Sunday getaway to Coloma
What you see: By river or by land, Coloma is one of the state’s best launch points for surprises. It is the No. 1 site for rafting in California and a state park built around the 1848 discovery of gold. To get there, you can create your own route of two-laners in the Sierra foothills, a great curvy, scenic ride for motorcycles and cars alike.
Location: Coloma is along the South Fork American River in the Sierra foothills on Highway 49, north of Placerville and south of Auburn.
Rafting: This is one of the few places where you can just show up between noon at 1:30 p.m. for a half-day run.