12 Best Things to Do in Lincoln, California

By VI Staff on June 19, 2020 - Updated

City of Lincoln, Local Government

Located in Placer County, Lincoln is a small city that is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area with a charming downtown area that is packed with an array of restaurants, cafés, and entertainment. Boasting a rich history that dates back to the mid-1800s when Spanish explorers settled in the area and the gold rush followed, Lincoln has a variety of exciting attractions that tell the story of this important Californian town. Enjoy a game of golf at the par 72, 18-hole Turkey Creek Golf Club in the foothills of Sacramento; sample some of the Sacramento Valley’s finest wines at the award-winning Wise Villa Winery; take to the skies for an exhilarating skydiving experience with Skydive Sacramento; or tuck into Awful Annie’s famous Grandma’s Bread Pudding with Brandy Sauce. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

1.Turkey Creek Golf Club

Turkey Creek Golf Club in Lincoln is a par 72, 18-hole golf course that offers a challenging game surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes. Designed by Bran Bell, the course is the newest championship course in the foothills of Sacramento and boasts three distinct environmental signatures, namely rolling oaks woodlands, a rugged quarry area, and an area that resembles Germany's, Black Forest. These natural landscapes are home to a wealth of fauna and flora, including deer, turkey, and plenty of birds, and offer stunning scenic vistas throughout the course. The 18-hole, par-72, 6,929-yard golf course has a slope of 138 and offers a challenging course for tournaments and outings with access to practice facilities and professional tournament facilities, pro lessons and more.

1525 CA-193, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-434-9100

2.Thunder Valley Casino

Thunder Valley Casino Resort is luxurious hotel and casino owned by the United Auburn Indian Community that boasts a 275,000-square-foot facility with over 3,000 slot and video machines, 125 table, and a live poker room. The resort also features a 17-story luxury hotel with a large banquet and entertainment hall, 14 restaurants and bars, a large swimming pool with private cabanas and a poolside bar, and an exclusive day spa with sauna, whirlpool, steam room, and a health club. Thunder Valley Casino Resort is also renowned for hosting a variety of concerts and shows in the summertime in their outdoor amphitheater, which draws crowds from around the state.

1200 Athens Ave, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-408-7777

3.Wise Villa Winery

Nestled in the Sierra Foothills Wine Appellation of Placer County, Wise Villa Winery is a family-owned and operated winery estate vineyard, and Tuscan-style bistro. The award-winning winery produces over 20 different varietals and over 30 world-class wines, many of which have won Double Gold & Gold Medals in distinguished and reputable wine competitions. Wise Villa Winery follows organic and sustainable wine-making practices to produce wines that are gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Boasting an elegant European setting in the Foothills of the Sierras, the estate is also home to a modern wine tasting room and Tuscan-Style bistro and where visitors can sample some of the estate’s wines and enjoy delicious cuisine against a backdrop of enchanting scenery and breathtaking views of the Sacramento Valley. The winery also offers weekly winery tours, wine tasting by the glass and bottle and Friday night dinners with live music.

4200 Wise Rd, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-543-0323

4.GoatHouse Brewing Company

GoatHouse Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located just outside of downtown Lincoln, in the Sierra Foothills that produces delicious handcrafted organic beers and ales in a converted barn on a working farm. Embracing the farm-to-glass experience, GoatHouse Brewing Company uses ingredients grown on the farm such as hops, fresh fruit, and honey to produce distinct flavors of beers, including Fahrvergnugen, a light German Weiss, Blondage A Go-Go, a smooth blonde ale, Belgo Butta, an unfiltered Belgian Golden Ale made with fresh GoatHouse Cascade hops, and Tongue Tickler IPA, a fresh-hopped West Coast IPA. GoatHouse Brewing Company is open for visiting and tasting Thursdays through Sundays.

600 Wise Rd, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-740-9100

5.Lincoln Hills Golf Club

Lincoln Hills Golf Club is a 36-hole Billy Casper/Greg Nash-designed golf course near Sacramento that . has established itself as one of the greater Sacramento area’s finest golf facilities. Completed in 1999 with a second course added in 2005, the course features generous corridors, expansive manicured fairways, pockets of pine, oak and redwood trees, and glorious views over the rolling hills and natural wetlands typical to Placer County. Lincoln Hills Golf Club features a practice facility with more than eight acres of driving range and a separate area for chipping and putting and a beautiful clubhouse with a patio that overlooks the 18th green on the Orchard course.

1005 Sun City Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-543-9200

6.Skydive Sacramento

Skydive Sacramento is a family-owned USPA registered skydive training center that offers exhilarating skydiving experiences and training. Located at the Lincoln Regional Airport, just minutes from Roseville and a short drive from downtown Sacramento, Skydive Sacramento offers a variety of experiences for all levels of skydivers from beginners to advanced jumpers, as well as rigging services, coaching, training, and tandems. The center strictly adheres to FAA guidance to aircraft maintenance rules and has highly qualified instructors with over ten years of experience. Skydive Sacramento offers a variety of services and can accommodate large groups for special occasions, celebrations, and other functions.

1020 Airport Rd, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-434-7700

7.Ciotti Cellars

Ciotti Cellars is a small family-owned and operated production winery in Placer County that has been producing fine wines for generations. Committed to maintaining the time-honored family tradition of wine-making by carefully cultivating and selecting the highest quality of grapes to make premium handcrafted wine, Ciotti Cellars produces a range of small-batch wines that can be sampled in the tasting room, which is located right highway 65 on the Placer County Wine Trail and is open Friday to Sunday.

3285 Crosby Herold Rd, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-534-8780

8.HeliFlySchool

HeliFlySchool is a helicopter flight school based at the Lincoln Regional Airport that offers private and commercial helicopter training and sightseeing experiences. The school provides one-to-one training and personalized training at a relaxed pace to ensure that highest quality of guidance during both ground and air lessons. Instructors are highly trained with years of experience and take care of the individual needs of each student. In addition to helicopter training, HeliFlySchool also offers a selection of helicopter sightseeing tours with breathtaking bird's eye views of the Sacramento landscape and the surrounding countryside.

1404 Flightline Dr, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-587-3777

9.Awful Annie's

Awful Annie’s is a favorite breakfast and lunch spot in Lincoln that serves delicious homemade fare in a comfortable, relaxed setting. The family-owned and operated restaurant has been voted as having the best breakfast in Sacramento, serving traditional dishes such as pancakes and waffles, egg benedicts, scrambles and omelets, croissants and specials. Breakfast specials include Breakfast Burritos with scrambled eggs, chorizo, and cheese, Huevos Mexicana, Steak & Eggs, A Morning Mess, which is an inspirational concoction based on potatoes, cheese, and veggies, and The Biscuit Bowl of house biscuits layered with honey ham, cheese, and crunchy hash browns. Don’t leave without trying Awful Annie’s famous Grandma’s Bread Pudding with Brandy Sauce.

490 Lincoln Blvd. Lincoln, CA, Phone: 916-645-9766

10.High Steaks Steakhouse

Located in Thunder Valley Casino Resort, High Steaks Steakhouse is an upmarket steakhouse offering a fine dining experience in a refined stone-walled space with a patio for outdoor dining. The high-end restaurant serves the finest cuts of hand-cut, dry-aged prime beef and other meats, seared to perfection and served with unique side dishes such as the signature Chop Salad and Five-Cheese Macaroni. Other mouthwatering delights on the menu include the appetizer of bacon-wrapped shrimp with tobacco onions and pork and clam pan roast; The outstanding cuisine is accompanied by an award-winning wine selection featuring fine wines and notable vintners from around the world, handcrafted brews and imported spirits.

1200 Athens Ave, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-408-7777

11.Siino’s Pizza Pasta and Grill

Located in Lincoln Village at Twelve Bridges, Siino’s Pizza Pasta and Grill is a family-friendly Italian restaurant that serves a menu of traditional American-Italian fare from classic pasta and lasagna, wood-fired pizza prepared from house-recipe dough with handcrafted sauces, mouthwatering burgers or sandwiches, and delectable specialty items. The food is accompanied by an extensive selection of globally-inspired wines and locally hand-crafted brews, as well as sweet treats and mouthwatering desserts. Siino’s Pizza Pasta and Grill’s menu is available for dine-in, delivery, and take-out and they also provide catering service for special occasions.

815 Twelve Bridges Dr, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-543-0069

12.Orchid Thai Cuisine

Orchid Thai is a casual eatery in Lincoln Village at Twelve Bridges that serves traditional Thai cuisine and hosts live performances of Thai classical music. Open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week; the restaurant offers a menu of authentic Thai cuisine such as Pad Thai, Pad Se Ew, Pad Khee Mao (Drunken Noodle), Bamee Hang, and Tom Yum. In addition to excellent, freshly prepared and made-from-scratch food, the restaurant offers a comfortable atmosphere in which to dine and friendly, inviting service.

835 Twelve Bridges Dr, Lincoln, CA 95648, Phone: 916-543-9988