Skip to main content

Nevada City, CA Road Trips

Drivers starting from Nevada City, CA have 9 mapped routes to choose from, making it a small but connected base in the Pacific Coast. Routes from here tend to cover serious ground — the average trip runs 321 miles, so plan for multi-day adventures. Most routes from Nevada City, CA head south, giving the route network a clear directional lean.

town and county seat of Nevada County, California, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

10

Longest Drive

495.6 mi

Riverside, CA

Quickest Drive

30m

Lake of the Pines, CA

Plan Around Nevada City, CA

Popular Incoming Routes

Useful if Nevada City, CA is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.

Trips from Nevada City, CA

Driving from Nevada City, CA

On average, trips departing from Nevada City, CA run 321 miles with a drive time of roughly 6h 8m. There is a healthy spread of short hops, medium drives, and longer road trips to pick from. The longest mapped route runs 496 miles (9h 23m), while the shortest is just 72 miles.

Popular Destinations

The most popular drives from Nevada City, CA include Riverside, CA (495.6 mi, 9h 23m), Santa Ana, CA (476.5 mi, 8h 56m), Anaheim, CA (470.3 mi, 8h 49m), Long Beach, CA (468.4 mi, 8h 47m), and Los Angeles, CA (444.3 mi, 8h 18m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

For the average 321-mile drive from Nevada City, CA, expect to burn about 12.6 gallons of fuel one way at 25 MPG. Check local pump prices before you go to lock in your budget.

The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives. These are full-day drives. Start by 7 or 8 AM if you want to arrive at a reasonable hour without rushing.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 9 mapped routes leaving Nevada City, CA and 1 routes heading into Nevada City, CA, covering 10 total connections. Distances range from 72 to 496 miles.

The longest mapped route from Nevada City, CA covers 496 miles and takes approximately 9h 23m. Shorter options start at just 72 miles.

The average route from Nevada City, CA runs about 321 miles with a drive time of roughly 6h 8m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

The most popular road trip destinations from Nevada City, CA include Riverside, CA, Santa Ana, CA, Anaheim, CA and Long Beach, CA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Notable People from Nevada City, CA

A sampling of people born in Nevada City, CA.

Tully Marshall

Tully Marshall

1864–1943

American actor (1864–1943)

Alela Diane

Alela Diane

1983

American singer-songwriter

Alexis Alford

Alexis Alford

1998

American traveler, photographer, and YouTuber; youngest person to travel to every country

Luke Edwards

1980

American actor

Emily Williams

Emily Williams

1869–1942

American architect

Jocelyn Towne

1976

American actress

Harry Lane Englebright

Harry Lane Englebright

1884–1943

American politician (1884-1943)

Landmarks & Historic Sites

Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Nevada City, CA.

Nevada Theatre

Nevada Theatre

movie theater and former theater in Nevada City, California, United States

California Historical Landmark National Register of Historic Places listed place
Nevada Brewery

Nevada Brewery

commercial building in Nevada City, United States of America

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Nevada City Downtown Historic District

Nevada City Downtown Historic District

historic district in California, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Aaron A. Sargent House

Aaron A. Sargent House

house in Nevada City, California

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Ott's Assay Office

Ott's Assay Office

office building in Nevada City, United States of America

National Register of Historic Places listed place
South Yuba Canal Office

South Yuba Canal Office

historic site in California, USA

City data from Wikidata (Q667268), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Nevada City, CA

Nevada City is a city in Nevada County in California's Gold Country. It's known for its well-preserved 19th century downtown and countercultural affiliations.

Nevada City Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center, 132 Main St, ☏ +1 530 265-2692. Tu-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-2PM (may vary based on volunteer availability). (updated Dec 2021)

1 Scotts Flat Lake, 23333 Scotts Flat Rd, ☏ +1 530 265-5302. Beautiful high elevation lake near Nevada City provides camping, day use, boating, and hiking recreation. (updated Oct 2021) 2 Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, ☏ +1 530 265-2740. State park featuring gold rush-era buildings with rock faces carved out by hydraulic mining. Also has access to camping and fishing in Blair lake. (updated Dec 2021)

1 Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, 5 Kidder Ct, ☏ +1 530 470-0902. Museum dedicated to preserving local history of narrow gauge used in the region. Features guided tours and a preservation shop for trains. (updated Dec 2021) 2 Firehouse #1 Museum, 214 Main St, ☏ +1 530 265-3937. Historic museum featuring treasures from the area, including artifacts from the Donner Party. Limited hours. (updated Oct 2021) Nevada City Film Festival. World renowned film festival since 2001 considered to be the “Sundance of the Sierra” for its focus on independent film. (updated Oct 2021)

1 Friar Tuck's Restaurant and Bar, 111 N Pine St. American restaurant focusing on steak in an antique setting. (updated Oct 2021)

1 Three Forks Bakery and Brewing, 211 Commercial St. Local brewery and bakery with a pizza oven that offers flights of beer. (updated Oct 2021) 2 The Mine Shaft, 222 Broad St. Dive bar with cheap drinks and an old west theme. (updated Oct 2021) Nevada City Winery, 321 Spring St, ☏ +1 530 265-9463. (updated Dec 2021)

1 The National Exchange Hotel, 211 Broad St, ☏ +1 530 362-7605. Historic hotel in downtown Nevada City. (updated Dec 2021) Inn Town Campground, 9 Kidder Ct, ☏ +1 530 265-9900, [email protected]. Check-in: 3-10PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Dec 2021)

From Sacramento take I-80 East to Auburn and then take 49 from Auburn to Grass Valley. From Truckee take I-80 west and take the highway 20 exit towards Nevada City and Grass Valley. Sacramento International Airport (SMF). The closest international airport to Nevada City is Sacramento International (SMF). This is about an hour and 15 minutes away by car and allows transfer to both bus and rail connections to Nevada City. (updated Oct 2021) Amtrak. Provides regular service to Auburn Amtrak station, 27 miles south of Nevada City. From the station, you would need to take Nevada County Connects bus 5 to central Grass Valley (about an hour bus ride) and then transfer to Nevada County Connects bus 1 to Nevada City. Be sure to check the bus schedule as buses are infrequent and run only limited times per day. (updated Oct 2021) Local buses. If you have time and the timing work out, you can get to Nevada City from Sacramento by using local buses. From Downtown Sacramento, you can take Sacramento Light Rail to the Watt/I-80 station. Here, you can take Placer Transit Route 10 to Auburn Amtrak Station and then from there, you can take Nevada County Connects bus 5 to central Grass Valley and then transfer to Nevada County Connects bus 1.

Nevada County Connects. Local bus service between areas within Nevada County and connecting to Placer county (via Auburn Amtrak Station). (updated Oct 2021)

Travel tips adapted from Nevada City on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

How Much Time Do You Have?

Pick your one-way drive time and see where you can go from Nevada City, CA.

No routes in this time range.

destinations from Nevada City, CA.

Trips to Nevada City, CA

Nearby Hubs

Other cities within driving distance of Nevada City, CA that also have route pages.

Escape Planner

Where to go from Nevada City, CA?

Curated day trips, weekend getaways, and overnight routes — grouped by how much time you have and the kind of trip you want.

Drives from Nevada City, CA in your inbox

Monthly note with new routes, weekend drive ideas, and seasonal picks for CA. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Browse more CA road trips or choose a route from Nevada City, CA above.