The Guerneville Getaway Guide
"You can decide you deserve your desires."
With the 4th of July holiday weekend just around the corner, I’m so excited to share my very first Getaway Guide with you! Grab a glass of iced tea, sit out in the sunshine, and slow down & savor this one . . .
Table of Contents:
1. Intro
2. Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive & Relax
- Day 2: Float the Russian River
- Day 3: Wine Tasting & Picnic
- Day 4: Checkout & Art Walk
3. Packing List
4. TLDR
- Stay
- Dine
- Do
- Skip
- Double-Up
5. Outro
How it all began
I don't know about you, but with the current state of affairs in the United States being anything but focused on liberation for all, celebrating the 4th of July doesn't good for me. So last year when Tyler suggested three ideas for how to spend the holiday, including the choice of going on a romantic getaway, I jumped at the chance. Because what I can get behind is making the most of an extra day off to turn a regular weekend into a 4-day retreat!
The thing about this getaway was — it felt so much more special than the $$ we spent on it.
I think I originally found out about this spot from an Instagram ad about a year ago {I can’t deny that they seriously have my interests pegged!} As the picturesque videos washed over my screen, I unconsciously took a deep exhale and thought to myself “wow, this is such a dream!”
Immediately following that deep breath, I had a few moments, well . . . more than a few moments, {and really up until I was booking the vacation} of — “do I actually get to be the person to have this?” I didn’t fully believe it.
And the thing is, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t even a particularly expensive place to stay given we were looking at the glamping options. I usually end up paying quite a bit more for basic accommodations these days. It just looked so idyllic that I didn’t fully trust that I’d ever get to be that person in that place.
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The entire time we were there I was in complete awe & bliss.
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I honestly think I enjoyed it even more because it felt so special and symbolized more to me than the vacation itself. For me it meant “oh, I actually do get to be the person who has this!”
What I hope you take away from my story is that while it can be about the money, it doesn’t have to be, and it never has to be. The amount of impact and stretch and specialness that a getaway or experience can hold for you, doesn’t always directly correlate to how much money you spend on it. It’s about realizing that you get to live in that moment. You get to have that dream of yours. And your only job is to surrender fully to the present moment of it, so you can truly receive it.
Look, we all know I’m a bougie bitch who also loves to spend money. But my approach to life & coaching, The Savor Life Way, initially came about when I had a lot less money. When I was working jobs I hated to make ends meet and struggling paycheck to paycheck. The philosophy has always been, no matter what our external circumstances are — how do we feel utterly fulfilled & enjoy our lives to the fullest right here, right now, as much as we possibly can.
This includes the practice of regularly asking — “how can I add more pleasure into . . . my work days, into my home, into the meal I’m making, into the bath I’m about to take . . . into every single precious moment I’m alive?”
It’s about the little tweaks, shifts & elements that we intentionally choose for ourselves that enhance our lives.
You can create this too.
Maybe it’s this specific getaway you decide to replicate off my guide, or maybe you pluck one idea from this and marry it with a desire you’ve been holding within your own heart. You get to bring in the attitude, the wonder, the awe, the energy. You can stretch into your own desire.
You can decide that you deserve your desires.
Day 1 ~ Arrive & Relax
HIGHLIGHTS
Drop the kitties off at my mom’s house
Grab lunch for the road from kibi’s Cafe in Orinda
Check-in at Dawn Ranch
Get settled & unpacked
Head to the spa for our Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Ritual
Go to Evening Yin Yoga + Gong Bath at the Boathouse
Drive to dinner at Farmstand at Farmhouse Inn
Return to Dawn Ranch for a nightcap of red wine & s’mores
ALL THE JUICY DETAILS
Something I’ve started to prioritize on the first day of any getaway is making an intentional transition from the hustle & bustle of everyday life to dropping right into the slowed down, relaxed pace of vacation. I often find it all too easy to keep treating my time off just like my time on — scheduling it out, making sure to squeeze everything in, rushing from one thing to the next — and I didn’t want to do that this time. So before we arrived, I decided to book our spa experience for our first day, both to take advantage of the ‘Unwind Wednesday’ promo and to immediately set the tone of “we are here to r e l a x . . .”
We made the easy drive up from the Bay Area, dropping the kitties at my mom’s house on the way due to the heat wave and having no A/C, and grabbing a quick lunch from kibi’s Cafe in Orinda. Which I have to note because I was just blown away by how cheap & delicious it was! I had an $8 Five-Spice Pork Bánh Mì and Tyler had Grilled Pork Gỏi Cuốn (Fresh Summer Rolls) for $14; both of which I would order again in a heartbeat and I honestly wish I’d tried this spot sooner! But I digress.
As soon as we pulled into the parking lot of Dawn Ranch, I could already tell how it was going to live up to the Instagram-worthy expectations and I was giddy with excitement for the long weekend ahead.
At check in we learned about the abundant complimentary amenities (like picnic blankets, art supplies, bicycles, and bird-watching binoculars), and then grabbed one of the plentiful luggage carts, unloaded the car, and headed to our accommodations: a Glamping King tent!
[Pro-Tip: Contrary to my own assumptions, it turns out that the Glamping Queen tents are actually the more luxuriously appointed of the two, complete with their own private bathrooms and heating/cooling systems, two things the Glamping Kings do not have.]
I have long desired to go glamping as it’s always seemed like the perfect blend for my luxury and nature loving Taurus self, and this first experience did not disappoint.
Having arrived during a heat wave, we got especially lucky and were assigned the most shaded Glamping King tent (#175), which was also at the end of the row, giving it a little extra privacy.
Our tent was appointed with a king-size bed with the softest sheets and most pillowy comforter, bedside tables, clothing & luggage racks, a sitting area, makeup mirror, bench at the end of the bed, rug, cabinet with coffee & tea supplies, and even a lock that operated with a key card, just like a typical hotel room. But my very favorite part was the personal fire pit just outside, accompanied by two Adirondack chairs. I knew we’d be spending a lot of our evenings cozied up by the fire pit and I wasn’t wrong!
After unpacking and settling in, we headed to the spa for our couples appointment: the Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Ritual. We opted to enhance our experience with the CBD Dead Sea Salt & Lavender Bath Addition and two canned cocktails {I loved the Nitro Gin Fizz!}, along with the complimentary tea available in the spa’s lounge. They then led us back to a small locker room where we were given robes and sandals to change into, and showed us to our side-by-side redwood tubs. The tub spaces aren’t super private from the rest of the spa, so if you’re nudity-shy, you can always wear a swimsuit.
[Pro Tip #1: Book your spa appointments on Wednesday and get 20% off all services. Just be sure to mention the promotion ‘Unwind Wednesdays at checkout. // Pro Tip #2: Skip the spa and instead put your money towards a Spa Cottage where you’ll be able to indulge in unlimited soaking time in your own private redwood tub!]
For the next 30 minutes we luxuriated under sun-speckled trees, soaking in the warm salty waters of our tubs, sipping our cocktails, and sharing our intentions for the days ahead. More than anything, we both desired to use this time to completely unplug from the mounting overwhelm of ending our nomadic chapter and moving out of state. We also wanted to focus on being present & connected with one another and soaking up the magic of this experience, not rushing through it or taking a moment of it for granted.
I have to say that our soaking time came to an end far too soon {and this is why you’ll see I added this spa experience to my ‘Skip List’ in the TLDR section below.} For the cost, which I believe came out to around $180 for us both (including the ‘Unwind Wednesday discount’) I felt that 30 minutes was far too short to truly drop in, relax and enjoy this service. We had barely begun to relax when the attendant was returning to tell us we had 5 minutes remaining. If the service was 60-90 minutes for the same rate, or even a bit more money for more time, I’d be much more encouraged to book it again. The cost of the service paired with the fact that the experience itself is really just a regular bath {granted, in a cool redwood tub on a beautiful patio} with a magnesium bath soak {which is easy to find online and in health shops}, is why this experience made my ‘Skip List.’ Next time, we’ll take that $180 and spend it on a second trip to The Lodge for dinner!
Following our baths, we headed back to our tent to leisurely get ready for the Evening Yin Yoga + Gong Bath at the Boathouse. We packed clothes to change into for dinner knowing that we’d be cutting it close to make it to our dinner spot before their last seating. Although we had only just begun to relax at the spa, the yin yoga class finished off the job. MK, from Sol Rio Studio, led us in a deliciously slow practice, moving through a handful of long-held yin yoga poses. The class concluded with a 10-15 minute gong bath that was so enchanting it felt like we were laying in savasana for at least 30 minutes, cocooned by the calming dim light of the Boathouse.
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Now I had arrived.
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As I changed for dinner, Tyler called Farmstand at Farmhouse Inn to see if they could squeeze us in that night, and luckily they could! Despite the slight time crunch, I floated on out of that class and, to my immense delight, pretty much maintained that blissful energy the rest of the trip.
Farmstand is the casual sister restaurant of Farmhouse Restaurant, a seasonal chef’s tasting menu-style restaurant that I would love to try some time, but didn’t feel like dropping the $275pp this trip. When we arrived, we were greeted by the gorgeous grounds of Farmhouse Inn, bursting with lush greenery and white flowers; the ambiance alone is practically worth the trip!
We were seated in a cozy spot on the outdoor patio by the fireplace and given a chance to look over the menu. We decided to order the Vegetable Crudité with Yuzu Emulsion, Yellowtail Crudo, Charred Caesar, Mt. Lassen Trout with Lemon Pepper Beurre Blanc & Masami Flat Iron with Tater Tots.
Here are my honest critiques & why this spot also made my ‘Skip List’ — be prepared for an inside look into exactly how particular I can be!
Finding wines to accompany our meal proved difficult because everything we were given a taste of wasn’t chilled properly, which in 90+ degree heat really made them extra unpleasant. I settled on a white wine {can’t remember which one} that was passable, but really only to have something to accompany all the fish dishes we’d ordered. Tyler ordered a glass of champagne that was definitely the best option {and somehow…chilled?}
After we’d been served the wine tastes and were waiting to let the server know which ones we’d decided on, the head server that evening got caught up dealing with an upset customer. For some reason the other server wasn’t able to pour our wine for us, which I found strange because it wasn’t an age thing, and we ended up waiting at least 15 minutes while our first dishes sat in front of us. Given the level of this overall establishment and the prices, this felt particularly off to me.
We had specifically ordered the crudite & crudo to come out first, followed by the caesar, and then the entrees {the idea being going from lightest to richest}. Instead we got the caesar first, then the crudo, then the crudite, followed by the trout and finally the flat iron. This wasn’t the end of the world, but again, just surprising given where we were.
The charred caesar was good, but really needed about twice the amount of dressing. The tiny drizzle left us with many plain romaine bites.
The crudo was delicious and probably one of our favorite things there. It wasn’t especially unique or exciting, but just really fresh, lovely and well-balanced.
I expected more flavor with the yuzu emulsion on the crudité, but it left me looking for something more. Lightly blanching the vegetables would have also made it feel a lot more elevated than just eating a plate of raw veggies artfully placed. This one was definitely a “prettier to look at than to eat” kind of dish.
The entrees were both delicious, especially the flat iron when you grabbed a bite of it with the béarnaise & a tot {heaven!}, but the portions were teeny tiny. I had thought we were ordering too much and had been nudging Tyler to nix an entree, but I’m so glad we didn’t.
One thing I did love & appreciate about the service was that when the mosquitos started coming out, they had giant citronella candles they set out, which helped immensely.
All in all, between the mishaps with the service, the small portions, and the price tag, I can’t see myself returning, nor enthusiastically recommending Farmstand. Our general consensus in the car on the way back was that nothing was “wrong” with the food per say, but it just didn’t knock our socks off either. And coming in at over $200 for the 2 of us, I’d like at least one of my socks to be knocked off.
Having been less than impressed by dinner, we decided to pass on dessert in favor of the complimentary s’mores kits waiting for us back at Dawn Ranch.
[Fun Fact: S’mores might actually be my all-time favorite dessert! It’s a tough competition, but I’m never not ecstatic about s’mores.]
Having wisely picked up our kits on our way to dinner in case reception had run out once we returned, we headed straight back to our tent, got changed into cozy clothes, fired up our personal fire pit, grabbed the bottle of red we brought from Tank Garage Winery, and settled in to see who could make the best s’mores.
Unfortunately for Tyler, I kinda sorta set him up to lose because I’d recently been blessed with learning the very best way to make s’mores at Camp Indie Adult Summer Camp. But I am a benevolent goddess, and passed along the blessing with teaching him this new technique. {Shout-out to my friend, Monica Jayne, for forever transforming the way I make s’mores!}
For hours we sat around the fire, flirting & teasing, sipping our wine, closing our eyes to savor our s’mores, and simply soaking in the gratitude for where we got to be and all the beautiful days we had ahead . . .
Day 2 ~ Float the Russian River
HIGHLIGHTS
Pick up complimentary floating gear at the Boathouse at Dawn Ranch
Eat a hearty breakfast at The Lodge at Dawn Ranch
Pack gear for the river
Stop by Safeway for canned cocktails & ice for the cooler
Float from Steelhead Beach to Sunset Beach
Head back to Dawn Ranch to shower & get ready for dinner
Walk into town to do dinner at boon eat + drink
Return to the tent for more s’mores by the firepit and an early bedtime
ALL THE JUICY DETAILS
If you know me, you know that I’m that friend who will find and jump into any body of water, and be the last person to get out. So of course, one of my favorite summertime things to do in Guerneville is float the Russian River, which is exactly what we devoted our second day to. And yes, you really do need a whole day!
Prior to arriving at Dawn Ranch, I’d called and asked about the complimentary water toys they offered to guests and was given the insider-info that arriving at the Boathouse right at 10am when they opened was the best strategy for ensuring we got what we were looking for — a must given we hadn’t brought our own and weren’t looking to pay inflated holiday weekend prices to buy some last-minute.
Given it was the 4th of July, we set our alarms for 9:30am in order to be at the Boathouse by 9:45am to ensure we’d be the first in line, and I’m so glad we did! By the time they opened, there were 3-4 other groups in line with us, only 1 two-person river float, and the kayaks all went within the first 30 minutes. We joyfully got to check out the exact one we were hoping for: the two-seater River Run float with attached cooler, along with an extra dry bag.
[Pro Tip: Get to the Boathouse a little before 10am when they open to help ensure you get the fun river toys you’re hoping for. The kayaks go fast!]
For breakfast we headed to the on-site restaurant, The Lodge, where we ordered mimosas with fresh-squeezed OJ to sip on while we awaited our food. I got the Avocado Toast on homemade brioche with soft scrambled eggs and a side of bacon, while Tyler got ‘The Classic’ with sausage. Everything was lovely, especially the rainbow breakfast potatoes with homemade ketchup. Breakfast was so filling that we nixed our original plan of picking up sandwiches from the Korbel Deli for the float and saved that stop for tomorrow.
With full bellies and our float secured, we packed up for our day on the river: two dry bags, plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, sandals, towels, a bottle of pet nat, and some snacks {potato chips + fruit are my go-to river float snacks!} On the way to the river we stopped at the Safeway down the street to grab a couple extra canned cocktails and ice to fill our cooler.
Since we only had one car, we decided to have Tyler drop me off at the starting point, (Steelhead Beach) with all of the gear, where I packed our cooler and sunscreened. Meanwhile he dropped the car off near our end point (Sunset Beach) but unfortunately without any cell reception in the area to call an Uber, ended up walking the 3 miles back to me.
[Fun Fact: We secretly engraved the inside of each other’s wedding bands and only revealed them when we exchanged rings at our wedding. He engraved mine with “Our Adventure” and let’s just say . . . we live up to it!]
[Pro Tip: Next time we’d take the shuttle! There is a Regional Parks River Shuttle that runs 9am to 6pm on weekends and holidays. Tickets are $5 and you can park your car at a much-less-crowded lot and then be ferried to the starting point at Steelhead Beach, float your way down to Sunset Beach, and be whisked back to your car with your gear at the end.]
For the next 4+ hours we lazily floated down the Russian River, soaking up the sunshine, basking in our long weekend, people-watching the holiday shenanigans, and delighting in each other’s company.
Well, I lazily floated. Quite literally “upstream without a paddle,” Tyler being the great partner he is, would hop out of the float to maneuver us anytime we started to drift too far to one side, or get stuck in the too-slow-moving stream. The floor of the river is rocky and covered with hazardous tree roots, which is why water shoes really come in handy!
While the start of our trip required a little extra leg work {on Tyler’s part} with the car situation, we were rewarded at the end of our float. Sun-drenched & toasted, but thankfully not burnt, we were able to quickly deflate our floaty and pack up the car. Then it was back to the ranch for much-needed refreshing showers before hitting the town for dinner.
Anytime I’m in Guerneville, I make a point to grab a meal at boon eat + drink. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia of first coming here with my mom during a mother-daughter weekend on the way to one of our favorite retreat spots, Ratna Ling, but whatever the reason, this restaurant holds a special place in my heart. And once again it surprised & delighted us with a walk-in table just for us; something I did not take for granted on a holiday!
I quenched my thirst with a unique Rainbow Sorbet Sour {which honestly wasn’t my favorite}, and naturally we had to the share the burrata, melon & prosciutto app along with the watermelon, cucumber & feta salad — two dishes I can rarely pass up. For mains I got a burger with the best bun and even better skin-on fries, while Tyler had a perfectly medium-rare steak atop a bed of roasted summer veggies. A classic meal that hit the spot after a day on the river.
And of course, you guessed it, it was back to our sweet glamping abode for a dessert of more s’mores by the fire pit and an early bedtime. The cozy exhaustion that sets in after spending a day on the water in the sun, getting all cleaned & refreshed, and then sliding into a fresh bed, may just be one of my favorite feelings in the world.
Day 3 ~ Wine Tasting & Picnic
HIGHLIGHTS
Sleep in
Get croissants from The Lodge
Go to Piknik Town Market for coffee & a bite before wine tasting
Visit Korbel winery for their walk-in champagne tasting
Pick up picnic provisions from Korbel’s delicatessen
Stop by reception to borrow a picnic blanket and sketch pads with colored pencils
Spend the afternoon picnicking under the trees in the Orchard
Enjoy an exquisite dinner at the on-site restaurant, The Lodge
ALL THE JUICY DETAILS
After a full day in the sun & on the river, all I wanted to do was sleep in and have a lazy morning. My wonderful husband dropped the float off at the boathouse as soon as they opened {we’d gotten back yesterday after they’d closed} and brought me back the most luscious, buttery croissant from The Lodge as I lounged in bed.
Mind you, that croissant was our “pre-breakfast” snack because I’d had my eye on Piknik Town Market since we’d gotten into town, and we were in need of something a little more substantial before wine tasting. Second to the dinner we’d be indulging in later this evening, this was probably my favorite meal of the trip!
I ordered the Gazpacho & Cheesy Biscuit special and an iced matcha latte. I’m not the biggest biscuit connoisseur, so perhaps take this with a teeny grain of salt, but omg was this the BEST biscuit I’ve ever had. The special was basically a summertime spin on grilled cheese & tomato soup — it was so good . . . suddenly my mouth is all watery as I write this! The matcha wasn’t whisked well, but it had that deliciously strong matcha flavor that’s just fresh, bright & exactly what you want in a purist matcha latte.
[Pro-Tip: Buy a couple extra biscuits to take back home with you! We did this on our final day before we headed home so they were fresh.]
Now, I’m not sure if this is true for you too, but I tend to think of Korbel’s sparkling wine as that grocery store staple I’ll casually pick up for mimosas — their winery however will prove this perspective wrong.
We knew they did walk-in tastings, so instead of locking ourselves into a specific schedule, we were able to just show up at our leisure. When we arrived, we lucked out with an open table, which allowed us to enjoy their full tasting experience of 5 of their wines {typically walk-in wine tastings are standing and include 3 wines of your choice to taste}, plus our lovely server spoiled us with an extra taste or two. I especially enjoyed the Natural’, a dry & delicate California champagne, and the Blanc de Noirs, that’s elegant and ripe with fresh strawberries.
Following our tasting, we grabbed a couple of glasses to sip and enjoy in the Adirondack chairs under the canopy of redwoods.
Feeling complete with the wine tasting portion of our day, it was time to stock up for our next anticipated activity: having a picnic! At the Korbel deli, we ordered the Legacy sandwich stuffed with grilled tri-tip, chimichurri, caramelized onions & crumbled gorgonzola, pickles, olives & chocolates.
Back at Dawn Ranch, we stopped by reception to grab a wagon and borrow their complimentary picnic blanket & sketch pads with colored pencils. We completed the packing of our picnic supplies at our tent, adding our cooler with ice & white wine, books, and other goodies we’d picked up throughout our trip: salami, tomatoes, strawberries & blackberries, flatbread & gf crackers, Cypress Grove purple haze goat cheese, and coconut curry popcorn.
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Picnics are one of those activities that just fill me with such child-like joy that I was practically skipping along as we walked the grounds to find our perfect spot.
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We ended up settling in the shade of the Orchard under a big beautiful tree with speckled sun spots all around us. With nothing to do and hours of free time sprawled out in front of us, the afternoon was our oyster. What a luxury this was! As we lounged & laughed on the picnic blanket, snacking, drawing, and chatting, it was as if time expanded; a quintessential experience of “slow down & savor.”
As if this day {heck, this entire weekend!} wasn’t already perfection, our meal that evening was about to be the most delicious cherry on top. For our last night, we’d made dinner reservations at the on-site restaurant, The Lodge. And honestly, I wish we’d discovered how amazing it was sooner because we would have been there every night!
[Pro-Tip: Make your reservation in advance. They do get booked up and everything closes on the early side in this town.]
Here’s what we ordered:
To Start
Halibut Crudo ~ as fresh as could be, dressed with passionfruit leche de tigre, cilantro, shallots, and dotted with fresh passionfruit & chilies. A refreshing dish to open up our palates for the meal to come.
Cucumber Salad ~ let me just start with: this was not your ordinary “cucumber salad.” More like a gastronomical feat that defied everything I ever knew of cucumber salads. Sitting on a bed of salsa matcha yogurt, woven together with ribbons of honey dew, and adorned with fresh herbs like basil, mint & tarragon . . . this dish was perfection. In fact, it’s likely one of my top 10 favorite dishes of all time. I was so sad for it to come to an end that I nearly ordered it again!
Interlude
Canelé and Caviar ~ delicate, yet rich, sweet and savory mini French pastries topped with creme fraiche & kaluga caviar. Absolutely divine and so decadent I could have had these for dessert just as easily. I was very tempted to order them again at the end!
Mains
Plin ~ fresh pillows of stuffed pasta, lusciously summery with confit heirloom tomatoes, ricotta, basil & its oil, and a light lemon sauce. I just couldn’t allow Tyler’s gluten-free-ness to get in between me and this dish. Another great example of The Lodge’s beautiful marriage between delicate & rich.
Chicken Thighs ~ Drenched in a scrumptious creme fraiche sauce, bursting with morel mushrooms, and a sprinkle of chives adding sparkles of bright green. It was all too easy to forget that our stomaches were already satisfied when this dish was set in front of us. I love how it landed somewhere between grilled and braised.
While tempted by the dessert menu {the fresh berries & cream, and Basque cheesecake in particular} not even our good ol’ s’mores were left room for. Full from a day of delicious food & wine experiences, we cozied up for another early night of sleep in the camping bed from heaven.
Day 4 ~ Checkout & Art Walk
HIGHLIGHTS
Wake up and go to 9am Outdoor All-Levels Yoga in the Orchard
Make a final round of s’mores for breakfast
Pack up tent, pack the car, and check-out by 11am
Get ready for another afternoon on the river and borrow some floats from the Boathouse
Enjoy any picnic leftovers for a light lunch
Swim & float for a few hours just off the dock at Dawn Ranch
Have an early dinner at Trillium Wine Bar & Tap Room
Walk up and down the main street checking out the art galleries for 1st Saturday Art Walk
Find the funky vintage thrift store & metaphysical crystal shop
End with an ice-cream cone & ice-cream sandwich at Nimble & Finn’s
ALL THE JUICY DETAILS
Most of the time, my final day anywhere is consumed by packing, logistics, and travel. But once again, this trip defied the odds and spoiled us with a really fun & full last day!
Wanting to soak up every last second, I got my butt out of bed for the 9am Outdoor All-Levels Yoga in the Orchard, which was again led by MK from Sol Rio Studio. A few years back I had sustained a shoulder injury in a yoga class, that still to this day makes me a little “gun-shy,” especially with new-to-me instructors. But MK’s class was gentle & joyful, a beautiful and energizing start to the day. The mama doing yoga with her baby rolling around and giggling on her mat next to me especially made me smile. And getting to do savasana in the sunshine, with the warm breeze blowing across my skin was such a treat.
After yoga, we packed up our tent for our 11am checkout and made our third & final round of s’mores. {Because we’re adults now and can have dessert for breakfast if we’d like!}
[Pro-Tip: Checkout is at 11am, but you can stay on property until 4pm and continue using all the amenities! This was perfect for squeezing in another day on the river just off the Dawn Ranch dock, but without the hassle of all the prep & parking. Plus it was easy to shower off after.]
With our car packed and swimsuits on, we headed down to the Dawn Ranch boathouse {with a quick pit-stop to play cornhole & darts on the lawn off the dining room} to see what water toys were available. We grabbed a couple of floaties and enjoyed a quick picnic lunch on the lawn to sunscreen and eat up the leftover picnic snacks we didn’t think would make it home.
For the next few hours we floated around in a quieter part of the river off the Dawn Ranch dock, where it’s dotted with sunny beaches to lounge on, and basked in the beautiful weekend we’d just had together.
Around 3pm we returned our floats and hopped in the showers back by the glamping tents to get refreshed and go back into town where we’d heard the 1st Saturday Art Walk was happening.
Our evening began with an early dinner at Trillium Winebar & Taproom where we enjoyed one of our favorite things — fresh oysters — paired with Mother Shucker wine, and accompanied by grilled oysters and shrimp tostada. The Mother Shucker wine was specifically made to pair with oysters, as you can probably tell by the name, and truly lived up to its promise!
After dinner, we wandered up and down the main street, checking out the art galleries, vintage shops, and the metaphysical crystal store. One of the art galleries, Blue Door Gallery, even offers a free arts & crafts workshop on 1st Saturday Art Walk days!
Satiated and sleepy from a very full and beyond wonderful weekend, we started to feel ready to make our way home. But not before one final crucial pit stop — Nimble & Finn’s — an old bank turned ice-cream shop.
Tyler got a gluten-free cone with their exquisitely amazing strawberry buttermilk, while I got the over-the-top indulgent ice-cream sandwich: two of their brown butter cookies stuffed with whiskey butterscotch and earl grey blackberry. We even got to enjoy our ice-cream inside the old vault! This was another spot I so wished we’d gone to sooner in the trip, because we definitely would have gone again.
[Pro-Tip: For an extra decadent ice-cream sandwich, order 2 of their insane brown butter cookies and a double-scoop of 1 or 2 of your favorite flavors in-between.]
And with that, our trip was complete. One that held so many sweet moments of surprise & delight, of deep connection, of time in nature, and indulging in our favorite things. A trip that was the embodiment of my desires coming to fruition. And that sparked within me this desire to start turning my travels into getaway guides to inspire your own wanderlust ✨
What to Pack
Besides the usual clothes & toiletries, this is what else I’d recommend bringing:
Swimsuit — a must if you’re going in the warm months!
Yoga pants — I actually forgot these and regretted it, so I’m including them so you don’t make my same mistake
Kindle or a book
Journal
Wine
Chocolate
Berries or other favorite fresh fruit
Small cooler — especially great for the glamping accommodations & for chilling the wine as there is no mini fridge and they weren’t able to offer ice buckets when we stayed
Dry bag — if you’re planning on going on the river, though the Boathouse also has these in limited quantities
Water shoes — the Russian River is fairly shallow and there are tons of rocks, tree roots, etc. on the floor of it, so wearing water shoes helps protect your feet if you get out of the float to swim around
Telescopic Paddles — great for helping navigate the river!
Electric air pump for inflatables — again, the Boathouse has one, but bringing your own offers extra flexibility for inflating down by the river
Just want to know where we stayed, where we ate, and what we did?
Here’s the TLDR on this getaway.
To help your trip be the best it can be, I also included what things I’d skip and what things I’m already dreaming of going back to — and really wish we’d done twice!
Stay:
Dine:
Do:
Skip:
Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Ritual at Dawn Ranch - too expensive for the amount of time you get
Farmstand at Farmhouse Inn - underwhelming for the price
Double-Up:
The Lodge at Dawn Ranch (for dinner) - favorite meal of the trip!
Complimentary S’mores around the Fire Pit - daily highlight
Ice Cream at Nimble & Finn’s - found on the last day and wish we’d had time to go again
What I took away from this experience
As I was sharing about the story of this getaway with some of my girlfriends . . . it occurred to me how this getaway fulfilled a desire that I’d had for nearly 8 years.
Quick backstory: Years before I got married {probably even before I met my now husband}, I stumbled upon Calistoga Ranch and immediately put it on my vision board. And not just that, but it was the place that I just couldn’t get off my mind. When we got married in the middle of the pandemic and couldn’t travel more than a few hours away by car, my dream came true and we booked Calistoga Ranch for 3 blissful days for our mini-moon! To do so, we used nearly our entire honeymoon budget, despite having a whole 2 weeks off. Then, the very day we were scheduled to arrive, we learned that the entire property had burned in the Calistoga fires. I was heartbroken and devastated for the loss & destruction everyone was experiencing in a place I love so dearly.
I thought this desire had been snatched away from me. {Which only further reinforced my internal story of “I don’t get to be the person who has this thing.”}
But as I spoke with my girlfriends, I realized how much this Guerneville getaway, something that cost less than a fraction of what Calistoga Ranch had, had ultimately fulfilled my true desires, and not just the “wants.” The desire of the essence of the experience that I was yearning for, the desire of being immersed in nature, the desire of luxuriating in slowing down, the desire of the stunning environment, the desire of the peace, ease & relaxation. I had once thought my desire needed to come through this $5,000 5-star trip, but in fact it came true through this sweet little getaway instead.
I learned something in that moment:
Too often I will get attached to a specific way a desire needs to look, ie. the want, and then forget the desire piece altogether {something all too common for most of us!} When this happens, we can cause unnecessary drama, harm, sadness and stress within ourselves. But when we anchor into the desire, we always get what we want in the end, even when it looks wildly different from what we imagined.
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