There's tons of amazing cities and towns in Northern California, but few places can combine the best of urban living, rural life, and small town charm like the city of Auburn in Placer County does. This delightful small city is one of the coolest towns thanks to it's location and friendly community.
Auburn is a unique little city located at an elevation of 1,227 feet. It's nestled in the Northern California foothills in the heart of gold country.
There's an amazing amount of gold rush history to be found here. It was incorporated in 1888 and is located close to where gold was discovered in Coloma in 1848.
The city has done an amazing job incorporating its history with its new modern and somewhat urban vibe.
It's close enough to Sacramento that some people live here and commute into the city, but that doesn't mean it has sacrificed its lovely small town charm.
Auburn is the best of both worlds. You can easy access to the city and shopping at all your favorite stores but still feel like you are living out in the country.
No matter which way you look, there's evidence of something cute and quirky that hearkens back to its gold rush heritage.
The community has 13,330 souls living here as of the 2010 census. So while it is larger than many of the small towns in Northern California, it isn't too large of a city.
It does have a really cool brewery restaurant, though! The Auburn Alehouse is located in what was once called the Shanghai, a bar that was pictured in the John Travolta movie, Phenomenon.
There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation here, as well. It's located on the North Fork of the American River, where plenty of hiking trails are found.
It's a great place for trail running and walking your dogs although it does get very hot in the summer.
It's always cooler down by the river, however! The American river is great for whitewater rafting and relaxing on the beach.
Auburn is one of the last major towns on your way to Tahoe and Truckee, so every once in a while you might even see a little light snow here. It's a great gateway to the Sierras.
It's also a lovely place to live year round. There's nothing like a gold country sunset!
Have you ever lived in Auburn? If you are proud of this unique little town, be sure to share this article on Facebook to spread the word about how great it is!
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