El Dorado Hills Town Center: The Heart of the Community
Updated: Aug 16
For those new to El Dorado Hills, California, or are visiting for the first time, the El Dorado Hills Town Center should be on your list of places to go.
Located at the eastern edge of El Dorado County, Town Center offers locals and tourists a beautiful all-in-one location for shopping, dining, entertainment, and local events. You can shop for fashion, jewelry, and cosmetics or relax in cozy cafes.
Town Center is easy to find and offers plenty of parking. It was built to emulate a traditional downtown, including a main street for leisurely strolling, a lakeside dining area, and quality accommodations. The Town Center buildings are unique architectural statements. A different architect designed each one to evoke a distinct feeling.
Town Center also has a fantastic history that many locals and visitors aren’t unaware of. While many believe Town Center is relatively new, its story began in the summer of 1979.
EDH Town Center History
El Dorado Hills Town Center was conceived in 1979 by Anthony “Tony” Mansour. Originally from Jerusalem, Palestine, Mr. Mansour came to the United States in 1958. He began a career in real estate after attending college in southern California and then formed The Mansour Company.
In June of 1979, Mr. Mansour was approached by a friend who wanted to know if he was interested in buying approximately eight thousand acres of land in the northern California foothills. Upon visiting the site for the first time, Anthony immediately fell in love with the area and wrote a check that day.
Mr. Mansour’s original vision for the land was to build a world-class, planned golf community. He spent the next decade working with local officials to develop the land. This included expanding the existing water and wastewater treatment plants, extending transmission lines, and bringing natural gas to the area.
In addition to the planned golf community, Mr. Mansour envisioned a downtown area for El Dorado Hills. Finally, in 1997, the EDH Town Center was officially born with the opening of two gas stations, a post office, and McDonald's.
In 2012, Mr. Mansour partnered with Kevin Nagle to further develop the Town Center project. Shortly afterward, Town Center became the official downtown of El Dorado Hills. It continues to grow and thrive each year.
Because Town Center was developed recently, it lacks the authentic charm of a place like Historic Nevada City.
El Dorado Hills Shopping, Dining, Bars, & Accommodations
El Dorado Hills Town Center offers many fun and unique shops for visitors to explore and browse. Local favorites include:
Face In A Book: A neighborhood bookstore that offers books on every subject for readers of all ages. They also host regular community events to increase the community’s connection and passion for reading. A great place for indulging the mind while taking a break from food and shopping.
Nugget Market: Nugget Markets are a northern California favorite with a dozen locations throughout the Bay Area and Greater Sacramento Area. This grocery store chain offers high-quality organic produce, freshly prepared foods, and artisan baked goods.
Selland's: A well-known local market and cafe with three locations in the Sacramento, CA, area.
Gold Country Run & Sport: An independent and locally owned business dedicated to local runners. Gold Country strives to promote and celebrate active and healthy lifestyles in the El Dorado Hills community.
Milestone Restaurant & Cocktail Bar: This is a brunch favorite for locals. People also like to belly up to the bar for a meal since the bartenders are known for being friendly and attentive.
Holiday Inn Express: This hotel is within walking distance of Town Center's stores and restaurants. In 2018, the hotel's then-owner invested $2 million to renovate its guest rooms and public areas.
E Spa Massage Therapy: This popular local spa offers deep tissue full body massages.
Beyond the local favorites, there’s something for just about everyone at Town Center. It’s always worth coming back now and again to see what’s new, whether it's the latest movies playing at the Regal El Dorado Hills & IMAX theater or a newly opened shoe store.
EDH Dining
Who doesn’t love a good meal? And at EDH Town Center, well over a dozen restaurants serve cuisine from all over the world, ideally suited to enjoy with friends and family, sharing updates on life's latest happenings.
There are American-style bistros, wood-fired pizza, and classic steakhouses for traditional continental dining. For those interested in international flavors, Town Center offers Thai, Japanese, Mongolian Barbeque, and Indian restaurants.
Diners looking for fresh and healthy options aren’t left wanting either. Many of Town Center’s restaurants offer vegetarian and vegan options as well.
If you want something sweet, you can’t go wrong with frozen yogurt or ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.
During the warm summer months, outdoor dining offers a delightful experience. Lakeside views are in high demand year-round, so it’s always a good idea to make a reservation whenever possible.
Town Center Events
Events are held at Town Center throughout the year. Locals and visitors alike can participate in various family-friendly events and activities.
A sampling of upcoming events includes:
Farmer’s Market: Held every Sunday on the eastern end of Town Center Blvd. It begins in mid-May and runs through the end of October. Hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM.
Art, Beer, & Wine Festival: Presented by the EDH Chamber of Commerce, the festival features over eighty artists and over twenty-five local wineries and craft breweries. Admission is free.
Thursday Night Concerts: The Thursday Night Concert Series is held in Town Center’s Steven Young Amphitheater for music fans. Concert nights start in mid-June and run through mid-September, where you can enjoy live music performances with friends while sipping on your favorite drink.
Fall and Winter are not left out either. Town Center holds an annual Halloween Spooktacular event on October 31st. Parents can bring their children by for Santa photos and carriage rides in November and December.
El Dorado Hills Community
Above all, the El Dorado Hills Town Center is for and about the community. The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce is located right in the heart of the Town Center.
Town Center continues to grow each year, but the focus on creating a rich, engaging, and friendly atmosphere is never forgotten.
As a part of the local community here in El Dorado Hills, we here at GoldKey Storage can’t say enough good things about having such an amazing destination right in our backyard. We may be a bit biased, but as we’ve grown our business, we’ve seen Town Center grow along with us.
For those interested in visiting EDH Town Center, it is located about twenty miles east of Sacramento. It’s easy to find and located a short distance off Highway 50.
Directions
From U.S. 50, take Exit 30 south onto Latrobe Road
Stay on Latrobe for a third of a mile.
Get into one of the two left lanes and take a left on Town Center Blvd.
