California Official Visitor's Guide 2024 - 157

Folsom Tourism Bureau. 200 Wool St. River town near
Sacramento is famous for its historic district, bike trails,
boating, outlet shopping, and Folsom Prison Museum.
916/985-2698; visitfolsom.com See ad, p. 153
Johnny Cash Trail. Honoring the legendary musician
who once performed in Folsom's notorious penitentiary
(as a guest, not an inmate), this three-mile trail goes
from the Folsom Historic District toward the Folsom
Lake Crossing Trail. You'll see artwork, architecture, and
bridges along the way. folsomcasharttrail.com
GRASS VALLEY
Empire Mine State Historic Park. Learn about the
history of one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold
mines in California. Guided tours of the mine yard,
restored gardens, and owner's estate are off ered
throughout the day. The park also off ers 856 acres
with more than 14 miles of trails for easy hiking and
mountain biking. 530/273-8522; parks.ca.gov
JAMESTOWN
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. Home to the
famous Sierra No. 3®, newly restored No. 28 steam
locomotive, historic Roundhouse and more, Railtown
1897 off ers weekend excursion train rides (April-Oct).
railtown1897.org
MARIPOSA
Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.
Mariposa County, home to Yosemite National Park: a yearround
destination! Outdoor recreation, Gold Rush history
and natural beauty are all here. Visit the #1 Yosemite
planning site yosemite.com. See ad, pgs. 57, 149, 153
MOUNTAIN RANCH
California Cavern State Historic Landmark. Find a
Trail of Lights and the Trail of Lakes cave walking tour
through this limestone cavern. Groups learn about
the history and geology of the cavern as well as the
surrounding countryside. Take a professionally guided
cavern spelunking trip. 888/488-1960; cavetouring.com
MURPHYS
Mercer Caverns. Descend 160 vertical feet to see
this subterranean wonderland discovered by Walter
J. Mercer in 1885. Take a 45-minute walking tour and
learn about the history and geology of the caverns.
209/728-2101; mercercaverns.net
NEVADA CITY
Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District. These
twin cities, famous for their Gold Rush pasts, have
transformed into cultural hubs with more than 100
arts-related organizations. 916/322-6555;
caculturaldistricts.org/grassvalley-nevadacity
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Site of
California's largest " hydraulic " mine. View cliff s carved
by mighty streams of water, the result of the goldmining
technique of washing away entire mountains to
fi nd the precious metal. 530/265-2740; parks.ca.gov
Miners Foundry Cultural Center. Discover a California
Historical Landmark at this cultural arts and community
events center, the fi rst manufacturing site of the Pelton
wheel. Check website for events. 530/265-5040;
minersfoundry.org
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum.
Learn about local transportation history and view
artifacts from the narrow-gauge railroad era. Visit on
Saturdays to take a ride on the railbus. 530/470-0902;
ncngrrmuseum.org
Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. Winding through the
Tahoe National Forest, follow this stunning 160-mile
loop through the Sierra foothills and mountains, along
the North Yuba River, into pine forests, and across the
valley north of Lake Tahoe. sierranevadageotourism.org
PENN VALLEY
South Yuba River State Park. Swim, bird-watch, and
pan for gold along 20 miles of the South Yuba River's
rugged canyon. Throughout the park, look for various
bridges dating back to the Gold Rush era through the
mid-20th century. 530/432-2546; parks.ca.gov
PINECREST
Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort. Operating since 1950,
Dodge Ridge off ers 67 trails, 11 lifts, and 862 skiable
acres. Located in California's Central Sierra, it boasts
1,600 vertical feet and 350 inches of annual snowfall.
209/965-3474; dodgeridge.com See ad p. 27
PINE GROVE
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park. This park
gets its name from 1,185 mortar holes ground into the
marbleized limestone by early Native Americans. Don't
miss the Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum. 209/2967488;
parks.ca.gov
PLACERVILLE
Downtown Placerville. Historic Main Street features
unique shops, antiques, fi ne art galleries, and restaurants.
Enjoy small-town charm with a backdrop of Gold
Rush history. visiteldorado.com/downtown-placerville
Visit El Dorado. Located between Sacramento and Lake
Tahoe, El Dorado is overfl owing with outdoor adventure,
a welcoming wine and agricultural scene, family fun,
and a proud Gold Rush history. visiteldorado.com See
ad, p. 153
RANCHO CORDOVA
Sacramento Children's Museum. With hands-on
exhibits designed for children from infants to age 8,
SCM engages youngsters in meaningful discovery. Bring
the kids for a few hours of imaginative play. 916/7305079;
sackids.org
Visit Rancho Cordova. Discover small-town charm
in Rancho Cordova, one of the nation's most diverse
cities. The quirky region is ripe for memorable outdoor
experiences, international cuisine, and libations in the
Barrel District. visitranchocordova.com See ad, p. 153
SACRAMENTO
Aerospace Museum of California. Find a world-class
opportunity to learn about and celebrate aviation's past,
present, and future. Discover more than 40 historic
aircraft and get hands-on by piloting your own STEM
adventure. 916/643-3192; aerospaceca.org
California State Capitol Museum. Explore the history
of the State Capitol building, home to the California
state legislature since 1869. Visit restored offi ces of the
governor and enjoy a picnic in Capitol Park. 916/3240333;
capitolmuseum.ca.gov
California State Railroad Museum-Old Sacramento
Waterfront. A Smithsonian affi liate, the Railroad
Museum is a " museum without walls " that off ers
weekend excursion train rides (April-Sept.), full-scale
vintage locomotives, toy trains, interactive exhibits, and
more. californiarailroad.museum
Crocker Art Museum. The fi rst public art museum
founded in the western United States, the Crocker
Art Museum is still one of the leading museums in
California today. The collection includes international
ceramics, sculpture, and works by contemporary
California artists. 916/808-7000; crockerart.org
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Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park. Tour
the opulent 19,000-square-foot mansion, built in
1856 for Gold Rush merchant Sheldon Fogus and later
purchased by the soon-to-be governor of California,
Leland Stanford. 916/324-0575; parks.ca.gov
Old Sacramento State Historic Park. View a cluster
of noteworthy, early Gold Rush-era structures and
historic buildings, including the 1849 Eagle Theater and
the onetime home to the California Supreme Court.
916/445-7387; parks.ca.gov
River Fox Train. The River Fox Train, sister of the worldfamous
Skunk Train, traverses the countryside of Yolo
County west of Sacramento with multiple experiences
off ered weekly, including Railbikes. 800/866-1690;
riverfoxtrain.com See ad, p. 155
Visit Sacramento. In America's Farm-to-Fork Capital,
enjoy Michelin-rated restaurants, a vibrant downtown
and great family fun along the Old Sacramento
Waterfront for an authentic Sacramento experience.
visitsacramento.com See ad, p. 153
SONORA
Visit California's Gold Country. An amazing American
road trip fi lled with spectacular beauty. Gold Rush
history, abundant outdoor adventures, and year-round
fairs and festivals along historic Highway 49. Just two
hours from San Francisco. visitgoldcountry.com See ad,
pgs. 151-153.
Visit Sonora. Known as the Queen of the Southern
Mines, Sonora, California is a charming small town
in Northern California's Gold Country. With dining,
shopping, tasting rooms, and lodging options, Sonora
makes a great base for visiting Yosemite. sonoraca.com
See ad p. 27
Visit Tuolumne County. Wander Freely in Tuolumne
County. Explore uncrowded Yosemite, authentic Gold
Country, and scenic High Sierra in one amazing road trip,
2.5 hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Find lodging
for all budgets. 209/533-4420; visittctoday.com; See ad,
pgs. 27, 149, 153
SUTTER CREEK
Visit Amador. Experience rich California history above
and below ground, distinctive local shops, independent
restaurants and cafes, events year-round, and world
class wineries. 209/267-9249; hello@visitamador.com;
visitamador.com See ad, pgs. 153, 155
stay
HOTELS AND RE S OR T S
LA GRANGE
Don Pedro Recreation Agency. Nestled in the Sierra
Nevada Foothills, Don Pedro Lake off ers watersports, 3
dog-friendly campgrounds, a 2-acre swimming lagoon,
biking, and hiking. For more info: donpedrolake.com. $
See ad, p. 27
SONORA
Hotel Lumberjack and Sonora Inn. Modern
accommodations meet historic charm at the Hotel
Lumberjack and the Sonora Inn. Hotel Lumberjack is a
newly envisaged Americana Motel experience, and the
Sonora Inn is newly renovated. hotellumberjack.com;
thesonorainn.com; $$-$$$ See ad, p. 149
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VISITCALIFORNIA.COM | 157

http://www.sierranevadageotourism.org http://www.visitfolsom.com http://parks.ca.gov http://parks.ca.gov http://parks.ca.gov http://www.folsomcasharttrail.com http://www.riverfoxtrain.com http://www.dodgeridge.com http://parks.ca.gov http://www.visitsacramento.com http://parks.ca.gov http://www.railtown1897.org http://visitgoldcountry.com http://www.visiteldorado.com/downtown-placerville http://www.visiteldorado.com http://www.yosemite.com http://www.sonoraca.com http://www.visittctoday.com http://www.sackids.org http://www.cavetouring.com http://www.visitranchocordova.com http://www.visitamador.com http://www.mercercaverns.net http://www.aerospaceca.org http://www.caculturaldistricts.org/grassvalley-nevadacity http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov http://www.donpedrolake.com http://parks.ca.gov http://www.californiarailroad.museum http://www.minersfoundry.org http://www.hotellumberjack.com http://www.thesonorainn.com http://www.crockerart.org http://www.ncngrrmuseum.org http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

California Official Visitor's Guide 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Official Visitor's Guide 2024