Resort Fee

Ever heard of China Peak Mountain Resort in the Sierra? Well, it depends on how old you are and how long you've been skiing. The resort opened in 1958 , changed its name to Sierra Summit in 1982 and reverted to China Peak two years ago when new owners took over. Whatever the name, it's an out-of-the-way small resort in Lakeshore, Calif., about 70 miles north of Fresno between Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon national parks. Southern Californians can take advantage of a midweek package that's good through mid-March: $89 a night for a room at the inn plus a free lift ticket.

Scenes with a sense of 'Awe' The Travel section's summer photos really left me taking extra gasps ["The Awe Factor," Sept. 23]. All those lucky people, in those wonderful spots at the perfect moment. Thank you. Julie Kirby Glendale Forget hotels Regarding "Surprise - There's a 'Resort Fee' to Pay" by Catharine Hamm [On the Spot, Sept. 23]: As more of these surprise fees show up, more and more people will realize that they don't require that free newspaper, Internet access and fresh towels and bed linens each day, and will decide to rent apartments in the cities they are going to visit, using Airbnb or other sites.

I have enjoyed Christopher Reynolds' pieces on the local scene and especially "A Touch of Elegance" [Sept. 25]. As a native who grew up in Beverly Hills, graduated from Beverly Hills High and UCLA and has lived in Culver City for the last 34 years, I found that his article touched on many periods of my life. I always thought La Cienega was in Los Angeles (only part of it is), and I had never heard of the Mosaic Hotel - you are never too old to learn. Glad also to learn the reopening date of the Hotel Bel-Air.

It was a moment that called for a cellphone. As the first-time visitors stepped onto the lobby balcony overlooking the ocean at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, they couldn't resist calling friends to tell them about the vista. "It's like the Mexican Riviera," one said. "It's like the Mediterranean," another said. And above all, it's like nothing else in Los Angeles County as the first and only luxury waterfront destination resort.

Are you a knight, a pirate or an adventurer? Those are the room themes offered at the new Legoland California Hotel in Carlsbad, Calif., that's set to open ahead of schedule on April 5. Pick your favorite theme and reserve a room starting at $149 a night and a kid-friendly package starting at $209 a night. The deal: The three-story, 250-room hotel will feature more than 3,400 models made from 3 million Lego bricks, a company statement says. Smoke-breathing dragons, a Castle Play area and a pool are some of the amenities that come with a stay at this amusement park hotel.

I'm not a high roller, so when I visit Las Vegas , it's usually with out-of-town guests on a limited budget. The upfront leg work of checking and rechecking travel websites in search of great prices can be a big time drag. I realized I was running out of time to plan a my sister's two-night birthday trip next week, so I decided to change it up and try something different: a one-stop airline vacation package. It took just 15 minutes to select flights and hotel -- all at a price I liked.

Summer at desert resorts can bring good values for those content to cool down by splashing in the pool or having a massage. Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage has a summer sale on rooms starting at $99 a night that's an inexpensive way to explore and enjoy this resort. The deal: Rancho las Palmas, which has 444 rooms and 22 suites, recently renovated its plaza, restaurant and suites. But it's the water features that will impress the kids. There's Splashtopia water park with a pool, lazy river and two 100-foot water slides and the Azure pool for adults.

The gilt-trimmed high-rises of Waikiki offer a seductive escape from L.A. But those who rent a car - a convertible, please - - can find a simpler side of Oahu on the North Shore, an hour or so away, where locals and tourists carry surfboards instead of Louis Vuitton purses (real or fake) and debates about where to eat focus on which food trucks serve the best garlic shrimp. Residents call it "the country," and they want to keep it that way. Haleiwa is the only real town on the North Shore, and it's mainly a line of one-story beach shops, cafes, bars and shave-ice outlets along the highway.

1959 Dwight Eisenhower, on holiday from the White House, whips a golf club beneath a blue October sky. Frank Sinatra, driven indoors by a surprise December rainstorm, schmoozes with Peter Lawford and sings with Ella Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, other rich and famous folk are partying at the Chi Chi Club or pulling up their Cadillac coupes (nice tailfins!) in front of the Riviera, that vast new mod hotel. All over the Coachella Valley, architects and builders are seducing tourists with butterfly roof lines, space-age appliances, minimalist graphics and backlit starbursts.