Auburn

History and modern culture merge with outdoor adventure in this appealing town on the west side of the Sierra Nevada, located about 30 minutes from Sacramento. While Auburn has long been an easy pit stop for travelers heading to and from Lake Tahoe’s north shore, the town has plenty of reasons on its own for sticking around for a spell.

Things to Do in Auburn

Auburn claims to be home to one of the most challenging and historic endurance sports events in the world: the prestigious 100-mile Western States trail-running race. The area is also a mecca for mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders, who all take advantage of trails lacing the Auburn State Recreation Area, which protects the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River (both forks are popular whitewater rafting destinations).

As more vintners join the “Gold Crush”—a local reference to Placer County’s growing number of wineries—so does the chance to relax at nearby tasting rooms, where the guy or gal pouring the wine is often the winemaker too.

In addition to the region’s bustling wine scene, two award-winning breweries have put Auburn on the map when it comes to the craft beer boom. Moonraker Brewing Co. has emerged as one of Gold Country’s hottest brewers, best known for its Northeast-style IPAs (commonly called “hazy IPAs”). Its tasting room and brewery features indoor and outdoor seating with food trucks. Just a short walk away, Knee Deep is a popular microbrewery known for its West Coast–style IPAs. Like Moonraker, it offers a welcoming, dog- and kid-friendly atmosphere.

Restaurants in Auburn

Good beers and wines attract good restaurants, and Auburn has a bumper crop lining the streets in the handsome Old Town district. Drop by Auburn Alehouse for craft beers and maybe a Shanghai Lettuce Wrap or fish-and-shrimp tacos, or Old Town Pizza for one of their indulgent deep-dish pies. Art galleries and shops selling antiques and collectibles abound. Wine grapes aren’t the only crop that grows in the area; citrus varieties thrive here too, and you can get your fix at the annual Mountain Mandarin Festival, held in late fall at Auburn’s Gold Country Fairgrounds.

Where to Stay in Auburn

It’s not difficult to find comfortable places to stay in Auburn, as there are numerous hotels, but for accommodations steeped in history, book a stay at the Park Victorian. This 1874 mansion, which underwent meticulous renovations in 2016 to restore it to its original grandeur, has six luxurious suites, each named after an illustrious Auburnite. Another very Gold Country option is the bed-and-breakfast Power’s Mansion Inn, an 1880s Victorian home built by a goldmine magnate who often hosted a young mine engineer named Herbert Hoover.

Things to Do Near Auburn

For the past few years thrillseekers have been making a bee line to the town of Rocklin, about a dozen miles southeast on Interstate 80. The attraction? A sprawling adventure park created on the site of what used to be one of the biggest granite quarries in the state. The family-friendly Quarry Park Adventures offers ziplining, rock climbing, the Cliff Hanger Free Fall experience, a via ferrata, paddle boats, and Kidz Kove, where little ones can safely climb, balance, bounce, and more.