Looking for a fun getaway in the Sierra Nevadas just 3 hours away from San Francisco? Then you should definitely look into visiting Gold Country! We recently spent a fabulous weekend there swimming in an alpine lake, exploring old Gold Rush towns, riding on a historic train, and having an all around good time. This was our first time visiting this part of the state, and what a pleasant surprise it was! There is so much to do in Gold Country and we can’t wait to go back! If you are planning a trip there, check out our suggestions on what to do on a weekend in California Gold Country.
Where To Stay
Like with many of our getaways, we first selected a general area we wanted to visit, and then we chose the exact location after finding the best airbnb for our family and our budget. This time, we found a great cabin in Twain Harte that served as the perfect home base for exploring the nearby area. Click here to find the listing. We arrived to our rental late Friday night, so we had both Saturday and Sunday to explore the area before driving back to San Francisco.
Another great place to stay would be the historic town of Sonora.
What To Do
Pinecrest Lake
We headed up to Pinecrest Lake first thing on Saturday. Pinecrest Lake is just 20 minutes away from Twain Harte, and it’s a very popular lake in California Gold Country. This 300-acre alpine lake sits at an elevation of 5,600 feet. The lake is beautiful and it wasn’t crowded at all when we visited on a beautiful summer day. We heard that lots of people from the valley go there on hot days to get a break from the heat, but it never got too crowded. The beaches in Lake Tahoe get a lot more crowded than this one, in my opinion. There’s a big parking lot, and parking is free. There is also a commercial center where you can find groceries and even a restaurant. There are flush toilets, and drinking fountains located next to the restroom buildings.
The lake has a pretty big designated swimming area where you can bring all kinds of soft bottom floating devices. Even though there were motorized boats on the other side of the buoys, it was never an issue in terms of noise or speed. We really loved the low-key vibe of this lake!
Twain Harte Minigolf
After spending a fabulous morning at Pinecrest Lake, we headed back to Twain Harte for some mini-golfing fun at Twain Harte Miniature Golf. This was our kids’ first time mini-golfing and they loved it! This 18-hole course was the perfect size and skill-level for our kids. The tree-covered setting was perfect to escape the 90+ degree heat too. Plus, there is a shaved-ice shop right next door if you want to cool down on a hot day! Or, you could grab some delicious ice cream from Mountain Creamery just down the street, which is just what we did!
Historic Downtown Sonora
We started early on Sunday morning in order to beat the heat, and to get the most out of our day. First we headed over to the historic town of Sonora to walk around and grab a cup of coffee. We found great coffee at Revive Coffee. We really enjoyed walking around this picturesque town, especially checking out the many antique stores there! If you visit, make sure you check out the Historic Court House, the Tuolumne County Veterans Hall And Museum, and take a look at the beautiful historic churches.
We would’ve loved to visit the Sonora Fire Museum too. We didn’t get to it because we visited Sonora early in the morning, before many of the business had opened.
The City of Sonora’s website has a nice map to help you plan a walking tour of its historic downtown.
Columbia State Historic Park
After Sonora, we drove 20-minutes to Columbia State Historic Park. This town was once known as the “Gem of the Southern Mines,” as it yielded over one billion dollars in gold in a span of 20 years! For a time, Columbia was the second largest city in California and, unlike other Gold Rush towns, Columbia survived and it was never completely abandoned. In 1945 the town became a State Historic Park in order to preserve a typical Gold Rush town as a piece of American history. Walking through this town was truly a window into a totally different time!
This is not your traditional park, but it is more of a small town with several local businesses to explore and learn about. We enjoyed walking around the town, and the main highlights were visiting Nelson’s Candy Kitchen to get the kids some sweet treats, stopping by Columbia Booksellers & Variety Store to pick up some unique souvenirs, checking out cool custom iron work at Parrott’s Blacksmith, and stocking up on fine picnic goods at the Columbia Mercantile 1855.
We are looking forward to going back to do the Stagecoach Ride, do some panning for gold at the Matelot Gulch Mining store, and spend a bit more time wandering around the town.
The park has a Junior Ranger program, and it offers two self-guided Junior Ranger programs with activity books and prizes. You can pick up your books at the Columbia Museum. Parking and park entrance are free.
Indigeny Reserve
After wandering around Columbia State Historic Park, we drove another 20 minutes to Indigeny Reserve. Indigeny Reserve is a lush 160 acre preserve and apple orchard set in the beautiful hills of Sonora, and offering hand-crafted hard cider, apple brandy, and fruit infused vodka.
In addition to a tasting room ($5 cider tasting sample), cider, distillery, and gift shop, Indigeny offers a beautiful area with picnic grounds for visitors to enjoy. Upon arrival we bought a couple of cups of cider, and then sat at the picnic tables to enjoy the goods we had bought at the Columbia Mercantile. My favorite cider was the Blackberry Hard Apple Cider. The picnic area is mostly shaded and it offers a great break from the sun. You could easily spend hours at this place, which is what we plan to do next time we plan a weekend in California Gold Country!
Railtown Historic State Park
The last stop on our epic day trip in Gold Country was the Railtown Historic State Park. This park in historic Jamestown offers you the opportunity to experience a vintage steam train.
We did an Excursion Train Ride that included a 6-mile, 45-minute roundtrip ride that takes you by the water tower from Petticoat Junction, and through scenic Gold Country. Beware that if you are looking for a fast ride, this is not for you. This train moves slowly, but it still is a very cool experience to have.
We also learned this train has been a popular site of motion pictures and television location filming since 1919. Hundreds of movies and television programs have been filmed there!
The park is open from November to March, and they have a couple of fun special events such as “Robbery on the Tracks,” and a “Polar Express Train Ride.” Check out their website for details.
If you have time, you can check out Jamestown. We briefly stopped there to check out an antique store, but couldn’t stay longer. This would be a great place to explore and get lunch or dinner at.
We definitely had a great weekend in California Gold Country, and we cannot wait to go back! If you are looking for other adventures in California, click here to read more.
