Auburn
Central California
Discover Gold Country

Bumping up against the west side of the Sierra Nevada Range, on California’s eastern side, the Sierra foothills that make up the Gold Country are California Classics.
Discovery of gold in 1848 sparked the largest mass migration in U.S. history, with more than 300,000 pioneers heading west.
Here, the state’s past, present, and future merge into one unforgettable destination. Pan for gold like a 49er, bike through meadow-and-oak countryside, and raft a rapid-filled river, then explore historic towns with Old West architecture and a new generation of pioneers, opening up outstanding wineries, farm-to-table restaurants, inviting shops, and charming B&Bs.
Road Trip: California’s Historic Highway 49
A road trip on historic Highway 49 doesn’t simply take you from point A to point B—it also transports you to the past. Begin in Old Town Auburn...
5 Amazing Things to do Near Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Beyond being the state capital, Sacramento has staked its claim as one of California’s nerve centers for great craft beer. The annual...
Spotlight: Sacramento
Like many cities, California’s state capitol is undergoing an energetic renaissance. Young adults looking for an urban vibe are moving into this...
“Mountains. Magic. Music.” The tagline of the Strawberry Music Festival, a lively, four-day May event, says it all. Held at the...
It’s no coincidence that the state highway running through the Sierra Nevada foothills is number 49. This is Gold Country, where, starting in 1849, a reef of gold-bearing quartz ...

Think of a river, and chances are you’ve got your own daydream. Maybe you want to float on inner tubes, or maybe your style is to careen through raucous rapids in an eight-person inflatable raft....
Nevada City
This forest-wrapped hamlet of handsome Victorian-era homes and tree-lined streets 60 miles northeast of...
California Auto Museum
While many museums ask visitors to look but not touch, the California Auto Museum, in Sacramento, abides by the opposite policy. “...
Juicy heirloom tomatoes and just-picked strawberries. Super-sweet peaches shaped like mini UFOs. Artisanal cheeses, golden-green olive oils, local wildflower honey—California’s farmers markets are...
Empire Mine State Historic Park
Get a one-two punch of experiences with a visit to this remarkable site in Grass Valley, roughly 60 miles/92 kilometers northeast of Sacramento....
Apple Hill
Autumn in the Gold Country means clear blue skies, fiery red grapevines, and an invigorating snap in the air. It’s apple season too, with more...
Marshall Gold Discovery
Driving the sleepy stretch of winding Highway 49 between Auburn and Placerville, it’s hard to believe the region was the booming heart of one of...
Pluck a bit of gold from a riverbed scoured by the original ’49ers. Descend deep into the earth to check out unusual rock formations. Get your heart racing with a ride down whitewater rapids. For...
The American River
The most popular whitewater-rafting river in the West, the American...
Elegant estates at the end of country roads lined with vineyards? Check. Low-key wineries housed in converted barns? Check again. Urban wine trails with hip in-town tasting rooms? Yup,...
Columbia State Historic Park
With throwback charm and a treaure trove of historic artifacts, this park presents the Gold Rush in living, breathing color. Costumed...
Sip Wine in the Gold Country
The roots of old Zinfandel grapevines run deep in this northeastern region of California, with winemaking here dating back to the Gold Rush days...
Murphys
Like San Francisco in the mid-1800s, Murphys was one of California’s richest boom towns, but...
Moaning Cavern
Discovered by miners in 1851, this vertical chamber near Angels Camp is so massive it is the largest public cavern in California—big enough to...
Jamestown
It’s unbelievable but true: you can still wade into the shallows of the South Fork of the American River, and find flecks of gold, just like the...

From almonds and olives up north to avocados, oranges, and dates in the south, the Golden State has a crop (or 10) for nearly every stretch of terrain. After all,...
Golden Chain Highway

This forest-wrapped hamlet of handsome Victorian-era homes and tree-lined streets 60 miles/98 kilometers northeast of Sacramento is one of the Gold Country’s prettiest towns. Originally settled in 1849 as a mining camp, Nevada City...
Columbia State Historic Park presents the Gold Rush in living, breathing color. Costumed docents do more than lead tours of this carefully preserved Mother Lode town; they actually live and work here in a variety of period-appropriate shops and...
Part frog-filled folklore, part classic country-fair fun, the annual mid-May Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee stands out as...
Back in 1854, the first California State Fair was held in San Francisco, with the cows standing on display in ...