| "His Christmas gift was a reservation for two nights at a Crowne Plaza Hotel in Redondo Beach." "Crowne Plaza is the high end hotel of the Holiday Inn chain (rates around $250 a night), and this one is right across from the Kings Harbor Marina." "Redondo is a diverse, Mediterranean-style community with shopping at malls or little places on the beach. The town calls itself the "seafood capital of Southern California," but the favorite restaurant of Zagat Survey readers is the eclectic Chez Melange. Gina Lee Bistro in a strip mall is a more spartan favorite." "Redondo has surfing, fishing, sailing, swimming, whale watching, kayaking and biking by the beach or a wilderness park." "It even has an international film and video competition around the beginning of June, although the categories don't include anything resembling romantic comedies." "This is a place to go for anti-Coachella Valley-type charm. Reservations: 1-800-465-4329" "But a grand hotel is more romantic in a remote setting like Anza-Borrega Desert State Park. That's why I've longed to visit Casa del Zorro since I moved to this desert 90 minutes to its north." "This is a luxury resort that is famous for complimenting its surroundings. It features 38 acres of desert landscape with gardens featuring running streams and koi ponds. The structures have the adobe, red-tiled look of early California." "This hotel even books good lounge entertainment on the weekends, including such past vocalists as Mike Costley and Jesse Davis." "The community of Laguna is famously beautiful, but Aliso Beach actually has a romantic walk that is marked as a one-mile hiking trail. It starts at the fishing pier at Aliso Beach County Park and leads north through a natural arch into Aliso Creek." "The
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