TIM! TIM! TIM! The…read morelifeblood & soul of this museum is a docent named Tim. A polite yet confident, friendly yet proud personality, Tim gave my girlfriend and I the museum experience of a century. Arriving at the museum, we were greeted by a docent at the entry who was quite kind to us and we enjoyed the initial room and science/medicine rooms - however, if you're the type who reads every line at a museum, you will enjoy it more than we did because the information was IMMENSE. Too much for my adhd brain, but perfect for an avid reader. But it was the carriage house that floored us. Tim greeted us nearly the moment we stepped through the doors to introduce himself as a volunteer at the museum. I figured he may give us a little intro and then let us parouse the 10,000sf facility but boy was I wrong. Tim proceeded to give us a guided private tour for what was easily the good part of an hour. Carriage by carriage, phonograph by phonograph, Tim passionately spoke on the most interesting history, anecdotes, untold tales, and intriguing facts about every item in front of us. It was as if he had plugged himself into the knowledge of the universe and was translating its binary into English for us to understand. I loved every moment and most importantly, I could see that HE loved every moment. We walked out having to look at our tickets to see if we had accidentally purchased VIP guided tour tickets. But no - that is just the character of Tim and of the people who run the museum. We finished at the mining building where we got a chance to see incredible historical items/devices/tools, as well as some BEAUTIFUL specimens of stones - including the 2 most gorgeous pieces of petrified wood I have EVER seen. The docent as this building raved about Tim as well but was no stolid volunteer herself - she was ALSO extremely friendly in her own right, offering us cold water on the hot day we toured. I cannot wait to go back and recommend this museum to any and all in the Angels Camp / Murphys area!

This museum has Gold County History- so much to see!! Wagon…read more& Carriage, Mining & Artisan exhibition and a Water Wheel Power Stamp Mill. In the same building is the Calaveras Visitor's Bureau! If you walk past the Visitors Bureau there is an interesting film on the Frog Jumping Contest and many Frog Facts!!

Preston Castle Haunt - what a yearly tradition! My wife, my parents, and I have been making the…read morespooky pilgrimage for years now, and it never disappoints. You just can't beat a haunted house that takes place inside an actual haunted prison. The vibe alone gives you goosebumps before you even step inside. Add in the scare actors (who I'm convinced are local kids living their best creepy dreams), the friendly staff, and the affordable merch, and you've got the full package. This year's haunt felt longer with even more scares tucked around the corners--right up my alley! Preston keeps stepping it up, and I'm here for it. Until next year, Castle... we'll be back.

Came here for the haunted house event about a week ago and I'm not sure if I would come back again…read more Tickets were $35 each (purchased online) and you have to park and walk about 10-15 minutes to the castle or you can take the little van that drives you there which also takes the same amount of time. We took the van to the castle but they don't drop you off directly in front of the castle so you still have to walk down through security and then to the castle. Porte potty's are available right before security and once you walk up the hill to wait in line to enter the castle. There were a couple food trucks when we went, we were expecting a few based on what was said online but not sure if it depends on the time. We waited over an hour in line to enter the haunted house and if you do really believe in ghosts this place is pretty haunted. The event itself wasn't scary, the actors aren't able to touch you but there's obviously loud screaming and they may be a bit too close for comfort to get a reaction out of you. You do have to climb up and down quite a few stairs and then there's a second part lead outside and back in the castle (barely any lighting and it's a dirt road so you have to carefully walk). Many strobing lights as well so do avoid if you are triggered by that. The energy throughout the castle was not pleasant or welcoming, I was very excited for it to be over as the haunted house itself was not very good and I was mostly tired from all the walking. There's a merch truck outside at the end of the castle as well. We also decided to walk back instead of waiting for the shuttle but there absolutely no lighting and many ditches with uneven flooring so you have to be very careful. Overall experience was not my favorite and I wouldn't come back again.

We stopped by the World of Wonders Science Museum for their birthday celebration and honestly had…read moresuch a great time. WOW has always been a favorite for our family, but this event really brought the whole community together. The museum was full of energy with kids running from activity to activity, experimenting, building, and just having fun learning without even realizing it. The raffle baskets were fantastic and way bigger than I expected. You could tell local businesses and supporters really showed up for this event. There were vendors set up, tons of hands on activities throughout the museum, and yes, free popcorn which automatically makes any kid event a win. What I love most about WOW is that it never feels overwhelming or overly structured. Kids are encouraged to explore, touch everything, and be curious. You can easily spend a few hours here and still not see it all. It is such an important space for downtown Lodi and a great reminder of how valuable places like this are for families. Fun, educational, and genuinely community-driven. We had a blast celebrating with the WOW museum!

I was taking my cousins to the theatre and decided to have a day in lodi, luckily i found the…read moremuseum on google and we got there about an hour before closing. Upon coming in, the front desk was very kind and helpful. The museum itself isn't too big nor too small, but has a lot of interesting exhibitions and activities for the kids to do along with a gift shop. My little cousins had a lot of fun and learned about frequency wave lengths, electricity, and some brain ticklers, amongst other things. I hope this little museum can one day offer more exhibitions for the littles, but we had an amazing time nonetheless!

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.

The Tallac Historic Site is definitely one of the best places to go to when visiting South Lake…read moreTahoe. There's plenty of parking and a paved walkway, which is easily accessible when the site is open. This place is particularly nice in the offseason when the roads are closed. You park outside in a dirt parking lot right next to Camp Richardson. You then walk along the road until you come to the lakeside. Then you can walk around the lake and see all the historic buildings. If you get hungry, you can walk along the beach to the Grove which is usually open at Camp Richardson. This place is great to go to year-round, but particularly during the shoulder season.

Looking for access to Tahoe's shoreline without the crowds? Look no further than the Tallac…read moreHistoric Site. I discovered this place while taking my son to a day camp that was using this area as a homebase for the day. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but I found a fairly expensive parking area, shaded picnic tables, and a flat dirt path that meandered along the shoreline of the lake, offering access to the water itself every couple hundred feet. Along the path, there were also placards detailing the history of the site and even some interesting remnants of former buildings that include you into what happened here in the past. This is a great place to learn some of Tahoe's history while enjoying its current beauty without the crowds of the larger public beaches. There's also a section of this area that is available for rent for private functions too, and you can enjoy the history and beauty during a private function with friends and family.

This review is for the polar express train ride. Let's cut right to the sleigh bells: At a cool $85…read morea pop, this ride definitely costs more than a lump of coal. For my family of three, we signed up for the holiday hype, and while it wasn't exactly perfect, it was certainly an event to remember! Singing Christmas carols was an absolute delight! My personal highlight? The hot chocolate scene. The performers were fantastic, and the cocoa itself was surprisingly delicious & paired with a yummy snickerdoodle cookie. The trip to the North Pole, while blessedly short, felt truly magical. Watching all the kids scramble to one side of the train to catch a glimpse of Santa's HQ was a sight. Now, for the "improvements" section. The train apparently needs a gallon of WD-40. Parts of the ride were punctuated by a noise I can only describe as "ears-piercing squeaky"--a sound that could shatter a candy cane. Also, when the classic Polar Express story was being read, those of us in the back were left playing a fun game called "Can You Hear Me Now?" (Spoiler: We could not). Finally, the outside scenery was less "winter wonderland" and more "passing landscape." It would have been brilliant if they had just added a few festive Christmas decorations along the route. Just a few! We aren't asking for a full-scale holiday village, just something besides barren trees. While our ride came with a few minor mechanical and auditory "features," we still had a magical time. It wasn't perfect, but what ever is?

This review is strictly for the 'Polar Express' holiday ride…read more Our family had high expectations for the polar express train ride. We were looking forward to a "magical" evening for the kids but the experience turned out to be what a huge disappointment and waste of money!! 45 minutes of the one hour ride was a slow churn in darkness through unkept brush. for $80 a person ($720 for the family), it is an insult to people and to the holiday! Shame on these people! Wow!! Wow!! Wooow!! That is what we kept saying as we approached the 'north pole' which was some farm equipment with lights on them, crudely painted wood and cardboard cutouts of reindeer and other christmas figures, horrible lighting, and a couple of people standing in costumes waiving. At $80 a person, this is a complete RIP OFF! We all agreed that at best it is not worth more than $20, Avoid this scam at all costs.

Great little free museum next to beautiful White Pines Lake! We enjoyed the mix of indoor exhibits…read moreand real machinery outside.

Cool Museum that is open from April thru November (noon-4:00) on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Small…read morecute Museum that explains the Sierra Nevada Logging industry in photos, videos & informational signs. Outside there are several many retired equipment. There's a nice shady trail to walk in and explore. It's right next to the beautiful White Pines Lake

Stopped in while passing through town and this place is such a gem!! Very nice workers and so many…read moreinteresting displays. There's so much detail that goes into every exhibit. Definitely recommend if you're in the area!

There is no museum that doesn't turn my head. I love history. Love old things (yeah, I wasn't…read moregoing to bring up Mr. B, but some things I simply can't resist). Love old tales. Spend my time wondering what I did in my past lives. I think I must have been an Indian hunter/warrior, I was always good with a bow and arrow and paddling my canoe. Really. Sonora was a small but booming town that cropped up around the same time as the Gold Rush, in 1848. The original settlers were Mexican miners from Sonora Mexico; the East Coasters, European immigrants and Chinese followed later. It was a wild town but eventually evolved into a logging community after the gold mining opportunities dried up. The downtown is still a well preserved, charming memorial to a rich, late 1800's boom town economy with narrow streets, beautiful Victorian homes and commercial buildings. So, hiding on one of the side streets in old Sonora is this multi-purpose building built in 1866 that was originally the home of the county sheriff and his family. It also housed the jail. Can you imagine living there, raising your kids, with the jail facilities in the back of the same building? Story goes, this building was erected after a disgruntled prisoner decided to start a fire in his cell of the "old jail" so they would have to let him out. What he didn't quite realize was the heat from the fire made it impossible for anyone to open the solid iron door to his cell. I liken it to the Man of La Mancha lyrics, ""Whether the stone hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the stone, it's going to be bad for the pitcher". Nope, this most certainly was *not* his best day ever! Now, the wooden house interior has been radically changed. It is now one large room that displays interesting artifacts and many old photographs. While small and humble, it nonetheless keeps you entertained. And it is manned by some eager to please docents. The back half is where you can visit the jail, a solid brick walled building with heavy iron doors, a total of 10 individual cells. Today, each of the cells are different time capsules featuring artifacts from early Sonoran life. For those curious, this property also houses the Tuolumne County Genealogical Society Library.

Had some time in Stockton so I wandered into the Haggin and was pleasantly surprised with the…read morecollection and displays describing Stockton's past. They had a nice selection of art from America and Europe. Memorable pieces included ones from the Barbizon School and Also the impressionists. The Renoir in the collection was on loan to the Morgan Library but it was nice to see paintings from noted artists like Hassam, Bérard, Lhermitte, and Bierstadt. I enjoyed reading about the industry in Stockton's past and also how the Haggin Museum came about. I spent around 1-1.5 hours there. The neighboring park is a delight too with a pond, pool and basketball courts.

Lived locally for about 20 years, how did I not know this gem existed. Will make a point to revisit…read moreas their exhibitions change.

We visited here with some family members who lived nearby, and had a very nice time wandering this…read moreold historic town. I just love old fashion shops along wooden walkways. There are quite a few wine tasting rooms that could occupy wine lovers for several days! We enjoyed exploring specialty stores that offered clothing, souvenirs, antiques, ice cream parlor, and even a popular cheese/wine tasting shop. There are restaurants, bars and an old historic hotel. The Sutter Creek Auditorium just happened to have a craft fair while we were there and found ourselves spending lots of money on some inexpensive, quality items. It was a great day for gift shopping as well! That evening we stayed late to see the Sutter Creek Christmas parade that was fun, but consisted mostly of emergency vehicles decorated in Xmas lights which the procession seemed to never end! It started raining and we finally had to head to the parking lot to catch our shuttle. Unfortunately, this event is quite popular and the traffic getting out of this quaint little town was pretty congested and annoying! Eventually, we slowly, but finally made our way back to our point of origin where our car was parked. I would love to return here again, but not during an event or parade!

Not just another quaint old Amador mining town…read more Sutter Creek can be an easy weekend getaway from Reno or Sacramento. This spot feels like a combination of the old west and Napa. A main street with a mix of wooden sidewalks and wine tasting rooms. Small restaurants and cute boutiques. There is a Days Inn at the north end of town, though it's not my favorite and have used it only once. The Handford House Inn, Nancy V says is devine. Several cafes that have you covered from breakfast to dinner. Buffalo Chips is my favorite breakfast spot. Their burger is looking pretty fabulous too. For snacking there's an ice cream parlor, chocolate shop and cheese monger. But what could be better than parking the car, or strolling in from a hotel, and sampling wine from a few of the almost two dozen local tasting rooms. Elegant store fronts, quaint small houses and modern shops, will pour you some of the areas finest reds, a few whites, surprising bubbles and hard to find port styles. If you need a break from sipping, seriously?? Wander off the main street and discover the Knight Foundry, Monteverde General Store Museum, or stroll the Sutter Creek.