Casinos

Black Oak Casino

(877) 747-8777, (209) 928-9300
19400 Tuolumne Road North, Tuolumne, CA 95379
The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk owns and operates Black Oak Casino, a new entertainment facility which houses 600 slot machines, table games, and restaurant and bar.

Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel

(209) 223-1677, (800) 822-WINN (9466)
12222 New York Ranch Rd., P.O. Box 1390, Jackson, CA 95624
Less than 1 hour north of Sonora! All the excitement of casino gambling, high stakes bingo, and the indulgence of luxuriously appointed lodging and dining. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Caverns

Mercer Caverns

(209) 728-2101
Sheep Ranch Road, P.O. Box 509, Murphys, CA 95247
California Point of Historical Interest #004. "The Showplace of the Sierras", since 1885. Follow the signs from downtown Murphys. Summer hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Memorial Day through September 30. Winter hours: October through May, Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Moaning Caverns

(209) 736-2708, (800) 225-3764, x211
Parrott's Ferry Road, P.O. Box 78, Vallecito, CA 95251
California's largest underground room with the historic 100-foot spiral staircase. 45-minute tour, the Rappel (a 180-foot decent), or a 3-hour wild cavern adventure, Nature Trail, gold and gemstone mining, nature gift shop, and picnicking. Open daily all year. School program and Corporate Team Building available.

Museums

Columbia State Historic Park

(209) 532-4301
Main Street, Columbia, CA 95310
Known as the best-preserved Gold Rush town in California. Special events throughout the year. A living Gold Rush town. You don't just view history, you experience it. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission.

Groveland Museum and Library

(209) 962-0300
18990 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321
Since opening in mid-February 2001, the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum has been featuring changing displays primarily reflecting local human history. The Kenneth Friend Theatre screens local history videos. The Museum store sells a variety of items for both children and adults, mostly of an educational nature, including books on local history. The Groveland Library can be reached at (209) 962-6144.

Military Museum

(209) 533-0923
9 N. Washington, Sonora, CA 95370
Located at Sonora Veterans Memorial Hall. Military artifacts from Tuolumne County veterans. Memorabilia, photos, medals, rare plaque from Spanish-American War. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays.

New Melones Lake Visitors Center and Museum

(209) 536-9094
6850 Stud Horse Flat Road
8 miles north of Sonora on Highway 49. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General information on recreation facilities, museum displays on natural and cultural history, on-going public programs. Sponsored by Department of Interior and Bureau of Reclamation.

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park

(209) 984-3953
5th Ave. & Reservoir Road, P.O. Box 1250, Jamestown, CA 95327

Seasonal steam train rides and year-round Round House tours! Operated by the California State Railroad Museum, this 26-acre steam locomotive facility offers excursion train rides every Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., April through November. Guided tours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

St. James Episcopal Church

(209) 532-7644
Parish behind The Red Church, Washington and Snell streets, Sonora.
History room open weekdays except, Monday. This building dates back to 1859 and is one of the Mother Lode's most photographed and painted buildings.

Tuolumne County Museum and History Center

(209) 532-1317
158 W. Bradford Ave., Sonora, CA 95370
The largest museum in the Mother Lode, housed in the old Sonora Jail. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday through Friday 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays,

Tuolumne City Memorial Museum

(209) 928-3516
Carter Street and Bay Avenue ,Tuolumne, CA
One of the County's newest museums. Open Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

Parks

Columbia State Historic Park

(209) 532-0150
22708 Broadway Street, Columbia, CA 95310
Best Preserved gold rush town in the Mother Lode. Open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park

(209) 984-3953
5th Avenue and Reservoir Road, P.O. Box 1250, Jamestown, CA 95327
Seasonal steam train rides and year-round Round House tours! Operated by the California State Railroad Museum, this 26-acre steam locomotive facility offers excursion train rides every Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., April through November. Guided tours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

Yosemite National Park

Camping: (800) 436-7275
Info and Roads: (209) 372-0200
P.O. Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389
Highway 120 offers the shortest route into Yosemite National Park from the San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento. Yosemite Valley is open year-round and the beautiful Tioga Pass over the summit is usually open June - October or November (depending on the snowfall). Yosemite Valley is internationally known for its spectacular vistas, waterfalls, giant Redwood trees, and pristine wilderness areas.

Theater & Entertainment

California History Theater Festival

(209) 532-9177
Beginning in 2002, the Duende: Drama & Literature, Inc. presented its first festival of plays exploring California's rich history. Playing at Stage 3, CHTF offered plays on the Chinese and the Central Pacific, Mark Twain and Bret Harte, and the Gold Rush era.

Mountain Actors Conservatory

(209) 532-0345
East Sonora
Offers concerts, a summer theatre training program for children, live radio dramas, and theater performances.

Sierra Repertory Theatre

(209) 532-3120
East Sonora and Columbia State Historic Park
Professional theatre producing classic and contemporary plays. Resident and guest artists.

Stage 3 Theater

(209) 536-1778
Sonora
Innovative theatre and cutting-edge plays

Victoria Saloon at Sonora Days Inn

(209) 588-0400
160 S. Washington, Sonora CA 95370
Karaoke entertainment 7 days a week by Dream Star Music Productions. Finest nightclub anywhere in Tuolumne County. Specialty drinks, singing, and dancing with your friends. The best place for a night out for fun!

Tours

Hidden Treasure Gold Mine Tours and Matelot Gold Mine Supply

(209) 532-9693
Main Street, P.O. Box 28, Columbia, CA 95310
Take a tour through a real working hardrock gold mine, still producing gold today! We also teach gold panning, beginners and children our specialty. Mining relics and gold for sale. Spring and summer; 10 - 5 daily. Call for winter schedule.

Peppermint Creek Carriage Co.

(209) 533-2599, (800) 555-1147
Many styles of carriages and wagons elegantly drawn by beautiful and powerful Belgian Draft horses. Gold Rush carriage tours are 1/2-hour interpretive tour of Sonora. Educational field trips at historic Knights Ferry in the spring and fall. Enjoy December evenings with Victorian Christmas carriage rides through Columbia Historic State Park.

Sierra Railroad Dinner Train

(800) 866-1690
220 S. Sierra Ave., Oakdale, CA 95361
First-class dinner trips, brunches, murder mysteries, wild west shows, dance trips, rail & raft trips, Christmas trips. Labor Day Weekend features the Iron Horse Round-up railroad festival. Trips board in Oakdale every weekend throughout the year.

Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

(559) 683-7273
56001 Yosemite Hwy., 41 Fish Camp, CA 93623
Narrow-gauge steam train near Yosemite National Park with excursion through the Sierra National Forest. Moonlite specials, outdoor melodramas, Thornberry Museum, Sugar Pine Trading Company Bookstore, Station Gift Shop, Gold Panning, and food service.

Wineries

Calaveras Wine Association

(209) 736-6722, (800) 225-3764, x25
P.O. Box 2492, Murphys, CA 95247
Just a short 30-minute drive from Sonora, the 11 unique Calaveras wineries offer a casual, unhurried pace and step back in time. Calaveras County wines continue a century-old tradition of award-winning merit.

Costello's Mountain Brow Winery and Vineyards

(209) 532-1261
10850 Mt. Brow Road, Sonora, CA 95370. Mail: P.O. Box 220, Columbia, CA 95310
Family-owned and -operated. The grape varietals grown are Sangiovese, Merlot, and Zinfandel.

Gold Mine Winery/Old Stamp Mill Brewery and Crab Pot

(209) 532-3089
22265 Parrots Ferry Rd., Columbia, CA 95310
Features free wine and beer tasting, 7 days a week, with live seafood and live music on weekends. Weddings, banquets, and catering available.

Ironstone Vineyards

(209) 728-1251
1894 Six Mile Road, Murphys, CA 95247
Complimentary tours include an art gallery, lakeside park, aging caverns, wine production, landscaped gardens, amphitheater, restored Alhambra Theatre pipe organ, and Museum with a 44-pound crystalline gold leaf specimen. Complimentary wine tastings, gourmet deli, and fine gifts. Open 10-5 daily.

Sonora Winery & Port Works

(209) 532-7878
17500 Route 5, P.O. Box 242, Sonora, CA 95370
Nationally recognized for production of outstanding port-style wines: Zinfandels and Sauvignon Blanc. Bring your lunch and enjoy the peaceful picnic areas. Wine tasting weekends, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; weekdays by appointment.

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