“Hey mom, come to a Christmas fair in the Gold Country.” This was all I needed to hear to join my daughter Natalie and her roommate Syenna who grew up in Grass Valley, (the epicenter of this historically rich — pun intended — wonderland) and had a perfect 24 hours planned. I’ve always been intrigued by how this stretch of pine-scented highways and byways between my hometown and Tahoe has been such a valued part in U.S. history.
Featured photo: Courtesy of The National Exchange Hotel on Facebook.
Getting There: Time for Podcast Gold
Buckle in: it’s about a three hour drive from the Bay Area to Nevada City, which is almost enough time to listen to the California Gold Rush | Battlelines podcast by the American History Tellers. Especially in my boyfriend Bryan’s new self-driving Tesla, which despite being in hurry mode, lacked the angst of a human driver on a mission. If you were an elementary student in California, you’d have learned about the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill just east of Sacramento, however as an adult, listening to the significance of this 1848 chain of events, and the impact on the development of our country made the drive fly by. Quick recap: the Mexican American war ended in early 1948, which made the discovery of gold by James Marshall at Sutter Mill an accidental pivotal moment that secured the future of our country. Understanding the need to populate this newly secured territory, President James Polk declared ‘gold found in California’ inspiring thousands to head west, including a soon to be U.S. President Herbert Hoover, who took up residence in Nevada City.
Nevada City
First stop – Heartwood Eatery in the heart of downtown, Syenna’s favorite lunch spot. Rule number one, don’t be in a rush, the staff is friendly and efficient, but the long lines and made-to- order dishes will ensure a bit of a wait. As happens when I’m starving, I fumbled my order. EVERYTHING looked so good, the menu is a veritable cornucopia of healthy salads, creative toasts, sandwiches and even udon made with organic local ingredients. The avo toast and side salad was really good, but I thought my boyfriend Bryan would have shared more of his sushi salad, so I lusted after everyone else’s food (not a good look). The line was too long to go back for seconds, so I took my hit and vowed to come back for the Rainbow Salad.
Surprisingly Nevada City has an eclectic crunchy Berkeley vibe, here you’ll find lots of Mountain-inspired fashion statements ranging from men in kilts (with colorful leggings), many varieties of flannel, piercings and a rainbow of hair colors – and somehow they all look like they have stepped out of a fashion shoot. The architecture has inspired Hollywood for decades – you can’t fake the historical charm, where neon signs are banned as are chain stores. One can easily imagine a bar brawl rolling out into the streets or Mark Twain leaning against a wall musing about the people passing by, before performing at a local theater, which he did often.
Next stop shopping. After a couple of cute, homey boutiques, I found the perfect matching wool, hombre beanies under $20 each for my college friends’ holiday dinner, (I hope they don’t read this). It felt good to support small businesses in a town that holds such historical importance. Bryan found a candy apple and fudge next door at the family-owned and operated Nevada City Chocolate Shoppe. He too found a way to support a local business.
Our main destination was the National Hotel, with a plaque that boasts being one of the oldest continuingly running hotels in California. The hotel has been the epicenter of town since opening in 1848. Due to the evolving mining, gas and electricity advances, PG&E’s first general office was located here. And for Cal fans, it was within these walls in 1853 that Professor Henry Durant hatched a plan for the University of California, Berkeley. After touring through the impeccably restored lobby and public spaces we all agreed it would be the “ideal location for a wedding.” Finally we made it to our goal: a hot toddy at Lola, the onsite bar, named for a popular ‘lady of the night’ according to town lore. Syenna told us about the many tunnels throughout the town that led to the cellar of this bar, and apparently to Lola. After a bit of speculation, we all agreed that there must have been many women named Lola to service the thousands of patrons who came through the town. One more fun fact about the name of the city. Nevada is Spanish for “snow-covered”; however, once the entire neighboring state to the east took the name, townsfolk added the word “City” to clear up any potential confusion.
Grass Valley
Grass Valley, named in the mid 1800s because of the idyllic pastures of grassy fields, is less than ten minutes east on Hwy 49, and feels a bit more like a modern-ish metropolis. There’s a Starbucks, and other popular chains, however, walking through the downtown area, it has the same authentic historical vibe. As the most affluent of the gold-mining towns, there is just a bit more “there” there than Nevada City. Ever since the pandemic, the popular Mill Street has been blocked allowing for easy strolling and adorable outdoor eating parklets. History buffs need to make time for both Empire Mine State Historic Park and the Grass Valley Museum to get a full picture of how “this west” was won, as well as mind-blowing mining lore.
Christmas Fairs
As a people pleaser, I’m not a fan of craft fairs. I can’t handle walking past multiple booths filled with stuff I would never buy. However, I thought we were attending the annual Nevada City Victorian Christmas, where I pictured finding the ideal holiday-inspired notions and potions, whilst being entertained by townfolk in their best English-tea costumes. The event we went to was the Grass Valley Country Christmas Fair, which was pleasant in that small-town-craft-fair way, and to sweeten the experience, Natalie greeted us at the gate with a spiked cider and cash to get in (cash only). If your boundaries are higher than mine regarding pleasing strangers hawking handmade oven mitts,be sure to add this event to your itinerary on your way to Nevada City’s Victorian Christmas.
Ho Ho Holbrooke Hotel
Dating back to 1851, this landmark is also one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the West. Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, and John Muir are just a few of the famous names to have sat at the white marble bar of Golden Gate Saloon—the oldest continually operating saloon west of the Mississippi. I’m sure that a great great great grandfather of mine also had a drink or two here, which inspired me to have a shot of whiskey in his honor. During the holidays, the Holbrooke becomes a cozy seasonal destination, and this year, they added an Instagram-worthy destination called, The Miracle Bar, in the basement. The location can’t be beat, as it’s just a few steps from the aforementioned pedestrian-friendly Mill Street. If you are aiming for a complete holiday experience plan around the annual Cornish Christmas celebration, a beloved local tradition featuring carolers, vendors, and festive cheer.
