Nevada City California

by Melissa Sweat
(Milpitas, CA)

Located in Northern California’s famed Gold Country, Nevada City offers as many treasures today as it did during its Gold Rush period long ago. Though in our time, it isn’t the “gold in them hills” that draws people to visit and relocate to the small town of just over 3,000. Nevada City calls with its natural beauty, rich local history, culture, and its escape from the hustle and bustle of modern city life. Visitors might even encounter some polite townsfolk tipping their hat just to say hello. Indeed, Nevada City offers a charming glimpse back to the earliest days of the West, and a far simpler way of living in a still vibrant town.

Just 60 miles northeast of Sacramento, Nevada City rests in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range right alongside the towns of Grass Valley and nearby Auburn further south. Heavy snowfall in the eastern mountains makes Nevada City an ideal stop for ski and snowboarding enthusiasts on their way to the slopes, though snow rarely falls in the city itself. The Victorian Christmas street faire is a popular winter event for visitors, where horse drawn carriages, locals dressed in period costumes, music, and more, can be enjoyed along Broad Street (the city’s main street).

Summer offers a wonderful time of year to visit the town, as the climate ranges in the high 70s to mid 80s making it much cooler than the Sacramento Valley and more comfortable than destinations further east. The town’s Fourth of July Parade and Summer Nights festival are just a couple of Nevada City’s cherished summertime events. Meanwhile, the nearby Yuba River offers a gorgeous experience of relaxing in the river’s pristine mountain water as it runs through a beautiful, rocky gulch.

Beyond the breathtaking scenery, cultural and artistic enjoyment can be found in Nevada City’s many galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, Miners Foundry Cultural Center, and the historic Nevada Theatre. History lovers will enjoy the Nevada County Railroad Museum, Empire Mine, and the National Hotel, one of the oldest operating hotels west of the Rockies—among many other attractions and historical sites.

More information about Nevada City can be found at City of Nevada City, CA.

Article courtesy of the folks at Pacific Tire Outlet in Milpitas, CA, who love road trips near and far, and discovering where tires will take you next. Pacific Tire Outlet