California hotel news of Hawaii vaccine mandates, a Sea Ranch reopening in Sonoma and Yosemite

Hawaii, an archipelago with the ability to isolate itself to protect its population, has been at the forefront of COVID-related travel restrictions throughout the pandemic. Now several hotels on Oahu are requiring that all guests be vaccinated. The move of this island-based hotel chain Highgate Hotels, which includes the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach and the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, is a distinguishing mark of the state. It could also be a test case for a new pandemic-era tourism trend.

With vaccines rampant in the U.S. this spring, I’ve seen a number of social media posts calling for recommendations for resorts – especially beachfront all-inclusive deals – that require guests and staff to be vaccinated . There clearly seems to be some people out there who want a hassle-free vacation and would rather visit places with more stringent COVID measures.

Daria Dimitroff, travel consultant and founder of Journeys of a Lifetime in Oakland, says her clients’ response to vaccination needs has been “overwhelmingly positive” and “they feel safer traveling where vaccines are needed”. Dimitroff did not specifically ask would-be travelers “about hotels with vaccine requirements,” she said, but “would not be surprised to receive that request if the trend continues”.

Sonoma’s famous Sea Ranch Lodge is (finally) reopening, so to speak

Near the small town of Gualala, 100 miles north of San Francisco, Sea Ranch is an unusual place. Along a 16 km long rocky, windswept Pacific coast, it was conceived in 1963 as a near-natural, 7,000 hectare, planned community with 2,200 houses – a community for the elite. Its architecture echoes the vision of its master planner, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, who designed everything from San Francisco’s Star Grove and Levi’s Plaza to the entrance to Yosemite National Park and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC. (Halprin’s two-bedroom, two-bath Sea Ranch home is now on the market for $ 8 million.)

The community’s only hotel, Sea Ranch Lodge, will reopen October 1 after an extensive multi-million dollar renovation that began in 2019. Within the lodge, the center of the rural enclave, there is a general store, post office, café, bar, restaurant and solarium. The next phase of the hotel’s reopening, which will include the hotel’s 17 guest rooms, is scheduled for spring 2023. Meanwhile, the Sea Ranch vacation rentals start at $ 295 a night.

Yosemite is shutting down its reservation system in time for fall

It’s been a strange few years for the U.S. parking system grappling with masses of frustrated Americans who might otherwise have traveled to Europe or spent time in charming urban centers but were dragged outside during the pandemic. In light of this influx of visitors, some parks have worked to reduce the number of people admitted each day.

While these rules are necessary at a time of intense overcrowding, they are a complex patchwork that varies from park to park, from region to region, and feels overwhelming as it can feel on many trips during pandemic times. A common point of confusion is the distinction between day use and camping reservations. For true nature lovers, camping in the park may be the preferred way to experience one of California’s most popular travel destinations, but historically an alternative is to stay outside the park and visit for the day. The recent addition of daytime restrictions has complicated the picture.

Fortunately, for those who have been waiting to visit, Yosemite will end the daytime usage requirement on September 30th, making it possible again to book a campsite or hotel room outside of the park without competing with thousands of other aspiring park goers.