Hidden Treasure Gold Mine

Once a little shantytown, this former goldmining hub was one of the many that earned California its place in the annals of Gold Rush history. Now, it is one of the best-preserved goldmines in the U.S. If you visit at the end of May, you and your kids can take part in the annual event, Columbia Diggins Tent Town, which is a glimpse into the lives of a miner and his family in the 1850s. Wear costumes, wash clothes by hand, write with a quill, pump water, and maybe gain a better appreciation of our comparably cushy lives today! (submitted by Mariya Georgieva.)