Gem and Mineral Vacations for Rock Lovers and their Families

Most mines are seasonal. Be sure to check their websites for dates and times mines are open.

 

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COUNTRY STATE CITY WEBSITE WHAT to DO Notes of Interest
USA AR Murfreesboro Crater of Diamonds State Park One of the few places the public can dig for diamonds. Dress to get dirty, bring your own equipment or you can rent tools. Good luck!
USA CA Coalinga Benitoite Mine Search for one of the worlds rarest gems. Let me know if you have been!
USA CA Big Sur Jade Cove Trail Public hiking trail. No tools allowed and you can only take what you can carry.
USA MT Butte The World Museum of Mining Exhibits and underground mine tour Let me know if you have been!
USA MT Philipsburg Gem Moutain Sapphire Mine. Shift through sapphire ore looking for gems. Will also mail you a bag if you can't come to them. Let me know if you have been!
USA NC Franklin Mason's Ruby and Sapphire Mine Native dig for sapphires and rubies, or get an enriched bucket.
USA NC Little Switzerland Emerald Village Mine tour, gold and enriched bucket panning, dump pile to dig in and gift shop
USA NC Marion Linville Caverns Privately owned active limestone caverns open to the public
USA NC Midland Reed Gold Mine Exhibits and you can pan for gold. Kid friendly!
USA NC Spruce Pine NC Gem Fest Hunt for opals in big dump pile. Plan to camp out and do some hiking while you are there.
USA NV Virgin Valley Bonanza Opal Mine Ususally held the first weekend in August. Bring water and sunscreen. The fresh lemonade is awesome. Right off the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway with trails and waterfalls. Museum of NC Minerals is also close by and worth a visit.
USA NY Herkimer Herkimer Diamond Mines Mine for double terminated quartz that are bright and sparkle like diamonds.
USA TN Chattanooga Ruby Falls Deepest underground waterfall open to the public No rubies, it was named for the wife of the man who discovered the cave. Wear a sweater, it gets chilly down there!
USA VA Amelia Morefield Gem Mine Mine for amazonite and other minerals by dump pile digging and sluice.