Visit the site where Eugene O’Neill wrote his most famous plays

Eugene O’Neill, the first American playwright to win the Nobel Prize, used the award’s monetary windfall to create Tao House, a secluded estate in the hills above Danville.

Eventually, O’Neill became too ill to continue living such an isolated life.

Because of the war, the couple was unable to get the household help he required, so they moved to Boston, where O’Neill died in 1953.

Today, the Tao House is a national historic site, open for visitors.

Bring water and print out a trail map at http://bit.ly/1y4BUmS.

In the Tao House, visit the study where O’Neill wrote his plays by hand.

Because he suffered from a degenerative disease that caused hand tremors, his handwriting became gradually smaller and smaller.

Tour the 13-acre grounds, making sure to see their beloved dog Blemie’s grave site and read Blemie’s last will and testament.

Follow a fence, go up some steps and continue on a narrow dirt path surrounded by fragrant bay and oak trees.

Just past a horse watering trough is the cattle gate leading onto the Tao House grounds.

Take the Walnut Creek turnoff on the right, proceed on Highway 24 to Interstate 680 south to the Diablo Road exit.

By public transportation, take BART to Walnut Creek and transfer to the County Connection No. 21, which stops in front of the museum.