Sacramento Travel Guide, California

Situated 90 miles East of San Francisco and 383 miles North of Los Angeles, in the flatlands of the Central Valley, Sacramento is the capital of California, a state with 33 million residents. It was founded in 1849, and is the oldest incorporated city in California.

Surely it would be a mistake to miss visiting Sacramento, such a fascinating, historic and friendly city, full of history and excitement of the Gold Rush years. Sacramento's history rested on a few pioneers and Indians for until gold was found nearby in the 1840's. Within weeks, Sacramento and the entire area became the busiest and most bustling part of the entire nation as thousands came west get rich in the great Gold Rush. We can still see the influence this period had on the town. It made the city grew from a tiny settlement into the capital of California, yet it has remained a beautiful destination celebrated for its wonderful scenery and blooming flowers.

Sacramento is a city of contrast, beautifully blending the old and new with sleek steel and glass towers, flashy office buildings and hotel complexes, but also with tree-shaded streets lined with elegant and impressive Victorian homes.

Sacramento offers spectacular, sweeping views of the river meandering down to the Delta (locals fondly refer to their town as "River City") and of large parks replete with flower gardens, memorial statuary, and curious squirrels. The city of Sacramento has more than 120 parks. The most popular is William Land Park, site of the Sacramento Zoo. Visitors are invited to enjoy these views and combine them with some of the tourist activities: spending the day walking through Old Sacramento, floating down the American River, or cycling the shady paths along the Sacramento and American rivers, jogging, fishing and rafting.

Sacramento's most visible attractions are the capitol building and the museums that allow visitors to participate in the Gold Rush culture, panning for gold in the river or seeing how the early forty-niners lived. But if you’re more like a sports person check out ARCO Arena which is home of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association and the Sacramento Monarchs of the Women's National Basketball Association.

Sacramento is also a wonderful destination for families as it’s abundant in children’s attractions. There is The Discovery Museum that has is a replica of Sacramento as it was in 1854, then there’s The State Indian Museum that has a great deal to teach children about Sacramento's earliest residents. Your children will not get bored of the old Gold Rush exhibits and the stories they have to tell.

For the ones that have passed their childhood, downtown offers a bountiful array of attractions and activities. There is a world-class comedy club, a live theatre, elegant restaurants, candy stores, costume shops, pubs and bookstores, but the focal point of is the Downtown Plaza, an open-air mall that features a movie theater department stores, specialty clothing stores and entertain shoppers with strolling musicians, jugglers, acrobats and mimes.

The culinary spectrum here is vast; it serves up local cuisine as well as traditional dishes from across the globe. Besides first class food, restaurants offer sweeping views of the river.

From children to the adventure seeker and those who want to take in all the major museums and attractions, this city has something for everyone.

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• 33rd Street Bistro
  travel tip by lizzy_a posted more then 30 days ago
  Serving extremely delicious food in an eclectic, fusion-like cuisine, the 33rd Street Bistro is a local favorite. Being almost always full, it shows the place's popularity. That is why you have to call ahead for reservations. The...
• The Firehouse
  travel tip by windykaty posted more then 30 days ago
  Located in downtown Sacramento, in the Old City, The Firehouse bistro is a beautiful, elegant restaurant remodeled from a former fire station. Their exquisite cuisine combats with the places' charm and elegance, providing the diner...
• La Bonne Soupe Cafe
  travel tip by travelller posted more then 30 days ago
  Though it is a really small place with a long line always at its entrance, the wait sooo worth it, because you will never find a place where watching the chef making the sandwiches in front of you can be so entertaining. La Bonne Soupe...

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