There's a particular kind of magic that happens when you stumble onto a place nobody told you about. Not because nobody knows, but because the people who do know love it too much to give up their secret sanctuary. Glen Ellen, California, is that kind of place.
Tucked into the Valley of the Moon in Sonoma County, Glen Ellen sits about 45 minutes north of San Francisco and operates at a frequency entirely its own. It is not Napa. It is not trying to be. It has the soul of a working ranch town that somehow also makes world-class wine, and it wears that combination without a drop of pretense.
If you want luxury resorts, valet parking, and $40 cocktails, drive elsewhere. If you want the real thing, stay at The Jack London Lodge.
Named for the legendary American author who called this valley home, The Jack London Lodge is exactly what wine country should feel like: unpretentious, comfortable, and genuinely fun. Think less boutique hotel, more your favorite aunt and uncle's place, if your aunt and uncle happened to have a sparkling pool, a full bar, and an actual saloon with billiard tables that draws the best kind of local crowd on a Friday night. The Saloon at the Lodge is not a theme. It is a living, breathing gathering place where visitors blend seamlessly with the people who actually live here. General manager for eight years, Bruce Hamilton, runs the lodge with quiet, seamless competence, knows this valley like the back of his hand, and is quick to help direct you on an adventure. I will never stay anywhere else. This place is my home in California.
Speaking of Jack London, you owe it to yourself to know a little about the man before you arrive. Jack London was one of the most celebrated American writers of the early 20th century. Born in San Francisco in 1876, he went on to write some of the most enduring adventure literature in the English language, including "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang". He purchased his Beauty Ranch in Glen Ellen in 1905, and you can feel why the moment you arrive. Jack London Historic State Park preserves more than 1,400 acres of his ranch, including the haunting ruins of Wolf House, the grand stone mansion that burned to the ground just days before London was to move in. The park is worth an unhurried morning.
Now, about those mornings.
Every morning of every visit to Glen Ellen, I am up early. Across the street from the Jack London Lodge, there is a small French bakery called Les Pascals, and it is, without exaggeration, one of the finest ways to begin a day I have ever experienced. Les Pascals opens early enough for the devout early risers among us, and I cannot recommend it strongly enough as a destination for quiet time, prayer, or simply sitting still before the world wakes up.
The bakery is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, Pascal and Pascale Merle (yes, they share the same name!), along with their son, Enzo. That detail alone should tell you something about the spirit of this place. The pastries are made with real butter and real care, the kind of care that cannot be faked. The French and Italian coffees are exceptional. The case is full of open-faced savory melts, egg-topped toasts, beautiful quiches layered in golden strata, soft rolls filled generously, and pastries arranged on checkered paper like a tiny French dream. Chef Pascal and Enzo invited me to see the inner workings of this outstanding patisserie while Madame Pascale, in broken but adorable English, serves the line of eager customers with the energy and spunk of a teenager. I can still smell the freshly baked French loaves standing like perfect soldiers, waiting to be taken home and devoured by some lucky patron. It is genuinely one of my favorite places anywhere. I go every single morning I am in Glen Ellen, and I can't wait to go back.
When you are ready to explore wine, Glen Ellen puts you in an exceptional position. Benziger Family Winery is just up the road and is one of the most beautifully situated and sustainably operated wineries in the state. Their biodynamic farming practices and tram tours through the vineyards make it as educational as it is enjoyable. Imagery Estate Winery, also nearby and part of the same family, takes a more artistic approach, commissioning original artwork for every label they produce. Their tasting room reflects that creative sensibility and is a wonderful contrast to the more traditional wine country experience.
And if your appetite for exploration extends beyond Glen Ellen, the geography rewards you handsomely. Healdsburg, one of the most charming wine towns in all of California, is less than an hour north, lined with boutiques, exceptional restaurants, and tasting rooms around a classic town square. A few miles further, Geyserville offers a quieter, more rustic character with equally compelling wine. Both are easy half-day excursions that make Glen Ellen an ideal home base for a broader wine country adventure. As Bruce Hamilton puts it, "That's the charm of Glen Ellen... everything is right here, but you feel a million miles away."
Some places are destinations. Glen Ellen is a return trip.
Jen and Byron soaking up the magic at Imagery Estate Winery, glasses raised and hearts full. If there is one thing that sets Glen Ellen apart beyond the wine and the beauty, it is the people. Warm, genuine, and completely unpretentious, they have a way of making you feel like you belong there. We are already planning the return trip.
"That's the charm of Glen Ellen... everything is right here, but you feel a million miles away." – Bruce Hamilton, GM at The Jack London Lodge