Sacramento and the Gold Country Places

Sacramento

Driving 87 mi northeast of San Francisco (I-80 to Highway 99 or I-5) brings you to the Golden State's seat of government and to echoes of the gold-rush days. Wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages on cobblestone streets lend a 19th-century feel to Old Sacramento, a 28-acre district along the Sacramento River waterfront. The museums at the north end hold artifacts of state and national significance, and historic buildings house shops and restaurants. River cruises and train rides are fun family diversions for an hour or two.

The midtown area, just east of downtown between 15th Street and the Capital City Freeway, contains many of the city's best restaurants and trendy boutiques. Midtown is a vibrant mix of genteel Victorian edifices, ultramodern lofts, and—slowed when the recession hit—a rapidly growing number of innovative restaurants and cozy wine bars. It really springs to life the second Saturday evening of every month, when art galleries hold open houses and the sidewalks are packed, though lately the scene's been more rowdy than arty. A couple of intersections are lively most evenings when the weather's good; they include the corner of 20th and L streets in what's known as Lavender Heights, the center of the city's gay and lesbian community. Overall, midtown is a safe and interesting place to explore, and is the city's most interesting neighborhood.

Downtown, pedestrian-only K Street Mall has for years struggled to gain momentum but cannot shrug off a persistent homeless problem and a scattering of boarded-up storefronts. Sacramento's mayor, former Phoenix Suns guard Kevin Johnson, was viewed as development-friendly when elected in November 2008. Progress since then has been undetectable, and in late 2011, K Street was reopened to vehicular traffic.

Call the Old Sacramento Events Hotline (916/558-3912) for information about living-history re-creations and merchant hours.