About this event
*UPDATE FOR GGC MEMBERS*
*WE WILL HAVE A LIVERMORE STARTING POINT FOR PEOPLE IN THE BAY AREA THAT ARE INTERESTED*
*OPTIONAL MEETUP 7:00 AM AT STARBUCKS, 1550 N VASCO RD, LIVERMORE – DEPARTING 7:15 AM FOR THE ELK GROVE START*
BMW CCA Halloween Driving Tour!
Hosted by Sacramento Valley and M Chapters
Sunday, October 25th, 2026
Join fellow members of the BMW Car Club of America Sacramento and M Chapters as we celebrate Halloween with a spirited driving tour of the Sierra Nevada foothills! Feel free to decorate yourself and your car for the occasion and we’ll be giving out prizes if you do!
• Contest for Best Costumes!
• Best Decorated Car Award!
• Lunch @ Historic Murphys Hotel
• Amazing Foothills Scenery
Elk Grove – Depart for Murphys
8:30 Check-in9:00am Departure
We begin the tour in Elk Grove, California, making our way east across the valley floor to historic Route 49, the Golden Chain Highway. We’ll head south and wind our way through historic towns including Drytown, Amador City, Sutter Creek, Jackson and Mokelumne Hill, before turning east towards Happy Valley and beginning our climb up exciting switchbacks as we wind our way over the mountain to Murphys.
Total Route: 100 Miles
Drive Time: 3 Hours (including 2 stops)
Murphys
12 noon – 3pm
We stop in Murphys for lunch and you’ll have plenty of time to explore the town, shop, and taste some of their amazing wine. We are planning a group lunch at the Historic Murphys Hotel, which is optional. If you decide not to join the group lunch, there are plenty of great restaurants to choose from.
Murphys, California, is a historic Gold Rush town in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County, known today as the "Queen of the Sierra" for its vibrant wine-tasting scene, preserved 19th-century architecture, and tree-lined Main Street.
Founded in July 1848 by Irish brothers John and Daniel Murphy, the town quickly grew into a massive mining camp after massive gold discoveries at Murphys Diggins. The town's prominent landmark, the Murphys Historic Hotel (opened in 1856), and hosted legendary figures like Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, and the notorious outlaw Black Bart.
Main Street features nearly two dozen family-owned wine-tasting rooms and local cellar doors, serving as the central hub for the Calaveras wine region. Visitors find upscale boutiques, art galleries, and diverse restaurants housed behind thick stone walls and iron shutters from the 1800s.
After Murphys – Optional, On Your Own
3pm – 7pm
For anyone who wants to keep driving, here’s a suggested route: from Murphys down old Highway 4 to the Copperopolis Town Square, then northwest on the backroads around New Hogan Lake and Camanche Reservoir to Highway 88 and into Lodi (about 80 miles / 2.5 hours). Lodi has plenty of great spots for appetizers and drinks to finish the day.
DISCLAIMER: This portion is optional and on your own. It is NOT part of the BMW CCA club event and is not organized or led by the Sacramento Valley or M Chapters. The official club event ends in Murphys at 3pm.
Event requirements
- All drivers must be BMW CCA members
- All drivers AND passengers must sign the waiver
- https://ews.bmwcca.org/sign/01m0w4v99313fxfffyt8t2xvtt
- ahead of the event. You must sign the waiver to get the route details.
- Any minors under 18 driving or riding along must contact Marc ahead of the event for additional waiver info
