Discover Auburn

Auburn brings together Gold Rush history, a historic downtown district, and outdoor experiences. The city was founded in 1848 during the California Gold Rush. In Old Town, museums, guided tours, and annual events offer different perspectives on the city. Beyond its historic attractions, a recreation area along two river forks and trails for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding offer more ways to plan your day. If you’re looking for a hotel in Auburn, first consider whether city history, an event date, or time outdoors will shape your stay.

Gold Rush History in Old Town Auburn

Claude Chana found gold in the Auburn area in May 1848; the city was founded that same year. Old Town Auburn is a historic downtown district with preserved Gold Rush architecture from the 1850s. This brings the city’s founding story together with a later architectural period of the Gold Rush. The district offers a tangible starting point if you’re interested in the city’s history and architecture.

Saturday Walking Tour and Farmers Market

Every Saturday at 10 a.m., a weekly docent-led walking tour of Old Town Auburn starts at the Historic Courthouse. It takes place rain or shine. A farmers market also runs year-round in Old Town Auburn on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. The market therefore starts two hours before the tour and continues into midday, while the tour has a set start time. These different time details can help you plan your Saturday without needing to assume a tour duration.

Historical Insights at Museums

The Benton Welty Historic Classroom is a 1916 classroom formerly used by Auburn Grammar School. At the Joss House Museum, visitors can see a Chinese boarding house, meeting place, school, and lodging house from the early 20th century. The Auburn Journal Newspaper Mini Museum has historic newspaper printing presses on display. These examples focus on different subjects: former school use, the various functions of a place, and newspaper printing technology. If you’d like to explore Auburn’s history by topic, this selection offers several tangible starting points.

River Landscapes and Nature Trails

The Auburn State Recreation Area stretches for 40 miles along the North Fork and Middle Fork of the American River. Hidden Falls Regional Park has more than 30 miles of nature trails for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding. The Hidden Falls Access Trail is a three-mile loop that leads to waterfalls and viewpoints. The descriptions focus on different features: the recreation area is defined by its extent along the two river forks, while Hidden Falls Regional Park offers a range of activities on its nature trails. For the Access Trail, the loop format and its destinations—waterfalls and viewpoints—are specified.

Annual Events

The Cemetery Tour at Old Auburn Cemetery takes place annually in October. Guided by a map, it leads through the cemetery, where reenactors portray historical figures. The Gold Country Fair is an annual county fair held in September at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn. The exact dates of the fair vary from year to year. If either event is important to your stay, check the dates for the relevant year in advance.

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