The Valley of the Moon

Tucked on the western slopes of Sonoma Valley, also known as the Valley of the Moon, lies the spectacular 15,000-acre Beauty Ranch, where Jack London lived from 1905 until his death in 1916. "The air is wine," London wrote about this scenic setting. "Across from Sonoma Mountain, wisps of sea-fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive." Be similarly inspired as you hike the short .75-mile Lake Trail to London's five-acre man-made lake; though the water is murky, shady oaks and picnic tables make the spot ideal for indulging in a wine country sip and snack. Make sure you also walk to the haunting Wolf House ruins, London's 15,000-square-foot dream home that mysteriously burned to the ground just two weeks before he and his wife, Charmian, were to move in. While you can't enter the ruins, you can walk around them, viewing the stone walls, the outlines of twenty-six rooms, and nine enormous fireplaces. Some say London never recovered from the heartbreaking fire; he died just a few years later. His grave is tucked among trees on a nearby knoll, marked simply by a moss-laden stone. Tranquil and poignant, Beauty Ranch definitely lives up to its name.

TIP: The nearby Glen Ellen Village Market is a great place to grab some snacks for your lakeside wine and cheese lunch.

For directions and more information about Beauty Ranch and Jack London State Historic Park, click here.

Glen Ellen Village Market, 13751 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen; 707-996-6728.

The Sea-Wolf

A self-described "sailor on horseback," London loved adventure on land and sea. For a water-borne adventure in his native Oakland, embark on an eye-opening urban kayak expedition with the help of the folks at California Canoe and Kayak, appropriately located on Jack London Square. You'll launch right from the marina, paddle past ritzy yachts, then slide into the cool, calm waters of the Oakland Estuary. From the dock, beginners should go left to explore Alameda's houseboat neighborhoods, circumnavigate Coast Guard Island, and check out the mix of weathered warehouses and chic new condos on Oakland's waterfront. More experienced paddlers can go right, skimming past titanic tankers and colossal cranes into the wide-open waters of the Bay. Soak up stellar views of San Francisco's downtown and stop at the picnic-worthy beach about an hour into your paddle. For a nighttime perspective, catch this Saturday's full-moon tour ($49).

BONUS: Kitty-corner to California Canoe and Kayak, London's favorite watering hole, the intimate Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon, has been pouring beer and booze since 1883. Be sure to ask the barkeep about the sign that reads "WYBMADIITY." Adjacent to the bar is London's Alaskan cabin—imported piece by piece!

For more information on California Canoe and Kayak's rentals, tours, and classes, click here.

The Call of the Wild

London's 1903 masterpiece, The Call of the Wild, follows the journey of a previously domesticated canine that becomes a strong sled dog amid the madness of the nineteenth-century Yukon Gold Rush. You don't have to travel all the way to Alaska to answer your own call of the wild. Just journey to Squaw Valley, where Wilderness Adventures Dog Sled Tours offers one- and two-hour excursions on sleds pulled by twelve Siberian and Alaskan huskies. The dogs have been bred for this, and their pre-run excitement is a big part of the fun: they "rev their engines" by howling, barking, and leaping; then they speed off, hit their stride, and pull you along with pure canine power. Owner Brian Maas, who builds each sled by hand, is training with the dogs to run the famed Iditarod in Alaska this winter. With forecasters calling for an early snow season (many North Tahoe resorts are opening in mid-November), this is a great way to mush into winter. Sleighs away!

Weekend rates: $110 per person (over 60 pounds); $55 per person (under 60 pounds). For more information, click here. You can even use the dogsleds to access one of our favorite Tahoe destinations, The Lost Trail Lodge, which is otherwise reached only by skiing or snowshoeing.

The North Face: