Jack London & The Valley of the Moon tour start date:
June 12, 2011 tour end date: June 16, 2011
tour registration closes:
December 12, 2010 wine region: Northern California length of stay:
Multi-Day Tour hiking level: Moderate total group size: 11 price per person: $1,995.00 tour deposit: $495.00
If our tours don’t fit your schedule, then have it your way! Choose the date(s) you want on our full-service Custom Group Tours or our self-supported, fully guided Custom Mini-Tours.
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Price paid for most of our multi-day tours is based on double occupancy. By clicking the book now button, you acknowledge our refund policy and agree to our terms of use.
5-Day, 4-Night Hiking & Wine-Tasting Tour On this deluxe adventure, hikers and hedonists alike will thrill from all that Sonoma County has to offer in its unsurpassed variety of hiking terrain and fine wine, as well as the region’s historical richness and laid-back character.
Grapes and wine have been integral to Sonoma County’s history from as early as 1812. The Spanish Franciscan Fathers laid the foundation of the Sonoma County wine industry when Padre Jose Altimira planted several thousand grape vines at the county’s northernmost mission, San Francisco de Solano, in Sonoma. By the time of the “Bear Flag Revolt” and the subsequent annexation of California by the United States in 1854, the vineyards of General Mariano Vallejo, the military Governor of Mexican California, were producing an annual income of $20,000—a very large sum for its time.
By 1910, prolific American novelist and short story writer Jack London, author of “Valley of the Moon”, had purchased a large tract of land near Glen Ellen in Sonoma County and devoted his energy and newfound wealth to improving and enlarging his beloved Beauty Ranch. The legacy of Jack London’s Glen Ellen home remains today at Jack London State Historic Park.
Sonoma County is blessed with the best of soil, slope, sunshine, and fog, which are presented in a variety of combinations during the growing season. Nearly every type of wine grape can be grown in one or more of Sonoma County’s regions, from cool-weather Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to warm-weather Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
What’s good for grapes is also good for the wilderness that surrounds them! Sonoma County’s rolling grasslands, scenic views and redwood forests will have you walking the same paths that fired Jack London’s imagination.
Itinerary “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
That statement from Mr. Jack London surely sums up how we feel about the time you’ll experience with us. Here’s what you can expect during five glorious days in June:
Sunday Meet your California Wine Hikes tour guide mid-afternoon at your hotel, where you’ll sip something sparkly and delicious, and enjoy a buffet reception prior to your first wine tasting, a blind wine tasting of six locally-produced Cabernets. And what better way to enjoy your new surroundings than to have an in-house chef prepare your first group dinner. Welcome to the Valley of the Moon!
Monday You’ll enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then grab lunch, snacks, and water and take a short drive to Jack London State Historic Park for an easy historical walk. You’ll visit Wolf House and Beauty Ranch, then hike the Lake Trail, a favorite recreation area for London and his guests. After the hike, you’ll board the van and travel to taste wines from two of the best wineries in the Glen Ellen area, one of which offers a cave tour. We then return to the hotel for a brief rest, followed by dinner and wine at a popular local restaurant.
Tuesday After an early breakfast, you’ll pack up and head west along the Russian River valley for a 5-mile hike in the Sonoma County backcountry. After the hike, you’ll visit one of our favorite Russian River wineries, then return to the hotel to tidy up. Later, you’ll enjoy dinner and and a blind tasting of locally-produced Merlot wines.
Wednesday You’ll enjoy breakfast, then grab lunch and water and travel up Adobe Canyon Road to an 8.2-mile ridge ramble in the Mayacamas Range above the Valley of the Moon. This can’t-miss hike has its moments of challenge and reward, as you’ll get to see many different commanding views of the San Francisco Bay and surrounding countryside. After the hike, you’ll enjoy lunch and wine tasting at a local Sonoma Valley landmark winery. Later, after tidying up at the hotel, you’ll unwind with a fabulous dining experience at Chef Josh Silvers’ “Syrah”, home of deeply-flavored, soul-satisfying “slow food” combinations prepared with organic and sustainably farmed fruits and vegetables. Optional: a post-dinner live music show at downtown Santa Rosa’s Last Day Saloon, a local favorite hotspot.
Thursday You’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Omelette Express in Railroad Square, then an optional short walk around the square. If you’ve booked a massage for yourself, this might be a good time to visit Avanti Day Spa or a handful of other excellent local rejuvenating experiences in town.
At noon, you’ll raise a glass to each other and say your farewells.
In essence, this 5-day tour showcases some of the best hiking, wine tasting and dining experiences to be found in Northern California, plus sumptuous lodgings, two blind wine tastings, visits to local wineries in the Sonoma Valley, Bennett Valley and Sonoma Mountain appellations, and all meals, transportation & fees, and room tax.
The details All of our multi-day tours include lodging, transportation, all meals, trail snacks, bottled water, a gourmet picnic lunch, formal and informal wine tasting (including tasting fees), and the services of a California Wine Hikes tour guide. A full itinerary will be provided to all guests who book this tour.
This tour requires a $495 deposit per person to secure your reservation; that's the initial price you'll pay upon clicking the book now button. You can reserve up to as many as 11 openings for this tour, assuming 11 openings are still available. Total tour price shown is a best estimate, and will often be lower after registration closes and the final itinerary is settled. A complete itinerary, final payment details, and supporting information will be provided via email to all guests who book this tour.
The camaraderie Because your friends or family would enjoy this adventure, consider inviting them to share in the fun! Simply click here to invite them, and your invitation will include a link to this tour. Or, just click the book now button to reserve your spot today.
California Wine Hikes accepts these payment options:
YOU MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE TO BOOK THIS TOUR.
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The Quintessential California Outdoor Experience! Outdoor exercise, gourmet food, fine wines, and the healthy camaraderie of friends new and old make your California Wine Hikes adventure the extra-special vacation that it is. And you deserve to enjoy it!
This year, come join California Wine Hikes for the wine country adventure of a lifetime, in the Valley of the Moon.
“I enjoyed learning tidbits about the California hiking landscape while at the same time getting a nice workout. California Wine Hikes is great for bringing family from out of town.” — Shannon D., San Francisco, California
