If you talk to anyone from California long enough, you'll probably hear him or her say something like this:

“California is the best. Within three hours, you can be lying by the beach, climbing a mountain, driving through the dessert, or seeing a new city.”

It's true. There's just so much to see and do, and it doesn't take that long to get from place to place. In this case, Joe and I started our day where I live in Livermore, a suburb about an hour east of San Francisco, and within three hours of driving north, we were on Orr Hot Springs Road, a curvy road that runs through farmers' hills, Orr Hot Springs, and Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve.

We were there to visit Running Springs Ranch, a true gem in Northern California and a working lavender farm. I needed to photograph the land and yurts for Hipcamp. And Joe was there to film. Little did we know it would be our favorite Hipcamp site to date and probably one of our favorite experiences in this part of the state since we moved here.

Alan, Steff, and Tyler have been at Running Springs Ranch for about 20 years, but they just started growing and harvesting lavender about a year or so ago. I'm telling you—the level of detail and quality in everything at this farm, especially in the yurts, was incredible. Steff used to work in antiques, so everything in the tents was carefully selected and placed, making it feel incredibly homey.

Joe and I had the opportunity to hang the harvested lavender to dry with Alan and Tyler, next to a fire while drinking Scotch. There was something magical about working with this plant, getting the scent on our fingers, while talking to these people. It was one of those experiences that makes you stop when you leave and think, "That just went by way too fast. Was I present enough? Did I soak it all in?"

Luckily they were all nice enough to invite us back, and without a doubt, we will be soon.