Hotels in Nevada City

Victorian facades hide artisanal ice cream shops and wine bars in this Gold Rush town that refuses to become a theme park. The Nevada Theatre hosts everything from Shakespeare to indie bands in a venue where Mark Twain once lectured. Locals might direct you to swimming holes along the South Yuba River, where crystalline waters flow over smooth granite. Pan for gold at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, where hydraulic mining once washed away entire hillsides. The Off Broadstreet Theatre serves up dessert with its performances in an intimate setting that feels like watching a show in someone's living room. Come autumn, the surrounding hills explode with color that would make New England jealous, best viewed with a local craft beer in hand.