Nevada County Open Studios Tour: A Free Way to Preview Living Here

If you have been thinking about a move, the Nevada County Open Studios Tour is the best free way I know to see what daily life here actually feels like. It runs on four days this October: Saturdays and Sundays, October 10, 11, 17, and 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It costs nothing, and you do not need a ticket.

I have lived in Nevada County for over 40 years, and I send nearly every out-of-town buyer to this tour before we ever talk about offers. You get a real look at the back roads, the neighborhoods, and the people, without a sales pitch.

What the Nevada County Open Studios Tour Actually Is

The tour is centered at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley. On average more than 200 artists open their studios to visitors, and the studios are spread across western Nevada County, from in-town spaces to private properties out in the country.

Before you head out, there is a Preview Exhibition at the Granucci Gallery at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main Street in Grass Valley. It shows one work from each participating artist and runs October 2 through 30. That makes it an easy first stop for picking your route. The Center also offers an interactive map online so you can plan your days.

Why I Call It a Test Drive for Moving to Nevada County

A tour map is really a driving tour of the county. Plan a route and you will pass through places most visitors never see. Here is what I tell my buyers to pay attention to:

• The roads. Are you comfortable on a narrow, winding road in the fall? Would you drive it in a winter storm? Better to find out now than after closing.
• The lots. Notice how homes sit on the land, how far neighbors are from each other, and how much defensible space people keep around their houses.
• The distances. Time yourself from a studio out in the country back to downtown Grass Valley or Nevada City for groceries and dinner.
• The people. Artists here are happy to talk. Ask them what they love about their town and what they wish they had known before they moved.

If you would rather see the towns first, I wrote about a few favorites in my Nevada City hidden gems post. And if you want the big picture, my page on living in Nevada County covers the everyday side.

What the Numbers Say If You Fall in Love

Every fall I get the same question after the tour: "What would a house actually cost me?" Here is what my Metrolist MLS data shows for July 2026, the most recent month I have pulled:

• Nevada County overall: 396 active listings, an average sale price of $607,801, and homes selling in about 38 days on average. That is down from about 87 days a year earlier.
• Grass Valley: an average sale price of $610,271, with homes averaging 76 days on the market and 74 active listings.
• Nevada City: an average sale price of $699,243, with homes averaging 74 days on the market.

Those are averages, and they move around with the mix of homes that sell, so please do not treat them as a price for any one house. What they tell me is that there is real inventory to look at right now, and buyers have time to make a careful decision. If you are curious about a specific town, my Grass Valley homes for sale page is a good place to start, or browse everything on the Nevada County homes for sale page.

How to Get the Most Out of the Tour If You Are Relocating

A few simple things make the weekends more useful:

• Visit the Preview Exhibition first and mark the artists you want to meet.
• Pick one weekend for Grass Valley and Nevada City, and one for the country studios.
• Bring a notebook. Jot down which areas felt like home and which felt too remote.
• Stop by a local cafe between studios. You learn a lot about a town from its coffee shop on a Saturday morning.
• Check the tour map for current studio locations before you go, since participating artists change from year to year.

Buying a home is a big decision, and it is much easier when you have walked around the place first. I take care of people, and part of that is being straight with you: this tour will not tell you everything, but it will tell you whether you want to keep looking.

Ready to Talk After the Tour?

If you're thinking about buying or selling in Nevada County, I'd love to help. With 20+ years of experience and 200+ homes sold across Grass Valley, Nevada City, Lake of the Pines, and the surrounding Sierra Foothills, I know this market well. Reach out at (530) 489-4892 or visit sierrafoothillsrealestate.com/contact. I'm always happy to talk.