The north is on the rise. This year, the first seven of the top 10 resort hotels in California are all from the upper half of the Golden State. Most can be found in the counties of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, the beloved land of wine and redwoods north of San Francisco. This year’s top two winners, however, belong to properties elsewhere in the north. Rosewood CordeValle, a luxury resort with its own championship golf course and vineyard, is tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, while Château du Sureau, near Yosemite, is an enchanting slice of Provence in the Sierra Nevada.

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, GoTravelDaily asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. Readers praised the 45-room Rosewood CordeValle for its seclusion. “A hidden treasure,” said one reader, while another added, “We had wild deer grazing right outside our room.” All of this despite being just half an hour from San Jose on the 101.

That’s a common trait among many of California’s top resort hotels: they give you the feeling of getting away from it all while being relatively easy to reach — no small feat in a state of nearly 40 million people. Last year’s winner, Farmhouse Inn, located just up the road from some of Sonoma’s finest wineries, feels like a remote little forest kingdom, but it’s just 90 minutes from San Francisco. This year, the family-run boutique inn with a Michelin-starred restaurant claimed the No. 3 spot. In neighboring Napa Valley, three resorts ranked highly with our readers: Auberge du Soleil, in Rutherford; Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort, in Calistoga; and Meadowood Napa Valley, in St. Helena. In southern California, both the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and Terranea are an easy drive from Los Angeles, making them great options for travelers wanting to tack a few days of relaxation onto a city trip. Read on to see the full list of top California retreats.

In a city known for fashion and elegance, you’d expect Milan’s bar scene to be sophisticated. The city offers chic spots to sip aperitifs with beautiful people in vine-covered gardens. However, Milan is also blessed with quirky watering holes. If you know where to go, you can enjoy shots in a converted 18th-century church or play pinball in a bar designed by Wes Anderson.

It’s shoulder season in Europe, and the kids are off from school — what more inspiration do you need to catch a flight overseas? If you’re planning a last-minute getaway, the possibilities for a springtime vacation are many. Is Dublin’s famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade calling to you? Or perhaps you’d rather spend spring break lounging on a balmy Mediterranean island. Maybe you’ll spend a week trekking through a remote forest in central Sweden, or admiring one of the most famous flower blooms on Earth. Whether you’re seeking adventure or a low-key retreat, March is the perfect time to experience some of Europe’s loveliest sights: minus the blistering summer heat and roving crowds.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see your hometown with the wide-eyed wonder of a child? Instead of viewing the city as a collection of office blocks and car parks, imagine it as a vibrant playground waiting to be explored. Since time travel remains unfeasible, we’ve curated an experiential journey that captures this spirit.