4 days in Sacramento in August. Ugh so hot. Not 4 days worth of stuff to do without a car. I wouldn't turn in the rental car.

As a tourist venue, Sacramento is a 1-day town (capitol, old town, train museum, Sutter's Fort). You could venture out of the city for your other days, but as Suzie said, for that you would need a car.

(capitol, old town, train museum, Sutter's Fort)
Fixed

Heehee just my opinion having been there on school trips. I look around and think What is the fuss all about? Ok 5 minutes, go early because it's super hot on a spring day. No shade,middle of town, right next to a huge Med center - Sutter.

More interesting is the Indian Museum on the same site.

Suzie, I should have qualified my statement -- those are the things most tourists would do --- I was bored silly on that same school trip! Frankly, old town doesn't thrill me either.

Sacramento actually is more than a 1 day town - our friend sf7307 is jaded because she lives near San Francisco

The Crocker museum is amazing and worth at least 2 or 3 hours (plus lunch in its cafe). The State Railroad museum takes a minimum of 2 hours - and twice that if you take one of the short excursion train rides.

If by any chance you happen to be in town on the second Saturday of the month the entire midtown section is one huge evening art/food celebration. Every gallery (there are MANY) and restaurant has special events/menus/etc.

You can take light rail out to Folsom for a day trip. The goldrush era Sutter street historic district plus an outlet mall makes for a full day.

There is a wonderful dining scene - w/ probably 50+ excellent restaurants between K street downtown and all of mid-town.

There are lots of good hotels but fewer Marriotts. As for Marriotts inside the city -- there is a Courtyard but it isn't in a great location.

The ONLY one I would book is the Residence Inn @ 1121 15th Street. A terrific location right in the center of things.

janisj, I live IN San Francisco now!

(Note that even with everything Janis mentioned, it adds up to 2 days and one evening, and that includes outlet mall shopping )

Those plus the Capitol, the American River Parkway (30 miles of hiking/biking trails/nature reserve), Old Sacramento-we are up to three days

oops--missed the >>and one evening, << bit. Actually it is easy to fill weeks of evenings. The dining scene in Sacramento has exploded and we really are a foodie haven/heaven (honest!)

There are MANY more places to enjoy at night than typical daytime sightseeing. (which is a good thing in August)

If you keep a car, you can head out of town a little ways. The foothills, wine tasting, explore the Delta. Do I hear a Fodorite GTG? Lots more possibilities with a car, otherwise a day or two is plenty.

I vote with keeping the car and heading out of town.

The "locals" missed the Leyland Stanford Mansion and the old Governors mansion. I believe that Jerry's father was the last to occupy that mansion for a full term. The Reagan family spent a few months there.
Are you arriving in SAC by train or are you flying into SMF?
You can get from the airport to downtown Sacramento on the YOLO bus and rent a car downtown when you want it.
What is your destination on the Zephyr?

I've been there 10-12 times, have relatives nearby and my late husband had to travel there on business a lot. We stayed at least 3 times at a Residence Inn in Natomas or maybe South Natomas, very nice with free full breakfast and light snacks M-THU. The actual Marriott is in nearby Rancho Cordoba (or was).

I liked visiting the wineries in Amador County and around Placerville. We also visited Gold Country for several days one winter, really nice, would be better in summer cause lots of stuff was closed in January, like panning for gold and stage coach rides at Colombia Park, also really liked Nevada City.

Thanks janisj, the Residence was heading my list as it seems the most central - will we be able to catch buses to the places you mention?
Thanks to everyone else who has added to the list of possibilities. I have copied and pasted suggestions into a file.

I am confident that we will be able to fill our 4 days in the city. There is also the serendipity factor, chance encounters with people who have interesting things to say, stories to tell - a feature of all of our previous trips to the States.

tomfuller, we are flying into SFO [we land on the 2nd Saturday in August janisj, but we might catch the dessert!], renting a car and, as I guess you can tell from my original post, dumping it at Sacramento airport as soon as we can. The purpose of my post was to test the wisdom of this and I am getting the feeling that, with a little planning and some local knowledge, we can do this. We are going all the way in the Zephyr, Tom. We have driven coast to coast previously and this time someone else can drive!

So, based at the Residence, how will we do?

I like MichelleY's suggestion of a Fodor GTG.

There is also the California Automobile Museum near Old Sac on Front Street

I would probably drive from San Francisco to Placerville (historic gold town) on Hwy 50 then make my way back to Sacramento to turn the car in. That way you can see some of the El Dorado wineries and the gold country.

You will find lots of people with interesting things to say in downtown Sacramento. You should keep the car and explore the outer areas of the region, especially if you spend 4 days. I think you will enjoy your time more if you do. Let us know your plans if you are interested in a GTG.

If you can figure a way by public transit to get from SFO with luggage to EMY you can ride one of the many Capitol Corridor trains to Sacramento. Baggage storage is available at the station or you can check a bag all the way to Chicago.
Old Sacramento and the California Railroad Museum are within walking distance of the Amtrak station even though they now unload a little father from the station.
Both the inside and grounds of the Capitol are worth seeing.
Enjoy the Glenwood Canyon. You will be going through SLC in darkness and won't see much there.
If you ever wanted to see Aspen, this would be the time to see it by getting off in Glenwood Springs. RFTA bus has a good service from GSC to Aspen (41 miles).

GTG? Sorry but I’m out of the loop on these text abbreviations – it’s an age thing. I only recently discovered that LOL does not mean “Lots of love”. Imaging texting “Sorry to learn your cat was run over. LOL!” [I didn't, that's a joke!]
Vineyards: We have been to these in Napa & Sonoma valleys, Virginia, France, New Zealand and even the UK. Unless a local winery is making something unique out of, say kitten’s tears, we’ll pass on this.
Similarly with gold rush towns. We have been into mines in Silverton CO, Columbia CA, and Birmingham UK. We have explored Bodie CA. It really is the capital city of California that we want to explore. Internal transport advice [from the Residence] would be most welcomed.

GTG means "get together". In other words we (Fodorites) would all meet for lunch or dinner.

I do not use the bus in Sacramento as I live nearby. However the Sacramento Regional Transportation's website is : http://www.sacrt.com/

Another idea is that in August our local triple A baseball team (they are the farm team for the Oakland A's) will be playing at Raley's Field next to Old Sac.

There is a light rail system in and around Sacramento for the places you don't want to walk to. http://www.sacrt.com/lightrail.stm
There are a couple of places in the city to rent a car without going to the airport.
My favorite HI Hostel is a Victorian mansion at the corner of 10th & H Streets across from City Hall. The River City suite has it's own bathroom. All the other private rooms and dorms have a bath down the hall. The kitchen and dining room are great places to meet new people.

Minor league baseball is a hoot! Just be sure you go to a night game because it will be HOT in August during the day.

I don't know anything about public transportation in Sacramento, so this may or may not be easy to get to, but we happened upon a really good Thai restaurant in a strip mall near Arco Arena. We've been a couple of times (on the way from SF to Lake Tahoe) and it's been very good both times.

http://www.bangkokgardencuisine.com/

If you stay at the Residence Inn you will be at 15th St. between K and L and really shouldn't need to use public transport much if at all.

You will be right at the NE corner of Capitol Park (honestly a 1 min walk), walking distance to almost all of downtown and mid-town, 11 blocks straight down K street to Old Sacramento and the waterfront, and about 12-13 blocks to the Crocker. Less than 2 blocks from the Community Center theatre if there are any shows/concerts that interest you, and the same from the Memorial Auditorium.

There is very good bus service in the central city (all explained on the Regional Transit website)and there are light rail stations on K St that will take you out to Folsom if you run out of thing to do in the city.

If the River Cats Baseball team is playing at home while you are here definitely go to a game. The stadium is just across the river from Old Sac. You can walk or take shuttle buses.Most of their games are at night so wouldn't conflict w/ other sightseeing and the experience/stadium are terrific.

I dare say you've seen more of CA than a lot of folks who post advice on here

(No need to go out to Natomas for good food -- and the public transport out there is pitiful)

GTG sounds good, Monday 12th August for lunch? How does this work?

Thanks again everyone, for all the help. I'm sure that we will eventually be able to produce a trip report with which to convince even those sceptical posters that Sacramento is more than a 2-day city!

>>GTG sounds good, Monday 12th August for lunch? How does this work?<<

A bit closer to the date - maybe starting in June-ish start a thread here (and maybe one in the Lounge forum too) and we locals can post restaurant recommendations/count noses etc.

It is really easy (Fodorites are always up for GTGs ) No telling how many will be able to attend due to work/vacation schedules - but usually some/several can make it.

You can also head out on Light Rail to Folsom and take in the old Town feel there (Sutter Street stop). The old part was recently redone and is very nice. Additionally there is a light rail stop at the Folsom Outlet shops at Iron Point Way.

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=27
http://www.historicfolsom.org/


Folsom has Second Saturday April to Sept where art and outdoor activites are on display.
http://www.historicfolsom.org/gallery_2ndSaturday.cfm

The Wells Fargo Pavilion will have The King & I until August 11th:

http://www.californiamusicaltheatre.com/index.cfm?page=428076

I second Janis's suggestion on that particular Residence Inn. We go up to Sacramento every March for a lawyer meeting I go to and that's where we stay. Reasonable price for a really nice room with buffet breakfast included. We always take the shuttle in from the airport and either walk or use public transportation. There's a bus across the street that goes over to the train station and old town, although it's a pleasant walk (maybe 25 minutes, slow pace?).

We've done the GTG with the Sacramento folk a couple of times and they are the BEST OF FODORS -- always a good time, with good food, friendly folk. In the summer of 2006, we had a car, but that was because we were doing a road trip to Oregon, and we got tickets (thanks, Michelle!) to see the River Cats game -- what fun that was!

Aside from great food, cool pubs (one right around the corner from the hotel!) and historical beauty, I highly recommend the Railroad Museum -- it's done up similarly to the Castle Museum in York if you've ever been, with real artifacts in a made up village -- in this case, an entire state -- California, and how the railroad was built, along with a number of the old passenger trains with dining cars, sleepers, etc. -- especially memorable for people like me who, as a kid, took the Super Chief across country.

Someone say GTG in Sacto

Bacon and Butter isn't too far from your hotel...I've been told the food there is good.

We got the Res Inn several times on P'line and as our buddy Surfergirl and the others have said, is very nice and great location.

If you go to a Rivercats' game, I'd advise sitting on the 3rd base side since some summer night sunsets can be brutal on the 1st base side.

Kal, make sure to give me a call!?

Color me embarrassed....still.

Ah, kal made the scene! We're up 1st weekend in March. Husband will be going to Beerfest while I work on legislation, but are free Sat. Evening if anyone has any interest.

2nd and 3rd? I'll check with my Social Secty.

Janis, thanks for all the help. I'll try nearer the time to organise an August GTG.

I see from your profile that your next trip includes London. If that is up to date, can I return the favour and suggest a visit to our city's latest tallest building, The Shard. We went to the viewing gallery yesterday and it is the next best thing to a helicopter flight. At around 1000 feet it is not the Sears, but you look out over Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral and a host of other London landmarks. Book in advance & print your ticket on line to save yourself £5 [$7-50?] and even on a dull day you will be astounded.

If you are heading this way I can suggest other London treats that the guidebooks probably ignore - The Foundling museum, Postman's Park, etc. Let me know.

roger_cook: Thanks for the offer. The Shard was on my checklist - would love to hear more. This time I'm staying in St Katharine's Marina so will be walking distance from the Shard.

I'm probably one of few Sacramentans who has been to both the Foundling Museum and Postman park

I lived in the UK for several years and go back often. This trip I'm taking my cousin who has not been so we'll likely be doing more 'first-timer' things. Probably the farthest off the beaten path will be the Geffrye. Cousin is afraid of heights but has said she thinks she can manage the Eye. I haven't broken the Shard to her yet

In the next few weeks I'm going to post a thread over on the Europe board re a possible London GTG.

<<<Cousin is afraid of heights but has said she thinks she can manage the Eye. >>>

Janis, I'm afraid of heights too, but I managed the Eye on more than one occasion. Actually, it's not height I'm afraid of, it's being suspended in mid-air at a height (I'm not afraid of hiking up a steep mountain trail, but I don't want to look over the side, likewise, I don't really like chairlifts). Anyway, tell her not to stand too close to the windows at first - she can gradually move closer as she gets more comfortable..

sf7307: I've done the drill - told her all of that and she thinks/hopes she's ready I've been on the Eye 5 or 6 times - once w/ a friend who is terrified if heights. He can't ride in glass elevators, even ones indoors. And his wife has it even worse. But he was bound and determined to get photos and I told him he could sit on the central bench (knowing that wouldn't last long and he'd end up by the windows).

He ended up LOVING it and tried to talk his wife to go back up w/ him. No dice . . .

Because the Shard tapers to the top, you do not get the same "On the edge" sensation that you can experience with vertical windows, even with your nose pressed to the glass! Viewed from the Shard, the Eye looks like a toy.

Have you ridden the cable car across the Thames from the O2?

Janis: London GTG sounds good. I'll look out for your posting.

I have put a photo taken from the top of the Shard onto my profile site. You can just see St Katherine's.