"The Queen of the Southern Mines," Tuolumne the town of Sonora still has a royal aura more than a century since its Gold Rush glory.
Sonora is situated in the heart Gold Country at Highway 49. This community features graceful church steeples that rise above a downtown lined only with sturdy brick structures. The Downtown Sonora Walking Tour provides information about 21 landmarks on a one-mile route, which is centered around Washington Street. Stately Courthouse Square, the Sonora Chinatown Memorial, commemorating the Chinese community that thrived during the Gold Rush, as well as the 1885 Sonora Opera Hall still host a range of local activities, are some of the stops.
Museums and Culture
The Veterans Memorial Military Museum is dedicated to honoring the sacrifices and the Sonora Fire Museum features vintage equipment and artifacts which tell the story the ongoing battle for Sonora's protection from wildfires. The Tuolumne Museum (History Center) is located in an 1866-era jail. It's a great place to find out about Sonora, Tuolumne County, and its rich history.
Sonora has a strong heritage and is proud to be a part of a growing culinary community. Coffill Park hosts an summer concert every Saturday from June to October. During second Saturday Art Nights Downtown comes alive with open houses, musical performances, and other activities. Theatre enthusiasts should look at the Sierra Repertory Theatre for a list of professional-produced musicals. They have been producing dramas for over three decades on two different stages.
Dining
The town offers many delicious culinary choices. For New American specialties like a grilled Rib Steak with Point Reyes Cheese Butter, visit the Diamondback Grill. The restaurant and winebar is situated within a renovated Gold Rush-era house. They offer a range of burgers, including Kobe and grass-fed options. The name suggests what to expect in this popular spot. The Gypsy is a gourmet pizza made with gorgonzola cheese, fig jam and arugula. Yoshoku's menu rivals that of larger California cities' ramen and poke bowls.
Wine and Beer
Outside the town, you can find award-winning Tempranillo made using grapes grown at the foothills and Tuolumne County at Inner Sanctum Cellars. This winery also offers live music weekends. The Standards Pour beer bar offers a wide selection of brews, as well as California-made cheeses. The restaurant is situated in a historic lumber company office building. It features a high ceiling, beautiful woodwork and a patio. Reserve, a cider house with a positive reputation, produces premium hard cider as well as apple brandy. The cider is made from 52 apple varieties that were grown on 160 acre of orchards. Visit the Indigeny tasting area to taste the variety, and shop the gift shop for jewelry and artwork as well as olive oils and other locally produced gourmet products.
Adventures Outside of Sonora
Sonora is the ideal location for anyone who wants to experience the Sierra Nevada's foothills. There are more than three miles on the Dragoon Gulch trail that leads through oak woods to give you a great view of downtown Sonora.
It is also possible to visit two state parks, both of which are just a short distance from Sonora. Jamestown's Railtown1897 Historic Park boasts a still-operational roundhouse. 45-minute rides are available through the foothills via steam locomotive trains. Are you feeling lucky? Do you feel lucky?