Located about 5 miles south of Monterey and Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a humble seaside village with fairy tale cottages, a few small shops and cafes – at least that's the cover story.

The city of Palm Springs rests in the shadows of the San Jacinto Mountains. The towering, snowcapped peaks of Southern California's second-highest mountain range are beautiful to behold from the ...