Most Arizonans have at least one summer-reprieve escape. A five-hour drive is a minor price to pay for a break from the Valley’s toasting temps. This summer, try setting your sights on nearby, Carlsbad, Calif. Just a few hours from the sizzle, Hilton’s Cape Rey resort is much more than simply a hideaway from the heat.

Established in 2012 and loaded with amenities and ongoing upgrades since it’s inception, Cape Rey is nestled on the San Diego coastline — literally a stone’s throw from the beach. For those seeking R&R, this is the place to go. For eats, guests can visit onsite restaurant Chandler’s, spearheaded by Culinary Director Teri McIllwain, who routinely shops local farmer’s markets to offer a varied and fresh farm-to-table menu. Also on the property is Ocean Crest Spa, where services range from massage and seasonal scrubs, to organic and rejuvenating facials, and couples massages.

Cape Rey has a number of concurrent and seasonal packages, such as specialized beach picnics including the Sunset Beach Picnic, which offers a basket loaded with a cheese and charcuterie appetizer, seasonal fruit, heirloom tomato and spinach salads, a Maine lobster roll, lamb lollipops and chocolate-covered strawberries and truffles for dessert. Or, for the more adventurous, there’s the Carlsbad Lagoon Adventures option, including watercraft rentals, shuttle transportation to and from the lagoon — a 400-acre watershed giving guests a front-row view to marine life, sea birds and more.

Cape Rey adventurers seeking off-property activities are minutes away from such attractions as LEGOLAND California, Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Birch Aquarium and the Gemological Institute of America. And again, the ocean is just down the road for a walk on the beach or a coastline drive along Route One Pacific Coast Highway.

Editor’s perfect Cape Rey day

Take out: Family beachside picnic to go — handcrafted sandwiches for adults and kids, seasonal side dishes, chips, homemade cookies and a beverage.

Take in: Beachside views from Chandler’s. Be sure to try Chef Teri’s Green Tea Yogurt Bowl during brunch and Ahi Salad for dinner.

Try: The Oceancrest Spa Brown Sugar and Acai Berry Body Smoothing Exfoliating Scrub is heavenly.

Escape to luxury

While San Diego offers getaways to fit all Arizonans’ budgets, sometimes we just feel the need to live it up a bit and spoil ourselves. Here are some San Diego options for those looking for a more luxurious getaway.

Sumptuous sleeps

  • The Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego’s most luxurious destination resort, shines as Forbes Travel Guide’s only triple Five-Star resort in California, along with other impressive recognitions including TripAdvisor’s No. 1 Luxury Hotel in California and recipient of AAA’s Five Diamond Award for six years running. The 249-room resort offers plush accommodations and unrivaled amenities including a championship golf course, an award-winning 21,000-square-foot full-service spa, acclaimed restaurants, an equestrian center offering trail rides through Los Peñasquitos Canyon and four sparkling swimming pools. Information: fairmont.com/san-diego
  • La Valencia Hotel has long delighted guests with 112 sumptuous guestrooms and villas—including the new ICON Sky Suite, the pinnacle of panache — perched atop La Jolla Cove. Overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean, the trademark pink facade and distinctive mosaic-tiled tower have become landmarks within walking distance of elegant art galleries, boutiques and museums. Since opening its doors in 1926, “The Pink Lady of La Jolla” has been a special hideaway for Hollywood stars seeking personalized attention, exceptional privacy and graciousness. Information: lavalencia.com

Sensuous spas

  • One of the most famous luxury spas in the world, The Golden Door in San Diego’s bucolic North County earned the designation as the World’s Best Destination Spa in the Travel + Leisure 2015 World’s Best Awards. The harmonious, Japanese-style facility envelops guests in a beautiful, health-promoting environment featuring exercise studios, the Dragon Tree Gym, swimming pools, tennis courts and a private hillside for hiking to the on-site restaurant where chefs prepare healthy gourmet meals with fresh ingredients from the spa’s organic gardens. Information: goldendoor.com
  • Named one of the Top 25 Spas in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler, the Spa at Rancho Bernardo Inn offers a luxurious menu of massages, treatments and body wraps which can be experienced in a lush garden oasis or five temperature-controlled outdoor treatment cabanas. With a focus on seasonal ingredients, the spa’s customized “Made Fresh Daily” spa package includes a special “spa at home” body treatment recipe from the spa therapist and a recipe from their culinary expert. Information: ranchobernardoinn.com

VIP adventures

  • The San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers several VIP experiences, including a tailored 5- to 8-hour Ultimate Safari ($599-$999 per person) that includes access to the most exclusive areas of the park, up-close animal encounters and a personal tour guide. The park also offers Roar & Snore Safari, a thrilling “glamping” adventure where guests overnight in a luxury tent ($220 per person) surrounded by the sights and sounds of wildlife. Information: sdzsafaripark.org
  • The new Sky Combat Ace offers extreme air adventures where guests zip into flight suits and take the controls of high-performance stunt planes to experience aerial dogfights and wild aerobatic flights of non-stop spins, barrel rolls and loops high above the San Diego coast. Experiences range from the Top Gun ($599 per passenger) and signature Sky Combat ($999 per passenger) to Operation Red Flag ($1999 per passenger), the ultimate fighter pilot flight. Information: skycombatace.com