When my family learned the Murphys was rated as one of the top ten coolest small towns to visit in California by Budget Travel Magazine, I knew we had to check it out. Just three hours east of the Bay Area, you’ll find Murphys nestled among a series of gold mining towns at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Murphys claims it is the “Queen of the Sierra,” and after visiting, I’d have to agree. My family makes the trek every year to enjoy the beauty and history of this little town.
Murphys’ historic and walkable Main Street takes you along Gold Rush-era buildings, endless shops, inviting restaurants, and more than 25 wine tasting rooms. Here were our favorite things to do:
Murphys is located on the stolen and occupied lands of the Central Sierra Miwok.
Before you go
- From the East Bay Area, drive Highway 4 east towards the mountains. The route takes about three hours depending on traffic.
- Leave the East Bay during naptime so your kiddos can sleep on the ride.
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Extra bags for shopping
- Stroller and/or baby carrier
- Cooler with snacks and water
- Scooter or bikes and helmets
- Pack layers—depending on the time of year, Murphys can be warm during the day but cooler in the mornings and evenings
Top 7 Things to do in Murphys on Main Street with your Kids
1. Visit the local Bookshop
This adorable bookstore may seem small, but it is just the right size for kids.
They have a dedicated kids’ book corner complete with comfy chairs for story time, a great selection of kids’ books, and a sale section (my personal favorite). We grabbed a few books and settled down to read them in front of the gas fireplace to determine which book was coming home with us.
While we were reading, I noticed it got very quiet inside the store and that we were suddenly the only customers! I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t notice that the staff had closed shop but didn’t ask us to leave. I apologized and they told us that we could stay and finish reading our books. Thanks, Books on Main!
2. Go Shopping for Unique Finds
This store has it all: outdoorsy gear, clothing, Murphys apparel, and much more.
I went shopping alone while my partner stayed with the kids outside. Our toddler and preschooler were too fascinated by the giant statue of a frog panning for gold right outside the storefront. They hugged him, asked him questions, talked to him, then hugged him some more.
Needless to say, we spent a lot of time with that frog statue…until I had to grab our toddler and carry her kicking and screaming to continue our Main Street stroll.
3. Bring Home a Toy or Stuffy
Packed full of fun toys in a tiny little building, the Murphys Village Toy Store is hard to miss.
I know, I know, we have a ton of toys at home, but there is some kind of giving spirit that comes over me while traveling – both because I want to help support the local economy and my kids are just so cute on trips – why not give them something small as a keepsake from our vacation?
Also, these new toys are often the things that keep our kids entertained at restaurants and the car ride home.
Even if short-lived, the time they are participating in self-directed play is priceless!!
4. Check Out the Playground
Murphys Community Park
Located off Main Street just past the historic Murphys Hotel, Murphys Community Park is a playground oasis in the middle of a bustling downtown.
The park has a separate structure for big and little kids, which was well-utilized by families on the weekend we visited.
The coolest part of the park was the river running through the west side, which had a small bridge connecting the park to a little tree-shaded trail. Bring scooters or bikes to ride around and a picnic to enjoy on the picnic tables near the gazebo.
Check out the bathrooms if you get a chance, too. Our kiddo’s sudden urge to go potty was temporarily derailed by the beautiful mosaic along the bathroom building wall.
5. Peek into Murphys' Historic Jail Cell
The Murphys Pokey, or jail cell, was built in 1915 and sits along the road from Main Street to Murphys Community Park. It is a small, standalone building that is easy to miss.
We stopped to peek into the Pokey in March, close to Saint Patrick’s Day and found it to be decorated for the season. Our kids found the skeleton inside all dressed in green and shamrocks to be particularly interesting.
My preschooler and her ever inquisitive mind asked a lot of questions about jails after our visit here, questions I was not prepared to answer.
If you’re planning on stopping by and have one of those curious kiddos, be prepared to answer questions about why jails exist and what happened to people here. Then tell me what you said…
6. Go Wine Tasting
There are over two dozen wine tasting rooms to explore along Main Street, and there seems to be something for everyone!
I visited a few of these wine tasting locations pre-kids, including Vina Moda wines and historic tasting room, which I loved. However, they’re a better fit for those able to sit quietly and enjoy wine, not rambunctious kids.
We did find a couple other family-friendly wineries in Murphys:
While walking with my family, I noticed Hovey Winery on Main Street offered wine tastings at picnic tables along the grassy front lawn of an adorable little home right on Main Street.
We loved the ambiance, but did not like the wine we ordered. Our palate might’ve been impacted by the giant ice cream we ate right before we sipped our glasses of wine. Whoops…
7. Try one of Main Street's Delicious Restaurants
Grounds Restaurant is a local favorite. We enjoyed lunch at Grounds after playing at the Community Park.
Our kids loved the burritos and quesadillas, while mama loved the sandwiches.
The restaurant has plenty of indoor seating, a large outdoor patio in a covered courtyard, and some sidewalk parklet seating in the front. We opted to eat in the side patio to stay away from the hustle and bustle of Main Street car and foot traffic.
You may not notice V’s Restaurant Bistro & Bar hidden down an alleyway next to Grounds Restaurant, but we definitely recommend seeking it out.
The restaurant has a welcoming patio dining area with trees, umbrellas, and a fountain, nestled in a central courtyard.
We ate brunch here twice because my daughter loved their waffles, and I loved the ambiance. Staff were welcoming and kind when our kids explored the outdoor space safely while waiting for their food.
We especially loved that the restaurant’s outdoor dining area is nestled between buildings and removed from the street!
8. Grab a Sweet Treat
You can’t miss JoMas Artisan Ice Cream on Main Street in downtown Murphys. It is the real deal: delicious handmade ice cream flavors in freshly made waffle cones.
Their flavors have the most adorable names. Black Bear-y, Just Peachy, Lemon Snappy, and Yuletide Cheer are just a few that passed the kid test, although that is not a hard test to pass when it comes to my kids.
Enjoy your cones on the chairs out front or while you stroll down Main Street.
Just don’t order wine right after (see above).
Located across from the Main Street Hotel, Aria Bakery offered the most delicious pastries, breads, and coffee.
We ordered a few cookies, a sourdough loaf, and a mini fruit tart.
After our trip to Columbia State Historic Park, my partner could not stop talking about the delicious handmade fruit jellies he devoured from Columbia Candy Kitchen.
He was so happy to find out that they had a second location in Murphy’s right off of Main Street. Lucky for him, we decided to grab brunch on Main Street on our way out of town, so he could stock up for the drive.
Grab some chocolates, candies, and a bag of the fruit jellies—you won’t be disappointed.
Walking down Main Street felt like walking back in time. I loved the historic buildings and Gold Rush era-style shops we visited, as well as the tasty snacks we found along the drag.
Although we met quite a few families of color along Main Street in Murphys, I noticed that most business owners and staff were white.
We were welcomed by everyone we met, even the local families we played with on the playground that were also all white.
Although we were not treated differently, I did wonder where all of the people of color were, or what activities my community like to do on Main Street in Murphys.
Have you been to Murphys? If so, please send me some recommendations of your favorite Main Street spots in the comments below.
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting Murphys with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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