Dotted with opulent homes and estates, Long Island’s north shore has been dubbed ‘The Gold Coast’ for decades. The Oheka Castle at Huntington is one of the shining examples. Located an hour from NYC, this landmark estate functions as a venue space, hotel, and restaurant. With its lively majestic charm, the Oheka Castle has recently transformed itself into a Christmas wonderland for this holiday season, offering guests a lavish Christmas-themed getaway. Paying homage to the original owner Otto Hermann Kahn, the century-old French chateau-style property has debuted the ‘A Very Kahn Christmas’ hotel package. Guests can book the curated Christmas experience for $1,995 throughout December.

The Décor

Under this special package, the venue for an overnight stay at the Oheka Castle is the sprawling Fairbanks Suite, dazzlingly decorated in the Christmas spirit. Inspired by the iconic Home Alone film series, the décor is completed with three Christmas trees, festively decked-up halls, a wood fireplace decked with holly and stockings. Beneath the tree in the main hall, there is a gift for each guest, a commemorative Oheka Christmas tree ornament. The holiday package also includes a delectable handmade Christmas cookie platter specially prepared by Daniel Andreotti, the in-house pastry chef. The guests will also get a carafe of hot chocolate or milk to pair with the cookies. You can also have Santa Claus himself hand-delivering presents right to your suite if you have little ones with you!

The Dining

The holiday-special castle stay experience gets rounded up with Oheka’s luxury dining scene, which offers a holiday-special three-course tasting menu for two. The dining takes place in OHK, the flagship restaurant of the castle. The menu offers delicious dishes like tempura fried shrimp, pan-roasted duck, short rib pappardelle, etc. The opulent Oheka Castle ballroom will greet the guests in the morning with hot coffee and a breakfast buffet.

We all need to recharge ourselves from time to time, and what better way to do it than to spend some time with nature? A hike through Joshua Tree National Park in California is one of the places that should definitely be visited in your lifetime. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, sparkling stars in the sky at night, and blossoming flowers; this park has got it all.

The Lost Palm Oasis

For those who enjoy trekking, Lost Palm Oasis is the place for you. This 7.5-mile-long trek has an out-and-back trail with a moderate difficulty level. You will find hidden palms behind giant rocks and a beautiful yucca canyon. Also, because of the various spring-fed lakes around the narrows, California fan palm flourishes so well in that area. While exploring the palm grove from a closer vantage point, be careful as the trail ends before it.

Cholla Cactus Garden

This trail of cholla cacti is spread across 10 acres of an area in the southwest. This rich desert area is home to a lot of species of cacti and other plants. You may easily find pink beavertail cactus, yellow desert senna, and purple desert lavender here. The best time to take a hike here is from April to June to see the cacti in full bloom. However, keep in mind that the cholla cactus may appear fuzzy and safe to touch, but they are pretty spiky. The hike stretches for around 0.2 miles and can be made by even beginners.

The California Riding and Hiking Trail

This is one of the best hikes to undertake when backpacking with friends or alone for that matter. You have a chance to explore the whole of Joshua Tree Park through this hike, like a mini trip. Hikers can explore the most remote parts of this national park on this trail. Start from the west and end in the east if you want to deal with the steepest parts first. While on the hike, you could enjoy the beautiful view of the 5,400-foot-high Ryan Mountain and Twin Tanks water reservoirs. This lengthy trail extends up to 36.4 miles and isn’t suitable for absolute beginners as it also gains an elevation of 3177 feet.

Tips to Follow While Hiking

You should plan your hiking trip between October and May, as the temperature is really high during the summer, between June and September. If you’re going in the summer season, go for an early morning hike to avoid the midday sun. Drink lots of water and consume salty food to ensure your blood pressure stays put. Don’t forget essentials like sunscreen and easy-to-dry clothes. The nights in the desert can be cold, so always carry enough warm clothes as well. There are around eight campgrounds where you can make arrangements to spend the night — Ryan, White Tank, Hidden Valley, Black Rock, Indian Cove, Jumbo Rock, and Cottonwood.