Getting around Placerville means choosing between driving, local buses and walking, depending on where you’re headed. The city centre and Fountain and Tallman Soda Factory Museum are each about a 4-minute drive from this two-star hotel in Placerville.
- City centre: about 42 minutes on foot or 4 minutes by car from the hotel.
- Local bus: El Dorado Transit Route 20 serves Placerville on weekdays.
- Downtown parking: one free, continuous two-hour period per day; longer parking is available in City lots.
- Airport drive: Sacramento International Airport is about 60 minutes by car from the hotel.
Distances and the Shape of Placerville
Placerville’s city centre and the Fountain and Tallman Soda Factory Museum are close by car, but the walk takes longer. The city centre is about 4 minutes by car or 42 minutes on foot from the hotel; the museum has the same travel times.
That difference can help you decide how to spend a day downtown: drive when time is tight, or walk if you’ve planned for the longer trip. For a closer look at the area’s main street, read what to know about Placerville’s historic Main Street.
Driving and Parking
Downtown Placerville has a free two-hour parking period, but longer stays require a City lot with a meter. The City describes the free period as continuous and limited to one period per day: moving your car does not restart it, and you can’t split it into separate stays.
On-street spaces and the Town Hall Parking Lot are limited to two free hours. In other City facilities, including the Center Street parking structure, the first two hours are free, followed by a charge of $2.00 per hour, up to $16.00 per day.
The small Center Street lot across from City Hall has both permit spaces and two-hour free parking; that free period cannot be extended.
Parking enforcement hours are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. Pay stations accept cash and credit cards, and you can add time at any City lot pay station.
They’re located at each end of the first and second floors of the parking structure and in each lot except Town Hall and the small Center Street lot.
If you need a longer-term space, monthly leased parking costs $50, subject to availability, in several lots. Assigned premium spaces on the second floor of the Center Street parking structure cost $70 per month and are limited.
For parking-lot maintenance reports, the City’s Public Works Division gives Town Hall’s address as 549 Main Street and its phone number as (530) 642-5232.
Local Transit and Regional Connections
El Dorado Transit connects Placerville with local destinations and nearby communities, with weekday service on Route 20 and additional routes for regional trips. Route 20 runs around the city Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 7:25 PM and connects with other El Dorado Transit routes at the Placerville Station Transfer Center.
Weekday local routes include 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60; Route 25 runs on Saturdays. The network links Placerville with communities including Pollock Pines, Camino, Diamond Springs, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs, El Dorado Hills and Folsom.
Sacramento commuter routes run Monday through Friday, with a Placerville pickup at Ray Lawyer Drive Park and Ride among stops between El Dorado County and downtown Sacramento.
For a pickup at an El Dorado Transit request stop, call (530) 642-5383, option 2, at least one hour before the scheduled time. The Mosquito Road Park and Ride offers free all-day parking.
Buses between there and Old City Hall run hourly on weekdays from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, with Saturday service toward Old City Hall from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Drive times from the hotel are about 60 minutes to Sacramento International Airport, 58 minutes to Sacramento Executive Airport, 77 minutes to Sacramento Mather Airport and 103 minutes to Beale Air Force Base. For details on the longer airport trip, see how to get from Sacramento International Airport to Placerville.
Walking Downtown
Walking from the hotel to Placerville city centre takes about 42 minutes, so allow for that time if you plan to leave the car behind. The Fountain and Tallman Soda Factory Museum is also about a 42-minute walk from the hotel. Both destinations take about 4 minutes to reach by car.
For a downtown visit, you can combine time on Main Street with the museum, keeping the longer walk in mind when planning your return. If you drive instead, check the two-hour parking limit before settling in for a longer stop.
Planning Rides to Nearby Attractions
For attractions outside the centre, plan around the local bus network or arrange a car ride. El Dorado Transit serves several nearby communities, while El Dorado County identifies El Dorado Taxi, Lyft and Uber as taxi services for Placerville Airport.
Apple Hill is a nearby destination people often plan as a separate trip from town; how to plan an Apple Hill visit from Placerville is a useful starting point. For a trip by transit, confirm the route and operating details with El Dorado Transit before setting out.
Schedules, parking rules and charges can change. Check the official site before you go, using El Dorado Transit for bus information and the City of Placerville for parking details.
FAQs
Does Placerville have local public transit?
Yes. El Dorado Transit Route 20 serves the city on weekdays, and other local routes connect Placerville with nearby communities.
How long does it take to walk from the hotel to downtown?
The walk from the hotel to Placerville city centre takes about 42 minutes.
How long can you park for free downtown?
The City allows one continuous free two-hour parking period per day. Longer stays require a City lot with a meter.
Is there a free park-and-ride lot in Placerville?
Yes. Mosquito Road Park and Ride has free all-day parking, with El Dorado Transit buses to Old City Hall on weekdays and Saturdays.