This One-Of-A-Kind Interactive Attraction In Southern California Will Take You Back In Time
By Natasha Kayes|Published June 20, 2023
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
The California Gold Rush is an important and intriguing part of this state’s history. There are remnants of that period all over Southern California, from abandoned mines and ghost towns to museums and landmarks. There are amusement parks, rides, and attractions with a “Gold Rush” theme, with efforts to relive that adventurous era. There is one family-friendly adventure in Big Bear Lake, CA, that really stands out among them, and we think you just might want to visit.
Gold Rush Mining Company is located in Big Bear Lake, not far from one of the most productive claims from the gold rush in Southern California. This is one of SoCal’s most unique, interactive, and immersive adventures that lets families experience the thrill of mining and treasure hunting - and take home some real treasure!
This is the only place in Big Bear Lake where you can pan for real gold just the way early pioneers did - gold that has been hand-gathered from actual claims in a gold mining district. Choose from three sizes of “pay dirt” to pan through. You can even take a gold-panning adventure home!
Adults and children of any age can also enjoy panning for themed treasures like minerals, crystals, fossils, and real gemstones. Fans of the Minecraft game will love excavating minerals, crystals, and other materials related to the game from a cave!
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Learn how geodes, which look like ordinary rocks on the outside, are formed over millions of years and crack one open for yourself to discover the incredible crystals hidden inside.
To safely crack your stone, you will either use a special pirate ship wheel, accompanied by Captain Bones and his parrot, or the Kraken’s arm - both specially created for fracturing geodes.
Choose your oyster, crack it open with special equipment, and remove the pearls from the inner membrane. You can even purchase a necklace to wear your pearls home and you will clean the inside of the oyster to keep the shell as a souvenir.
The property has lots of other fun adventures and things to explore, like the Gold Rush Mining Company’s little ghost town, where you can take photos in the tiny jail or see which size coffin fits at the Undertaker.
Pay a visit to The Pay Dirt Cemetery where “Folks are just dying to get in…” with its comical graves and headstones, like Billion Dollar Dave whose grave is covered with “gold nuggets.”
You could probably spend the entire day in the mine-inspired gift shop, full of endless treasures. You can even have your found gems cut for you and turned into jewelry.
Get ready to experience the gold rush days in the Old West. Did you know this family-friendly adventure was here in Big Bear Lake? We would love to know what you think! Find out all about the activities in this one place by visiting the Gold Rush Mining Company website, or following Gold Rush Mining Adventures on Facebook. If you would like to do some treasure-hunting, you could not ask for anything better than a day trip to Big Bear Lake.
