Victorian Bed and Breakfast Nestled In Gold Country

Rising up from a sun-dappled clearing alongside gardens and ancient oaks, the historic Power's Mansion Inn punctuates the well-groomed landscape around it. As visitors wander its elaborately decorated rooms, painstakingly restored by owners Alfred and Peggy Lee, they're greeted by authentic or replica Victorian furniture and a host of Victorian artifacts and artwork, allowing them to imagine the mansion as it may have looked in 1884, when it was built using the wealth from a gold-mining fortune.

Visitors can choose from an extensive roster of guestrooms of varying themes, all outfitted with custom artisan beds and gracious queen- or king-size mattresses. Like a robot butler with perfect grammar, each room combines modern conveniences with old-fashioned sophistication, mingling space-age amenities such as satellite television with furnishings and décor that speak to a more elegant era. Travelers may opt to stay in Kristynn's Room, whose centerpiece is an aureate white enamel bed outfitted in soft bedding. The room includes private access to an antique claw-foot bathtub and a "pull" toilet. The Gold Room shimmers with a four-poster bed and finely carved wooden armoire, while Grandma's Room is equipped with a snuggle-ready quilt and cheery yellow walls. Every guest room has access to a private bathroom, each stocked with plush towels and spa-like soaps and toiletries.

The Mansion's history-draped common areas, replete with authentic Golden Age trinkets and furniture, invite leisurely conversation, thoughtful repose, and discreet staring contests. The gentleman's parlor, which once accommodated future President Herbert Hoover, attracts sitters with its ornate cushioned furniture, crimson window treatments, and chandelier, while the cozy, sun-strewn dining room serves as the site for gourmet breakfasts, served at 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. every day. Outside, the manicured grounds encourage easy strolls past the well-tended gardens or into the shade of the gazebo, which is bedecked with trailing ivy and nestled under the towering arms of a century-old oak tree.

Afternoon tea gives sippers an opportunity to experience an authentic Victorian tea party complete with period china, and the on-site Irish pub and brewery, The Power Club, facilitates further beverage exploration with its own handcrafted microbrews, which are buttressed by a menu including filet mignon ($29.95) and fresh salmon ($27.95) dinners.

Auburn, California: Historical Beauty Couched in Natural Splendor

Just blocks from the mansion, downtown Auburn allows visitors to flit between meditations on the town's well-chronicled roots and explorations of its robust shopping opportunities. Hour-long walking tours of the downtown district depart from the Placer County Courthouse Museum every Saturday at 10 a.m., while museums detail the storied history of 19th-century stagecoach stops and local monuments. The Gold Country Museum allows its patrons to pan for gold, creep through a replica goldmine, and walk bow-legged through a mining camp saloon.

Antique stores cluster around Auburn’s streets, flush with Victorian-era trinkets and lampshades, local pottery, and books. Consignment and boutique clothing stores intermingle with quirky art galleries, while gold jewelry waits to grace fingers, ear lobes, and wrists. Auburn is also host to a vibrant array of local events, including summertime live music and movie nights in the Old Town Square, art walks, and the Foothill Farmers' Market every Saturday.