How to Visit Northern California's Tuolumne County Virtually

SONORA, CALIF.—March 18, 2020— Visit Tuolumne County is monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and following the best practices from our travel and tourism leaders at a state and national level. In an effort to contain COVID-19, many are sheltered at home. During this time, we would like to share the many ways visitors can still connect with us and be part of Tuolumne County.

Explore Tuolumne County at Home:

• Watch these movies and shows to take a trip back in time (for a full list go to Film Tuolumne County)
  • Back to the Future III
  • Petticoat Junction
  • Lassie
  • High Noon
  • Dodge City
• Check out Visit Tuolumne County’s YouTube Channel for videos on all visitors can explore in Tuolumne County from the comfort of their couch
• Go on a 360 tour of Columbia State Historic Park to step back into the era of gold panning and horse-drawn carriages
• Catch up on past articles from Visit Tuolumne County to learn more about what Tuolumne County has to offer and for future trip planning inspiration
• Learn more about the history of Tuolumne and Yosemite through podcasts like the five-part series Yosemite Voices

Engage with Visit Tuolumne County:

• We will continue to share scenic vistas and uplifting content around Tuolumne County with you via our social media channels.
• Engage with us and others by sharing and tagging your favorite parts of Tuolumne County.
• We will be posting activities, local recipes and art projects, you can do from home and ways you can continue to support the local community.
• Reach out on our social media channels with any questions or to share what you are excited to get back out and explore in Tuolumne

Get Involved with Tuolumne County:

Here are some ways to help support local businesses while they are either shut down or providing limited services:

• Leave local businesses a positive review on platforms like Yelp or TripAdvisor
• Order gift cards over the phone or online
• Reach out to individual local businesses to see what type of support is best for them during this unprecedented time

Businesses are also offering innovative ways visitors can continue to get involved and support, here are some current, as we are sure new ones will continue to pop up:

• InFocus Photography Competition and Sale has posted all of their 33rd annual pieces on their website that can be viewed here
• Inner Sanctum Cellars is offering a Virtual Tasting Tour so visitors can try and learn more about their locally made wine at home, and keep up to date on their latest videos and news on Inner Sanctum Cellars Basecamp’s Facebook

About Tuolumne County, California

Tuolumne County rhymes with “Follow Me,” located 133 miles/200 km east of San Francisco, is a pristine, scenic expanse reaching into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.   Gold was discovered in Tuolumne County in 1848, setting off the major gold rush of 1849.  The main highways leading to the picturesque drive from the San Francisco and East Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west and Highway 49 from the north.  The State Highway 120 entrance to Yosemite National Park is considered the “front door” of the park for the San Francisco Greater Bay Area. The Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park, and other surrounding areas provide natural vistas and settings for hiking, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting, camping, snowmobiling, boating, snow skiing, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Seven restored historic hotels, four golf courses, numerous and varied dining establishments, historic saloons, four wineries, and hard cider distillery, train rides, casinos, seven museums, two-state historic parks, two live theaters, many bed-and-breakfast inns, and a variety of Airbnb accommodations are among the many other attributes that make the county a year-round vacation destination. www.visittuolumne.com 

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Contact: Katie Kirkland, Communications and Tourism Manager, katie@gotuolumne.com, 209-533-4420