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Family Diversions
I
f you bring the kids, they’ll find Camp Pelican is their kind of place.
It is an ocean-view children’s retreat, open every day of the year,
and has its own clubhouse, children’s pool, and pint-sized chaise
lounges. The camp features a plethora of activities and half-day
sessions – including lunch – and costs just $60 for a half day; $90 for
a full day. In the evening, they put on a kids’ movie night that includes
popcorn, allowing parents, if they choose, to enjoy a more romantic
evening for themselves.
The resort doesn’t offer in-room babysitting, but it does provide a
local list of licensed babysitters that guests can hire individually. As for
the rest, everything is included, such as Wi-Fi and parking.
The Shops
W
e pass a newsstand, a fashion boutique
(Allegra), golf shop, meeting rooms, and
a café where the seasonal gelato, made on the
premises, is prominently displayed. It is fall, so there’s
peppermint and gingerbread gelato; in the summer,
it’s strawberry, made from the Ranch’s own fields just
10 miles away. As for the pastries, they’re made by
Chef Jeff, named Orange County’s top pastry chef by
the
Orange County Register.
Wedding Parties
P
elican Hill is a sought-after wedding locale, and
offers both indoor and outdoor options; its Mar
Vista Wedding Estate features separate entrances
away from the hotel’s guests and even a dedicated
valet staff. It also adheres to a one-wedding-at-a-time
policy; Mar Vista only books one wedding a day,
regardless of how elaborate or simple it is (and they’ve
had plenty of both).
More Amenities
T
he Resort boasts a
Forbes
-rated five-star spa
boasting 22 treatment rooms and a fitness
center; it was voted the “#1 Spa in California” by
Condé Nast Traveler
magazine.
The Coliseum saltwater pool featuring 1.1 million
one-inch-by-one-inch hand-laid tiles, measures 136
feet across and is three-feet deep its entire expanse.
The upper terrace above the pool has cabanas that
can be rented by the day and include not only a
personal refrigerator, but also Bose speakers and a
flat-screen TV.
Other extras include complimentary coach
service to Fashion Island Shopping Center and/or
Crystal Cove Beach. “Coaches take you right to the
sand, drop you off, set up beach chairs and umbrellas,
and a canvas bag with all your necessities,” Kate says.