Leigh & Brian
Things to do while you're here
Old Sacramento
Riverfront restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, kitschy shops and hotels dot the landscape of Old Sacramento these days, but a lot of history has happened on them streets. Check out the website—there’s always something going on. Wander through and get a little taste of history.
Placer Wine and Beer Trail
On this website you can find great recommendations for local wineries and breweries!
Outdoor Fun
Hiking Adventures. Auburn Recreation Area. Outside of Auburn – deep canyon with the American River at the bottom. Tons of hiking trails throughout the canyon. This is probably the closest spot to get good hiking if you are coming from Roseville since you can get to the river confluence within 30 minutes. The confluence is of the Middle Fork American River and the North Fork American River and is surrounded by hiking trails. There is free parking along the highway that many people take advantage of or if you have a State Parks Pass (which I recommend getting) they have a designated parking area as well. Go down to the rivers. Sacramento has not one but two rivers surrounding it: the Sacramento and the American rivers. On a (warm) day, you’re likely to see boaters, water skiers, kayakers, fishermen and fisherwomen, and others out enjoying the waters.
Wineries & Distilleries
Closer and less crowded than Napa, nearby Placer, El Dorado and Amador counties—and the Lodi region—grow award-winning wines and offer wonderful wine-tasting opportunities. Pack a picnic and go for the day, or stay at a romantic wine country B&B. This is the place! For more info, log on to www.eldoradowines.org, www.amadorwine.com and www.lodiwine.com. Rock Hill Winery 2970 Del Mar Ave Loomis, CA 95650 (916)410-7105 Secret Ravine Winery 4390 Gold Trail Way Loomis, CA 95650 (916)652-6015 Secretravine.com Canto Ao Vinho 5250 Front St Rocklin, CA 95677 (916)824-2277 Canteaovinho.com Dry Diggings Distillery 5050 Robert J Matthews Pkwy El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 (530)313-4000 Drydiggingsdistillery.com Old Sugar Mill 35266 Willow Ave Clarksburg, CA 95612 (916)744-1616 Oldsugarmill.com
Browse the Crocker Art Museum
The museum has been around since 1885 but underwent a major expansion—unveiled Oct. 10, 2010, its 125th anniversary—which more than tripled its size. In addition to housing world-class art, the museum also hosts lectures, films, concerts and more.
Tour a mansion or two—and while you’re at it, a fort
The Governor's Mansion and Sutter’s Fort offer a wealth of history about the area. To whet your appetite: The Leland Stanford Mansion, the former home of the eighth governor of California (Leland Stanford), was built in 1856, was home to three governors in the 1860s, and later became the Stanford Home for Children. The Governor’s Mansion, built in 1877, housed 13 governors. (Current Gov. Brown never lived there but visited when Dad Edmund G. held the office.) Built in 1843, Sutter’s Fort, originally called “New Helvetia” (New Switzerland), has served as a trading post, a rehabilitation point for Donner Party survivors and a refugee camp for people displaced by the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.
Tour the Capitol
It’s architecturally stunning, rich with history and free to the public. The California State Capitol Museum is open daily, except for major holidays. Note: The museum and the Capitol are one and the same, so as you are walking the halls, you are right in the heart of California’s working seat of government. The Capitol is located on 10th Street between L and N streets, downtown Sacramento.