Stay: Inn at Furnace Creek, Death Valley, CA.

Inn at Furnace Creek.  Photo found at Everett Potter's Travel Report.

If big city vacations are not your cup of tea, Death Valley will certainly provide a completely other world experience.  This is the perfect time to plan your winter vacation away from the wet and dark days to come.  Set below sea level, the valley floor supports unexpected wildlife.  Spring is particularly beautiful when the cacti and other wildflowers are in full bloom.  

The 1927 Inn at Furnace Creek started with a simple preservation interest of a different sort....business salvation.  According to the National Parks Service, the Pacific Coast Borax Company saw the writing on the wall for their Death Valley Railroad when the borax mines started closing.  The hotel attracted tourists as it does today; a welcomed oasis in the dry valley heat.  Despite the hotel's success, the rail line closed only three years later.  Furnace Creek supplied the water, so yes, they have a pool!

Stay: Inn at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA.

The Inn at the Presidio.  Photo by Mike Koozmin for the San Francisco Examiner.

One of the best ways to learn about California history is to actually visit the places that continue to make history today.  The Inn at the Presidio is one such place.  Opening to the public as an inn last April, the former 1903 Pershing Hall is a first of its kind within the Presidio property.  No hotels existed within the Presidio prior to this event.  The operators of the inn are also seeking LEED certification, which would award the preservation as a "green" program.

Staying at the inn allows San Francisco visitors a truly unique city experience.  Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, the Presidio is transforming into one of our country's national parks.  Operated by the Presidio Trust, the park represents a leading collaboration between government, private, and non-profit interests to save this significant place.  So, when you stay at the inn, know you are supporting preservation at its best!