Nevada City Is an Underrated, Charming Small Town in the Sierra Foothills. Here’s How to Visit.
This small Californian town is worth a weekend, thanks to a lovely historic hotel, small shops, beautiful hikes, and great food—plus a sister town just a few minutes away that’s equally as quaint.
Although I’ve been exploring Northern California's mountains since moving to San Francisco in 2014, it wasn't until I started spending part of the year near Lake Tahoe that I began seeking out the Sierra Nevada’s lesser-known towns.
One of my favorite discoveries is Nevada City. Built during the Gold Rush alongside its sister town Grass Valley (just 5 minutes down the road), it's an old-West-meets-new-age mountain town full of gingerbread Victorian buildings, old-timey saloons, and galleries and shops showcasing the town’s creative spirit. There’s even a historic theater that puts on community performances that hit well above the small-town weight.
After many weekends and day trips here, I can say it's one of the best small towns in Northern California to plan a trip around, especially if you want a mix of art, nature, good food, and history. Sound like your kind of trip? Then use this guide to Nevada City to figure out things to do, where to eat, and where to stay.
You’ll also find some things to do and restaurant recommendations in neighboring Grass Valley — they’re so close it’s really hard to visit one without going to the other!
In this Nevada City travel guide
➛ If you can only do 3 things: Hike Deer Creek Tribute Trail, go swimming in the Yuba River, and explore the shops in downtown Nevada City + Grass Valley.
➛ Can’t-miss restaurants: DaKan for dinner, Lola for brunch, Golden Gate Saloon for drinks, Bicycle Thief for pizza, and Comedor or Kathmandu Hippie for lunch. I also like Three Forks for a casual breakfast, pizza, or beer.
➛ Where to stay: Book a room at the National Exchange in Nevada City or Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley—both historic hotels from the Gold Rush era and sister properties, so very similar in vibe.
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Things to do in and around Nevada City
Although you’ll definitely want to save some time to explore Nevada City and Grass Valley, both towns are also great jumping off points for nearby nature and historic sites. Some that I think are worth visiting include:
Hike the Deer Creek Tribute Trail: This is a wonderful hike that you can access straight from downtown Nevada City and an excellent way to start the day.
Swim in the Yuba or hike the Independence Trail: This trail runs alongside the Yuba River and gives hikers a lot of opportunities to enjoy views of the river, and includes some offshoots to go down and swim. If you don’t feel like hiking to your swim spot, however, you can also bop down to the parking lot right below the trailhead and hop in.
Visit Empire Mine State Park: Learn about the area’s Gold Rush history at one of the richest hard-rock gold mines in California, then tour the Bourn family estate (the same family that built Fioli south of San Francisco). Entry is only $5 per adult and it’s a surprisingly beautiful place.
Walk the historic Bridgeport Covered Bridge: Also a historic landmark as well as the longest single-span covered bridge in the U.S. It’s about 30 minutes from Nevada City, so it’s worth pairing with a visit to the Yuba River and/or wine tasting out that way.
Go wine tasting: It’s a little bit of a drive (about 50 minutes) but I love the wines from Frenchtown Farms and think it’s worth popping out for a tasting. It’s a good stop to pair with the Historic Bridgeport Covered Bridge.
Catch a show at the Nevada Theatre: This historic theater also puts on high-quality community productions and screens movies. It’s worth looking at the calendar to see if there’s anything running while you’re in town.
Where to eat + drink
Bicycle Thief
DaKan
Nevada City has a creative spirit, and I think that extends to its food scene as well. Thanks to a mix of longstanding locals and some younger newcomers opening their doors in Nevada City, the town has more than enough hard hitting restaurants to fill an entire weekend—or more. Here’s where I recommend eating and drinking in Nevada City and Grass Valley:
Breakfast + brunch
Lola (Nevada City): The restaurant at the National Exchange Hotel is named for Gold Rush celebrity Lola Montez, a Spanish dancer and local character. Though it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I especially love coming here for brunch—their french toast and biscuits and gravy are two personal faves.
Three Forks Bakery & Brewing (Nevada City): Yes, a brewery… for breakfast. This brick-walled spot off Main Street serves delicious pastries and coffee in the morning, then wood-fired pizza and beer brewed on-site later in the day.
Communal Cafe (Nevada City) and Soulspace Collective (Grass Valley) are great options for coffee. Soulspace is also a wellness center, yoga studio, and makes a mean smoothie.
Lunch
Kathmandu Hippie (Nevada City): This small Nepali spot on Broad Street is known for momos (Himalayan dumplings) and tasty homemade beverages. It’s also a very cute space with a small outdoor patio perfect for nice days.
Heartwood (Nevada City): A fave among the local hippies, this spot serves health-conscious brunch, lunch, and dinners—think veggie-filled bowls, toasts, and Asian-inspired curries and soups.
Comedor (Grass Valley): Located in an unassuming spot in a strip mall, this Colombian restaurant serves some of the best arepas I’ve ever had. Everything is gluten-free and they source much of their ingredients from nearby farms—it’s quality end to endt.
Dinner
DaKan (Nevada City): I absolutely love every dish I tried at this community-driven, wine-focused spot. They partner with local farmers and producers to source their ingredients and draw inspiration in their flavors and dishes from around the world. Can’t miss dishes include their Waygu carpaccio and seasonal ravioli.
Bicycle Thief (Grass Valley): A hip, quirky pizza spot on Grass Valley’s Main Street with an excellent wine list. The only downside is that it's only open for dinner, plus lunch on weekends. But if you see them open, go in.
Drinks
Golden Gate Saloon
Golden Gate Saloon
Golden Gate Saloon (Grass Valley): Part of the Holbrooke Hotel and billed as the oldest continuously run bar in California, it's still a great place for a stiff drink and good food. Grab a drink at the bar, then stay for dinner. The wild boar dish by chef Robb Wyss is a can't-miss.
The Fern (Nevada City): This grandma-chic bar in an old brick building is also a good spot to catch live music.
The Mine Shaft Saloon (Nevada City): A proper dive bar with an iconic “saloon” sign out front—sticky floors and all.
Can’t-miss Nevada City shops
One of the charms of Nevada City is its many cute shops lining Broad Street (and off Broad Street). I think it’s most fun to simply wander and pop in and out of whatever looks appealing, but here are a few of my favorite shops in Nevada City:
Winnie Superette: A small grocery with pan-Asian specialties.
Septembers: Higher-end clothing store.
Fur Traders: Shoe store with leather, sheepskin, and denim.
Kitkitdizzi: Gifts, apparel, and accessories on Broad Street.
Enid & Edgar Vintage: Retro finds a bit outside downtown.
Lost & Found: Vintage clothing.
Creature Boutique: Eclectic clothes and home goods.
Hotels + Airbnbs: Where to stay in Nevada City
The National Exchange
View from The National Exchange
If there was one place I’d pick to stay in Nevada City, it’d be the hotel The National Exchange. It first opened its doors in 1856 but underwent a major update before re-opening its doors in 2020. The result? A hotel that at once embraces its historic past and creative present. You can see it through decor choices like murals by local artists, and portraits of the "ladies of the night" who used to frequent the property, which hang in the downstairs restaurant, Lola. But artistry aside, it’s also a very comfortable place to spend the night with spacious rooms, plush beds, and cozy robes. I also love the second floor terrace overlooking Broad Street below.
I’ve also stayed with friends in this lovely Airbnb in a former electric substation built in 1896 turned designer home. The architecture is super unique and I love how peaceful its location is while still being walkable to Nevada City’s downtown area, as well as some nearby trails, like Deer Creek. The window-filled dining room was our favorite spot to hang out and enjoy coffee in the morning.
Best time to visit Nevada City?
I think Nevada City is great year round, but for different reasons. Around Christmas, people absolutely love their Victorian Christmas festival (as well as the Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley) and it’s a fun excuse to visit. Both towns feel very festive around that time of year. Each February, Nevada City hosts the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, a documentary film festival dedicated to inspiring activism through film and art, with its 25th annual festival coming in 2027.
Spring and fall are perhaps the best seasons for outdoors activities, when the weather is mild and summer crowds are no where to be seen. But I also love visiting in the summer—hot weather is always a good excuse to jump in the nearby Yuba River. Plus, if you can make it up during the week, their Hot Summer Night street festival is a fun event to catch. It runs weekly for a month or two each summer.
