SONOMA DAY TRIPS: GLEN ELLEN

Glen Ellen hasn’t changed a whole lot since Jack London lived in the area, but that doesn’t mean it’s provincial or boring! Just wait ‘till you see what this little town has to offer!

SONOMA PLAZA TO GLEN ELLEN TO JACK LONDON SHP

When you’re ready to leave Sonoma Plaza and the wineries of the Valley behind, you have a choice of routes:

1. Head north on State Route 12 for a leisurely drive past Sonoma’s famous hot springs like Boyes Hot Springs (home to the Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa), Fetters Hot Springs, and Agua Caliente (which means “hot water” in Spanish).

   Soon you’ll find yourself driving through Sonoma County’s peaceful countryside, enjoying the weather, the fields of grapevines with the occasional winery chateau nestled in the middle, and the open countryside.

   Watch your road signs though, as you’ll need to cut over on Madrone Road to catch Arnold Drive, which will take you on into Glen Ellen (see option 2 below).

2. Or veer from State Route 12 just outside of Sonoma, taking Petaluma Avenue to Arnold Drive, heading north on Arnold.

   Enjoy the views as you skirt Sonoma Valley Regional Park (worthy of a visit in and of itself), then plan a stop at Jack London Village where you’ll find Wine Country Chocolates, Figone’s of California Olive Oil and Press, Raymond & Co. Cheesemonger, and many other unique shops & restaurants nestled in a rural setting between the road and a little creek.

Continue north to the little village of Glen Ellen, but don’t drive on into town too quickly – you absolutely have to stop at the Glen Ellen Village Market first, for oh so many reasons! First of all, you’re going to need supplies for your picnic lunch! There’s no more perfect place to pick up lunch than this market!

But even if you’ve already eaten, or you packed your lunch before leaving Sonoma, Glen Ellen Village Market is a must-see!

Inside what looks like a typical village market (although it might seem a bit larger than most), you’ll find the most amazing display of hot, ready-to-eat entrees for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; handmade deli sandwiches; a 30-foot salad bar for creating your own masterpiece or choosing from 20 homemade prepared salads; over 500 varieties of cheeses and almost as many types of olives; a bakery; gifts & flowers; produce; meats; seafood; & wines.

After browsing the market to your heart’s content, take some time to stroll around Glen Ellen & enjoy the little shops, the Gaige House Inn (with its granite soaking tubs), the Jack London Lodge & Bar, the Wolf House (I see a theme developing here!), Garden Court Café & Bakery, and the Saffron Restaurant. You’ll find surprisingly up-scale services (both for lodging & for dining) in this bucolic setting with the creek running through!

If you’re in the mood for some more wineries, there are several in Glen Ellen, including Benziger, Arrowood, B.R. Cohen, Valley of the Moon, Imagery Estates, & Wellington. And if you know someone who knows someone, there are private boutique wineries like Glen Lyon that you might be able to tour by appointment!

Next stop, Jack London State Historic Park – worthy of a stay even if Jack London hadn’t lived, loved, & worked here!

Spend time exploring the House of Happy Walls, a small home built by London’s wife Charmian, which is now a museum & memorial to her beloved husband & his work.

Pay your respects at Jack & Charmian London’s Grave Site.

Walk the ruins of Jack London’s dream home, Wolf House, which – sadly – burned to the bare walls before he was ever able to live in it.

Explore the orchards, gardens, & buildings that remain to remind us of London’s Beauty Ranch, where the great man farmed, ranched, and kept his prized horses, and where he wrote most of his later novels and stories.

You will be delighted to find yourself roaming the gentle hills through mixed forests of oaks, madrones, buckeye, Douglas fir, Coastal Redwoods, ferns, Manzanita, and fields of Indian warrior, hound’s tongue, buttercups, poppies, and a dozen other wildflowers.

Take your time to enjoy the park to its fullest before heading back toward civilization – imagine what life must have been like for Jack and Charmian London, living and working in this beautiful, but isolated setting, dreaming their dreams and bringing them to life – it’s the perfect end to a perfect day!

I hope you’ve enjoyed your Sonoma Day Trip to Glen Ellen and Jack London State Historic Park! It’s an easy Day Trip since it would only take about ½ hour to drive, if you weren’t making any stops.

Come back often as more Sonoma Day Trips are coming!

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