There's no understanding Gold Country without a whiff of the life of its miners, and these tours of hard-rock mines and a gold-extraction mill do the trick. The Priest Mine dates back to 1849.

Tours at the Gold Bug Mine are daily beginning April 1, and the early bird gets the nugget by beating the crowds. Guided tours are by appointment only.

As a part of a special “Lincoln’s California legacy” focus happening at various museums in downtown Sacramento, the California state capitol museum is proud to present “our union forever: California’s role in the civil war.” On display in the museum’s attorney general exhibit room, the exhibit explores California’s political, financial and military support of Abraham Lincoln and the preservation of the union. It also honors the extraordinary efforts of thousands of California citizens who supported and sacrificed for the union in a variety of ways.