California's 'Smallest City' Delivers Big With Gold Rush Museums, Tours, Wine Tastings, And Quirky Shops

Coming in at less than a third of a square mile, say hello to Amador City, billed as "California's Smallest Hometown." For a place so small in one of California's most underrated, affordable regions, you might not expect anything big. However, this tiny but mighty, former Gold Rush settlement of 206 residents (up from 200 since the 2020 census) — named for rancher José Marie Amador, who began mining nearby in 1848 — offers a lot of bang for your buck.

Situated in the Foothills of California's wine country in Amador County, right off California Route 49, Amador City is only about an hour from Sacramento International Airport and a little over 2 hours from San Francisco International Airport. The area is home to California's oldest vineyards, an underrated paradise, as well as historic buildings that date back to the gold mining days, which have been transformed into boutique shops, restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and a hotel. 

The Amador Whitney Museum — open free to the public during weekends — in the former Kling Building, built in 1860, showcases the city's vibrant Gold Rush history. If you enjoy exploring at your own pace, you can take a leisurely stroll or bike ride in the area. A walking tour around town will include sights like the consolidated Keystone Mine, the Amador schoolhouse, Schaffer's Diggins, and Torres Hall. There's also camping, fishing, and of course, panning for gold. As journalist Peter Fish of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, "If you like Gold Country towns with history, charm and a sense of being buffered from the noisy outside world, Amador City is as good as it gets."

Amador City is known for its one-of-a-kind shops, where you can find antiques, art, clothing, collectibles, decor, and more. San Francisco's famous 3 Fish Studios art gallery has an outpost studio in town. Pick up handmade candles at Ignite Joy or pop into Dreamy Whites for French-style, farmhouse-inspired fare, like table linens, throws, aprons, soaps, paints, and art. The Victorian Closet, which has been in business for almost 50 years, will take you down memory lane with its vintage clothing and quilts. Look no further than Bellflower Home & Garden for unique indoor and outdoor décor. There's even a bit of Scotland in Amador City at Heather in the Hills.

If you're into wine, you won't want to miss tasting some of the region's local wines. Start with a visit to Holgate Hill inside the Amador Hotel building, the town's oldest, dating to 1855, where you can taste a variety of white, rosé, and red wines such as Viognier, a rosé of Grenache and Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Barbera, and Bordeaux-style reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Don't miss the women-led, solar-powered Wine Tree Farm, known for its small-production (300 cases — 3,600 bottles) of Rhône-style reds — Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah. The winery offers both tastings and blending classes. Wine Tree Farm has two locations — the winery right outside of town on California Route 49 and a store inside the Amador Hotel.

You'll work up an appetite with all of the sightseeing, shopping, and sipping — and Amador City has a number of food options that'll satisfy your cravings. There's Moonrise Pizza, for those who want a casual meal of pizza and beer (plus pinball, if you please). End of Nowhere brings together the best of both worlds — wine and food — where you can enjoy tastings alongside its famed burgers, as well as pairings with special guest food purveyors cooking up eats like fried chicken and seafood. Those looking for something to go should head to Foothill Kitchen Provisions, where you can pick up breakfast pastries or lunch sandwiches, perfect for picnics.

With so much to do in Amador City, you'll probably want to stay for more than a day. What better place to lay your head than the historic Imperial Hotel & Restaurant, whose brick building was originally built in 1879? It only has six rooms (and three nearby cottages), so you'll want to plan ahead to secure a reservation. While the restaurant is temporarily closed, there's a bar serving happy hour libations and bites on Fridays and Saturdays — a great way to cap off your time spent in Amador City.