Gingerbread Mansion- Ferndale, California

Come away, come, sweet love,
The golden morning breaks,
All the earth, all the air
Of love and pleasure speaks,
Teach thine arms then to embrace,
And sweet rosy lips to kiss,
And mix our souls in mutual bliss.

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Just a few miles from Highway 101 lies the Gingerbread Mansion, one of the most photographed inns in California. Many tourists venture off 101 to view the Gingerbread Mansion's gables, spindle roof, and icicle eaves all painted in peach and yellow hues and to enjoy the precisely landscaped and beautiful Victorian garden. This one-time hospital has been lovingly restored by proprietor Ken Torbert. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Torbert sought to turn this Victorian and Eastlake gem into a modern day version of Lewis Carroll's fantasy. To do so, Torbert gave each room its own personality. Most opulent of the inn's ten rooms is the Empire Suite. The highlight of this room is the bed surrounded by Ionic columns and the bathroom which features an oversized tub in front of a marble fireplace. Guests of the Empire Suite often take breakfast in their room; the suite includes a living and dining area with a second fireplace. Another interesting room is the Fountain Suite featuring two side-by-side clawfoot tubs in front of a mirrored wall and a corner fireplace. In addition to the unique bedrooms, the Gingerbread Mansion offers several other diversions. Four parlors are set aside for reading or playing games. Additionally, the inn has bicycles for guests to use to explore Ferndale or the surrounding countryside. Yet perhaps the most pleasant diversion of all is breakfast, which consists of fresh fruit, locally made cheeses, homemade granola, and a baked egg dish such as Eggs Florentine.

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