A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento
Sacramento, United States

A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson

Outty Ranking 54 4.3 · 9 traveler reviews2.5 hoursFrom $15

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September 2026

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Adults

Age 13 and over

2

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Age 12 and under

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Outty Ranking

54/100

Worth a Look. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

4.3/5

Based on 9 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson worth booking?

A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson is a 2.5-hour experience in Sacramento, United States, from $15 per person. It scores 54 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look, based on a 4.3/5 rating across 9 reviews. This booking is non-refundable, so pick your date carefully. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
54 / 100
Rating
4.3/5 (9)
Duration
2.5 hours
From
$15 per person

Experience California’s historic Gold Country on a driving tour from Placerville to Jackson with this affordable audio tour. • Find out about the hard-rock mining era of the California Gold Rush which began in the 1850s

What you get

    About this experience

    Experience California’s historic Gold Country on a driving tour from Placerville to Jackson with this affordable audio tour. • Find out about the hard-rock mining era of the California Gold Rush which began in the 1850s, shortly after the area’s placer mines began to run dry • Hear from producer Lynn Momboisse, a California native with a penchant for telling stories • Do it all in 150 minutes or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

    What's included

    Included

    • VoiceMap App for Android and iOS
    • Lifetime access to this tour in English
    • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

    Not included

    • Food/Drink
    • Smartphone and headphones
    • Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route
    • Transportation

    What you'll see and do

    1. Placerville

      This self-guided driving tour starts in Placerville. You’ll learn about the hard-rock mining era of the California Gold Rush which began in the 1850s, shortly after the area’s placer mines began to run dry.

      Pass by without stopping

    2. Plymouth

      The tour takes you through Plymouth.

      Pass by without stopping

    3. On this tour, you’ll drive through the Shenandoah Valley and learn how wine making, which also started in the 1850s, created liquid gold for some of the early pioneers

      Pass by without stopping

    4. On this driving tour, you'll have the opportunity to stop the tour and partake in a little wine tasting at this venue.

      Pass by without stopping

    5. Amador Flower Farm

      The tour passes by Amador Flower Farm.

      Pass by without stopping

    6. La Mesa Vineyards

      On this driving tour, you'll have the opportunity to stop the tour and partake in a little wine tasting at this venue.

      Pass by without stopping

    7. Fiddletown

      On this self-guided tour, you'll drive through the California Gold Rush towns of Fiddletown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

      Pass by without stopping

    8. Drytown

      On this self-guided tour, you'll drive through the California Gold Rush towns of Fiddletown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

      Pass by without stopping

    9. On this tour, you'll find out what remains of Treasure Mine, Kennedy Mine and Bunker Hill.

      Pass by without stopping

    10. On this self-guided tour, you'll drive through the California Gold Rush towns of Fiddletown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

      Pass by without stopping

    11. Sutter Creek

      On this self-guided tour, you'll drive through the California Gold Rush towns of Fiddletown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

      Pass by without stopping

    12. The tour passes by Miners' Bend Park.

      Pass by without stopping

    13. Kennedy Gold Mine

      On this tour, you'll find out what remains of Treasure Mine, Kennedy Mine and Bunker Hill.

      Pass by without stopping

    14. Jackson

      On this self-guided tour, you'll drive through the California Gold Rush towns of Fiddletown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

      Pass by without stopping

    Where it starts and ends

    Meeting point

    Sacramento

    Before arrival, please install the VoiceMap mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace.

    Hotel pickup

    No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.

    Ends at

    The tour ends in Jackson.

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
    Languages
    en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 15 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    VoiceMap Audio Tours

    Know before you go

    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

    Photos

    A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 2A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 3A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 4A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 5A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 6A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson in Sacramento, photo 7

    What travelers are saying

    Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 9 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.

    Knowledge and storytelling

    5 mentions

    Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.

    The guide

    3 mentions

    Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    Photo opportunities

    3 mentions

    The views and photo stops come up again and again.

    Food and drink

    2 mentions

    The tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.

    Traveler reviews

    9 verified traveler reviews for A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    5
    4 star
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    3 star
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    1 star
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    AlnDeb · April 2026

    Highly recommend!

    Great experience! The app knew our location and automatically started telling the story for that area. Lots of fun facts and the incorporation of the miner’s story made the experience more human. Our weather was perfect so we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We were with another car and used walkie talkies to communicate when we needed to stop for photo ops and to eat. We look forward to our next tour.

    via Tripadvisor

    Daydream62609515342 · September 2025

    Woul’ve been great if only …

    Operator error on my part. Tour was excellent until I veered off course and missed half the tour. Happily, the tour is now in my library and I can try it again soon.

    Response from the operator: Hi there, I'm sorry to hear that you missed half the tour. We also provide a map to the tour on your screen, which is especially helpful for driving tours, so we'd recommend having a look at the map if you're uncertain about the route in future. I'm glad you're planning on trying it again soon. Once you've purchased a VoiceMap tour, you have lifetime access to it, so you can listen to it as many times as you like. Best, Helene

    via Tripadvisor

    David_G · August 2025

    Our 35 th anniversary celebration trip

    Very informative and fun to learn of the history of the gold rush, the culture, and the towns along hey 49.

    via Viator

    Larry_S · July 2024

    Wonderful tour with one little glitch

    Great informational trip. Just one glitch: there was one time when she got stuck and kept repeating the same directions. Trying to resolve this, we missed some turns and missed one of the the areas I was looking forward to seeing.

    via Viator

    WCS52 · June 2024

    Like having a tour guide in the van with us

    We enjoyed the tour. It was a good amount of info, nicely paced. It made a beautiful drive better. We also enjoyed the Auburn to Placerville tour.

    via Tripadvisor

    Good to know

    Duration
    2.5 hours
    Free cancellation
    Non-refundable
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Hotel pickup
    No pickup, meet at start point
    Booked in 30 days
    3
    Verdict
    Worth a Look

    Why this scores 54

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)60
    Review evidence (18% weight)43
    Booking momentum (14% weight)32
    Value for money (12% weight)100
    Listing quality (10% weight)85
    Local standing (8% weight)42
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)0

    A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Sacramento.

    How much does A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson cost?

    +

    Prices start at $15 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Sacramento usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson take?

    +

    Plan for about 2.5 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Sacramento is not rushed.

    Is A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson worth it?

    +

    It holds an Outty Ranking of 54 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.3/5 across 9 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable culture & history in Sacramento, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson?

    +

    No. This experience is sold on a non-refundable basis, so only book a date you are confident about. Similar experiences in the city do offer free cancellation if flexibility matters more than price.

    Is A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson suitable for kids and families?

    +

    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2.5-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson?

    +

    Around 3 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Sacramento can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

    +

    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Sacramento and add a light layer if any part of the 2.5-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Placerville to Jackson start and how do I get there?

    +

    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Sacramento within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in Sacramento?

    +

    Sacramento pairs Old Sacramento and Capitol history walks with river kayaking, farm-to-fork food tours and day trips into the Sierra foothills and Napa. On Outty we rank every Sacramento experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include 60 Minute Adventures - The Escape Game at The Galleria, Midtown Sacramento Arts and Food Tour, Full-Day Whitewater Rafting Trip on Middle Fork from Auburn (Class 3-4). The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit Sacramento?

    +

    March to May and September to November, before triple-digit summer heat. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in Sacramento?

    +

    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

    +

    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

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