One of the best Mongolian BBQs in America. Seriously, few places come anywhere close. The secret is the homemade, thick noodles. Grab a second bowl exclusively for your sauce.
Great coffee shop where they roast their own beans. Plenty of seating lets you sit back and relax or bring your laptop and get some work done. Super friendly locals always chatting it up here.
Great brewpub in Auburn's historic old town. After a few years of being open, they've figured out all of their brews and all are excellent. For food, try the loaf of bread covered with melted cheese!
Must see in Auburn. Check out the massive statues of Native American woman warriors. I never understood the topless women with bows and arrows when I was a kid, but now I appreciate their weirdness :)
Great bar in Auburn with great beers on tap and live music most nights of the week. Probably about the most lively thing going on in Auburn on any given night.
Auburn's most iconic landmark. You can walk around it and inside of it. It's still being used as an active courthouse and is a great photo opportunity.
Great place to stop if you're checking out the courthouse. Right across the street from the courthouse and offering some great coffee drinks and adult beverages!
Tsuda's is a fantastic stop if you're driving up to Tahoe or checking out Old Town Auburn. Delicious sandwiches, local artist works, and a full selection of coffee drinks.
Driving through the Gold Country? Stop by the High Hand artist co-op for a huge selection of local artist works. The building itself is worth the stop: a historic fruit packing plant.
Check out the gorgeous canyons and scenery of the foothills. Head down to the American River for some great swimming in the summer. Be extremely careful in the early summer with high/fast water.
An easy place to explore the American River where the north and middle forks come together. Spend the afternoon hiking the awesome trail here and take a dip to cool down at the end!
Local Mexican fast food spot. Try the Super Nachos or the Veggie Burrito. Simple, cheap, tasty!
Raley's is a good spot to stop for any groceries you might need for your Auburn or canyon exploring needs.
Heading up to Tahoe? Sierra Market has killer sandwiches at a cheap, cheap price. Double up on the meat and ask for Dutch Crunch bread!
The last In-N-Out on your way up 80 to Tahoe. My order is cheeseburger XXX (extra lettuce, onions, tomatoes), extra crispy animal style fries and a diet coke :)
Ikeda's has some good, quick food, but the highlight is the market. It's an old style country market with various goodies including a phenomenal selection of pies. Strawberry Rhubarb FTW!
Everything you need for boarding in the Sierras, skating around town, or just looking cool on the street. They've been around for a long time and are a great business to support!
A great deli with an even better appreciation of quality beers. Come here for a great selection of local (and not so local) craft beers. The guys who run this place are total beer geeks. I love it!
I've eaten at a lot of Chinese restaurants around the world and Twin Dragon is still one of the tops in my mind. Mu Shu pork is excellent...probably my favorite Chinese dish anywhere.
Legendary Mexican food. Do not order your tacos spicy unless you enjoy the pain of habaneros. Everything here is fresh, excellent Californian Mexican food.
Great place for brunch. Their waffles with strawberries are something I find myself ordering more often than not. I don't think I order waffles anywhere else though....weird
Killer omelettes! Their staff is fast and friendly. Lots of locals come here, so it's pretty fun people watching too :)
Best place to hang out on the north fork American. Pretty easy drive, even in a small car. Lots of rocks to jump from and places to lounge. People will demand you jump if you walk on the bridge!
Great steakhouse with a good bar and nice outdoor seating area. Knock some balls around during the day on the golf course.
Explore the biggest, oldest, and richest mine from California's past. See some of the 367 miles of mine shafts and check out the beautiful owner's cottage and surrounding gardens.
Great tasting room for a ton of varieties of pear and apple ciders. They sold out to MolsonCoors recently, but it's all good, they're still making good stuff!
