{"id":42153,"date":"2022-01-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travellens.co\/best-things-to-do-in-el-dorado-hills-ca\/"},"modified":"2024-03-30T19:26:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-30T19:26:19","slug":"best-things-to-do-in-el-dorado-hills-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travellens.co\/best-things-to-do-in-el-dorado-hills-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Best Things to Do in El Dorado Hills, CA"},"content":{"rendered":"
The gateway to scenic El Dorado County, California<\/a>, is the town of El Dorado Hills, sitting on the foothills of the high Sierras.<\/p>\n If you want to visit a mountainside town filled with diverse gorgeous landscapes, you might want to drop by for a weekend.<\/p>\n At the foot of the mountains, the village sits high off the ground, standing from 200 feet to more than 10,800 feet.<\/p>\n You can do a lot of things in El Dorado Hills.<\/p>\n For example, you can drive from the village up to the Sierras to ski in the winter.<\/p>\n Likewise, you can visit the wineries in the village to sample delicious fine wines.<\/p>\n The American River also offers adventurous tourists a great opportunity for whitewater rafting.<\/p>\n In El Dorado County, you\u2019ll find roughly 1,000,000 acres of national forest, with the Desolation Wilderness area being California\u2019s most visited wilderness area.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also find 11,640 acres of lakes in the greater El Dorado County.<\/p>\n Do you want to know more about El Dorado Hills?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a list of the best things to do in town: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cassiohabib \/ Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n The Sacramento A-List voted the El Dorado Hills Town Center as the #1 \u201cBest Live Music Venue\u201d in 2018, which should be more than enough reason for you to visit.<\/p>\n Besides live music, the shopping complex also hosts various top-quality retail outlets.<\/p>\n Go ahead and indulge your desire to shop and discover the pleasures of abundance.<\/p>\n Likewise, the town center features various unmissable dining options, ranging from casual dinner spots to luxury restaurants.<\/p>\n Enjoy your meal with a scenic view of the nearby lake.<\/p>\n After your meal, you can catch the latest blockbuster at the town center\u2019s IMAX theater.<\/p>\n Located at Alexandra Drive, the Promontory Park in El Dorado Hills features a wide selection of amenities for residents and tourists alike.<\/p>\n During your visit, you\u2019ll find sports fields and courts, children\u2019s playgrounds, and a picnic area, all of which are laid over natural grass.<\/p>\n This 18.7-acre park opened in 2007, and it is still awaiting further expansion.<\/p>\n What sports can you play here?<\/p>\n You can play bocce, tennis, and softball for adults and girls.<\/p>\n All the courts and fields for these games are lighted, too, so you can play well into the night.<\/p>\n Likewise, you can enjoy a nice picnic or barbecue in their respective areas.<\/p>\n In 2008, the Dry Diggings Distillery opened, where it became the first distillery of its kind in quite some time.<\/p>\n The distillery became part of the mid-2000s \u201cearly second wave\u201d of smaller distilleries in the United States.<\/p>\n They offered guests informative distillery tours and let them taste their full line of spirits.<\/p>\n Likewise, they sold inspired gift items.<\/p>\n In 2015, Dry Diggings Distillery got together with Amador Distillery to produce more spirits from locally grown fruit and grain.<\/p>\n Today, Dry Diggings provides tours and tastings, with spirits from barrels aged for over ten years.<\/p>\n If you want to try truly phenomenal Belgian-inspired or American-style beers, then you need to visit the Mraz Brewing Company.<\/p>\n Their popular beers have won various awards, too.<\/p>\n You can be sure of drinking only the highest quality beer at Mraz.<\/p>\n Likewise, this brewery is unique because they try not to create a set beer lineup.<\/p>\n They like to mix things up, offering an ever-changing menu of fully distinct beers made with only the best unique ingredients.<\/p>\n Over the years, they have crafted more than 100 different beers, with even more to come.<\/p>\n Exploring a new town should make anyone hungry.<\/p>\n When your stomach starts grumbling, duck inside the El Dorado Saloon & Grill, and gobble up their mouthwatering meals.<\/p>\n The place combines Sauced Pizza and the El Dorado Saloon to form an unforgettable restaurant.<\/p>\n The place also hosts live music so that you can enjoy your favorite tunes over your meals or drinks.<\/p>\n You can stay inside the restaurant or soak in the mountain atmosphere on their patio tables.<\/p>\n Their meals include nachos, buffalo wings, cheeseburgers, chicken sliders, and more.<\/p>\n Likewise, they offer tasty beers, wines, and cocktails for happy hour.<\/p>\n Sitting next to the El Dorado Hills Town Center is the Runway Boutique, one of the top boutiques in the nearby area.<\/p>\n The store focuses on working with women who want to find the best clothes and accessories on their budget or personal style.<\/p>\n Likewise, they don\u2019t discriminate.<\/p>\n They provide the best clothes and accessories to women of all ages, body types, and styles.<\/p>\n The boutique sells modern designer wear, which you can wear on all occasions, whether formal or casual.<\/p>\n You can also buy matching shoes and jewelry there, at various prices.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re confused about what to buy, the expert staff has no problem leading you to the clothes that suit you and will never go out of style.<\/p>\n Who says a bookstore can\u2019t be a tourist attraction?<\/p>\n If you want to expand your mind at El Dorado Hills, go to the Face in a Book bookstore and lose yourself in the sea of words.<\/p>\n The store sells books on all subjects, with their inventory numbering in the thousands.<\/p>\n Besides books, the bookstore also sells stationery, greeting cards, and more gift items.<\/p>\n When you visit Face in a Book, you might stumble upon special events held for the community to strengthen their connections through literature.<\/p>\n Passionate readers attend these events, such as children\u2019s book events or book signings, which also draws more readers from all over the country.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find this park at the intersections of Powers Drive, Gillett Drive, Ridgeview Drive, El Dorado Hills.<\/p>\n During your visit, you\u2019ll get treated to a magnificent view of nearby Sacramento and the imposing Folsom Lake.<\/p>\n These views explain why the park goes by \u201cKalithea,\u201d which means \u201cbeautiful view\u201d in Greek.<\/p>\n Besides the view, you can also enjoy the park\u2019s several amenities.<\/p>\n For example, you can let your kids play at the children\u2019s play structure while you play with friends at the sports field, laid over a natural turf.<\/p>\n You can also hold a barbecue with your friends or family at the park.<\/p>\n California is a vast area with hundreds of attractions, and you\u2019ll need to start somewhere if you want to experience everything the state has to offer.<\/p>\n So, why not make your starting point El Dorado Hills?<\/p>\n Come to town and see the California Welcome Center.<\/p>\n Their staff will guide you to the attractions you need to see, the places you need to visit, and the things you need to do during your California visit.<\/p>\n From the California Welcome Center, you can make your way to the foothills of the Sierras or go skiing near Lake Tahoe<\/a>.<\/p>\n Otherwise, you can simply shop, dine out, or see a movie at the El Dorado Hills Town Center.<\/p>\n This 3.9-kilometer back trail near El Dorado Hills sees a moderate number of hikers every year because it\u2019s appropriate for hikers of all skill levels.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re not an experienced hiker, you\u2019ll still have a good time just walking along this nature trail.<\/p>\n The best time to visit this place is from October to March.<\/p>\n Usually, this bridge stays submerged under Folsom<\/a> Lake, appearing when the lake\u2019s water level falls below 400 feet.<\/p>\n People built this bridge in 1925 to connect the opposite banks of the American River\u2019s South Fork.<\/p>\n You can cross the Old Salmon Bridge, connect to the Darrington Trail, and then to the Peninsula Campground.<\/p>\n Right in the heart of El Dorado Hills sits the 40-acre Community Park, which features various amenities to fill your itinerary for a memorable family day.<\/p>\n For example, you can play different sports at the three multi-use fields or explore the pristine section of the New York Creek Nature Area.<\/p>\n Likewise, you can let your dog run around safely in the fenced dog park while you let your kids play in the skate park.<\/p>\n When lunchtime comes, spread your blanket on the picnic tables and prepare your barbecues.<\/p>\n You can also beat the heat at the park\u2019s competition and wading pools.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Eric Buell Photography \/ Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still in Folsom, you can explore the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, one of the best hiking trails in the Sacramento<\/a> area. <\/p>\n This trail system allows you to hike, bike, or ride your horse. <\/p>\n Likewise, you can skate along the path. <\/p>\n If you just want to relax, just take a stroll there and experience nature around you. <\/p>\n The trail also offers plenty of shade, where you can have a cozy picnic or throw a line on the pond. <\/p>\n Commuters also follow the trail for a healthy way to work while also protecting the environment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Danita Delimont \/ Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n <\/p>\n UncleVinny<\/a>, CC BY 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n Within Folsom<\/a>, California sits the tall Carpenter Hill at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada foothills and Sacramento Valley region.<\/p>\n This hill is relatively low, standing at just 831 feet.<\/p>\n However, the hill remains high enough for hikers to get the full panorama of the Central Valley spreading out below them.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the highest point of Sacramento County, too.<\/p>\n Because of its low elevation, the hill doesn\u2019t receive snow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n UncleVinny<\/a>, CC BY 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n However, you can spend a day hiking to the summit with your friends or family.<\/p>\n This hill is an excellent way for outdoorsy tourists to go outside without wearing themselves out too much.<\/p>\n Drive 14 minutes from El Dorado Hills to reach the nearby town of Rescue, California, where you can find the Pine Hill Ecological Reserve.<\/p>\n The California Department of Fish and Game manage this reserve, which began in 1979.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in botany, you\u2019ll love this ecological reserve because it contains eight rare plants.<\/p>\n Four of these plants are also endemic, such as the Pine Hill flannelbush and the El Dorada bedstraw, and they exist nowhere besides the Pine Hill area.<\/p>\n Likewise, five plants fall under the category of threatened or endangered species, putting them under the protection of state and federal laws.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Vince Migliore<\/a>, CC BY 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n Just 13 minutes away from El Dorado Hills is the city of Folsom, where you can visit the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area.<\/p>\n This state park sits at the foothills of the majestic Sierra foothills, featuring a lake and recreation area.<\/p>\n What can you do at this park?<\/p>\n If you love the outdoors, you\u2019ll love hiking, biking, or camping here.<\/p>\n Likewise, you can also enjoy the lake by renting out a boat or water-skiing.<\/p>\n You can also fish for trout, catfish, and perch on Folsom Lake.<\/p>\n The park also features the historic Folsom Powerhouse, adding a dash of history to the surroundings.<\/p>\n People once called this building the \u201cgreatest operative electrical plant on the American continent.\u201d<\/p>\n El Dorado Hills offers plenty of recreation and exploration activities.<\/p>\n Likewise, it\u2019s a terrific access point to nearby cities that feature beautiful natural attractions.<\/p>\n If you want to indulge your adventurous side, you won\u2019t go wrong with El Dorado Hills.<\/p>\n Book your trip today!<\/p>\nShop \u2018til You Drop at the El Dorado Hills Town Center<\/h2>\n
Spend the Day at Promontory Park<\/h2>\n
Try Fine Spirits at the Dry Diggings Distillery<\/h2>\n
Sample Unique Beers at the Mraz Brewing Company<\/h2>\n
Grab a Bite at the El Dorado Saloon & Grill<\/h2>\n
Get New Threads at the Runway Boutique<\/h2>\n
Broaden Your Horizons at Face in a Book<\/h2>\n
Stroll along the Kalithea Park<\/h2>\n
Visit Base Camp at the California Welcome Center<\/h2>\n
Take a Hike along the Old Salmon Falls Bridge<\/h2>\n
Hang Out with Family at the El Dorado Hills Community Park<\/h2>\n
Other Things to Do Nearby<\/h2>\n
Go Hiking along the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail<\/h2>\n
Climb to the Top of Carpenter Hill<\/h2>\n
See Rare Plants at the Pine Hill Ecological Reserve<\/h2>\n
Explore the Outdoors at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area<\/h2>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
Discover More of El Dorado County, CA<\/h3>\n