Travel Planner: Monterey, CA

This exclusive spa resort evokes a stately Mediterranean villa. Rooms are decorated with sumptuous fabrics and fine art; each has a wood-burning fireplace and heated floor, and some have private outdoor patios with in-ground whirlpools. Complimentary cocktail service is offered each evening in the main hall and library. The adjacent Spa at Pebble Beach is state-of-the-art, and you have use of all facilities at the Lodge at Pebble Beach and the Inn at Spanish Bay. Pros:

ultimate in pampering; more private than sister resorts; right on the golf course.

pricey; may be

posh for some. www.pebblebeach.com. 21 rooms, 3 suites. In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: bar, golf course, pool, spa. Credit cards accepted.

All rooms have fireplaces and many have wonderful ocean views at this circa 1919 resort. The golf course, tennis club, and equestrian center are posh. Overlooking the 18th green, the intimate Club XIX restaurant ($$$$) serves expertly prepared French cuisine. When staying here, you also have privileges at the Inn at Spanish Bay and the Spa at Pebble Beach. Pros:

world-class golf; borders the ocean and fairways; fabulous facilities.

some rooms are on the small side; very pricey. www.pebblebeach.com. 142 rooms, 19 suites. In-room: no a/c, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 3 restaurants, bars, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, beach, business center, some pets allowed. Credit cards accepted.

Bird Rock, the largest of several islands at the southern end of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club's golf course, teems with harbor seals, sea lions, cormorants, and pelicans.

You can take in views of the impeccable greens at Pebble Beach Golf Links over a drink or lunch at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. The ocean plays a major role in the 18th hole of the famed links. Each February the course is the main site of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (formerly the Bing Crosby Pro-Am), where show business celebrities and golf pros team up for one of the nation's most glamorous tournaments. www.pebblebeach.com.

This resort sprawls across a breathtaking stretch of shoreline, and has lush, 600-square-foot rooms. Peppoli's restaurant ($$$$), which serves Tuscan cuisine, overlooks the coast and the golf links; Roy's Restaurant ($$$-$$$$) serves more casual and innovative Euro-Asian fare. When you stay here, you're also allowed privileges at the Lodge at Pebble Beach and the Spa at Pebble Beach, which are under the same management. Pros:

attentive service; tons of amenities; spectacular views.

huge hotel; four miles from other Pebble Beach Resort facilities. www.pebblebeach.com. 252 rooms, 17 suites. In-room: no a/c, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 3 restaurants, bar, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, beach, business center. Credit cards accepted.

The most-photographed tree along 17-Mile Drive is the weather-sculpted Lone Cypress, which grows out of a precipitous outcropping above the waves about 1½ mi up the road from Pebble Beach Golf Links. You can stop for a view of the Lone Cypress at a parking area, but you can't walk out to the tree.