Explore the Bay Area’s surrounding geology and gold rush history with this day trip to Calaveras Big Trees State Park and Mercer Caverns.
Your tour starts with a visit to the 3-acre Angel Camp Museum where you'll learn about the area’s mining history. You'll experience one of the most comprehensive collections of artifacts from the California gold rush era in the entire state. You can even try panning for gold on the property!
Afterward, you’ll head over to Calaveras Big Trees State Park for a leisurely 1.5-mile walk through a grove of giant sequoia trees. Here, you can learn the entertaining history of the Discovery Tree, and how the park became the longest continually running attraction in California.
Next is a 1.5-hour stop in Murphys, an old miner’s town that’s filled with art, boutiques, and some fun surprising facts. You have many options for lunch spots, including the historic Murphys Hotel where famous folks stayed. This is your free time to roam, eat, and shop on your own.
The last stop of the day is Mercer Caverns, where you descend into another world, one that sparkles with stalactites, stalagmites, and more.
You’ll head back to San Francisco in the late afternoon.
Entrance fees
Lunch
