Two and a half hours from SF, the historic Gold Rush towns of Sutter Creek, Amador City, and Volcano bear century-old saloons, creepy-cool cemeteries, and time capsule spots that feel like King Tut’s tomb of Americana. For San Franciscans, it’s like meeting relatives from your family's country of origin. The region has obvious ties to the city’s past plus a few lesser-known ones (their marble quarries built our civic center buildings, including City Hall). It's an incredibly scenic area with big blue skies punctuated by colorful old trees and corrugated tin roofs. Plus, a crop of stylish new food and lodging options add a comfortable anchor to base a weekend around. Go this month when fall colors take hold and the dogwood and sweet gum trees start calling the shots.

1. Set the Wayback Machine to 1896

The insanely charming town of Sutter Creek alternatively feels like the Old West and Bedford Falls. It’s easy to imagine the UPS truck parked curbside as a stagecoach or the milkman. Up for some real time travel? Call on Bob Fyock. He’s the caretaker of the magnificent Monteverde General Store. Frozen in time after the turn-of-the-century shop shuttered in 1971, it’s the Pompeii of American commerce. Marvel at antiquated fixtures and shelves stocked with untouched clothing and dry goods – and a few worrisome jars of wet ones – that date back to Elizabeth Taylor's first husband.

11 Randolph St., Sutter Creek (209) 267-1431

2. Explore the Historic Town of Volcano

The municipal sign that welcomes visitors to this former mining town notes via hand-painted updates that the population has grown from 100 to 103. Tucked away in an enchanting forested basin, it feels like a Gold Country Bolinas ... only a lot friendlier. The entire town is a historic landmark. 

Each weathered structure – built of stone and board-and-batten planks – captivates like the Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean country store (oldest in the state) and the mysterious ruins of the 1856 “San Francisco” general store. Check out the old Bavarian Brewery: It’s now the residence of Ruth Gottstein who you may recognize from Coit Tower. She was immortalized in one of the famous murals by a WPA artist, her father Bernard Zakheim.

3. Meet You at the Cemetery Gates

Historic pioneer cemeteries haunt the rolling hills of Amador County. Richly atmospheric graveyards display moody, moss-covered tombstones and rusted ornate gates that rival New England’s best. Hike up to the Volcano Protestant Cemetery that feels plucked from ParaNorman. Go at night when locals bring flashlights and wine to stargaze from the hilltop plots.

Off Church St. between Consolation St. and Emigrant Trail, Volcano 

4. Go to Black Chasm Cavern

Ignore the cheesy placards that peer at you from racks of tourist info: This place is awesome. A thin slip in a forested hillside hides a sprawling, wondrous cavern. You'll duck under stalactites and descend 100 feet into a series of successive chambers crawling with rare helictite crystals. You'll also catch glimpses of a deep underground lake – glowing phosphorescent blue – that sits an additional 80 feet below.

15701 Volcano Pioneer Rd., Volcano (209) 736-2708

5. Shot & a Beer in an Old Saloon

The ramshackle Whiskey Flat Saloon hasn't changed much since it opened in the 1930s (though you'd believe it if someone told you 1830s). Pop culture detritus litters its walls with marker-scrawled dollars pinned to the ceiling. You can sample the local Amador Distillery bourbon, but keep the mixology to a minimum. On one visit, the barkeep puzzled at a Manhattan order not too unlike Moe "Gin and tonic? Do those mix?" Szyslak.

16104 Main St., Volcano (209) 296-4458

6. 1-2-3-4 Wine Tastings

Amador’s uniquely hot days and cool nights make for tasty wine with strong terroir. Nothing beats the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley vineyards ... save for a car-free stroll through the tasting rooms of Sutter Creek and Amador City. When I asked a local bartender for something representative of the region, she referred me to a cabal of winemakers seated in a corner who debated in hushed tones before recommending a glass of Feist Barbera. Susan and Tony Feist are Berkeley expats-turned-winemakers who moved their tasting room into an old saloon with regular live music and weekly dinners from Lucy’s Spice Box. Lucy also pops up each week at Yorba Wines. I wish owner Ann Kraemer had been the first to explain the birds and bees of grape cultivation to me. Her brilliance for viticulture is matched only by her welcoming, easy nature and the pure deliciousness of her wines.

Feist, 14173 Old Highway 49, Amador City (209) 267-8020. Yorba, 51 Hanford Street, Sutter Creek (209) 267-8190

7. Drink in the Atmosphere

The landmark Imperial Hotel (see photo, top) sits prominently at the foot of scenic Amador City. The bustling front patio is a great spot to soak up the town's Gold Rush glamour, but out back is where you’ll find the most charm. A lush patio dripping with shade trees and strung with glowing lanterns captures the allure of early California with just a dash of the Old South. Grab a bottle from the hotel’s creaky-floor saloon and while away a balmy evening.

14202 Highway 49, Amador City (209) 267-9172

8. Two Great Hotel Taverns

The newly renovated Hotel Sutter brings the area’s romance current with a contemporary restaurant, two bars – including a subterranean lounge hidden in the rough-hewn stone basement – and 21 modern rooms housed in a bewitching 1866 building. The owners peeled back years of layers to expose the original brick walls and Douglas fir floors (dotted with trapdoors) before adding modern furnishings. They also snagged an Oliveto-alum to cook up a seasonal menu of some of the county’s best food. Over in Volcano, the Union Inn’s bustling bar and scenic hillside patio is an inspiring setting for exceptional comfort foods like fried chicken and a killer burger. The extensive drink list offers an easy way to indulge in the local wine and craft beer scene. Ditto the four comfy guest rooms upstairs.

Hotel Sutter, 53 Main St., Sutter Creek (209) 267-0242. Union Pub, 21375 Consolation St., Volcano (209) 296-7711

9. Breakfast at Element

Start the day with Element’s composed breakfast dishes served in a sleek dining room or on a shaded patio with colorful steel-frame furniture. Don’t let the smart minimalism throw you: The service reflects the warm personalities that make up Amador County (our sweet young waiter was a competent version of Linguini from Ratatouille). It’s only brunch for now, but dinner service is coming soon.

61 Hanford Street, Sutter Creek (209) 267-0747

10. Go Modern in a Historic Hotel

The venerable Hanford House Inn reopened earlier this year after a 10-month rehaul of its 16-room property. The doilies were ditched for stylish interiors and amenities like heated bathroom floors, warm scones delivered to your room, and a full breakfast at Element. Here's where I mention how shockingly affordable Amador County is: A plush premium room at the Hanford is roughly the same expense as an average room in Healdsburg or Yountville on a Tuesday. During slow season. In 2008. 

61 Hanford Street, Sutter Creek (209) 267-0747