Historical Hotel and Spa Overlooking San Francisco Bay

The Claremont Hotel & Spa-a historical, AAA Four Diamond Award-winning hotel-overlooks the San Francisco Bay from a perch atop the Claremont Canyon. During the California gold rush, a private, English-style castle stood on the property. But after the castle burned down, real estate tycoon Frank Havens won the land in a game of checkers, and in 1915, he opened the sprawling Mediterranean-style resort that still stands today.

Of the many improvements made to the hotel over the years, none shine as brightly as the Spa Claremont, a 20,000-square-foot facility dubbed the Top U.S. Urban Spa by Vogue magazine. Beyond offering standard therapeutics such as facials and massages, the spa's staff administers body treatments, acupuncture, and water therapy, a means of relieving stress by wielding a seltzer bottle à la the Three Stooges. At the hotel's fitness center, 60 exercise classes are scheduled every week. There are 10 tennis courts onsite and a number of swimming pools, whirlpools, hot tubs, and saunas.

Three restaurants provide a range of fine-dining options. The landmark Meritage at the Claremont, a farm-to-table affair, serves dishes such as the Sonoma goat-cheese-potato terrine beneath a two-story ceiling while diners gaze out onto the bay. The more casual Paragon Restaurant-an American brasserie-offers hand-shaken cocktails, live jazz on the weekends, and outdoor deck seating. The Bayview Cafe serves up light fare poolside. Upstairs, the hotel's Distinctive Bay View rooms have been newly renovated so that no two are exactly alike.

Berkeley, California: Eclectic College Town Full of Art, History, and Culture

The Claremont Hotel & Spa stands just a few minutes from the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, home to some 36,000 students and a still-thriving activist spirit. Lined with cafes and smoke shops, colorful Telegraph Avenue bustles with scholars, bohemians, and vendors hawking tie-dyed graduation gowns.

World-famous musicians and actors take the stage at Hertz and Zellerbach Halls and the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and plenty of bars and restaurants along Shattuck Avenue pour microbrews and serve farm-to-table cuisine. Wandering Berkeley's residential neighborhoods can be a charming diversion in the spring and summer, when tangled gardens spill over onto tree-lined sidewalks.

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Mod Boutique Hotel in the Heart of Little Italy

The scent of freshly baked pizza seems to permeate the air in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood, its streets dotted with red-and-white-striped restaurants. Crowds file in and out of the area's quaint shops, stopping in between to grab a quick cup of espresso at one of the cafes on India Street. Steps away from the vibrant shops, the stucco Porto Vista Hotel channels a fun, throwback vibe Frommer's calls "retro-Italian cool."

Upon your arrival, bartenders whip up two complimentary welcome drinks, drawing from ginger and elderflower essences as well as house-infused bacon vodka. Upstairs, cozy queen rooms are dominated by a floor-to-ceiling, '60s-style photograph taken by a local San Diego artist. The oversize image overlooks cushy pillow-top beds wrapped in crisp, white linens. Guests can snare wild frisbees from their window, which peers toward the glistening bay.

On the fourth floor of the Porto Vista, chefs at the Glass Door restaurant use local and seasonal ingredients to concoct inventive dishes such as duck-fat fries and prosciutto-seared salmon, which are served at communal tables amid wrought-iron lanterns and wall-to-wall waterfront views. Elsewhere, you can unwind at a rooftop sunset yoga class, get styled in the attached Evolve Salon, or explore the happening neighborhood just outside the Porto Vista's front doors.

San Diego: Foodie Heaven with Vibrant Neighborhoods

Little Italy's historical streets bustle with tourists and locals alike, who come especially for the good eats. Handmade gelato and golden pizza pies fill the storefronts of classic, Italian-style eateries. One dessert cafe, run by a Paris-trained pastry chef, regularly sees lines forming down the block in the early morning as diners stock up on flaky, buttery croissants and scones.

Less than a mile from the hotel, the massive USS Midway Museum lets visitors wander through a Navy aircraft carrier and immerse themselves in life on the high seas. To observe San Diego's funky neighborhoods up close, you can shadow a local mailman or rent electric bikes for full- or half-day adventures. Some of the most popular destinations within biking distance include SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo, one of only four American zoos with giant pandas on display.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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That backyard kiddie pool leaves your kids feeling like a big fish in a small pond. Wave goodbye to the tiny tub when you take today's deal: Pay $49 for a family four-pack of admissions to Aqua Adventure Water Park (a $103 value). Good for admission for four on any day Sunday through Friday, this voucher also scores each member of your school two hotdogs, chips, and a medium drink. Located in the Fremont Central Park, this massive outdoor water park offers plenty of room to spread you fins and explore. Enjoy a slow float in the Roundabout River; catch some surf in the wave pool; and make a splash on the twisting turns of the Fortress of Fun, a massive complex sporting multiple spiraling waterslides. With a kids' area for your smallest guppies, your entire family is sure to have a whale of a time. Want to know more? Check out Aqua Adventure Water Park on Facebook.

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It's date night, and it's your turn to pick the place. Don't panic, pal. Sumptuous cuisine and a romantic setting await you with today's deal from Khana Peena: Get $30 to spend on food and drink for $15. This Indian restaurant in North Berkeley serves divine dishes like vegetable samosas, chicken tikka kebab with a tangy yogurt sauce, and tandoori prawns simmered in spices and cooked in a clay oven. Vegetarians will find plenty of options to choose from, including mattar paneer (peas with house-made cheese and onions) and malai kofta (fried vegetable balls in a creamy sauce). The quaint, cozy decor is a mix of American brasserie, European bistro, and traditional Indian curry house, which makes this deal perfect for infusing a little flavor into your night on the town.

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Sumptuous Accommodations amid Mountain Terrain

The Resort at Squaw Creek's golf course looks out over lush prairies and mountainsides covered in pine trees. It's a gorgeous scene in sunny weather, but summer is technically off-season here. In the distance, you can see the six peaks of Squaw Valley USA, a sort of Shangri-La that served as the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. When the landscape is blanketed with snow, the mountains are dotted with skiers and snowboarders. The golf course is transformed for the season into the Nordic Center, leaving it crisscrossed with tracks left by dogsleds, cross-country skis, and snowshoes.

Whatever the season, The Resort at Squaw Creek serves as a convenient home base from which to enjoy the outdoors; it's tucked into the Sierra Nevada on Lake Tahoe's north shore. Hiking trails wind through the property, and on hand you'll find a private outdoor ice rink and an onsite fly-fishing center. Guests can also feel free to stop by the outdoor pool complex's plunge pool and 120-foot water slide and choreograph water ballets in its heated lap pool and three hot tubs.

Six Peaks Grille, one of the resort's four dining venues, serves up breakfasts of fresh fruit, lox, and a goldmine of pastries kept warm in white linens. The breakfast buffet allows you to load up on made-to-order omelets, bacon, french toast, and pancakes.

The resort's 405 rooms and suites underwent a $53 million renovation in recent years. The deluxe forest-view room has a marble shower and a grand picture window that overlooks Tahoe National Forest. In fact, the entire guest tower-where all the rooms are located-is sheathed in lustrous black glass to maximize views of the valley.

Squaw Valley USA: Hiking and Cycling Through Mountains on Lake Tahoe's North Shore

Located about a 15-minute drive from North Lake Tahoe, Squaw Creek is situated amid some of northern California's most revered scenery and varied terrain. The resort rents out bicycles by the hour, including Marin cruisers for adults, Trek mountain bikes for kids, and tagalong carts for infants and beloved pet rocks. Use these to hop on Truckee River Trail, a gently rolling, paved path that follows a crystal-clear river 7 miles to Tahoe City. There, you'll happen upon a paved trail with views of the Lake of the Sky and access to Tahoe Vista's beaches 10 miles to the north.

Lupine and buckwheat paint the mountainside, and the High Camp here is a nice jumping-off point to hike on some dry, pebbly trails. If you're unaccustomed to the high altitude, you may find yourself easily winded on even short hikes; still, the 1.5-mile jaunt uphill to Emigrant Peak is worth the trip, as you get 360-degree views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

Quaint clapboard buildings housing shops and restaurants line the Village at Squaw Valley. One of these is PlumpJack Cafe, the brainchild of former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom. In a dimly lit dining room, the restaurant serves seasonal contemporary fare such as the inventive ceviche cone, a feuille de brick cone filled with tuna, avocado, and ginger and topped with chili threads ($15).

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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If fluffy pink tutus and hard-to-perfect pirouettes have kept you out of the dance studio, perhaps you need to trade in your white tights for some fishnets. With today's deal, $30 gets you four classes from Fishnet Follies (a $60 value). Boost your confidence and sculpt sexy curves with classic burlesque striptease moves in a super-fun, supportive environment. You'll love embracing your sassy and sultry side as you practice moves, pin-up poses, and even group dance routines for the Fishnet Follies Burlesque Chorus. Classes are held at Bay Functional Fitness in Rockridge; stop by, and you'll quickly see why Diablo Magazine hailed Fishnet Follies as a Best of the East Bay 2011 pick, and why women of all shapes, sizes, and abilities -- even dance newbies -- can't get enough of these inspiring hour-long classes. Want more? Check out Fishnet Follies on Facebook.

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They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but we all know a smile shows what's really going on. Get your teeth the shine they need with today's deal from May Valley Dentistry: Spend just $145 (regularly $600) for an-office BriteSmile teeth-whitening treatment. You'll make a stellar statement with your grin after the dentists at this friendly office near Hilltop Mall in Richmond get you pearly-white perfect in just 60 minutes. You'll lie back while a whitening gel is applied to your teeth. Then, in three 20-minute increments, a patented, gentle blue light activates the gel -- while you relax and watch TV or listen to music. Post-procedure, you'll walk out with your before and after photos, and a brilliant reflection of your true self.

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Throwing a party is like a karate master breaking a brick by hand -- it looks impressive but need not be painful. Say "hi-ya" to celebration stress with today's deal from Intensity Martial Arts in Alameda: Get a kids' karate birthday party for $69 (regularly $150). This party gets you a 1.5-hour rental of the spacious facility, hosting and instruction from IMA instructor(s), karate games, birthday games, pizza, and drinks for up to 20 kids. The birthday boy or girl will even get to cut a cake with a samurai sword and break a board in front of everyone. Or, kick summer boredom to the curb with a four-day kids' karate camp for $99 (regularly $200). Camp runs from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (kids should bring lunch), and are currently scheduled for July 16-19 and July 30-August 2. Up to 15 kids ages 4 and up will participate in sessions of Explore the Bay with IMA camp, which includes karate excercises, fun and games, and educational field trips to places like Berkeley Campus, Alameda Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge, candy factories, and baseball games -- for a week as impressive as breaking a brick. Want more? Check out Intensity Martial Arts on Facebook.

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Before man learned to ride horses, Western films ended with cowboys jogging into the sunset. Saddle up with this Groupon.

Choose from Three Options $20 for one 90-minute introductory horseback-riding lesson (a $45 value) $55 for three 90-mintue introductory horseback-riding lessons (a $135 value) $199 for a five-day horseback-riding camp for ages 7-12 (a $400 value)

Ninety-minute group riding lessons teach English and Western styles with curriculum catered to each student's skill level. Likewise, at camp, boys and girls learn aspects of riding and basic horsemanship. Each day, under the tutelage of experienced riders, campers practice safety, hone various riding techniques, and develop the leadership needed to advise America's first horse president. Summer camps are Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are scheduled for the following dates: May 28-June 1, June 4-8, June 11-15, and June 18-22.

Epona Farms

Spread over 20 acres, Epona Farms' trainers share the equestrian spirit with newcomers, youth, and champions-to-be in their indoor arenas and miles of outdoor riding trails. Triona Watson, an advanced coach since 1975, draws from her international experience to head up the facility's instructional programs. Her riding curriculum centers on three components: dressage, stadium jumps, and cross-country riding. Along with these focuses, her students learn English and Western styles of riding in an indoor arena and on trails built on train tracks left from when horses were still steampowered. As spring turns to summer, Epona's horse whisperers expand their lessons into immersive day camps that teach horsemanship and leadership skills to adolescents, and let the children interact with other animals, such as rabbits and sheep. Younger children may be enchanted by PeeWee Pony School, a program that pairs pintsize novices with appropriate-size steeds to help instill a love for horses and riding at a young age. Additionally, the instructors focus on community outreach and work with special-needs children and young adults.

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