Sweeping vistas of happy-face yellow mixed with elegant ivory and living green herald the warm weather and gentle rains of the growing season in the lush Sierra foothills. All of Gold Country seems to turn green and floral as the last of the snow melts and the days get longer. In early April, dozens of varieties of daffodils and narcissus burst into vivid color on the locally famous Daffodil Hill - a hillside that's been planted with more than 300,000 bulbs by the owners of the encompassing McLaughlin Ranch. Because the family plants new bulbs each fall, the flower show changes from year to year. Up the road from the ranch, the grapevines begin to show leaves and tendrils all across the neighboring Fair Play and Shenandoah Valley appellations. Winemakers stock their tasting rooms with spring releases, and the gardens of the dozens of bed and breakfast inns scattered throughout Gold Country begin to flower. Getting there A drive to Sutter Creek and Daffodil Hill is a long day trip from the Bay Area, or a more relaxed weekend getaway. The town lies along Highway 49 (the north-south main drag through Gold Country) between Highway 50 and Highway 88. Plan to spend three to four hours on the road, depending on traffic and the route you take. If you get into Gold Country and check into your room at the Hanford House B&B early, consider taking a tour of the Black Chasm Caverns. This series of natural limestone caves filled with wondrous stalactites and calcite formations lies only a few miles outside of Sutter Creek. One perfect day 9 a.m.: Find your way to the breakfast tables at the Hanford House in Sutter Creek. Linger over a second cup of coffee after a hearty meal as you tilt your head back, reading the hundreds of signatures and notes written all over the walls and ceiling. Before you leave, grab a pen and add your own message for posterity. Go now: Daffodil Hill and Sutter Creek http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/TRAI16EB... 1 of 3 2/3/2010 1:56 PM 10 a.m.: Call the ranch to be sure that Daffodil Hill is open for visitors. (The scenic hill closes for rain.) Put a good regional map in your front seat before you leave - the road signs in the mountains can get confusing. Once you reach the entrance for McLaughlin Ranch, follow the signs to parking and walk up to the flower-carpeted hill. Please be respectful. Daffodil Hill is part of a working ranch on private property - do not park or go wandering off beyond the area designated for visitors, and don't go into any of the buildings. Do marvel at the nearly third of a million bulb-grown flowers smiling up at the sun. 12:30 p.m.: After you've soaked in your fill of spring flowers, retrace your route back to Volcano to grab a quick bite for lunch. For something hot, walk two doors down to Humble Pies for a traditional miner's pasty (meat pie) and a slice of homemade apple pie. Just beware - the pie shop is popular and sometimes sells out of local favorites. 2 p.m.: Wind your way into the Fair Play wine region. Often it's the winemakers themselves pouring for visitors, which makes for a fabulous and educational tasting experience. My favorite, Cantiga, features both reds and whites that don't use the popular malolactic fermentation method. Cantiga's unusual methods create delicious flavors and textures. Better known Fair Play wineries (at least to California cork dorks) include Charles Mitchell and Fitzpatrick - both have easy-to-visit tasting rooms. Winery by the Creek offers futures tastings of its brand-new vintages straight from the barrels aging inside its Fair Play Wine Cave - all by candlelight. 6 p.m.: Return to Sutter Creek to take a sunset stroll through one of the more charming downtown areas in Gold Country. Main Street boasts restored Old West-style buildings, a few with genuine wood-plank sidewalk. 6:30 p.m.: Continue enjoying the Gold Rush ambience by dining at Bellotti's at the American Exchange Hotel. While the Italian food in this historic hotel isn't top shelf California wine country fare, it's affordable and tasty. 8 p.m.: Walk half a block down Main Street to the Sutter Creek Theatre to take in a show. Whether it's a local production of a classic play or a guest concert by a touring band, a night of live entertainment is the perfect finale to a spring day out in and around Daffodil Hill. Heading home On the way home, stop by the Amador Flower Farm (22001 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth) to buy some of the beauty to take home with you. Choose from hundreds of types of colorful daylilies. If you go Stay The vine-covered brick facade of Hanford House might seem imposing at first look, but there's no mistaking the warm welcome you'll get inside the door. Each room has a huge. comfy bed, an elegant floral decorative motif, and a squeaky-clean home-style bathroom. Hanford House, 61 Hanford St., Sutter Creek. (209) 267-0747, www.hanfordhouse.com. Rooms from Go now: Daffodil Hill and Sutter Creek http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/TRAI16EB... 2 of 3 2/3/2010 1:56 PM © 2009 Hearst Communications Inc. | Privacy Policy | Feedback | RSS Feeds | FAQ | Site Index | Contact $120-275, breakfast included. St. George Hotel, 16104 Main St., Volcano. (209) 296-4458, www.stgeorgehotel.com. Rooms start at $66 for solo travelers. All rooms share hall baths.

Eat Humble Pies, 16154 Main St., Volcano. (209) 296-8066. Open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $3-$5 per slice. Bellotti's at the American Exchange Hotel, 53 Main St., Sutter Creek. (209) 267-5211. Entrees $6-$26. St. George Hotel restaurant, 16104 Main St., Volcano. (209) 296-4458; www.stgeorgehotel.com. Splurge An upscale meal at the St. George Hotel restaurant (see above) in Volcano. Make a reservation. Saver Bring a cheese-and-crackers picnic to enjoy with a bottle of wine from Fair Play for lunch. Good to know Skip the tourist-trap gold-panning troughs that seem to crop up at every attraction (and even some restaurants) in this region. They're a dull rip-off. Resources Daffodil Hill: Rams Horn Grade, Volcano. (209) 296-7048. Open through April, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, weather permitting (closed for rain or snow). Black Chasm Cavern: Volcano-Pioneer Road, Volcano. (866) 762-2837; www.caverntours.com. Open daily, in April 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tour tickets for adults $14.25, $7.15 for children 3-12. Liz Scott last wrote for Travel on five places to see wildflowers. To comment, go to sfgate.com/travel and follow the links. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/TRAI16EBA7.DTL This article appeared on page G - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle Go now: Daffodil Hill and Sutter Creek http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/TRAI16EB... 3 of 3 2/3/2010 1:56 PM