My husband and I will be spending Thanksgiving week in the Gold Country area.
We have traveled extensively throughout Northern and southern Calif and want to focus on this area--including the Sacramento Delta area. Big Sur is our favorite place, so we obviously like nature though we're not big hikers--more strollers. I'm doing research but would appreciate specifics as to where to stay. We thought a day or so in the Sacramento/Delta area and then in Grass Valley or Nevada City. We don't want a small
intimate B&B where you eat breakfast with everyone, but a non-standard inn would be great. Any suggestions as to pretty strolls/hikes along rivers, places to watch the sunset (with a drink in hand at a restaurant is good), used bookstores, fun local theatre and art galleries. And will there be autumn color still or is November 16 too late for that?

Hi Diana. I was in Grass Valley and Nevada City in July a year or so ago. We really enjoyed both towns and the area in general. We toured the old Empire gold mine, which is apparently one of the oldest. It only took about an hour or so and was definitely worthwhile. One of the most interesting parts to me was looking at all the old photographs, some of which were from the late 1800s. This was before child labor laws, and you can see little boys at work in some of the photographs. The tour guide was very good and explained the whole process of how the gold was found, mined, and processed into gold bars. They let visitors go a short way underground and get a feel for how steep and dark the mine shafts were. They had a miner there wearing one of the old uniforms, including the old safety hat with the carbide light on top, and he demonstrated how it worked and answered questions. They let you go inside the building where the offices were, where they have them set up just as they looked when the mine was operating. They also have a scale model of the mine inside one of the buildings, with narration explaining the various parts of the mine and lighting up to show where the most productive veins were underground. You can also tour the home on the grounds where the owner and his wife lived, which is very pretty with a rose garden adjacent.

We also did a little hike and picnic along the Yuba River, which was fun. Other than that we mainly just explored the towns. They are both very quaint with lots of interesting shops and pretty scenery nearby. We also tasted wines at the Nevada City winery, which wasn't bad, but we didn't like it enough to bring any bottles back with us.

There is (or was -- I hope it's still there) an excellent restaurant in Nevada City called New Moon, which is really first-class. There is also a wonderful pottery shop on the main drag in Nevada City where I picked up a gorgeous piece of raku as a souvenir.

Sorry I can't help with accommodations, as we stayed with a relative in Grass Valley. But Nevada City seemed to me like it might have more accommodations options than Grass Valley.

Good luck.

Diana,
Here's a good site for Nev City/Grass Valley:

http://www.nevadacitycalifornia.com/

We live about 45 mins. away. I get up there once every 5 yrs whether I need to or not. Mrs Kal and sisters usually hit the "Victorian Christmas" every year.

You'll be there during some major T'giving Craftsfairs, so if you like that kind of thing you shouldn't be disappointed.

We've never stayed in NC since it is so close to the house but we have stayed at the Best Western in Gr Valley during ballplaying days. No great whoops at the BW. The National Hotel in NC is pretty interesting.

Most of the B&Bs are within walking distance to Broad St (the main drag).

One BIG warning in Nev City is be careful where you park. The parking meter readers always seem to be out in full force!
I must have set some type of record by getting around 5 straight pkg tics on 5 straight visits to the Nev Co. Courthouse!

Some side trips might be a little ride up Hwy 49 to little ol' Downieville.

For a spectacular sunset, you may want to stop by a deli for a little lunch to take up HWY 20 until it in'sects w/
I-80 around Emirgrant Gap. There is a rest area there that looks back down over the valley. Some of the finest sunsets I've seen were from that area of the Sierra.

Seems like we're having a late fall so you may still run into some nice colors.
Buggy rides available in NC too.

Cirino's is one of our favorite restaurants. A good mex-restarant too but the name escapes me.I believe New Moon was still open as of a few months ago.
Nev City is built on a side of a hill so wear some good walking shoes and curb your tires!
Safe travels to all,
Kal

We really enjoy the town of Columbia. It is a restored town with "gold mining" and horsebackand/or stagecoach rides. It is quiet in the winter months, but very charming.Nice place for strolling and picnicking or visiting a saloon for a sasparilla or two. The City Hotel is probably the nicest (shared bathrooms though). We usually stay at the Columbia Inn (Bing Crosby fans!) It is very inexpensive, but pretty mediocre place. Gold Country is attractive during the holidays. The little stores are great to shop in too.
We like B&B's that have a carriage house or separate quarters, although some places like Foxes B&B are set up so you really don't feel like you are wall to wall with someone. You may be able to order breakfast in your room if you don't like the communal thing. I wouldn't rule out the B&B's until you ask them about possibilities. We used to shy away from them, but now enjoy many of them.
Nevada City is too big for our liking. We prefer the less populated towns. There is a Mansion converted into a hotel along the Delta we have always wanted to go to.We usually rent a small houseboat when we are there though (or camp). They are fairly reasonable in the off season months. Herman & Helen's are quite helpful if you need info about the Delta area. Don't miss Al the Whop's in Locke for a hamburger!Have a great trip!

Thanks to all who answered. In getting
info off the web and books, it seems
obvious that one could spend many vacations in the Gold Country without
repeating oneself. We're looking forward to the trip. If anyone else has
more suggestions, please write; we won't
be leaving for a few weeks.