Contrary to its name, Nevada City is actually in California. This small, 1800s Gold Rush town is nestled in the Northern Sierra Nevada foothills among a mixture of cedar, pine and deciduous trees. The downtown area is still very close to what it was 100 years ago and it makes a great day trip from Lake Tahoe. When visiting you will have access to bed & breakfasts, art galleries, world-class restaurants and wine tasting rooms.
Downtown Nevada City — Photo courtesy of Stephen Platt/Flickr
To start off your day, try a breakfast or lunch at the Trolley Junction Restaurant where you can sit with a view of their natural waterfall. They have over a dozen omelets to choose from including the Prospector Omelet with vocado, fresh tomatoes, jack and cheddar cheese, topped with hollandaise sauce for $10.50 or try their French Toast with grilled golden brown, dusted with powdered sugar and served with whipped butter and warm syrup for $7.
To work off your breakfast, do a little shopping in historic downtown Nevada City. Country Collectibles carries candles, furniture, wood designs, lighting rugs and other unique home and garden items. Tess's Kitchen Store sells brand name cookware, bakeware, cutlery, kitchen electrics, polish pottery, cookbooks, butcher block tables, mixing and serving bowls, cutting boards, teakettles, kitchen linens, bamboo boards and utensils, and all the finest and latest gadgets and utensils.
When afternoon rolls around, a stop at one of the local wineries should be on your schedule. Sierra Starr Vineyards & Winery produces 1500 to 2000 cases of estate grown wines per year. Sierra Starr produces a wide variety of wines and you can sample them all at the Sierra Starr tasting room, located in the heart of Grass Valley's historic district. Nevada City Winery is a full production winery is located in the heart the historic area and is located just two blocks from where it once stood in the 1880’s.
Friar Tuck's Restaurant — Photo courtesy of Friar Tuck's
For dinner, head over to Friar Tuck's for their Shellfish Pasta with fresh mussels and clams tossed with noodles in a white wine and garlic sauce for $16, Sherwood Forest Favorite
which is a char-broiled New York seasoned steak served with madre’d butter for $26. They are also famous for their fondue dinners. There are various options but the The Hungry Friar Fondue for $30 for one contains a large salad with bay shrimp and cheese, onion bread, then meatballs, steak, chicken, shrimp, and scallop fondue.
You won't even need to leave the restaurant for your evening entertainment, Friar Tuck's has live entertainment every night of the week featuring local and regional musicians and singers.
