Welcome to Ione

Exciting high adventure opportunities for exploring, boating, camping, hiking, watersports, weekend retreats and more.


Ione Vacation Home Rentals - Amador Big Selection
Amador Adventure Tour Guides - Ione
Order Free Brochures Here - Over 100 Options

Amador County (Pop 38,500) bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within California Gold Country. There is a substantial wine-growing industry in the county. In 1848, Jose Maria Amador, with several Native Americans, established a successful gold mining camp near the present town of Amador City.

The area is famous for the mineral deposits and gold mines that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the 49ers, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.

Bishop Creekside Inn Best Western Vacation Resort Location: Downtown Jct - US-395 & US-6
This beautifully landscaped hotel with its charming bridge offers well-appointed rooms with cheery-wood furnishings and serene creek-side patios. Guests may also choose a fully-equipped kitchenette with upgraded amenities. The luxurious and richly furnished lobby with ranch style fireplace is an ideal place for relaxing and meeting new friends.

Hawaiian Island Getaway One of the most popular tourism destinations in the world is the Hawaiian Islands. Local attractions include touring royal palaces, miles of beautiful beaches and polynesian cultural entertainment venues.

Jackson Best Western
Hotel guests have easy access to the area's 15 wineries, the famous Kennedy Mine and the Amador County Museum. Guests of the Best Western Amador Inn have a choice of room styles including rooms with a fireplace.

Jackson Holiday Inn
Escape to Historic Jackson, California via the Scenic Highway 49. Visit Sutter Creek, Amador City and Drytown with an abundance of antique and specialty shops.

Calaveras Resort Hotels:
BW Cedar Inn Suites
Angels Inn Motel
The Heirloom Inn

Lake Amador Resort - Ione CA
For over 30 years, the Lockhart Family, of four generations, has been in the process of developing the finest fishing resort in the Western United States. Lake Amador Resort is located in the foothills of the Sierras and is famous for its special crossbred hard-fighting trout.

Jackson Best Western Suites
Hotel guests have easy access to the area's 15 wineries, the famous Kennedy Mine and the Amador County Museum. Guests of the Best Western Amador Inn have a choice of room styles including rooms with a fireplace. The hotel features an outdoor swimming pool, fitness room and a Denny's restaurant located on the premises. Whether touring one of the historic gold mines or visiting the local wineries, a friendly staff is ready to ensure a comfortable stay in Jackson, CA.

Preston Castle
Preston School of Industry
Palm Dr, Ione, CA 95640; 209-256-3623; School Website;
Castle Tours: 10AM-2PM 1st and 3rd Saturdays
One of the oldest and best-known reform schools in the United States, Preston School of Industry is housed in a beautiful century old brick building. The building would be the most significant example of Romanesque Revival architecture in the Mother Lode and includes 77 rooms on five floors.

Lake Amador Resort - Ione CA
7500 Lake Amador Dr, Ione, CA 95640; 209-274-4739; Resort Website;
California's Premier Fishing Destination
For over 30 years, the Lockhart Family, of four generations, has been in the process of developing the finest fishing resort in the Western United States. Lake Amador Resort is located in the foothills of the Sierras and is famous for its special crossbred hard-fighting trout. Anglers from all over the world now rave about the spectacular jumps and awesome fight that these unique fish exhibit. The peaceful adventure on the 400-acre, 13 1/2 miles of beautiful Lake Amador shoreline will keep anglers returning. Full hook-up RV sites and a 150 site campground, with showers and flush toilets, are nestled along the shoreline of Lake Amador available year round.

Lake Camanche Recreation - Ione CA
California Parks Company, 2000 Camanche Road Ione, CA 95640;
866-763-5121; Club Website;
Fishing tournaments, campground, watersports, boating marina, recreation and hiking trails.

Kennedy Gold Mine Tours - Jackson CA
The Kennedy Mine, famous for being one of the deepest gold mines in the world (at 5912 feet), demonstrates how gold changed an entire way of life in California. On the Kennedy Gold Mine surface tour, visitors see the mine office building where gold flakes were melted into large bricks to ship by Wells Fargo to San Francisco.

Preston Castle - Ione CA
One of the oldest and best-known reform schools in the United States, Preston School of Industry is housed in a beautiful century old brick building. The building would be the most significant example of Romanesque Revival architecture in the Mother Lode and includes 77 rooms on five floors.

Amador Big Trees State Park - Arnold CA
Giant Sierra Redwood Groves
This grove includes Discovery Tree, the first giant sierra redwood noted in California. The Park also houses two main campgrounds, picnic areas and hundreds of miles of established trails. Popular activities include cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking and bird-watching.

Mercer Caverns
Named for a gold prospector who discovered the caves around 1885 and filed a claim. The caverns have a large number of speleothems, stalactites, and stalagmites. Under the limestone calcite are a range of aragonite minerals that are pure CaCO3.

Popular Local Attractions
Highly recommended tourism venues in this area.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park - Arnold CA - Groves of giant sequoia redwood trees. Hiking trails, mountain biking, bird and wildlife habitat.
Stanislaus National Forest - outdoor recreation adventures

Day-Trip Adventures
Exiciting destinations less than two hours away:
Sonora CA - Sierra Foothill Gold Country - likeside and mountainside resorts.
Lake Tahoe CA - likefront and winter ski resorts.
Sacramento CA - State Capitol - Metropolitan Area
Stockton CA - Metropolitan Area
Modesto CA - Metropolitan Area

Amador Adventure Tours
Explore the Golden State - (Keyword: Amador)

Amador County Fair
Last weekend in July - Plymouth CA
Featuring live entertainment, demolition derby, livestock competition, and other events.

Volcano Theater
Popular live shows.

Related Links
Amador Arts Council

Amador Festivals, Faires & Shows
Local Special Events:

MainTour Las Vegas - Preview over 80 of the biggest and brightest resorts on the Strip and related special features for adventure, recreation, entertainment, wedding packages and other great attractions.

Amador Region Restaurants

Pizza Factory - 10 E Main St, Ione CA - Pizza Diner
Clark's Corner - 12 W Main St, Ione CA

Amador Region Catering Service
Amador Vintage Market - Dinner with Class.

Golf Courses
Castle Oaks Golf Club - 1000 Castle Oaks Dr, Ione CA - 18 hole course situated on the historic oak-studded Preston Farmlands and overlooked by Preston Castle, built in 1894,

Amador Sports & Recreation


Bear Valley Mountain Resort - Ebbetts Pass Highway - Wintersports, Groomed Nordic Trails, Alpine Ski Runs, Snowmobile Trails.
Ebbetts Pass SnoParks - Ebbetts Pass Highway - Two USNF SnoParks at the top of the Sierra Nevada with groomed nordic trail networks.

Amador Sports & Recreation


Sports & Athletics
Parks & Outdoor Recreation
Festival Guide - Sports Events
Regional Golf Courses

Amador Boy Scouts
Outdoor Recreational Adventure Activities for Youth:

Shopping Amador County
Amador Farmers Market - Weekly local outdoor markets

Amador Region Realtors
Main Street Brokers
Village Real Estate
All Power Brokers
Sierra Gold Realty
Sierra Gold Realty

GPS Gear - MainTour Pro-Shop Special
Popular for Runners, Boaters, Hikers, Bikers and Adventurers
Recent technology updates have made readily affordable for outdoor adventures a nifty item - the GPS Watch.

Ione Churches:

Catholic Church - Diocese
Cornerstone Church - 116 Church St, Ione CA