Omied and I recently had our first weekend getaway just the two of us, and it felt so good to be back on my travel blogger game and to have some quality time as a couple! My parents and sister watched Roman for the weekend and everyone did great—minimal tears were shed by me as we said goodbye.
We spent our weekend away up in Guerneville at the beautiful Dawn Ranch. It was luxury meets nature and exactly what we needed to relax and unwind. It’s such a unique setting right along the Russian River and the property spans 22 acres. You’re surrounded by nature and redwoods the moment you enter, and it feels like such a retreat!
Accommodations
Dawn Ranch has several different types of accommodations, including cottages, chalets, cabins, and glamping tents. We stayed in a cottage, and it had such cute and cozy vibes. I was especially in love with the tile in the bathroom, and the fact that when we looked out the bedroom window we were greeted with beautiful redwood trees.
Dining
We dined at the cafe at The Lodge every morning for breakfast and their pastries were out of this world delicious! Go early if you want a chocolate croissant because those go fast. But my goodness, their cinnamon roll was to die for.
We also enjoyed a lovely dinner at The Lodge—don’t miss their gnudi pasta dish, it’s like a big pillowy gnocchi and it was my favorite thing that we tried.
The Spa
Omied and I got a couple’s massage at the spa and it was absolutely blissful. Omied said it was one of the best massages he’s ever had!
If you book a spa treatment, be sure to arrive early so you can relax in the wellness lounge by the cozy fire with a cup of tea, and save time after your treatment for their red light sauna. There’s also a beautiful meditation garden where you can spend some time. We were so relaxed afterward!
Another unique treatment you can book is their redwood soaking tubs, inspired by the Japanese Ofuru tradition. I snapped a photo of this soaking tub getting prepped and it looked like such a peaceful way to spend the afternoon.
Amenities/Activities
The property has so many thoughtful amenities. First of all, I love a complimentary s’mores kit, and got probably too excited about it for an adult, but ya know what, I’m on vacation and fire pits + s’mores are a vibe! We had cozy cocktails and roasted marshmallows by the fire and it was delightful.
I was also excited to find a Higher Dose PMF mat in our room—I’ve always wanted to try these and have heard amazing things about them. I started each day with a meditation on the mat and and felt so rejuvenated.
There was also a complimentary wine tasting Saturday evening, where we got to try several different wines that are poured at the restaurant. Depending on their schedule, they also have different wineries that come and pour their wines for complimentary tastings.
Activities
You could truly spend the entire weekend on the property and never leave—it’s the perfect combination of relaxation with activities and nature. Dawn Ranch offers free rentals for bicycles for exploring, as well as kayaks and tubes for the river.
It was a bit chilly in the morning, but we decided to check out the river and rent tubes, and it was so much fun! The water was refreshing, the setting was absolutely serene, and we did some bird watching and relaxing.
You can check out their activities page to see what else Dawn Ranch has going on during your stay. Other complimentary activities on the property include an Intro to Forest Bathing, Birdwatching, Meditation, and Yoga. There are also classes and experiences you can purchase, like a perfumery experience or sound bath ceremony.
With so much great food and fun things to do, you really could spend the whole weekend on the property. But if you’re looking for some suggestions on things to do/where to eat, I saved some to my Guerneville/Sebastopol Stories Highlight here. We were totally blown away by the food scene in nearby Sebastopol, so it’s definitely worth checking out!
Thank you to Dawn Ranch for the lovely stay!
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
