The Crocker Art Museum is the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi River and is home to early American art, decorative Asian works, and other terrific pieces.

The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, Calif., in 1848 launched one of the greatest human migrations in history. By the tens of thousands, prospectors and pioneers rushed to California, seeking their fortunes along the banks of the American River and its tributaries. Sacramento quickly established itself as the principle supply center for the miners. In just two years, the city’s population exploded, growing from 1,000 to 40,000.

Today, approximately 460,000 people call the city of Sacramento home. However, the population of the greater metropolitan area, which consists of Sacramento and parts of Yolo, Placer, and El Dorado counties, is nearly 1.9 million.

Although the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) points out that there is still gold to be found in “them ‘thar hills,” these days, riches of another kind are shaping the city’s destiny. And its location couldn’t be much better — Sacramento offers a wealth of welcoming neighborhoods just 90 miles from San Francisco and Lake Tahoe and 50 miles from Napa.

Sacramento boasts more public park space per capita than anywhere else in the nation. Capitol Park is a lush example of the greenery the city provides.

Growing strong

The California Gold Rush is just one of many colorful chapters in the city’s history. In 1854, Sacramento was chosen to serve as the capital of California. In 1860, the town became the western terminus of the legendary Pony Express line. In 1869, Sacramento was firmly connected to the hopes and dreams of an expanding nation when the transcontinental railroad was completed.

Agricultural interests eventually came to the forefront in the fertile Sacramento Valley. Farming didn’t have the power to capture the nation’s imagination as the intrepid riders of the Pony Express had, but it did ensure the city’s prosperity. Today, Sacramento remains the transportation and marketing hub for a rich agricultural region.

In fact, the SCVB reports the value of the county’s agricultural production ranks among the nation’s top 100. And if you’re feeling a bit nutty, you’ll be happy to know the world’s largest almond processing plant, Blue Diamond, is in Sacramento. On a busy day during harvest season, more than 12 million pounds of almonds are delivered for processing from around the world. State government, as well as nearby military installations and the space and aviation industries, also contribute to the local economy.

Sacramento is the eighth-largest city in California and claims to be one of the state’s most affordable. In a region where the cost of living consistently tops the national average, that may not be saying much. According to Homefair, the average price of a three-bedroom home in Sacramento is $349,000, and a typical two-bedroom apartment rents for $900 a month. Compared to San Francisco, however, where the same house would sell for $900,000, Sacramento does seem like a bargain.

Sacramento’s architecture reminds residents of years gone by,
as the Crocker Art Museum shows.

Putting up a good front

From gold-rush era storefronts and art deco theaters to sleek modern office buildings and pedestrian-friendly shopping centers, Sacramento’s architectural legacy reflects its rich past and active community spirit. During the economic boom years of the 1980s, builders dramatically altered Sacramento’s skyline. The development that transformed a sleepy farm town into a dynamic, modern city continued in the 1990s with the redevelopment of the K Street Mall, a major shopping area served by light rail and open only to pedestrian traffic. Downtown Plaza, a two-story, open-air shopping and entertainment complex that anchors the mall, became the hub for a renewed downtown district.

The city is especially proud of the historic homes that lend many neighborhoods a charm seldom found in America’s inner cities. Victorian-era houses dominate the midtown district, a leafy area known for its concentration of trendy boutiques, restaurants, and nightclubs. The Williams Mansion, an 1885 Victorian showpiece with a grand mahogany staircase, stained-glass atrium, frescoed ceilings, and carved and tiled fireplaces, provides a convenient and gracious downtown home to the Sacramento International Hostel.

Fortunately, some of the city’s most impressive architecture is seen in buildings that are open and accessible to the public. The Crocker Art Museum was built in 1853 as a private residence. Today, it is the home of an impressive collection of early California paintings; master drawings; and East Asian decorative art, including Korean ceramics, Chinese textiles, Japanese armor and swords, and tea ware by such 20th-century masters as Hamada and Tatsuko Shimaoka.

The California Capitol is one of Sacramento’s jewels, as well as one of the largest restoration projects in American history. Six years and $68 million were invested to restore the Capitol to its original splendor. Free-guided tours highlight the Senate and Assembly chambers, along with the rotunda, hand-tiled hallways, and ornate stairways.

Old Sacramento transports visitors back to the 19th century
with its wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages.

Old Sacramento, a 28-acre riverfront district packed with museums and monuments, represents the largest concentration of historic buildings in California. Wooden sidewalks line the streets while horse-drawn carriages, Mississippi-style riverboats, and steam engine trains transport visitors to another era. Among the district’s highlights, the California State Railroad Museum boasts not only the most comprehensive collection of trains and related artifacts in North America but also a family-friendly atmosphere.

“Children will not be overwhelmed by this museum,” the SCVB insists, “but instead will get to climb aboard, listen to re-enactments, learn about how a steam engine works, and interact with the incredibly knowledgeable docents.”

The kid-friendly style extends next door to the Discovery Museum History Center, where exhibits trace the history of the Gold Rush and highlight the development of the local newspaper and agricultural industries.

Sacramento’s rivers offer plenty of wet activities, from relaxing fishing to exhilarating whitewater rafting.

A breath of fresh air

With two rambling rivers and 12 months of mild temperatures, Sacramento’s appeal can hardly be said to be a thing of the past. City boosters say Sacramento has more park space per capita than any other city in the nation and many more trees than people. Land Park, the city’s largest green space, and McKinley Park, a smaller more urban space with a duck pond, rose garden, and children’s playground, are two of the most popular parks. Nothing, however, can compare to the American River Parkway, a 26-mile greenbelt traced by a bicycle path leading from Old Sacramento to Folsom Lake that is dotted by athletic fields, swimming beaches, and other recreational facilities.

Above Folsom Lake, the American River tumbles out of the Sierra, offering an exciting variety of white-water rafting conditions. The South Fork offers some of the most popular introductory whitewater river conditions found anywhere in the western United States. Along the North Fork, however, a steep, narrow riverbed strewn with giant boulders creates four miles of intense class IV+ rapids.

The city’s “other” river, the Sacramento, slowly makes its way south toward San Francisco Bay, meandering through a surprising world of islands and sloughs punctuated by foggy scenes of bridges, quaint towns, fruit orchards, and historic farmhouses. The Sacramento River Delta is known as a fisherman’s haven where anglers troll for striped bass, blue gill, and black bass; during the spawning season, salmon and steelhead trout are also their for the catching.

The Sacramento River also has a bike path along part of its length. In fact, Sacramento is a self-proclaimed “cycle-crazy city,” boasting an abundance of on-street bike lanes and hundreds of miles of marked trails within the city limits.

Golf has also seemed to spark a passion among city residents. Thirty new courses have been built in the past 10 years, bringing the regional total to more than 100 courses. Quality has not been sacrificed for the sake of quantity, however. Sacramento is home to one of Golf Digest’s 75 Top Public Courses, as well as the work of leading course designer Robert Trent Jones II.

If you’d rather watch the action than be a part of it, the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings; the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Monarchs; and the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple-A minor league baseball team, won’t let you down.

Sacramento’s mild climate makes a trip to the ball field to see the Triple-A minor league River Cats all the more enjoyable.

A beautiful mix

In addition to its fabled history and refreshing recreational opportunities, Sacramento has a special place in its heart for the arts. The Crocker Art Museum, the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi River, is, undoubtedly, the city’s preeminent artistic showplace, but there are dozens of other places to enjoy the visual and performing arts.

Every month, some 20 galleries that are located primarily in the downtown and midtown areas stage opening-night receptions. Sacramento also boasts professional ballet and opera companies and a flourishing theater scene anchored by the Sacramento Theatre Company and the B Street Theater, which was founded by TV and film star Timothy Busfield and his brother Buck.

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership sums up the city’s appeal quite succinctly: “Home to countless retail services, entertainment, and cultural attractions just steps away from the Capitol, riverfront, and mass transit, downtown Sacramento exudes an unparalleled urban liveliness.”

The lack of flowery hyperbole in the description is appropriate because despite its colorful past, Sacramento maintains a certain simplicity. A strong record of growth is accompanied by a strong sense of community. At a time when urban sprawl and long commutes dominate the landscape in many of America’s leading cities, commercial and residential interests thrive, side by side, in many of Sacramento’s most charming neighborhoods. And, although panning for gold is now just a weekend hobby for area residents, the city continues to prosper.