Sacramento & Gold Country

The year 1849 and the California Golf Rush are long gone, but "Gold Country" is still an attractive region of the state. Also nicknamed the "Mother Lode" region, it includes the capital city of Sacramento to the west and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which head into Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park to the east in Mariposa County, the state's largest.

Made famous during the California Gold Rush, you can still pan for gold in the region’s many streams and rivers, though water sports such as kayaking and rafting are modern treasures for today's visitor. You can still explore many smaller mining villages too, like in Nevada City, which has preserved many 19th-century buildings and landmarks.

With the days of the gold rush passed, the region has shifted towards "liquid gold" and is now a major wine destination. The region's climate is similar to that of Spain or Italy, and there are more than 100 wineries between Sacramento and Lodi valleys and around Amador and Calaveras. Wine bars are popping up all over Sacramento and other cities within Gold Country.

Many of the best golf courses in Gold Country make use of foothills terrain, like Saddle Creek Resort, DarkHorse Golf Club and The Ridge Golf Course, while Haggin Oaks is a historic play in the capital city.