A fun way to tour the area, especially for families, is a ride on the horse-drawn trolley. The Beach Boys hit Surfin USA even gives a shout out to the now legendary surf spot Swamis. Healdsburg is one of the best towns in California to visit where you can taste a variety of local wines in a gorgeous setting. Youll find everything from historic cities to small communities nestled in the mountains. For its part, Auburn (population 13,500), located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, made our 2015 list of the Top 100 Best Small Towns, thanks in part to its lower than average median home prices and strong healthy-lifestyle indicators, including low rates of obesity and excellent access to health care. Fun fact: This little frontier town in Owens Valley is sandwiched between national parks that are home to the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States Mount Whitney (to the west) and the Bad Water Basin in Death Valley (a little southeast), respectively. English EnglishGermanSpanishFrenchChinese (Simplified) Menu Explore Regions Lake Tahoe Western Sierra Eastern Sierra Southern Sierra Close Trip Ideas Native American Information Getting Here Contact Us Itineraries Itineraries Later, savor samples at local wineries, while chatting it up with those who grew the grapes and produced the wine. Bodega casablanca. This is merely a sampling of the foodie fun you can have along with your hiking, biking, and skiing adventures. The beautiful town of Mammoth Lakes is a wonderful all-season California mountain town. The farm-to-fork movement is the pulse behind the seasonal, inventive cuisine that draws foodies along with oenophiles here, where chefs names become well-known and those following in their footsteps are trained at the Culinary Art Institute of America. It holds annual events such as Mule Days which plays host to the largest non-motorized parade in the world. Offers may be subject to change without notice. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Looking for dining recommendations? It is the Sierra Foothills' best kept secret. And every afternoon, colorful spinnakers fan out among the whitecaps. Just beyond, Lake Alpine Resort serves up a hearty trout-and-eggs breakfast, and rents kayaks. AddThis sets this cookie to track page visits, sources of traffic and share counts. In addition to that, Ojai is a great wine-tasting region, and youll also love all the wonderful hiking trails that are laid out at your feet to enjoy. Stroll the main thoroughfare and pick up a gift for a friend or family. Good hospitals and doctors. Sierra Nevada National Park. The beating heart of Sonomas neighbor, Napa Valley, St. Helena has been nicknamed Napas Main Street. It is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills and was founded in 1848. Sutter Creek. So whatever you find in Ojai will be unique. Book now. Sierra Foothills real estate offers bucolic surroundings and easy access to the state's best outdoor attractions. What are some of the cities in the gold country in the foothills of northern California? Wine Tree Farm & Corinne Wines. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. "CommUnity" was the festival theme this year, a concept that came roaring to life throughout the nine film venues scattered across downtown Nevada City and Grass Valley, sister towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The 25-mile, nearly 7,000-foot climb starts innocently enough in Three Rivers, one of Sequoia National Park's gateway towns. Wikimedia/ Bobak Ha'Eri. 1. Fiddletown, 8 miles from Plymouth, remains off the beaten path, and a midweek visit will often present no competing tourists to admire the old city. Book now. 11. This community in Napa County is all about the wine. Check out the best RV camping options in Gold Country. Outdoor activities abound, but for something different, visit nearby ghost towns, like Cerro Gordo, to witness the remains of the areas mining past. 21 Beautiful Places to Discover in California's Sierra Nevada, Peter Fish, Ann Marie Brown, and Matthew Jaffe, Photo by jerici cat (on Flickr Creative Commons), Photo by Kenny Karst / DNC Parks & Resort at Yosemite, Photo by puliarf (on Flickr Creative Commons), Photo courtesy of Facebook fan Suzanne Gladkoff Stephen, The Happiest Place to Live in the U.S. Is This California City, Want a Garden That Saves Water? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. And in summer, the town feels equally classic, with July Fourth roping and barrel-racing contests at the rodeo grounds, old-timers debating the latest fishing report over prime rib at the 1877 Bridgeport Inn, and backpackers filing out of the mountains for a post-wilderness soft-serve at the Jolly Kone, easily spotted by its firehouse red paint. Nevada County towns are Grass Valley Nevada City French Corral Smartsville Timbuctoo Rough and Ready Relief Hill Washington El Dorado County cities are Cameron Park Camino Coloma The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Here is our list of the top lodging establishments in the Sierra Foothills area of Sutter Creek and Plymouth. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. For others, its about getting inspired. Here are a listing of 5 Sierra Foothills towns you should explore: 1. Gold Country is located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevadas and is one of the best regions for taking a . . Less than two hours away from Los Angeles, the desert town of Ojai is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers looking for a peaceful . A sure highlight, though, are the unique house boat communities, where the floating homes range from upscale to creatively revamped to how is that still floating? vessels dating back to World War II. Only a few roads cut through the Sierra Nevada in California from west to east. Here, the California Sierra Nevada rises from Owens Valley in a sheer 3,000-foot wall that shouts, We are what mountains are all about. 5. Easier rides await on the paved bike paths that lead through the city and along the lake and river. Thinking about making a move to the area? It also is home to a botanical garden and it has easy access to Mt. Tucked at the base of the eastern Sierra Nevada, this little mountain town offers you complete solitude. A list of recommended Sierra Foothills restaurants in the quaint towns of Sutter Creek, Plymouth, Murphys, and more. AddThis sets this geolocation cookie to help understand the location of users who share the information. Location : Downieville CA 95936. South Lake Tahoe also has a great food scene, but an even better beer scene, thanks to the South Lake Tahoe Beer Trail! Often called the "Sausalito of the foothills," Sutter Creek is just plain cute. Then head down to Main Street and stop for a drink at Bar of America, located in a beautifully restored 19th century historic building. The Sierra Nevadas define the interior, with many wonderful California mountain towns dotting the foothills and edges of the mountains, and smaller ranges in Southern California combine both beauty and accessibility. Pack up a picnic and head to a park, wander along the Art and Farm Trails, kayak down the Russian River or hike the Ridge Trail for majestic mountain views. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine gold-mining ghost town in the Bodie Hills of the Sierra Nevada and visitors are welcome. Though it's a reservoir, it still has the heart of a natural lake. Carlsbad, the village by the sea in Southern California (SoCal), is adored for its seemingly endless coastline. California Gold Country is a big place, loosely defined as the Sierra foothills along California Highway 49. Its a must-stop on a an adventure through the California Sierra Nevada. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Browse 1,064 sierra foothills stock photos and images available, or search for californian sierra nevada or folsom lake to find more great stock photos and pictures. The beautiful Southern California mountain town of Oak Glen is a beloved place to visit in the fall for apple-picking as well as in the winter for a spot of snow, if youre lucky! Of course, theres more to do here than swirl a glass. During the summer, the ski area morphs into a mountain bike haven offering over 80 miles of lift-accessed singletrack, kids adventure center, a Via Ferrata and serves as the gateway to Devils Postpile National Park and the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park . Shopping and dining in the European-style village is equally luxurious, offering a mix of high-end brands and boutiques along stone-paved streets in buildings with adorably curly-cued roofs. A bouldering paradise. Its also a good base for visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lassen National Forest. Lets just say the fun never stops it just evolves based on the time of year. Geology meets geometry in a massive rock formation of hexagonal columns formed by an ancient lava flow more than 100,000 years ago. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, it's kept its small town charm. Its no wonder why Trips to Discover also picked Murphys the queen of the Sierra as one of the best small towns in California to visit. A dreamy California sunset (Photo: Scott McCracken via Flickr). You too may be inspired like Otis Redding, who wrote (Sittin on) the Dock of the Bay on a houseboat here, to lose track of time, watching the tide roll away., A peak into Sausalitos unique houseboat communities (Photo: Miwok via Flickr). 51 reviews. Its BIG backyard is the envy of so many other cities Yosemite National Park. In the winter, youre located mere minutes from an assortment of ski resorts like Palisades Tahoe, Homewood Resort, and Granlibakken Ski & Sled Hill. Looking for lodging recommendations for the area? And dont forget the explosion of wildflowers each season on the Hite Cove Trail. Wikimedia/ Sanfranman59. While nearby word-class ski areas like Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and their intimate boutique resorts draw snowbirds during the winter, the area is also a treasure trove of outdoor action come summer. Two right turns take you first over State 89s Monitor Pass, then south on U.S. 395 through the rugged Walker River canyon. Spooning Carlsbads southern border, Encinitas is one of the best beach towns in California, with miles of coveted coastline. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Sierra del Lobosillo or Rincn forms part of the eastern foothills of the mountains of Madrid. blue dicks don't ask. 25 Most Mysterious Monuments on Earth. Need a great Scottsdale hotel or accommodation in Sierra Foothills? There are plenty of great shops and restaurants to check out, as well as historic buildings and a beautiful river spots to explore. The Old Mission Santa Ins is another piece of history that has survived centuries of cultural shifts and remains active in the community today. Heres just a sampling of the best mountain towns in California High Sierra to visit ANY time of year. About 400 granite steps ascend 6,725-foot Moro Rocklike Half Dome without the cables and the long hike. Yet the The American Riviera has a flavor of its own, with cooler evenings and characteristic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Rugged mountains and awe-inspiring canyons in the area's national parks and forests are truly part of the United States' national . The best apple pie in town is a hotly debated title, and the perfect excuse to visit a few shops, notably Moms Pie House and Julian Pie Company, where oven-fresh pies are served however you fancy, from plain and Dutch crumble to creative renditions mixed with berries. Family-friendly Activities Fun for All Ages Historic Towns, Eastern Sierra Lake Tahoe Western Sierra. She has traveled to 60 countries before the age of 30 while running several digital travel publications. But for those looking for an enclave filled with shops, boutiques, & lakefront restaurants that are right on the crystal clear waters of North Lake Tahoe, then you may want to consider Tahoe City. Take in Californias bounty by visiting the California State Mining and Mineral Museum. Being only twenty minutes from the shores of big blue, this cozy town is usually lumped in as part of Tahoe, but it shouldnt be. Oak Glen is also known for its shopping, local festivals, and its Wildlands Conservancy which is a great place to take a walk among local flora and fauna. californian sierra nevada. Dont believe us? The mountain town of Sonora on the western edge of the Sierra foothills, north of Yosemite, is yet another interesting Gold Country town worth a visit. Charming might not be the first word that comes to mind when thinking of California. Murphys is located in Gold Country in the foothills of the High Sierra just minutes from a wealth of outdoor adventures with multiple alpine lakes to play on, world-class rivers for fishing, hiking and biking. Dont miss the House and Senate groups as the paved trail loops for two miles with giant trees all around. This is just a taste of the best mountain towns in California High Sierra. Once the snow flies, get your adrenaline fix on the slopes of Dodge Ridge, or for some frosty fun, visit the biggest snow play park in California Leland Snow Play. In the summer, youre just steps away from fun. Mammoth Mountain covers over 3,500 acres and often boasts some of the deepest annual snowpack in the country. Worth it, every one of them. Tahquitz Rock stands tall above the village of Idyllwild (Photo: Don Graham via Flickr). Its a wonderful destination all throughout the year, but Big Bear really comes to life in winter when it becomes a vibrant skiing and snowboarding destination! Some might argue that a side effect of the areas popularity is that it feels less charming and more commercial. Get a glimpse of the stunning scenery to see and activities to do in the Sierra Nevada. Travel Inspiration. There are many locally owned businesses within the neighborhood, including gyms and cafes. Downieville is a small town off of the Yuba River, and it's one of the first sites where gold miners arrived in the 1800s. Murphys Grammar School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places for Calaveras County, California (Photo: Jeffrey Beall via Flickr). This area is located in Northern California and is home to some of the most charming towns in the state. A requisite for being in the Sierra is enjoying the outdoors. But locals argue about which other mountain pass boasts the best scenery. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Guest rating . Sightseeing trolley through downtown Ojai (Photo: Gaszton Gal Photography via Ojaivisitors.com). Copyright 2023 S Media International Corporation. Mammoth Mountain Resort is a massive draw for people all over California in the winter, but in the summer, Mammoth Lakes is also a great mountain getaway spot with tons of High Sierra hiking trails laid out at your feet. AUBURN, CA. Placer County has the towns of Auburn Colfax Foresthill Meadow Vista Newcastle. Julian is also a great place for stargazing in California, with some of the darkest skies and a great observatory/inn to stay at and check out the night sky from your secluded mountain oasis. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Sierra Foothills Escape to Rustic California Living Live in California's historic Gold Country in the rustic Sierra Nevada Foothills where the towns are picturesque and rich with history. . The adorable downtown is perfect for strolling, shopping and snacking at the array of unique shops, art galleries, local restaurants and coffee shops. Its no wonder why the area made the National Geographics list of the top 20 surf towns in the country. Pretty much any time of year you can hop on a mountain bike and feast on more than 2,000 vertical feet of singletrack in Bass Lake. The 25-mile, nearly 7,000-foot climb starts innocently enough in Three Rivers, one of Sequoia National Parks gateway towns. #7 Best Places to Live in Santa Cruz County. The Sierra Foothills are also know for an abundance of vineyards and wineries. Drive west from Redding and dip your toes in the warm, crystal-clear waters, enclosed by 36 miles of shoreline. Downtown Truckee is also full of cute shops and restaurants. Whitney, and the Alabama Hills just outside of Lone Pine is the perfect place to peep the highest peak in the Lower 48! You can also drive, but the more adventurous may prefer a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge before riding along the bay toward the waterfront or downtown. You can wander Main Street, admiring the early 19th century stone buildings crafted by those who survived the death-defying wagon ride over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, while sipping a fancy, locally roasted coffee drink or nibbling on a tasty food truck find. The road to the Pico de Veleta is an enchanting trip into the glorious mountain world of the Sierra Nevada. A large fault system, here named the Foothills fault system, is the dominant structural feature of the western Sierra Nevada. This post guides you through all the best mountain towns in California. Only three hours from the Bay Area, the park makes a perfect weekend trip. Surrounded by the Santa Cruz Mountains and in the San Jose foothills, the town of Los Gatos may have gotten a lot bigger. Just walk down the stairs to Commons Beach for a dip or listen to some free, live outdoor music. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. Its also home to the annual frog jumping jubilee & is one of the most picturesque downtowns your eyes will ever see. Another perk of the winter season is the Victorian Christmas Celebration, when the streets come to life with twinkling lights, Victorian singers and minstrels, roasted chestnuts, crafty vendors, horse-drawn carriages, a live nativity and a boon of holiday cheer. Californias abundance of warm, sunny days is perfect for the beach and also for producing luscious, full-bodied wines. You dont know the Sierra until youve seen it from a saddle. So says a rider on a horse packing trip, which lets you travel like a forty-niner and cover plenty of ground in a weekend. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. All Rights Reserved. Write if you have any specific questions. In the hot summer months, dips in secret swimming holes along the river likewise feel priceless. Auburn- This city is located in the heart of Placer County and is known for its charming downtown area. The city is named after the Spanish Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa that was founded in 1772 and still draws visitors to explore its characteristically short and narrow naves. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Most of the Cedarville wines are sold out of . No matter where you are, a mountain escape in California is never far from reach! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A deep yellow-gold color and rich aromas of fig, marzipan and pear indicate this will be a concentrated, full-bodied wine, which it is . Lower Slaughter is home to one of Britain's most romantic streets, Copse Hill Road. But surrounding mountains remain gorgeous and uncrowded. Indigenous roots here, though, reach back thousands of years, when the Chumash people inhabited the land. Check out Hotels.com to find the best hotel deals, from cheap to luxury & more! For others, though, it serves a slightly different purpose, as a gateway to a natural spa paradise: Hot waters gush to the surface in abnormally high concentration between the towns of Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, 60 miles south. Shasta as well. For the more ambitious, a 3.6-mile trail ascends Thunder Mountain. The discovery of gold in the area in the mid-1800s brought thousands of people to the region, and many small towns sprang up to accommodate them. . Not to be missed is a chance to peer up at the giant sequoia groves at the nearby Calaveras Big Trees State Park, which has drawn folks into the wild since the early 1850s (a very, very long time ago by Californian standards!). The town is known for its unparalleled access to outdoor adventures like redwood gazing, whitewater rafting, cave exploration, and waterfall hikes. Numerous safe bike paths are a fitting addition to the laid-back, earth-friendly tone. "Worth the walk up for great sushi". Then theres Kit Carson Lodges parlor, which has knotty pine walls, a stone fireplace, and landscape paintings by local artists. And in the winter, Truckee is home to great ski resorts such as Northstar and Palisades, making it the perfect ski trip destination! To see the terrain immortalized in Ansel Adams photographs in person is humbling. Box 395 (209) 267-5500 The characteristically warm weather makes the state beach a popular attraction year-round, perfect for riding waves, building sand castles, running along the hard-packed shore or boardwalk, and relaxing with the sound track of crashing waves in the background. My grandtwins live there, so I visit at least once a month. 10 Amazing Hindu Temples. Nestled in the eastern side of the High Sierra, when it comes down to outdoor mountain fun, Mammoth Lakes is the champion. How to Order Grass Fed, Pasture Raised Meats Directly From the Farmer, Kings Beach: Grab a Bite at White Caps Pizza. Best small towns to visit in California. Check WineCountryGetaways.com and see which wineries are the best to visit in the Sierra Foothills. This cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites. With 5 lakes in Mammoth Lakes itself and over a hundred in the immediate area, a beautiful hike is never far away. 11. Yosemites other great valley, flooded to create Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the early 1900s. These lovely towns are sure to fit whatever youre looking for! A taste of the Wild West and apple pie in Julian (Photo: Julian Chamber of Commerce). The scene gets progressively more beautiful as you approach Grouse Lake on the roughly 2-mile trek. 10 Best Places to Visit in Southern California. A short drive away is all the hiking youll ever need: Easy treks include the 1-mile trail to Granite Lake. Set by addthis.com to determine the usage of addthis.com service. This makes it the most isolated of the towns mentioned in this article. For other places with the same name, see Sierra Nevada (disambiguation). Live Oak is a wonderful, quiet residential community. Craft beer fans can sample the countys growing micro-brew scene at Pizza Port, a local brewer with crave-worthy pizza and a bounty of other celebrated local brews to boot. Grab sandwiches to-go and picnic at Yee Tok Chee Park, Via Del Mar Plaza or Rodeo Beach, with its picturesque off-shore rock formations. VIP. The county is situated on the eastern side of the Sacramento Valley, extending from the Sacramento River, on its western border, east into the foothills and western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Why not combine them both into one! Home | Recreation | Lifestyle | Maps | Real Estate | Articles | Advertise Here | Contact Us: Please note: all photographs and other illustrations on this site are . Victorian Christmas in Charming Nevada City (Photo: Nevada City Chamber). The perfect Sierra lodge should at once give you lots of things to do and make it hard for the outside world to annoy you. Its also close to the McCloud Waterfalls a short drive away. Which is why you shouldnt drive just one. Spooning Carlsbad's southern border, Encinitas is one of the best beach towns in California, with miles of coveted coastline. The Fresno Yacht Club holds its High Sierra Regatta here, but Huntington sailors arent snobby.