For those of us hoping to decode the key ingredients needed to create that perfect getaway experience, take note: The Fairmont and Cadillac have partnered to offer a set of three carefully curated package trips, all of which come complete with your very own set of wheels. Besides jaunts centered on Boston and Washington D.C., a signature California road trip encompassing San Francisco and the best of Sonoma is currently on offer. A West-Coaster at heart, I headed for SF and the Wine Country in hopes of some R&R. A brief account of my NorCal adventure, below:
Perched in prime position atop Nob Hill, San Francisco’s Fairmont continues to define the buzzing, tech-fueled cityscape below. With interiors that ooze grandeur rivaled only by the building’s storied past (one that includes countless state visits and the drafting of the United Nations Charter), the Fairmont manages to fuse old world charm with a specific strain of California cool. After dinner and a tour of the Penthouse Suite (which boasts San Francisco’s best terrace and a guest room decked in hand painted atlas-themed wallpaper), I took a moment to admire the details, including a set of complimentary guest grooming products by Le Labo.
My next generation Escalade (a pearlescent beast fitted with plush leather upholstering, multiple touch screens and a built-in 16 speaker Bose sound system) proved agile and fully responsive during the short drive from San Francisco to Sonoma. The car’s head-up configurable display – inspired by those typically found in fighter jets – cleverly projects the speedometer and navigation onto the windshield, which instantly focused my attention away from the famous coastline and back to the road.
Once in Sonoma, a trip to Flanagan Vineyards in the heart of the Wine Country for a tasting shouldn’t be missed. Several flights later, and only after spending a moment lounging poolside, I retreated to the spa for an hour followed by dinner at Santé – the Fairmont’s Michelin-rated restaurant.
Any drive south to San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without an obligatory snap of the Golden Gate Bridge, seen here through Garrett Leight‘s acetate shades in Blue Smoke. A leisurely stroll through the exhibits at the Legion of Honor followed by a tour of the Dandelion Chocolate Factory in The Mission (where chocolatiers explain the process, bean to bar) concluded my perfectly packaged Californian getaway.
– See more details on the F-Scape package here. Follow @MrEssentialist for regular updates.
