The Belong Summer Field Guide to El Dorado County
A choose-your-own-adventure through El Dorado County.
Summer might be our favorite season in Apple Hill.
This is when we start making frequent trips to check the vineyards, but before the crowds arrive for apple season. The orchards are bursting with the best peaches, nectarines, and pluots you’ll ever eat. Family farms are pouring wine and cider under shady pine trees. The South Fork American River is cool enough for an afternoon swim, and every back road seems to lead to another farm stand worth pulling over for.
For us, this is what summer is all about. Here is how we would spend a perfect day:
Stop One: Breakfast at Franquette
Every good road trip deserves a great breakfast.
Before heading into the foothills, stop at Franquette for coffee and one of the best quiches you'll find anywhere. Order it with the green goddess dressing then grab a pastry and coffee for the road.
Stop Two: Wine Tasting at Delfino Farms
If you're looking for one of the most family-friendly wineries in Apple Hill, Delfino Farms is always our first recommendation.
Set among rolling orchards in Camino, Delfino perfectly captures what we love about El Dorado County. It’s laidback, family owned and operated, and family friendly. The Delfino’s are some of the nicest people we’ve ever met. Enjoy a wine or cider tasting (reservations recommended), wander the grounds, meet the farm animals, explore the orchards, and burn off some energy before the next stop.
Be sure to grab a walkin’ pie from Joan's Apple Bakery, find a shady spot, and enjoy the slower pace that makes Apple Hill feel so special. Also, keep an eye out for their Folk on The Farm concert series! Other favorites - Lava Cap + Madroña
Stop Three: Goldbud Farms
This is our grapegrower’s HQ and where you will find the best mountain fruit you will ever enjoy.
For years, Goldbud Farms has been growing fruit that's become legendary. This isn't a u-pick orchard or a place to spend the afternoon. It's a quick stop with a big payoff. Pull over, stock up on whatever was picked that morning, and keep rolling. The peaches, nectarines, and pluots are outrageously good - sweet, fragrant, and still warm from the mountain sun. Buy more than you think you'll need, trust us.
Stop Four: Lunch
Option One: Timmy's Brown Bag + River Picnic
Come hungry. Timmy's Brown Bag is known for over-the-top, wildly inventive sandwiches that somehow always work. Pick your favorite, throw it in the cooler, and head for stop five on the river.
Option Two: Pine-O-Mine Ranch
Want to slow the day down even more? Head to Pine-O-Mine Ranch, where weekends are filled with live music, local food trucks, cider, and plenty of space to spread out under the trees.
Stop Five: Afternoon Adventure
Option One: Dave Moore Nature Area
If you like finding places that feel just a little off the beaten path, head to Dave Moore Nature Area.
A short walk leads you to the South Fork American River, where smooth granite boulders, cool water, and shady oak trees create the perfect place to unwind.
Bring water shoes, towels, and a sense of adventure. Let the kids hunt for tadpoles, collect interesting rocks, and keep an eye out for the tiny dinosaur figurines hidden along the trail, a whimsical little surprise that turns the walk into its own scavenger hunt.
Option Two: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
Looking for a little California history with your river day?
Spend the afternoon exploring Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, where gold was first discovered in 1848.
Walk through the historic buildings, learn about California's Gold Rush, then wander down to North Beach along the South Fork American River for a swim, a picnic, or an afternoon watching rafters float downstream. It's one of our favorite places to combine adventure, history, and a chance to cool off.
Optional Side Quest: Apple Cider Donuts
Our favorites:
Boa Vista, always open and closest to Goldbud Farms
Rainbow Orchards, but they’re only open in the fall!
Stop Six: Pick Up Dinner
One last detour. One really great pizza. Pizza Supreme Being is our favorite way to end an Apple Hill adventure and the easiest way to avoid cooking after a full day of exploring. Order ahead online and don’t forget a side of ranch. Once you're home, pop open a chilled bottle of ‘Sunshower’ Carbonic Red, gather everyone around the table, and finish the day with a few Goldbud peaches for dessert.
Apple Hill Hot Tips
Visit on a weekday if your schedule allows for fewer crowds and more time to chat with the farmers and winemakers.
Pack an adventure bag with swimsuits, towels, water shoes, sunscreen, and a picnic blanket.
Leave room for detours. Some of the best memories happen at the roadside farm stand you almost drove past.
Always get the donut. Some traditions are worth keeping.
Why We Keep Coming Back
The mountain fruit. The slower pace. The cool river after a hot afternoon.
Visits to El Dorado always remind us why we started Belong in the first place: to seek out beautiful places, support family farms, gather around good food and good wine, and make room for a little adventure. If you ask us, that's worth the drive every single time.