David Boreanaz

* Star of the WB series “Angel.”

Route 1: Ideally I’d spend my favorite weekend up north, only because the Northern California coastline is such a beautiful drive. It’d be a drive with my wife [actress-model Jaime Bergman] in an old classic car. She’s got a ’66 Mustang, so maybe we’d take that. It’s beautiful up to Big Sur. It’s kind of far, but the scenery is so gorgeous. We’d have the top down, very old Hollywood, scarf blowing in the wind. I think that when you’re driving, your soul is exposed, and it’s a beautiful way to feel your colors. I’d love to go to Carmel, where Doris Day has a bed and breakfast where you can bring your pets along.

The Perfect Vintage: Napa is also gorgeous. I spent some time at Auberge de Soleil, a beautiful inn in wine country. It’s a rustic approach to life, a definite soul-drenching experience. You just lose yourself. We go to the small cafes and restaurants in the area, check out the vineyards. I’m one for breakfasts, too: Check out any place with good pancakes. It’s wonderful to go up in the fall when the leaves are changing.

Local Vacation: I like to escape to hotels. I’m pretty much a hotel fanatic, whether it’s the Peninsula Hotel--where the people are great and it’s the lap of luxury--or the Chateau Marmont. I could easily escape to a hotel for a weekend and do absolutely nothing. Just sitting in the lobby and watching people come in and out is entertaining. I can use the spa. You kind of find yourself wanting to stay once you’re in the door. I’ve just always liked hotels. I like the bed and the sheets and everything that comes along with it. I love my house, too, but I love getting up and out, not worrying about making the bed and doing whatever you want.

The There There: Downtown’s got a real sense of style to it; you just have to know where to go. I like downtown cities, but L.A. doesn’t really have one, so you have to go look for it. But you can go down there and just experience Broadway. There’s a lot of stuff going on. Chinatown is fascinating. There’s a restaurant that I always go to, and it’s like being in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Just Browsing: The Rose Bowl on the Sundays when they have the flea market is always fun. I love going around to thrift shops and going antiquing, on Beverly Boulevard, and on La Brea before you hit Wilshire. Pasadena’s not bad. Or, if you head up to Ojai there’s a lot of little places, or in Saugus.

As told to Robin Rauzi