Very enjoyable tour. Definitely on the short side (45 mins.) because I wanted to see more! It got a…read morelittle tight in spots but that made it more adventurous. Our guide Addison "Addie" was very knowledgeable and funny. Glad I finally saw it after many years of living in the area. Highly recommend!

The Black Chasm Cavern is located in the tiny town of Volcano which really feels like a step back…read morein time. I loved that this tour includes some amazing and beautiful natural wonders as well as a little bit of history. The place was very easy to find and a quick 30 min or so drive from Jackson. There is a lovely little store to check out before or after your tour as well. The chasm is a cool 58 degrees which was nice on this 90 degree-ish day. It is a little on the steep side with lots of stairs and a few areas where you definitely need to duck from the rocks but was worth it! The limestone cavern is just amazing with breathtaking stalagmite, stalactite and very rare helictite formations. These helictites look like they defy gravity and grow in amazing curling directions. Incredibly, there is a blue lake at the very bottom of the cavern that can be seen from way above - unfortunately we are unable to access that far down but man I wish I could! We learned the lake has tiny little shrimp that live in the pure crystal waters and the only place they are known to exist, mind blowing. Our tour guide was great and shared so much knowledge and history. History: The chasm was discovered in 1854 long after the Miwok people had already lived in the area. Of course, the discoverers wanted to try and cash in on their discovery so they began charging folks and would literally lower them by rope into a hole in the ground with some candles precariously balanced on a plank of wood. Luckily we have stairs and nicely built platforms with cave lighting to see this amazing magical national landmark. Definitely worth the visit!

We love driving by this historical building on the way to Murphy's. The drive is beautiful and we…read moreknow we are almost there when we see this building. Everyone should research the history if this building and the town that once existed dying the gold rush

What a cool experience. Got there for the 10:00 am tour, and I was the only guest. The walk to…read morethe cave is only about five minutes, but there's no shade so the earlier the better as the temps heat up. Inside the cave is about 50°. I have no issues with claustrophobia, but if you do there is one tight squeeze that might be a problem. Cash, my tour guide, turned off the lights (after asking my permission) and we experienced total darkness for maybe thirty seconds. It felt like two hours, and I hated it , but still neat and recommend trying if offered. Use the hand rails. They are there for your safety.

The drive here is much more involved than Mercer Caverns with more windy and narrow roads. Once you…read moreget closer the space opens up to a large parking lot and shop you meet at. We were the only ones that signed up for the earliest tour that day and were lucky to have a private tour. The tour has informative history about the caverns with landmarks along the way. The most interesting thing we didn't know about is they have caving adventure tours where you shimny through holes and narrow spaces with a guide but our kids aren't old enough to partake. This was the first show cave in California and townspeople lived in them during harsh winters in the 1800s. There was a bar inside and a church and nails were even given to people to carve on the walls. Because of this there are signs of harm everywhere with soot, broken formations, and dirty coloration from human hand oils and even champagne poured on a rock formation. The caverns are huge and beautiful with some jaw-dropoing rooms. The walking tour is very safe though we loved the slight danger and claustrophobic feel of the Mercer Caverns. When you leave the shop has some cool historical items pulled from the caves on display like glass bottles, etc .. that are worth checking out.

Drove from Roseville just to make a stop here. 2nd and 4th Saturdays they have tours. Worth the…read moretrip for sure. It is like going back in time for sure. All original items inside. You will learn all about how one man changed the foundry machining etc world. The docents are very knowledgeable and there are plenty of them if you have any questions. They also have a working blacksmithing area (and you can even sign up for classes) on their website. Also watch the youtube video on their website before going it is 47 min but wow so informative.

Went there with my dad who worked in a similar factory, so I'm clearly biased…read more We loved the tour. It had huge amount of details, working tools and set up. It really showed how it was. In many ways, time had stopped there and it's great for a realistic place like this. The receptionist and the tour guides were fanatics, hands-on dedicated people who never the stories and techniques used. They were very welcoming and great story tellers. The town is nice, too, and has a lot of food options nearby.

Jackson is a tiny town with a lot of history but its current state is one of solitude. Nothing to…read moredo unless you gamble at the casino a few miles away. Only one race and age group seen when in town. Not too friendly.

Welcome to Jackson!…read more I found out this weekend that there's more to the city of Jackson than the Jackson Rancheria Resort and Casino LoL! We come here often for the casino and its seafood buffet. This past weekend we had a chance to visit the Kennedy Gold Mine (came back for a second time to possibly tour the Mine but we came a little too late for the last tour of the day), we checked out a national historic landmark at the Jackson Catholic Cemetery, the graves of Catholic Miners killed in a disaster during the Argonaut Mine Tragedy in 1922. Fire trapped 47 miners more than 4,000 feet down inside the Argonaut Mine in this city of Jackson. We drove through Jackson's Main Street but we didn't have time to stop and check out the businesses around, for sure next time. There are plenty of museums, more points of interests and historic landmarks and also the Daffodil Hill I want to visit during spring next year! We came to Jackson through State Route 49 but it can also be accessed from State Route 88. Jackson is a little over an hour's drive from our place in Roseville. Review #1135

Topia has relocated to the landmark Oneto Garage building at 33 Main Street, a perfect venue for…read morethis fascinating, funky, eclectic store. Topia has a great mix, with a European vibe. You'll find everything from antiques & architectural pieces, accessories,jewelry,books,dishes & glasses,luxury PJs & robes,great soy based candles,Mistral soap,gift wrap & cards..... Something for everyone--You"ll love it!

Took the guided tour at the Kennedy Gold Mine. Both myself and my boyfriend had not been to the…read moreKennedy Mine other than passing by it when in the area. They have a large outdoor area that has some of the old equipment on display. There is also a small museum area and gift shop. They have a cute little area with trinkets you can purchase. They staff was very friendly, greeted us with a warm welcome when we arrived. We had about a half hour before our tour started so we browsed the museum. There is a restroom located outside the museum in a building just across the walk way. Our tour was just over 90 minutes and our guide was extremely knowledgeable. The tour started in the museum, we watched a video on the mine as well as learned about the placer mining and hydro mining. We visited a few buildings around the property, saw how the large rock grinders work and the machinery used to extract the gold from the sand. How they tested samples. We were able to see the engineers office, the pay station, safe, office and bunk house. They have a small building dedicated to the 47 lost in Argonaut mine. It was really cool seeing all the machines they used and getting a history of the Mine back in its operating days.

Fascinating tour - learned so much about the gold mining industry and the history of the area. Bob…read moredid a great job making it interesting and educational. The foundation has done an excellent job restoring history and making it available to everyone.

The museum is filled with wonderful historical items from the area. If you love period clothing,…read morethey have a ton! There is also a 1/12 scale operating model and presentation of the Kennedy Mine nearby. This is given by local resident, Gary, who is very knowledgeable and friendly.

From the owner: The Amador County Museum was established in 1949 in Judge Brown's home, a 2 story brick home built…read morein 1859 that is now filled with a diverse collection of artifacts given to the museum by people from the surrounding area.

We stayed at the Airbnb at Avio Vineyards and had a great experience. We did the barrel tasting…read morewith the owner, Stefano, and he was incredibly kind and knowledgeable. He took the time to educate us about the property and the wine, which made the experience feel personal and special. It was a memorable stay and tasting, and I'd definitely recommend it.

My husband and I have visited Avio a few times now and it is one of our favorite places. We take…read moreour friends and family who come up to visit and everyone is a fan. The ambiance is amazing. The owner stefano is very welcoming and the wine...sulfate free?! Yes please!