Sacramento:

California’s capital owes its existence in part to its role in the famous Gold Rush of 1848, after gold was discovered at nearby Sutter’s Mill. Today it is a modern city, just 88 miles northeast of San Francisco, that’s rich in history, the arts & culture, outdoor activities and nature’s bounty. In fact, it’s the self-proclaimed “America’s Farm to Fork Capital” with popular restaurants like The Farm and The Waterboy dishing up fresh fare from the region’s 1.5-million acres of farms and ranches. Water fun reigns here, too, with white water rafting, tubing, paddle boarding and swimming in the Sacramento and American Rivers that crisscross the city. Of course, you can tour the neoclassical State Capitol building, but it’s The Old Sacramento (Old-Sac) Waterfront that provides a true sense of the 1800s with more than 50 historically preserved buildings, shops, restaurants and attractions. Diverse museums, such as the California State Railroad Museum, Sutter’s Fort Historic State Park, Crocker Art Museum and California Automobile Museum draw hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors. Blessed with 230 days of sunshine, the city also plays host to numerous wide-ranging festivals celebrating food, music, film and more. Sacramento has a reputation as a “hipster” city, so it’s no wonder there’s an abundance of exceptional microbreweries and coffee houses!