All aboard for Gold Country history

Tuolumne County is the heart of California Gold Country, and to get a feel for it, you and your family will want to visit both Columbia State Historic Park Read more.

Sierra county

Historic Highway 49 in the north starts in the Sierra County town of Vinton and winds south through a mountainous region where the rivers still run free. Even during the summer high season, this county of fewer than 4,000 souls is off the beaten track for most visitors. In fall, it can feel like your own private realm. Set up basecamp in Downieville, a Gold-Rush town on the Yuba River, and prepare to be charmed. Read more.

Dog-friendly Highway 20 preserves beckon in spring

Photo by Kampus Production.

The Sierra foothills cover hundreds of square miles, so your best bet for a wildflower-and-waterfalls weekend is to narrow down an itinerary. Our suggestion: take Highway 20 east out of Marysville (Sutter County) and spend a day or a weekend exploring several sites between there and Grass Valley/Nevada City, a distance of about 40 miles. Read more.

A cluster of winery finds in Gold Country

Wine grapes were introduced to the Sierra Nevada foothills during the Gold Rush years, when miners were thirsty for refreshment and farmers eager to provide. Today, the Sierra Foothills AVA (American Viticultural Area) stretches from Yuba County in the north to Mariposa County in the south, with five smaller AVAs under the umbrella designation. Two of them, El Dorado and Fair Play, are in El Dorado County, within easy striking distance of Sacramento, gateway to the Gold Country wine country. Read more.

Exceptions to California State Parks rules

coastal view of ocean and boulders at MacKerricher State Park

MacKerricher State Park. Photo by Don Kawahigashi.

Most California State Parks restrict canine companions to campgrounds, day-use picnic areas and paved roads, but we’ve found a trio that allow four-paw venturing on dirt trails.