Memorable, Magical Destinations & Experiences!
I am a born explorer and adventurer! I share with you the places I love and enjoy for the purpose of enriching your own life experience. You may consider some of these destinations for planning an awesome road trip, wilderness experience, or as places you want to have an event, wedding, or a special photo shoot with me! I have a great love of the natural world and earth's remaining beautiful places. I also love history and architectural heritage.
Sutter Creek is one of the Gold Country historic gems found in Amador County on Highway 49. It was established in 1844 by Captain John Sutter.
It was originally a lumber town before Gold Rush fever set in. A quaint town with many wonderful shops and restaurants.
It is a sought after destination with a number of good wedding venues. The one I will mention is The Gardens at Sutter Creek.
I personally stayed at The Sutter Creek Inn and enjoyed it! It was apparently owned by a senator, whose ghost remains, playing chess with others in the front parlor! The Foxes is another nice place to stay. You're not far from the Chatterbox Cafe, where you can get a great breakfast!
52.7 miles (1 hour) drive fro Sacramento.
Amador City was settled between 1849 and 1853, and established in 1915, practically the smallest incorporated city in California. The two gold mines in town produced $24 million value of the precious metal.
There is a concentrated artist population that lives in this area now.
44.2 mile drive (55 minutes) from Sacramento.
Nearby:
• Plymouth, California (settled 1853 and incorporated 1917) is another small hard rock mining town, namely for quartz. All of these towns are fun to go through and explore for their historic value. Plymouth had a number of names in the past: Puckerville, Pokerville and Poke Camp.
This town has some amazing surprises though. Unlike when my great uncle was alive, and back in the 1950's, the military personnel would come up from Mather AFB to get stone drunk and have fist fights on Main Street, Plymouth now positions itself as the hub of some of the finest Zinfandel wine tasting areas (explore the wineries of the Shenandoah Valley). There is also a 5-star gourmet restaurant called Taste (https://www.restauranttaste.com/. (209) 245-3463) in what was once a dive bar in the backyard!
42.6 mile (54 minutes drive from Sacramento).
Nestled deep in a forested valley, this remote, historic small town has an exceptional rustic and in some ways mysterious quality and is a tight knit local community. With a lot of rough timber and stone construction, things are as they have endured through time. Originally called Soldier's Gulch after the gold mine that operated there, it became Volcano because of the rounded valley area where it was built. Look for the old Masonic Lodge and the St. George Hotel, prominant landmarks.
The Volcano Theater Company puts on a season of amazing plays every year. There has been an active theater company here since 1854. Contact/Info: ((209) 419-0744, https://volcanotheatre.net/). The first post office was opened in 1851. The Volcano Union Pub & Inn has great pub cuisine and nice atmosphere.
While here you are not far from the Black Chasm Cave and Chaw'se Indian Grinding Rocks State Park.
• Black Chasm Cave National Natural Monument - See below.
• Chaw'se Indian Grinding Rocks State Park - This valley was home to a significant population of Maidu people. Where the park is was a village easily identified by the large number of pits in granite used for grinding acorns for bread meal.
The park features a large ceremonial dance house and living structures. The interpretive museum is wonderful. Bring a picnic and relax among the oaks or come participate in cultural event. There used to be Saturday events with cultural experience sharings. Contact: (209) 296-7475 or Lee.Eal@parks.ca.gov
47.63 miles (1 hour 27 min) from Sacramento.
The Volcano Theater Company puts on a season of amazing plays every year. There has been an active theater company here since 1854. Contact/Info: ((209) 419-0744, https://volcanotheatre.net/). The first post office was opened in 1851.
47.63 miles (1 hour 27 min) from Sacramento.
Right in the vicinity of the unique town of Volcano is a natural treasure, a cavern. The Black Chasm Cave National Natural Monument, is an amazing underground experience of limestone natural sculpture with colorful stalactites, stalagmites and columns.
It is a cool cathedral like experience, perfect for a hot summer day!
Contact: (888)488-1960
47.63 miles (1 hour 27 min) from Sacramento.
Jackson, California is the county seat of Amador County. This is a gold mining community that was founded around a spring, in 1848. It became incorporated in 1905.
The nearby Kennedy and Amador Mining Companies served to be the life blood of this town for many years. Ranching and lumber were the other two main industries.
59.8 miles (1 hour 2 min) from Sacramento.
There is a large Italian and Serbian Orthodox influence in this town, as you can tell from the names of many of the roads and places around here.
The Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church is the oldest one of it's kind in America and was built in 1894. The pure white church, it's grounds and interior are a beautiful experience. This is a recommended location for wedding ceremonies.
59.8 miles (1 hour 2 min) from Sacramento.
The Kennedy Mine is one of two mines that were the main mining operations in Jackson, California. The other was the Argonaut Mine, at which in August of 1922, a huge explosion nearly a mile underground rocked Jackson and killed 47 people.
The Kennedy Mine is now a State Park with an interpretive museum and tours.
59.8 miles (1 hour 2 min) from Sacramento.
Mokelumne (Miwok) Hill was established in 1848 by a group of people from Oregon.
It had a reputation for being one of the most violent communities in the Gold Rush period. The criminal Joaquin Murrieta is supposed to have frequented some of the game houses in town.
Hotel Léger is the longest continuously operated hotels in California.
57 miles (1 hour 10 minutes) drive from Sacramento.
Placerville is another Gold Mining hub and the County Seat of El Dorado County. Established in 1854. Originally called Dry Diggin's and subsequently Old Hangtown before being named Placerville.
The Main Street is a great place to hang out. Placerville Hardware is the oldest continuously running hardware store west of the Mississippi River. The Placerville News Company fits the same bill. Many times throughout the year, the Chamber of Commerce sponsors holiday and special street events where the town is closed to vehicle traffic.
If you want recommendations for eats, there are a lot of wonderful restaurants. The following are my favorites!
• If you want good pub food with good portions and micro brew specials, go to Bricks. 482 Main St. 530 303-3480.
• If you like seafood, Powell's Steamer has been there forever! There's a bar with an old beer can collection and sometimes evening live music. Order the Cioppino. It is the best! 425 Main St. 530 626-1091.
• Two excellent restaurants in town are run by the same owner. They are Hayday Farm to Fork Cafe (325 Main St. 530 626-9200). Eat with a good wine and historic atmosphere. The other is The Independant on the other side of town. Sit down gourmet choices with a full bar. 629 Main St. 530 344-7645.
• Mexican food with innovative twists? Cascada. 384 Main St. in the Old Round Tent Store of 1849 Bldg. 530 344-7757.
• Thai Soups? Thai Noodle Express. 248 Main St. 530 289-8919. I love their Noodle Chicken Pho.
43.7 miles (43 minute) drive from Sacramento.
The Gold Bug Mine is the oldest municipally owned gold mine. It serves as a great education about mining during the Gold Rush, with its nice interpretive museum and smelting/blacksmithing building. Just a fun place to have a quiet picnic or take a short hike on one of several beautiful hiking trails.
It is located just north of Placerville town through an established neighborhood. Hwy 50 to Bedford Ave. North. The park is a right turn off the road.
Coloma is where it all started. John W. Marshall discovered gold here in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River. The local Nisenan Maidu called this valley Cullumah, or beautiful valley. This a quaint small community turned State Park, featuring all surviving original buildings, the mill near where gold was discovered.
There is a very nice interpretive center here and numerous event happen here around gold history. The Gold Rush Days has been happening here annually in October. They set up original canvas tents and perform daily life activities, crafts and necessary tasks for survival in the 1800's in the American West. Everyone is in period dress.
46.3 miles (50 min) from Sacramento. 8 miles north of Placerville, on Highway 49.
El Dorado town was established in 1850 as a crossroads between freight and stagecoach lines and was originally called Mud Springs. 1855 was the year it was incorporated as El Dorado. The town was consumed by several fires in it's history. Gold mining and ranching have been it's major industries.
42 miles (546 min) from Sacramento.
The historic Poor Red's Steak House has been a popular dinner and watering hole for over 70 years. Kelly's Bar was what it was called between 1927 and 1945, after Wells Fargo used the building for weights and measures. It is the home of great steaks, but also the iconic drink called the"Gold Cadillac". The original owners suffered from shady money handling and the place was closed for awhile, despite the immense local popularity.
The new ownership, a couple of brothers have restored it to it's original splendor in 2016 and updated the kitchen. The original bar remains.
42 miles (546 min) from Sacramento.
Nevada City has been called the Queen of Gold Country towns, for it's historic Victorian architectural charm. The town was established in 1849, but incorporated in 1856. Before that it was a Nisenan Maidu village called Ustumah. It is now the county seat of Nevada County.
The Nevada City-Grass Valley area was a major gold mining center. The Empire Mine happens to be one of the deepest underground mines. The mine is now a park and worthwhile visitor's destination.
Broad Street is a wonderful place to shop and hang out. Nevada City is a great cultural arts center, supporting both visual artists and musicians. Both the Nevada Arts Council and KVMR Public Radio programming and events are responsible for this.
60.4 miles (1 hour) drive from Sacramento.