Grass Valley, California Travel Guide
Welcome to Grass Valley, California! Grass Valley is in Northern California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is home to about 13,000 people. The region boomed during the California Gold Rush, and visitors can still tour old mines! Grass Valley also has plenty of shopping and outdoor recreation to explore. There are many great restaurants and wineries to try, as well as plenty of hotel options. Located near Reno, NV (1hr 30min, 90 miles), Sacramento, CA (1hr 10min, 60 miles), and San Francisco, CA (2hr 30min, 140 miles), come and see all that Grass Valley has to offer!
Grass Valley has a rich gold mining history. Visitors love seeing Empire Mine State Historic Park to see the mines and blacksmith demonstrations, as well as North Star Mining Museum. Thinking about panning for gold? Try your luck all over the local area.
For some fun outside, head to Condon Park for disc golf and hiking. Swim or rent a boat at Rollin’s Lake, or hike at Sugarloaf Mountain. Looking for a show? Head to The Center for the Arts to see a live performance.
If you like shopping, Grass Valley has plenty of small shops for you! For a new outfit, head to Wild Side and Yuba Blue. Go antiquing at Grass Valley Antiques, or thrift favorites from Foothills Gift and Thrift. For unique items and gifts, try Gather and Mill, Foothill Mercantile, Lola and Jack, and Make Local Habit.
Need a bite to eat? Grab brunch at South Pine Cafe. For lunch, get burgers and shakes from Pine Street Burgers or Mexican favorites from El Favorito Taqueria. For drinks, get beers on tap at Pete’s Pizza and Tap House, or try wines at Mantoliva Vineyard & Winery or Naggiar Vineyard. For dinner, try Laotian food at Panoy Bistro, dinner and drinks at Enrique’s Lounge, Chilean food from Diego’s Restaurant, or Italian classics and Bloody Marys from Cirino’s at Main Street.
Need a place to stay? Grass Valley has plenty of hotels to choose from. Consider a room at Holbrooke Hotel, Sierra Mountain Inn, The Pines Inn and Cottages, and Gold Miners Inn. Looking to camp? Book a site at Orchard Springs Campground or Greenhorn Campground. Want a whole place for yourself? Consider booking a Vrbo. Here are some of our favorites: City Bungalow for 2, Downtown Victorian for 12, and Charming Home for 4.
Whatever you’re into, Grass Valley, California has something worth seeing. We hope this travel guide gives you a glimpse into life in Grass Valley that can inspire a future visit.
Happy Travels!
The Modern Travel Guide
