Beyond the Long Beach tourist-packed haunts such as the Queen Mary and Aquarium are many quaint neighborhoods worth exploring such as the Belmont Heights Art Quarter. Friendly storefronts, cozy coffee shops, art galleries and great restaurants offer many ways to discover the area. For a leisurely day of relaxation and pampering begin at Ambiance Skin Care Salon.

Cabo San Lucas sits at the tip of the Baja Peninsula where the bountiful Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. A launching point for early sailors heading westward and a haven for pirates, it remained a remote outpost until the early 1950s when it became a destination for celebrity sport fishermen like John Wayne and Bing Crosby. Since the 1970s, it has been a favorite destination for those seeking luxe accommodations and amenities.

The gentle rolling hills of the Willamette Valley are home to over 200 of Oregon's renowned vineyards. The climate in this wide valley is known for its long and gentle growing season. The warm summer days, cool evenings and wet, mild winters with a long rainy spring season make it a pinot grape grower's version of heaven. With all this going for it, pinot grapes are still a finicky bunch. It is said that each change in the climate can be tasted in the glass. Maybe it's that very challenge that makes it such a beloved wine, and one so many vintners grow.

Located on the edge of Los Angeles County, 30-minutes south of LAX, Long Beach is the little city that could. Clean and modern, it is home to first-rate tourist destinations like the Queen Mary and the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. But at night Long Beach offers another side: an old-school, gentleman style that glimmers like the jewel in your grandfather's pinky ring.

The civilized man and his inner child.

Arriving at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa, located on a private 44-acre island in San Diego's spectacularly scenic Mission Bay, is like entering your own private playground. It is a world apart - yet just ten minutes drive - from the heart of downtown San Diego and five minutes to Sea World and The Zoo.

The resort's comfortable California beach bungalow style guest rooms are nestled amidst lush, tropical gardens and lagoons. Rooms feature a kitchenette nook, and Adirondack chairs that beckon on the outside deck.

With the stress of the holidays behind us and the coldest days of the season ahead, January in Chicago is a daunting affair. The winds and snow can make even the most dazzling sights lose their luster, and it's easy to hunker down instead of braving the weather. But don't be fooled by wind chills and flurries; Chicago in the winter is as amazing as any other season. And after the holiday frenzy of friends and family, this is the best time to discover all of the delightful ways to relax in this winter wonderland.