Discover Placer County
Placer County stretches from the Sacramento Valley floor up to the crest of the Sierra Nevada, and its history follows that climb — Gold Rush camps around Auburn (the county seat), the Central Pacific Railroad pushing the first transcontinental line over the mountains, and fruit ranching in the Loomis Basin that made the local mandarin orange famous. In recent decades Roseville and Rocklin grew into major retail, healthcare, and technology centers, while the high country around North Lake Tahoe remains a four-season draw.
Things to see & do
Old Town Auburn
A preserved Gold Rush county seat of historic storefronts, restaurants, and the Placer County courthouse.
Auburn State Recreation Area
Thousands of acres along the American River canyons for hiking, rafting, and trail running.
North Lake Tahoe
Placer's Sierra crest reaches the north and west shores of Lake Tahoe and its ski country.
Loomis Basin mandarin farms
Orchards around Loomis and Penryn known for Owari Satsuma mandarins each fall and winter.
Annual events & traditions
- Mountain Mandarin Festival (Auburn, November) celebrating the local citrus harvest
- Western States 100 Endurance Run and the Tevis Cup 100-mile ride, both finishing in Auburn
- Placer County Fair (Roseville) and Lincoln-area community events
- Downtown wine, art, and street events across Auburn, Roseville, and Rocklin
Few counties span as much ground as Placer — valley suburbs, Gold Country foothills, and the Tahoe high country — so prices and pace vary widely from town to town.