Things to Do

Yosemite National Park is located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, it's renowned for its giant and ancient sequoia trees, waterfalls, majestic views, and two large granite formations - El Capitan and Half Dome. The Yosemite Village has shops, restaurants, the Yosemite Museum, and the Ansel Adams Gallery. Yosemite offers hiking, biking, tours, exploring, and so much more!

Distance from house: 26.5 miles/ 42 kilometers to the North Gate (Big Oak Flat entrance) This gate remains open year round. Check their website for restrictions, weather conditions, closures, and reservations.

Discover the golden past of California through Jamestown’s timeless attractions that have survived through centuries. The Railtown 1897 State Historic Park has vintage steam trains, a working roundhouse, and seasonal excursion train rides. Stroll along the Walk of Fame dotted with medallions featuring the movies, and TV shows filmed in the local area. Hike the trails at Red Hills Recreation and Table Mountain Trail for phenomenal vistas, and go wine tasting at Gianelli Vineyards with Sierra foothills views.

Distance from house: 26 miles/ 42 kilometers

Sonora was known as the "Queen of the Southern Mines". It was the largest and most important city in the southern part of the great Sierra gold belt. Today, Sonora maintains its historic charm with buildings that date back to the 1800s. Sonora has lots of restaurants, shops, and museums. Sample hand-crafted hard cider, apple brandy aged in oak barrels, and fruit-infused vodka at the Indigeny Reserve, and see spectacular views of Sonora and its surrounding mountain ranges from one of the many Dragoon Gulch Trails.

Distance from house: 30 miles/ 48 kilometers

There's no better place to get immersed in California's Gold Rush history than in Columbia State Historic Park. There you can stroll along wooden sidewalks, ride an authentic stagecoach, pan for gold, and chat with townspeople dressed in period attire. Historic inns, restaurants, a blacksmith, old-fashioned bowling alley, theater, and shops supplied with treats and trinkets add to the ambiance of the town.

Distance from house: 33 miles/ 53 kilometers

Groveland is a quaint, historic town with deep connections both to California's Gold Rush and Yosemite National Park. Groveland is the Gateway to Yosemite and nestled in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Downtown offers shops, dining, supplies and tours. The house is located in the Pine Mountain Lake community which offers swimming, golfing, pickleball, tennis, horseback riding, boat rentals, hiking, lakefront dining, fishing, and more

Distance from house: 3 miles/ 4.8 kilometers