, and others you go for the ambiance, and Wahoo’s Fish Taco (wahoos.com) definitely falls into the former.

Yes it’s dark and filled with colourful characters, but the burritos borrow flavours from every corner of the globe and practically sing in your mouth.

2pm

Drive 10 minutes down the road to Wholefoods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) to load up on meals, snacks and vino for Huntington Beach’s famed nightly bonfires on the beach.

But be warned; you will go in for two or three things and leave having spent $200.

3pm

Check into the sprawling, Mediterranean-inspired Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa (huntingtonbeach.hyatt.com) to while away the afternoon.

The kids will go crazy for the resort’s Slyders Water Playground, while the adults can take advantage of the resort’s day spa, numerous scenic dining options, and our personal favourite: the spa grotto (a cluster of spas surrounded by lush greenery).

6pm

Settle into an armchair in front of the fire at Hyatt Regency’s Red Chair Lounge and allow the bartender to treat you to one of the resort’s signature cocktails as you listen to the live band.

Not so big on cocktails? Its local wine list is extensive; peruse it in front of the fireplace.

7:30pm

Spend the night toasting marshmallows under the stars at a bonfire on Huntington Beach.

Be sure to get in early to claim one of the 500-plus concrete fire rings (you can claim one by throwing your gear over it earlier in the day) and bring food, wine and your all-important inner Rock God (many feel this is the perfect time to sing/strum/harmonica-ise).

DAY TWO

7:30am

Grab a coffee-to-go and drive 20 minutes down the North Coast Highway to Crystal Cove State Park, a natural wonderland of rugged coastlines interspersed with scenic hiking trails.

Make your first stop the ramshackle Beachcomber Café (thebeachcombercafe.com) where you can indulge in a mouth-watering breakfast of coconut-macadamia pancakes, before taking a tour of the historic beach cottages (one might look ultra-familiar to you – ’80s classic Beaches was filmed here).

A short hike, horseback ride or a leisurely dip in one of the many tidal pools will complete your morning.

10:30am

Ten minutes back up the coast at glamorous Newport Beach lies Fashion Island, an outdoor shopping mecca featuring more than 125 boutiques, department stores and designer outposts.

Sure, the children will love the impressive water fountains and park areas, but let’s not kid ourselves that it’s not all about Neiman Marcus, Valentino and Cartier et al.

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12:30pm

Head to picturesque Balboa Island down the road and acquaint yourself with the charming cafés and luxe boutiques that line Marine Avenue.

Stop in for a Balboa Bar (vanilla ice-cream dipped in chocolate and a choice of toppings) at Dad’s Donuts (and possibly a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants that line the street) and then explore the boardwalk that loops around the larger and smaller island – the views of the harbour and channel are sensational.

3pm

Take the Balboa Island Ferry across to Balboa Peninsula to check out the action at Fun Zone, an old-school amusement park that is home to a small ferris wheel and an assortment of other rides and arcade games.

4pm

Newport Beach is home to some of the most impressive real estate in the country and the best way to see them is by taking to the water.

You can hire your own electric duffy boat (duffyofnewportbeach.com) from $115 an hour to explore at your leisure, but a popular choice is to take the hourly Celebrity Homes and Yachts tour by The Fun Zone Boat Company (funzoneboats.com).

For $18, you’ll get the views, the banter, and the all-important Hollywood gossip.

5pm

Check into your one-of-a-kind beach cottage back at Crystal Cove’s Beach Cottages (www.crystalcovealliance.org).

Starting from just $209 a night, each cottage has been painstakingly restored to its 1935 to 1955 condition yet with mod cons, as well as that all-important ocean view.

6pm

Head over to Laguna Beach’s Montage Lobby Lounge (montagehotels.com) and park yourself at a table on the terrace overlooking both the pool and the Pacific for dinner and a pre- or post-meal cocktail.

You may not own the house or the superyacht, but for just a couple of hours, you too can feel like a celebrity.

Go on tour

Want a professional to customise a trip for you?

Carolyn Clark from Newport at Your Feet (newportatyourfeet.com) conducts tours of the area and can guide you through a day trip based on your interests.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.