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.