|
Sacramento Area AttractionsAmador County Jackson Kennedy Gold Mine
Monteverde General Store
Butte County C.F. Lott Historic Home Chico Art Center Downtown Chico City Plaza
Oroville Chinese Temple and Garden Stansbury House
Black Sheep Winery California Caverns at Cave City Get-Gold Adventures Ironstone Vineyards Mercer Caverns Nevada County
Sacramento Esquire IMAX Theatre Fairytale Town Old Sacramento Historic District Sacramento African Cultural Center Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Zoo
|
||
|
Kennedy Mine was one of the richest gold mines in the Mother Lode (the area where gold mining took place in central California). Visitors can tour the mine and pan for gold March through October. You must call ahead at (209) 223-9542 to find out when you can tour the mine and/or pan for gold. Kennedy Mine is located on Kennedy Mine Road, off of Highway 49, in Jackson. 
Monteverde General Store, on Randolph Street, was built in 1898. The store still looks like it did when it opened at the turn of the century. Monteverde is open daily at varying hours. Call the store at (209) 267-5647 or (209) 267-1431 for more specific information about its hours of operation.
This is the area where James Marshall found the first specks of gold that started the California Gold Rush. The Sutter Gold Mine, which features a visitor’s center, offers underground tours and gold panning opportunities. Guests can call (888) 818-7462 to make an appointment to tour the attraction, which is open daily.
Volcano, located northeast of Jackson off of Highway 88, was a mining area that produced $90 million in gold. An old jail, brewery, and other historical buildings still exist in the town. One of the most interesting attractions there is the cannon Old Abe, which helped the Union to win the Civil War – without firing a shot in the town.
C. F. Lotte Historic Home gives visitors the opportunity to see how Butte County residents lived more than 100 years ago. The historic home, located at 1067 Montgomery St. in Oroville, tells the history of the area. It is managed by California State Parks. For information about tours, contact the home at (530) 538-2497.
The Chico Art Center, at 450 Orange St., is housed in the renovated Chico Railroad Dept. The center features visual art displays by California artists and offers classes and workshops. Call the center at (530) 895-8726 for information about tour times and fees.
The Downtown Chico City Plaza is the primary spot for people in Chico to eat lunch or socialize. Chico residents frequent the plaza during the summer for free music concerts. The plaza, tagged a park in 1872, is located at 4th and 5th streets at Main and Broadway. 
The Oroville Chinese Temple and Garden, at 1500 Broderick St., once served the large Chinese community in Oroville. The site was built in 1863 and has three chapels and a main chapel that serve as a place of worship for Taoists, Confucians, and Buddhists. Call (530) 538-2496 for a tour of the attraction.
California Caverns at Cave City is in Vallecito off Highway 49. The site has various caverns that are suitable for families and adventure seekers. One cavern is so large that it takes more than an hour to tour the lighted parts of the trails. California Caverns provides guests with coveralls, lighted helmets, and professional guides who will take you deep below the earth to underground lakes. Call (209) 736-2708 to schedule a tour. 
Get-Gold Adventures provides gold panning for families, school groups, and bus tours. Guests are provided with equipment and lessons on how to search for gold. This attraction is located in Sonora.
Ironstone Vineyards provides much more than wine tastings and vineyard tours. The winery has an art gallery, a gourmet deli, an outdoor amphitheater, and houses the Ironstone Heritage Museum. Ironstone, which sits on a 1,150-acre ranch, has produced several award-winning wines. The ranch is located at 1894 Six Mile Road in Murphys. Wine tastings and tours are free. Call (209) 728-1251 to get information about touring the vineyard.
Mercer Caverns, located in Murphys, provides 45-minute guided tours of caverns that descend nearly 16 stories. Guests will see different formations that have developed over thousands of years. Anyone can tour the caverns, but an adult must accompany children who are younger than 5. Call (209) 728-2101 to schedule a tour and get information about fees.
Miners Foundry Cultural Center has tools and other implements on display from the Gold Rush era. The Foundry also hosts cultural events year-round and is located in Nevada City.
The Nevada Theatre is located on Broad Street in Nevada City and is one of California’s oldest operating theaters. Mark Twain once lectured here. The theater, built in 1865, is still used for films, concerts, and other events.
Esquire IMAX Theatre shows films using state-of-the-art, Academy Award-winning technology. This theater, located at 112 K St. in Sacramento, seats more than 400 people. The screen is six stories high and has digital wrap-around sound. Check with the theater, at (916) 443-IMAX, to see what films are on display. 
Fairytale Town is a family attraction where nursery rhymes and fairytales come to life. The site, located across from the Sacramento Zoo, is open daily. Visit Fairytale Town’s website for more specific information about its operation hours, which are seasonal. Admission prices range for adults, children, and groups touring the amusement park. 
Old Sacramento or Old Town, as locals call it, is a must-see. The district, located in downtown Sacramento, attracts more than 5 million visitors every year as a National Historic Landmark. It’s a favorite locality for Sacramento residents, while tourists enjoy the museums, concerts, jazz festivals, historic buildings, and history there. 
The Sacramento Zoo is located in William Land Park near the state capital. The zoo, which celebrated its 75th year in operation in 2002, houses hundreds of animals. Visitors can enjoy verdant gardens as they walk from one animal habitat to the next. Guests can learn about snow leopards, Sumatran tigers, and jaguars on Big Cat Row or visit the Kenneth Johnson Reptile House where endangered turtles, frogs, lizards, and snakes live. The Sacramento Zoo also has a wildlife stage show titled “The Zoo P.I. Critter Caper,” which is shown twice daily. This attraction is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Call the zoo before visiting because it can close early for special events.
Waterworld USA, at 1600 Exposition Blvd., is a water park that is owned by Six Flags. The spot has rides for kids, families, and everyone looking for thrills and adventures. There are large rides, as well as a wave pool, cannonball, falls, and Shark Attack. Waterworld USA also has shows and events throughout the year. Check with the park, at (916) 924-3747 for hours of operation and schedules because they can change.