How to Spend One Day in Glen Ellen, California

Because of its tiny size, Glen Ellen is often overlooked in California’s Sonoma Valley, dismissed as a place you pass through rather than plan around. That is a mistake. Located about an hour and a half north of the city, it makes for an easy day trip from San Francisco and packs in far more than you would expect.

I have spent a good amount of time exploring this little corner of wine country, in part because it’s beautiful, and in part because it is home to one of my favorite restaurants in Northern California (Shoutout to Glen Ellen Star!).

Here’s the exact way I would spend a full day here. Yes, a full day. It can be done even in the tiniest of towns.

Love a good day trip? See all my San Francisco Day Trip ideas.

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Tea & Pastries at Les Pascals Patisserie et Boulangerie

Start your morning at Les Pascals Patisserie et Boulangerie, a modest little bakery that feels a little like it was lifted out of a small French village and placed in Glen Ellen. Here you’ll find all your fancy coffee drinks and the prettiest pastries (I loved their fruit tart!). The interior is cute, but if the weather is nice pick a bistro table on their patio.

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Hike at Jack London State Historic Park

A short drive brings you to you next stop, Jack London State Historic Park. Jack London, who wrote The Call of the Wild, spent more than a decade in Glen Ellen, and the landscape that shaped his writing is now yours to roam. The park is a mix of redwoods, open meadows, and gentle ridge lines. And the trails range from short and simple to half-day treks.

If you’re following this itinerary, you’ll have a busy day so the Wolf House Trail is an easy option that also brings you to the ruins of London’s grand stone home. Plus, don’t skip The House of Happy Walls museum that gives a thoughtful snapshot of his life.

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Take the SculptureWALK at Jack London Village

Before lunch, stop by Jack London Village for the SculptureWALK. More than two dozen pieces are scattered around the courtyards and gardens. It’s like stepping into a small outdoor gallery that happens to spill into a creekside setting. Everything is for sale, though some of the larger pieces would require a generous shipping budget!

See if you can spot one of my favorites: Blue Figure by Mark Chatterley. 

➞ PS: Download the SuculptureWALK map before you go.

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Lunch at The Mill at Glen Ellen

The Mill at Glen Ellen is where history and good food sit comfortably at the same table. Built in 1839, it is one of the oldest structures in the region, originally constructed to harvest redwood and Douglas fir. In 1856, it was sold to early winemaker Joshua Chauvet, who converted it into a grist mill using stones his father brought from France. After milling ended in 1881, the building went on to house the Glen Ellen Winery and Distillery for nearly a century. In 2020, restaurateur Sanjeev reopened it as The Mill, honoring its past while giving it new life.

For lunch, I recommend the warm flatbread topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, fried chickpeas, and fresh herbs.Yum! The Rachel on rye was also delicious stacked with pastrami, Swiss, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing.

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Stroll Through the Sonoma Botanical Garden

After lunch, enjoy more of the outdoors at the Sonoma Botanical Garden. It is part garden, part conservation project, and part quiet refuge from the world. The paths wind through rare Asian and California native plants, each turn bringing something unexpected. There are shaded benches where you can pause and small pockets of quiet that feel almost meditative.

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Wine Tasting at Imagery Estate Winery

Imagery Estate Winery has a playful, creative energy that immediately sets it apart. The wines focus on uncommon varietals like Lagrein, but still have all the favorites too. I’m a sucker for their Primitivo!

The wine is reason enough to stop, but also don’t miss their unique artwork. Every bottle features original artwork, and the tasting room doubles as a gallery, with about one hundred pieces on view at any time. 

You can sip at the bar, settle into the outdoor picnic tables, or pair your tasting with a gallery tour.

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Pop into the Saloon at Jack London Lodge

Pop into The Saloon at Jack London Lodge if you still have room for one more drink. This relaxed, brick-walled bar feels comfortably untouched, the kind of place that’s unpretentious, welcoming, and full of stories—all the things that a good saloon should be.

The crowd is a mix of travelers and locals, including winemakers who are always happy to talk shop. Photographs and memorabilia tracing Glen Ellen’s past and Jack London’s life line the walls, giving you something to linger over while you relax. 

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Make a Pitstop at the House with the Old Gas Pumps

As you make your way toward Glen Ellen Star for dinner, take a short detour along Warm Springs Road. On the southwest side of the road, just a block or two from the restaurant, there is a home covered in vintage gas pumps, metal signs, and old cars that looks like someone decided to curate their own roadside museum. 

It is a charming oddity and incredibly photogenic, but please be respectful! If the owner happens to be outside, he might share a story or two. That was my experience, and it made the stop even more memorable.

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Dinner at Glen Ellen Star

End your day at Glen Ellen Star, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant that specializes in wood-fired dishes, and the vegetables alone are worth the reservation! The brussels sprouts with brown sugar bacon marmalade and the cauliflower with tahini and almonds are so good I found myself wishing I could recreate them at home. The pizzas are excellent as well, especially the tomato cream with Aleppo pepper.

Save room for dessert. The house-made ice cream cups have been a signature since 2012, and the flavors rotate. Salted peanut butter and vanilla maple bourbon were my standouts.

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