HANGTOWN. Outlaws were hanged here during the Gold Rush, but today it is the perfect place to hang your hat and your cares. PLACERVILLE, or old Hangtown, is a portal to the Mother Lode and its colorful past, but also a destination to enjoy while making memories at unforgettable restaurants, accommodations and attractions.
Where to stay. Arriving in the heart of town you would miss out on the finest accommodations around if you didn’t check in at the Historic Cary House Hotel (530) 622-4271. This Main Street landmark is elegantly restored with a charming grand staircase, exquisite stained glass art and a unique, historical ambiance. For instance, each room at the Cary House is named for a Placerville icon. Third floor rooms are named for famous gold mines in the area, such as Yellow Jacket and Gold Bug. Rooms on the fourth floor are named for famous Gold Rush personalities, including historical luminaries like John Sutter and James Marhshall, and some not so famous, like stage coach driver Hank Monk. Monk is locally known for driving Horace Greeley, the then editor of the New York Times, to Placerville for a speech on a balcony of the Cary House.
The famous “Hangtown Fry” omelet was also invented at the Cary House. A lucky miner demanded a meal combining all of the most expensive items on the menu, which were oysters, bacon, and eggs, thus determining the omelet’s contents for years to come.
If country ambiance suits your fancy, then consider a stay at the quaint Camino Hotel Bed and Breakfast. Located in Camino, just five minutes from Placerville atop the heart of El Dorado Wine Country and Apple Hill, guests are welcomed by cozy rooms with character and comfort, award-winning local wines in the tasting room, and if they so desire, even a massage from the in-house therapist. (800) 200-7740.

APPLE HILL. Each apple farm, orchard and winery in the Apple Hill area has its own charm. Seeing one is not like seeing them all, so as you tour this wonderful spot in the foothills, take your time and savor the day. Many of the farms are open from late August through Christmas, and the wineries are open all year-round, so come back later if you miss something on this jaunt. Pick up an Apple Hill map before leaving Placerville.
Begin your tour by heading east on Hwy. 50 and exit at Schnell School road North and proceed to the Boeger Winery. Step back in time as you visit the historic stone wine cellar at this prize-winning winery, one of the area’s premier vineyards. From here, head up Hassler Road to the Lava Cap Winery where a lovely deck, spacious grounds and panoramic vistas will provide the entertainment as you sip a bottle of excellent Merlot.
For apple treats, head east on Fruitridge Road to North Canyon Road to The Kids, Inc. to check out their pumpkin patch. And yes, before you ask, the kids and grandchildren actually do operate this farm. Up the hill a piece you will pass the sign for the Barsotti Orchard, home of popular apple juice you buy in the super market. They are wholesale only and closed to the public. As you follow North Canyon Road, stop off at Goyette’s North Canyon Ranch and pick your own pumpkin, before heading down the road to Larson’s Apple Barn for one of their famous “Apple Turnovers on the Hill.” Take Larson Road north from there to Plumbell’s Family Orchard for an old-fashioned hay ride. For a little exercise, move on to Grampa’s Cellar to hike their horticulture trail, which for Halloween, is transformed into a fun, “spooky” trek for kids. Finish this part of your journey by driving north a bit on Cable Road to view the beautiful setting and flower gardens at Bill’s Apples and Felice’s Dolls. But don’t give out yet, there is more to see.
Backtrack on Cable and travel west on Carson Road through Camino for a stop at the Coulson Eldorado Winery. Taste their prize-winning Rhone style wines and see firsthand how their “Old World” traditions produce limited but very tasty quantities of Italian and Bordeaux style wines. For an apple finale, stop for lunch at the High Hill Ranch, the farm that has it all, from country crafts, to luncheon delights and even a stocked fishing pond for the kids. Before you leave High Hill, drive through the farm to the Madrona Vineyards for a taste of their distinctive Zinfandel, or Cabernet Franc at one of California’s highest vineyards, nestled in a pine grove at 3,000 feet.
Golf. If golf is on your agenda before leaving Apple Hill, visit the Apple Mountain Golf Resort, between Coulson Eldorado Winery and High Hill on Carson Road. Apple Mountain is one of the newest and most beautiful championship golf courses in the foothills. In keeping with the locale, bushels of fresh Apple Hill apples are yours for the munching on the tees. (530) 647-7400.
Gold Rush. For a change of pace as you return to Placerville, venture back to the Gold Rush days at the Gold Bug Mine and Park, a short one mile north of Hwy 50, just off Hwy 49. The mine tunnel and stamp mill tours alone are worth the visit, but be sure to also browse the fascinating museum. A few short miles north on Hwy 49 is historic Coloma, the home of Sutter’s Mill where James Marshall discovered gold in 1848. The preserved mill and period flavor of this State Park, situated on the banks of the American River, makes you feel that Marshall might have made his discovery just yesterday.
If there is still more gas in the tank, head further north on Hwy 49 to visit the Gold Hill Vineyard, where the setting is not only beautiful, but where the wines were multiple award winners at the 2000 California State Fair. A few miles north, you will find the Venezio Winery, another of the Sierra Foothill wineries whose reputation is built on award-winning tastes, such as their prized Cabernet Sauvigon.
Friday night on the town. Hope you saved room for dinner at one of Placerville’s fine restaurants. Café Luna, just up the block from the Historic Cary House Hotel, serves an unforgettable dining experience in European bistro setting with an award winning wine list. (530) 642-8669). For hospitality and another culinary choice, dine at Cieri’s (530) 647- 8060, where delightful homemade soups, herb breads and tender melt-in-your-mouth Calamari set the stage for exotic bread puddings and ports. You will truly feel like family and won’t want to leave, but you must; a big day awaits tomorrow.

Return to a Main Street of the past and browse the shops and galleries in Old Placerville. Build your weekend wardrobe and enjoy the friendly service at the Placerville Clothing Company, or step back in time by visiting the Placerville Hardware Store and the Placerville News Company, where browsing becomes an art form. If fine jewelry is your interest, a stop at Goldsmith Gallery jewelry and art is a must. For fine and folk art, stroll two of Placerville’s fine Main Street art centers, the Gold Country Artist Gallery and the Ironworks Gallery.
Lunch pickup. Work up an appetite for lunch? Call an order into the Purple Frog Deli (530) 622-7782, and don’t forget to include one of their speciality smoothies to take along.
SUTTER CREEK. The destination for the day is the jewel of the Sierra, Sutter Creek. Founded in 1844 by Captain John Sutter, its original settlers came in search of timber, but with the discovery of gold in 1848, Sutter Creek quickly became a destination for gold seekers in the Mother Lode.
Winery Tours. On your drive from Placerville to Sutter Creek, be sure to saunder through the Fairplay and Shenandoah Valley winery regions. (See Winery Tours on page 48 for details).
Where to stay. The Foxes Bed and Breakfast (see page 60), named the Gold Country’s most elegant inn, offers Victorian Suites, made to order gourmet breakfasts served on fine silver and complementary firewood in season (209) 267-5882. The Hanford House Bed and Breakfast (see page 60), (209) 267-0747 provides the charm of an ivy covered brick inn and a wonderful blend of concierge service, antiques and all the modern conveniences. The Grey Gables Bed and Breakfast, with the look and feel of an old English Country Manor, intertwines a taste of Mother Lode history with comfort and convenience.
Saturday evening. First, it is a must to catch a show at the Main Street Theater Works, where Streetcar Named Desire will run through the fall. (209) 267-1590.
No stay in Sutter Creek is complete without a dining experience at the Sutter Creek Palace (209) 267-1300. This lovely spot offers peaceful patio dining amongst waterfalls and windchimes that make it a locals’ favorite and a landmark. If your culinary desire is more adventuresome, try Zinfandel’s Restaurant where unusual dishes such as Medicated Goo and Nonsensical Ravings of a Lunatic Chicken grace the menu (209) 267-5008. Susan’s Place is another good choice for dinner, where you will also find an extensive wine list. (209) 267-0945. If you are up to a short drive for something special, travel north a few miles to dine at the Imperial Hotel in Amador City. The ambiance of this historic building will complement an evening of candlelight, dinner and fine local wine. What could be better? (209) 267-9172.

Go Underground. Examine gold bearing quartz veins and mining displays hundreds of feet below the earth’s surface when you go underground in Sutter Creek to see deep inside an actual gold mine at the brand new Sutter Gold Mine (888) 818-7462.
Lunch for the road. As you prepare for the trip back to reality, stop by the newly remodeled Backroads Cafe for sandwiches to go or a quick cafe-style lunch in this fun spot on main street. To gently ease your re-entry as you head home, you might stop in the nearby towns of Jackson, Drytown, Plymouth, and Amador City to browse their many interesting pioneer cemeteries, museums and shops.