Glen Ellen

Last weekend, we visited one of our favorite outdoors spots in the Bay Area, Jack London State Historic Park. Located in the small Sonoma Valley town of Glen Ellen, it's about a 45-minute drive north from Marin.

The park is made up of land that was at one time the Beauty Ranch owned by renowned writer, social reformer, and rabble-rouser Jack London (1876–1916), author of classic adventure tales like The Sea Wolf, The Call of the Wild, and White Fang. This is always a destination for us in later winter and early spring—the wild mustard and other wildflowers are in bloom, the weather is cool and clear, and it's breathtakingly beautiful.

Nestled at the foot of Sonoma Mountain, Jack London State Historic Park is full of stunning scenery, historic buildings, and short easy hikes that are perfect for families. There are also longer treks available for those who don't have kids in tow.

Looking for a great family day trip this summer? Try heading to the Wine Country town of Glen Ellen for a day of swimming fun at Morton's Warm Springs Resort. Morton's Warm Springs is a family resort famous for its three geothermally heated pools filled with natural mineral water. Long thought to have healing benefits, these spring waters have lent their name to numerous communities in the Sonoma area, including Boyes Hot Springs, Agua Caliente, and Fetters Hot Springs.

Morton's Warm Springs is one of those places that looks like it's been around forever. It fact, it's been a Sonoma Valley institution for about a century, and has been run by the Morton family since 1946. Morton's truly has that old-school atmosphere that will probably take you back to your childhood. After all, who didn't spend time at a place like this? At Morton's you feel like you've stepped back into a simpler, carefree time. With its three pools, sprawling lawns, and picnic areas, it's a great place to bring lunch, swim, relax, and soak in that rural Wine Country atmosphere.