MUST SEE, DO

» Covered Bridge

The longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi stands at Knight’s Ferry, an old-time Mother Lode town so picturesque that scenes for Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie were filmed there.

› knightsferry.com

» Have a Sarsaparilla

Step back to the 1800s at Columbia State Historic Park, with its woodplanked sidewalks, historically costumed shopkeepers and strict “horse-drawn vehicles only” policy.

› visitcolumbiacalifornia.com

» Appellation Trail

Leave the tippling crowds behind as you taste rich, jammy Zinfandels and other wines at dozens of wineries in California’s up-and-coming wine region—amador, El Dorado and Calaveras counties.

› discovercaliforniawines.com

› discover-california/sierra-foothills

» Apple Watch

Allow the aroma of freshly baked apple pies, fritters, turnovers and strudel to lure you off Highway 50 east of Placerville to a place called Apple Hill. More than 50 growers participate in a celebration of the apple harvest— and of autumn itself—with cider, hayrides, pumpkin patches, hay mazes and other family fun. It runs from Labor Day to Christmas.

› applehill.com

Rappel into the darkness and explore a chamber large enough to hold the Statue of Liberty in Moaning Cavern near the town of Vallecito.

› caverntours.com