Redwoods Respite

Savor, sip, and unwind among the redwoods at Sonoma County’s Dawn Ranch.
by Paul Rubio
A large white canvas tent with its front flaps open, revealing cozy furnishings inside, sits on a grassy area surrounded by green trees. Two blue chairs and a small table are placed outside the tent.

A short stroll from the quaint logging town of Guerneville, Dawn Ranch (dawnranch.com) in Sonoma County provides an idyllic setting for a peaceful, epicurean escape at the foothills of a redwood forest. Its 86 accommodations—chalets, cottages, cabins, and glamping-style tents—are spread out across 22 acres near the Russian River. At The Lodge, a two-story, sunlit communal space, wine country’s farm-to-table brilliance shines.

A wooden table set with assorted pastries, croissants, and a bowl of peaches, decorated with two vases of flowers, stands in front of a dark wooden cabinet displaying glassware and ceramics in a warmly lit room.

Start your day at the grab-and-go breakfast café with a hearty egg sandwich on house-made brioche or a buttery croissant, enjoyed fireside on a plush sofa or out on the terrace. By early evening, transition from detox to retox with cocktails crafted from house-made syrups and tinctures, fresh herbs, and botanicals sourced from the resort’s garden and surrounding wilds.

A wooden table set with multiple plates of gourmet dishes, including salads, roasted vegetables, meats, pasta, and glasses of red and white wine, arranged for a shared meal in warm, natural lighting.

Dinner at The Lodge’s eponymous restaurant reflects the flavors of Brazil, Argentina, and Europe, enhanced by Northern California ingredients. Chefs Juliana Thorpe and Ignacio Zuzulich (both formerly of the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood) create dishes like ricotta gnudi with sunchoke cream, burrata with peanut salsa macha, Wagyu striploin with chimichurri, and Brazilian coconut cake for dessert.

A cozy living room with exposed wooden ceiling beams, beige walls, and a sideboard topped with a lamp and vase. Two green armchairs, two wooden chairs, a round coffee table, and stacked firewood complete the warm, inviting space.

In between meals, explore nearby Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Sonoma’s most renowned stretch of primeval redwood forest. There’s also an abundance of local wineries to explore, including sleek newcomer Aesthete Winery & Farm (aesthetewines.com) for flights of pinot noir and sauvignon blanc along the river, and mainstay Flowers Vineyards & Winery (flowerswinery.com) to sample pinot noirs and chardonnays you’ll soon be ordering by the case.

A cozy living room with wood-paneled walls, large windows overlooking a garden, green velvet sofa, two beige armchairs, a wooden coffee table, and framed artwork on the wall. Natural light fills the space.

Be sure to allot ample time for the resort’s boutique spa. Guests first take a seat in the redwood-lined wellness lounge for a cup of specialty tea while gazing through oversized windows at the meditation garden. Spa treatments draw on natural ingredients, like the Manuka Honey Moisture Body Therapy, which begins with a honey-based exfoliation followed by a massage with botanical oils and a Manuka honey cream polish. Massage options include restorative Swedish and deep-tissue techniques, but for something more rousing, try the Thai table massage (Nuad Bo-Rarn)—a fully clothed experience blending Shiatsu, acupressure, stretching, and gentle rocking. Or soak in a redwood tub, inspired by the Japanese ofuro tradition, choosing from a trio of bath rituals. A top choice is the Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Cure, which delivers deep muscle relief via magnesium flakes and sweet birch essence.

A person with long, light brown hair relaxes in a wooden tub filled with bubbly water and flower petals, outdoors in natural light.

If a single soak doesn’t feel like enough (and it never will), reserve a Spa Cottage, one of Dawn Ranch’s largest accommodations, with a private enclosed patio and deck and its own outdoor redwood ofuro-style soaking tub.