The plantation-style architecture of Beltane Ranch B&B in the Sonoma Wine Country.

I turned onto the unpaved path off Highway 12 that leads up to Beltane Ranch and pulled over to snap a photo of the gracious antebellum-style house with gingerbread trim and a wraparound porch. The pasture in front was wild with mustard blossoms. Springtime in Sonoma.

When my daughter Parker and I stepped out of the car, two Clydesdales trotted up to us and stuck their noses through the fence for us to pet them. The air was fresh from the morning rain.

I had brought Parker to see the place where her dad and I spent our wedding night. She’s at that age in which she’s curious about stories from mommy and daddy’s past.

It was just as beautiful as I remembered it. A perfect slice of bucolic Wine County heaven.

We met the housekeeper Angie who gave Parker a homemade chocolate chip cookie and allowed us run of the place to peek into the rooms and wander about the gardens and yard.

These friendly horses greeted us at Beltane Ranch.

There are five rooms on two stories of the main house, ranging in price from $150 to $200. Most open on both sides to the veranda with views of the vineyards, mountains and the Valley of the Moon. The elegantly furnished rooms are airy and inviting and the inn has free Wi-Fi. Parker climbed on to one of the wooden porch swings and asked for a push.

Next I took her to see the sweet, two-room cottage behind the main house that I had booked for my wedding six years ago. As we tiptoed inside, my mind transported me straight back to that sunny, October day, dressing and primping with my bridesmaids in the bedroom and sipping wine to calm my nerves on the little porch.

I recalled the bathroom strewn with make-up and hair products, the flatiron at the ready to tame my curls, and me giddy with excitement. Even without the sunshine and excitement, the cottage was just as lovely as I remembered it.

At the Beltane Ranch, the fruit and vegetables served at the full breakfast are grown on the estate, and the olive oil used is produced from olives grown in their orchards.

We wandered off toward the tennis court, Parker walking on top of a stone wall that encircled a flower bed. Little outdoor conversation areas near the house basked in the view, perfect, intimate places to enjoy a snack or glass of wine and some company. Miles of walking trails surround the ranch leading through high meadows and redwood-filled canyons.

The Beltane Ranch is perfect in its simplicity and serenity. I made a mental note to book my anniversary weekend. Some places just beg you to return.

Photos by Lisa Dion