Just wondering...Is Sacramento so dull that no one has any questions about it? Or, is it so well known that no one has any questions about it?

Not quite as dull as Rocklin, Jim :-)
Jeannette

Where is Sacramento?

Just want to say--my family LOVES Sacramento and everything about the Gold Rush that is so important in its history. We love visiting nearby Gold Rush cities like Placerville and Grass Valley as well. We live in So Cal, and every summer on the way to a Tahoe vacation we have tried to see a different part of the 49-er trail. We have now seen about 95% and have loved it all. The 4th graders in our local schools love visiting Sacramento and Coloma every year. Aside from the politicians, Sacramento is a fabulous city and way more family-friendly than SF.

Was brought up in Sacramento. Use to be a nice city. Now the downtown area has changed. I think most of the activities are outside in the suburbs. I left there in 1970. There are some very nice areas, especialy East Sacramento, the charm of what was is still there. Would not make a trip back unless it was necessary, not really much to see. Anyone going to sightsee could do it in a day or two at the most. Old town, the State Capitol Building, Sutters Fort, perhaps Land Park Zoo, that's about it.

"I think most of the activities are outside in the suburbs."

Not true. Things have really changed since you were here.
Of course, Sacramento cannot compete with San Francisco but there are lots of things to see if you give it a chance.
Jeannette

Sacramento is my favorite city in California. We like it better than San Francisco; it's more down-home and less touristy . . . and a lot less expensive.

There is Old Town Sacramento for starters and that is lots of fun. Then go downtown. You can walk through a tunner right under the freeway to get there. There are parks, restaurants, the capitol building surrounded by lovely gardens. Check out the rose garden! You can go out to Sutter's Fort and by all means visit the Catholic Cathedral. They have just refurbished it and it is amazing.

Take some time to walk through the restored residential areas surrounding the downtown. There are all sorts of cute little (and big) gingerbread houses and each little neighborhood has it's own set of stores and sidewalk cafes. You can visit a neighborhood a day and spend a week.

Get out of town and visit Gold Rush Country with Sutter Creek and Placerville among others. There is Marshall Gold Discovery State Park with a cute village and a beautiful river.

You are also in WINE country. You don't have to go to Napa to visit wineries. Visit your local AAA or check the Sacramento Visitors Bureau to get a map of the wineries in the Shenandoah Valley east of Sacramento. Our favorite is Villa Toscana where they have a terrific little restaurant and a very nice gift shop. They have a sister winery, Bella Piazza, that also has a tasting area and a nice gift shop. You can wander from winery to winery; people are friendly; traffic is light and the scenery is gorgeous with abundant wildlife. It's like Napa was 30 years ago!

Right in Sacramento there is a park along the river with a bike / walking path. You can take a train ride at the Train Museum in Old Town or take a ferry boat ride . . . or have dinner on a stationary paddleboat steamer.

No, Sacramento is not dull. There is even great shopping in the area and if you look around great food. They also have excellent public transportation and you feel safe downtown. You can't say that about many cities any more.

Come on out and visit.

Thank goodness this forum livend up Sacramento, because nothing else will.

yvr,
If you have not been in Sacramento since the 1970's, your opinion does not count :-)

sally,
What is really ironical is that so many tourists want to experience places that are not too touristy and where they can meet locals and yet, they all rush to Fisherman's Wharf or Alcatraz.
As you mentioned, Sacramento and its surroundings has a lot to offer. I saw a French documentary not too long ago where they actually recommended going to the Gold Country, especially Nevada City. I find that area of California fascinating.
Forget about the damn redwoods or even worse, Death Valley :-)
Jeannette

All of these responses have made me think maybe I need to head north and find Sacramento. I'm sorry -- I'm laughing -- too bad the original question wasn't asked by someone who wanted to know what to do in Sacramento. Can we find someone who is thinking of visiting Sac so we can forward these responses and they won't go to waste? :)

Hmmm Jeanette1, I think I said that I left there in born and raised there and left there in 1970, but I don't remember saying that I had not been back. In fact I am in Sacramento quite often, and as for your comment about an opinion not counting, so now we have someone on this board that beleives that censorship should raise its ugly head. I guess only your opinion counts, not just about Sacramento, but probably about everything that you think you know about.

Wouldn't call it dull. If you're a boring person maybe. I've been there once in a small place called "Hang Town".

Hang Town is what Placerville, California use to be called and it is east of Sacramento, not close to it, you would need a car to visit it. Interesting place, at least it was 30 yrs ago

Jeannette, You're right. I forgot about Nevada City. It is a great little Gold Rush town. I've actually painted a few pictures from photos I took in Nevada City. Picturesque would be descriptive. Thanks!

Sally,
You should put the Nevada City watercolors on your website. You have beautiful watercolors. My very favorite is the Roussillon painting.
Jeannette

Would you say that Sacramento is dirty? I have heard from friends that it sucks there, but others disagree...... I don't know what to think. I am considering college there.

No, Sacramento is not dirty.

Sacramento is not dirty. What an odd thing for someone to say. Any city has areas that are less than lovely, but on the whole, Sacramento is lovely.

We just returned from France and are spending a couple days in Sacramento. Sac State is a very good college an quite inexpensive. There is a lot to do in the area too. We just spent a lovely afternoon in the Apple Hill area visiting apple orchards, having a Bavarian lunch and doing wine tastings afterwards. We'll picnic in the Shenandoah Valley wine country tomorrow. If you can get a copy of the Northern California Sunset Magazine for October, there is a great article on Gold Rush Country that gives you a lot of things to do in the Sacramento area.

Wow, I posted this question in August and haven't been online since. Wasn't planning any trip....But came back because of a possible trip to Japan. Guess an idle question can cause quite a bit of discussion

As for myself, I don't find Sacramento dull at all. I think that a person could be busy every day and night here. Just need to look around a little and enjoy a variety of things.

. . . and there is the only French Film Festival west of the Mississippi every July in Sacramento! C'est la vie. 8^)

Hey, I didn't even know about the French Film Festival...Where have I been?

It gets bigger every year! Check it out.

http://sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org/