TUOLUMNE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA -- Northern California's Tuolumne (rhymes with Follow Me) County is perhaps best known as the "Gateway to Yosemite." While this grand daddy of American national parks is certainly a major attraction of the area, there is so much more to Tuolumne than Yosemite. Not to mention budget conscious travelers can save substantially by staying outside the park in Tuolumne County, and driving into Yosemite for day trips.

Take some time and explore this diverse area, you'll find pristine scenic vistas, mountain terrain perfect for year round sports like hiking, biking, skiing, snow boarding, golf, fishing and horseback riding. Along the way you'll find wineries, casinos, gold prospecting, historic hotels and charming B&Bs, fabulous dining, museums and much more.

Just 133 miles east of San Francisco, winter visitors can access Tuolumne County via route 120, which is open year round (the Tioga Pass over the Sierra is closed during the winter). While snow rarely falls at lower elevations, it is always advisable to carry chains in the mountains during the winter.

You can always find out the latest news on highway conditions by calling CALTRANS at 800-427-7623.

Learn more about visiting all the attractions in Tuolumne County by calling the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-446-1333 or 209-533-4420 or visit their website: www.tcvb.com.

Fun Things To Do In Tuolumne County

Note: Our picks are in no particular order, a higher list placement does not indicate quality, this list is too diverse to compare those apples to these oranges. Click the links below to read about these fabulous attractions and activities:

Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day and The Low Carb Restaurant Guide, and the co-author of US Citizenship for Dummies. To learn more about Cheri, click here.