blep

Would appreciate your input on any favorite winery and/or B&B for our first day after arriving in Sac. on the way to S.Lake Tahoe. Is Placerville interesting? Thanks.

blep

Anybody with Placerville info? Or any must see stops between Sacramento and S.Lake Tahoe? Thank you.

Curious

blep,

Frankly, I would not recommend wine tasting while driving from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe. I-50 requires your full attention. It is a very pretty drive, by the way.

Personally, I would skip Placerville. I really don't think there is anything worthwhile stopping for.

Sacramento to South Shore is only a little over two hours. I would drive straight there and enjoy the beautiful scenery on I-50 and Lake Tahoe.

Curious

blep

Curious;
Good advice . Seriously, aren't there quite a few vineyards in the area between Sac and Tahoe? I've also found many B&B's in that area. Is it really better not to waste a day; just get to Lake Tahoe and enjoy that?

Suzie

There are quite a few wineries. Lots of them are more accessible from Highway 50 like those in El Dorado and Amador counties. Here's a link for wineries by county.

http://goldcountry.winecountry.com/wineries/

Gold Country North is more accessible via I 80 and Clavaras and Gold Country South would be further off your path. Here is another Web site that lists wineries and provides links: http://www.weekendwinery.com/Winerie...SierraGold.htm

Saying all that, I'd for sure go straight to Tahoe.

janis

There are a few wineries just east of Placerville in the general Apple Hill area, and lots more south of the Placerville area. All are possible for detours on your trip up to Tahoe.

But I definitely agree w/ curious. Hwy 50 is not the easiest road to drive - a good road but it take supreme concentration and even a slight buzz is NOT recommended . . . . .

Underhill

Auburn is an interesting old town with a number of restaurants; it's a good stop along the way before you get up into the higher mountains.

Underhill

But Auburn is on Highway 80, on the way to the North Shore. On Highway 50 you might like Strawberry Lodge. Or you could go up 80 and then drive around the lake to the South Shore.

Kal

Alohaaa and Happy Monday?? #39;(

We stayed at the Coloma Country Inn in Coloma last year. Had a great stay.

http://www.goldcountrylodging.com/inns.htm
It's off Hwy 49 about 15 mins North of Placerville and located near a few wineries...Venezio Vineyards comes to mind. Good Merlots and a decent Zin.

I'm not normally a B&B person (I feel like Gulliver in some B&Bs) but this place was very nice.
A BIG pond full of ducks/geese in the back yard along w/ a dock, gazebo etc.

We took some wine/cheese down at night for a "final final"...heard some noise and turned the flashlight around and saw a small family of deer passing thru.

Took the breakfast out to the porch and saw more deer coming on thru.

And you're just walking distance to Sutter's Mill.
Good breakfast. Lovely ladies who run the place too. We will probably go back this year and just reeeelaxxxxxx.

Mahalo ya'll.

blep

Thanks for the replies. IF we stop for wine tasting we would plan on staying in a nearby B&B for the night. Kal - If you really enjoy seeing the deer walk by, you'd like staying at my house. We've seen as many as 3 dozen walk through the yard in an evening! They're a nuisance here. Underhill - I will check out Auburn.

Suzie

blep, I'm with you about the deer. I always thought deer were so great until my parents moved to an area where the deer are protected and they are like a plague of locust. They eat everything in sight and they leave plenty behind. They are not afraid of anything.

blep, Auburn is a growing south Placer town. Yes there is an older part right off I 80 but you'd be better off stopping in a place off Highway 50 instead.

blep

Kal- Did you continue on to Lake Tahoe after the B&B stay? I looked at the Coloma Inn website; it looks like a great place! We love B&B's. Would your recommend a night there and 4 at Tahoe, or do all 5 nights in Tahoe. Our first trip to the area. thanks!

Kal

blep, We have a NoCal traffic reporter who calls deer "Giant Antlered Rats".
There was a time when I used to call them "dinner".

We're only about an hour's drive to the Inn. We went up to Coloma for a wedding so instead of tackling the Amer River Canyon with a snootfull, we stayed there and came home the next day.

I would think one day in that area would be do-able. Tahoe is still so darn pretty!

blep

Kal - I have contacted the Coloma Inn; they suggest the Rose or the Lavender room. We're leaning towards staying there the first day and visiting a vineyard, then on to Tahoe for 4 nights. How does this plan sound?

Kal

Sounds like a lotta pressure on Da Big Guy! :-?

One night is OK but that's only because I like Tahoe, if you can beat the crowds!

We got the BIG room with pvt bath and ceiling fan (if you're around 6'4" DUCK!) at the top of the stairs.
I think the room was located above the kitchen because it was hard to sleep in once they started cookin'!

blep

Thanks, Kal! Pretty sure we will give the Coloma Inn a try; now to choose a winery. Since we haven't been to the area before, would you strongly suggest the Venezio or a different place? Any great dinner spot there? Anybody?