Tour a hard-rock mine and pan for gems.

One of the best places to get a real sense of California's Gold Rush history is at the lively Gold Bug Mine , a fun destination for all ages just off U.S. 50 in Placerville. Here you can tour real mines and hear the brave stories of the men who risked their lives in search of the elusive ore. You can take a self-guided tour of the park's namesake mine, or call to set up a guided tour of adjacent Priest Mine, dug into the hillside by hand in the 1850s. A stamp mill, museum, and a chance to pan for gemstones add to your experience and understanding of this rich chapter in the state's past.

Tours run April through October; the park is open limited hours in winter.

February 23, 2012 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
In honor of Sacramento’s designation as “Camellia Capital of the World,” volunteers from the State Capitol Museum will create and distribute complimentary camellia corsages to State Capitol visitors, California State Legislators, the Governor’s office and Capitol staff. And these are no ordinary flowers -- the camellias will be cut from Capitol Park bushes and trees by the Department of General Services groundskeepers. Camellias have bloomed in Sacramento since the 1850s when pioneers brought and planted seeds from Boston.