Jackson is the county seat of Amador County in California's Gold Country, a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento. The main street has antique shops and a 19th-century feel. The Amador County Museum, housed in a period home, covers the region's mining history, and the Kennedy Gold Mine on the edge of town was once the deepest gold mine in North America.
East of town, Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park preserves a large outcrop of bedrock mortars used by Mi-Wuk people — one of the finest examples in North America. Nearby Sutter Creek is worth a stop for its historic buildings and antique shops. The Shenandoah Valley wine region, a short drive away, has grown considerably and produces good Zinfandel.