Update on my big trip...
Flew from Atlanta to Sacramento, and am staying at my sister's house, near Nevada City in Northern California.
This morning my sister and I went to a nearby gold mine museum, the Empire.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Mine_State_Historic_Park
This afternoon we went to the Yuba river, not far from here. Hiked up the South Fork hiking trail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Yuba_River_State_Park
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Honestly, anything you can do around Sac you can do in Tennessee or Kentucky or anywhere basically.
You must go to The City 
Take off in the AM from Nevada City you'll be on the GG Bridge in less than 2 hours.
You can't be that close ... on your first ever trip to Cali ... and NOT go to SF!
I'm tellin' ya ...
I've had a great time so far this trip, drove a couple Georgians crazy with my "Cheesehead" way of talking.
"You're a Midwestern German, aintcha?"
"Yup!"
Last edited Wed Sep 22, 2021, 11:04 AM - Edit history (2)
Get up Thurs AM
Leave Nevada City and Drive to Bay Area
See the GG Bridge, and the Redwoods, and a quick dip in the ocean
Drive all the way BACK up to Nev City, still on Thurs
Drive back down to Sac for an AM flight on Friday
That is ambitious for one day, I gotta say. You'll spend a good 6 hours driving, at least. Get up EARLY and get on the road. By like 7:30-8am would be best, for SURE by 9am!
SUGGESTED Route for this trip
First map ... wide view ... you're starting out just underneath the legend in upper right (Nevada City).
Drive down to SF via Hwy 80 and into the City via the SF - Oakland Bay Bridge. That IS the way to go into SF the first time. It's amazing, trust me. (pin that says A).
Other places you're going are B - Sutro Baths, C - Golden Gate Bridge, D - Muir Woods, and E - Sac Int'l Airport.
As you cross the Bay Bridge, tell Google in your phone you want to go to Sutro Baths (B), it's a very cool spot, and you can walk out into the Ocean there like you wanted! There's also some GREAT trails in that area, if you get there early enough in the day (if there by say no later than noon, you can check out the trail that takes you out to see a view of the GG bridge from OUTSIDE the Bay. See 'Lands End Lookout' on map below, it's bitchin!).
The drive out to Sutro from the Bay Bridge will give you very cool drive through SF itself, nice sampling of what it's like!
Alternate, more detailed view of this area, this is looking Southeast. You come in on Bay Bridge (A, upper left), drive to Sutro Baths (B, lower right, there's a parking area there), check out the area, go to the water, go on a little trail hike if you have time, then get back to your car, and tell Google you want to go to Muir Woods (D), which WILL tell you to drive over the GG Bridge (C)
Let me know if you have questions. You might want to consider staying like San Rafael for the night and heading to Sac in the AM rather than going all the way back to Nevada City on Thursday night, then back down to Sac in the AM, but ... depends on your energy level and traffic and how good of time you make. Just know the drive from Sutro to Muir Woods is at LEAST an hour, maybe 1.5, and you want to be heading that direction no later than 2pm.