After spending half our day at High Hill Ranch, we decided to leave the other farms for the following day, and headed to Eden Vale Inn instead. Eden Vale Inn is a B & B that I accidentally found online while searching for a place for us to stay up in Placerville. I’m an impulsive buyer, and after a quick look through their website, I booked the one remaining room left for that weekend. Lucky us! The minute we arrived, we knew we’d get spoiled there….
As soon as we stepped foot onto the secluded property of Eden Vale Inn, it was apparent to us how much TLC the owners, Gayle and Mark, have devoted to this beautiful home of theirs. From the rocking chairs on the front porch to the glistening lake on site, to the cozy fire pit for some s’mores action at night, every hospitality detail has been thought through at length. Even for a travel snob like me, I was thoroughly impressed!
Gayle checked us in personally, and gave us a comprehensive tour of the entire property, ending at the Cypress Room, where we would be sleeping that night. Though the bed looked inviting enough for me to take an afternoon nap right away, the girls were anxiously awaiting to take the boat out on the lake. As soon as we dropped our bags off in the room, we circled back outside to the gorgeous lake, where Mimi and the girls paddled away in the gleaming water.
It was warm underneath the sun, and the girls soon dipped their feet into the cool, blue water as their eyes wandered beneath to seek the fishes that Gayle told them about. As for me…
…the hammock was right where my body needed to be, and in the shade, no less! 🙂
The family that was staying in the room next to ours had a 10 year old daughter name Grace, and the girls were giddy with excitement when they met her. With complete admiration and adoration, the girls stuck to Grace like glue for the rest of the afternoon and evening, soaking in all the knowledge that Grace taught them! Fortunately, Grace was equally happy to be around her two little fans.
We originally had plans to dine in downtown Placerville, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave the property once we settled in. Luckily, Gayle and Mark, being the gracious and thoughtful hosts that they were, allowed us to purchase freshly baked pot pies and wine from them. The girls helped set the communal table for our dinner, and we devoured the pot pies in just 30 minutes.
After dinner, we joined Grace’s family at the fire pit where we made s’mores and sang to the tunes of Grace’s dad’s guitar. It reminded me of my fifth grade camping trip, one of my favorite memories of all time.
As much as we wanted to stay by the fire pit all night, we eventually headed back to our rooms. The girls were still too excited to sleep, so we nourished our skin with some facial and feet masks and watched a movie together in bed….a perfect way to end an already fabulous day.
Although the girls stayed up way past their normal bedtime, they still woke up bright and early the next morning, eager to continue the fun. As soon as we stepped foot upstairs into the living room, we could smell the hearty breakfast that Gayle and her assistant was preparing for all of us in the kitchen. Since nobody else was up yet, we strolled out to the lake once again, and explored all around the property.
Eden Vale Inn has a total of 7 rooms, and they were at full occupancy that weekend. Still, we felt like we were the only ones on property. It was incredibly serene and peaceful, with little nooks and crannies here and there that offered majestic views. Everywhere you turn, it is picturesque!
After our morning stroll, we went back inside to enjoy the wonderful home cooked breakfast. Ofcourse, the girls asked to sit with Grace at their own table. We started with scones, fruit, and yogurt, followed by the most delicious french toast and sausage, all topped off with fresh apple juice from Apple Hill farms! 🙂
After breakfast, the girls asked to go out on the boat with Grace again. We had planned to head over to a few other Apple Hill farms right after breakfast, but didn’t really feel like being tied down to an itinerary, so we let the girls decide what they’d prefer to do with the time we had left before we had to head home. In unison, they wanted to spend more time with Grace at the inn.
Part III coming soon! 🙂
