Day trips from Sacramento
 

My 19 year old niece and I will be in Sacramento in August for Evita at the Music Circus. We'll see three performances that week, in the evenings, so we can only take day trips. She has never been to CA and I don't mind driving an hour or two one way if we leave early in the morning and are back by showtime. What suggestions do you have for me?

Lake Tahoe is about a 2 hour drive if traffic on US 50 isn't jammed. Or, take I-80 up to Truckee, Donner Pass area.

Also, try Placerville and some of the Gold Rush towns along Highway 49.
Finally, explore some of the Delta area west and south of Sacramento. Historic places such as Locke are interesting for day visits.
Have fun!

A great quick trip for all ages is to River Ranch http://www.riverranchlodge.com/home Sit out on the patio, have lunch & watch the rafters coming in. Weather in August is warm to hot.

Maggi,

If ya'll are adventurous, you might want to raft the American River. It is about an 1 1/2 hours or so outside Sac. http://www.americanwhitewater.com/

You can visit Napa valley if you leave early. Could also do San Francisco but if it is during the week you would have to leave very early and start back by 3pm

Weather in Sacramento, the Sacramento Valley and the Delta is almost always in the triple digit tempertures in August and it looks like this year will be the same. It is very hot right now in the middle of May. 106 is predicated for tomorrow.

If you can't stand hot weather Maggi going to Lake Tahoe would be so much cooler.

I am not sure, are you only going to be in Sacramento for the days that you will go to Evita or will you have other days when you will not be going to the show? If so going to San Francisco on a day when you do not have Evita to attend would be best. I-80 gets very heavy commute traffic morning and afternoons.

The Gold Country as boom-boom suggested would be more relaxing I would think then driving to SF and back if you have Evita to attend in the evening.

Have a lovely time with your niece. I always remember the trip my aunt took me on when I was in HS..SF down to San Diego..beautiful and fun memories!

I would definitely reserve any trips to Tahoe, San Francisco and/or the Napa/Sonoma wine country for days you do not have to be back for the show. Otherwise you will be stuck in <u>horrible</u> afternoon/evening commute traffic on the drive back.

The Amador County wine area is much more accessible and closer to Sacramento. Spreading out w/i a few miles of Plymouth are MANY great wineries. But do be prepared for really hot weather. You might luck out w/ temps in the 90's - but it could be a lot higher.

Another option, the CA State Fair starts on Aug 15 so overlaps your dates by a couple of days. It is at CalExpo and very close to downtown/the Music Circus. Not a reason to make a special trip to Sac - but as long as you will already be there . . . . .

Old Sacramento is fun, maybe a ride on the riverboat there and lunch at Joe's Crab shack.

A drive to Nevada City is fun, funky shops, gold rush history, nice lunch places.

Also, I don't know where your niece is coming from, but our first time California guests all want to see the ocean. So, maybe a quick trip to San Francisco with lunch on Fisherman's Wharf, a draive across the Golden Gate or a boat trip to Alcatraz and then back to Sacramento. Or, Pt. Reyes National Seashore is incrediably beautiful and not that far of a drive.

Another interesting day trip is to the Empire Mine State Historic Park(www.empiremine.org), outside of Grass Valley in the Sierra foothills. It was not only a gold producing mine, but was the summer home of the Bourn family who owned Filoli Mansion in the Bay Area. A visit to Empire Mine and lunch in Nevada City would be a wonderful day trip.

Maggi, if you want something interesting IN Sacramento, check out Delta King website, you don't have to stay on that boat, just check if you can see a play, or attend a mystery dinner.

http://www.deltaking.com/

Also, there is an IMAX, but I never made it there.

http://www.imax.com/sacramento/

Luckily, the Music Circus is a casual dress venue, so you won't have to worry about dressing up before you go.

During the weekdays, if you head towards San Francisco around 9 a.m., you should miss most of the morning traffice. Coming back is harder. Anything after 3 p.m., and you're going to hit traffic at least once along the way. You could easily hit rush hour traffic heading out of SF and the bay area and then again as you come into Sacramento.

You don't mention how long you'll be in town. Are you only here for the three consecutive nights of the performance, or do you have a free night (maybe the shows are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights and you have Wednesday night free)? If you have a free night, I would suggest using that day for a trip to San Francisco. You could leave Sac around 9 a.m. and leave San Francisco after 7 p.m. that night. You'll miss the worst of the traffic both ways and get the most out of the city.

A few other places close by:

Folsom - you could picnic along the river, visit the Folsom Zoo (it's a small zoo dedicated to California wildlife and most of the animals have been rescued), visit Old Town Folsom (shops, restaurants and a museum).

Coloma - the town isn't much, but Sutter's Mill (sight of the gold discovery) is there. There's a nice historical park there.

Head south on Hwy 49 and visit the caverns. There's Black Chasm Cavern, California Cavern, and Moaning Cavern. At Moaning Cavern, you can rappel into the cavern, or ride the zipline outside.

Donner Pass - there's a museum about the Donner Party, a nice trail around the site, and then you can head down to Donner Lake - it's a very pretty little lake.

There are &quot;old towns&quot; (restored buildings with shops, restaurants and museums) in Sacramento, Auburn, Fair Oaks, as well as the aforementioned Folsom.

I'm taking copious notes from all of the wonderful answers so far. Keep 'em coming! We will be at the theater Wed, Fri and Sun so that gives us Thursday and Saturday to do longer excursions. I know it'll be really hot then :-(

Off topic: The reason we're coming is to see Eric Kunze in Evita, so the dates are not my choice. If anyone gets a chance to see him, he's phenominal. Check out his fansite:
www.erickunze.com

In that case, I would do San Francisco on one of those full days, and then maybe Point Reyes/Marin Headlands on the other.

Point Reyes will give you a great day out at the ocean, stop in one of the little markets along the way and pick up a lunch to eat on the beach, visit the lighthouse, drive up a bit along the coast, and then watch the sunset before driving back. It'd be a long day (sunset will be around 9 p.m.), but it'd be worth it.

Since your niece is only 19, Napa and/or Sonoma with the wineries probably won't be really worth it, and Lake Tahoe could easily be done in a shorter day since you won't be gambling.

Sheesh Mags...<i>what am I chopped livah</i>? :'(

We spent last weekend in Sutter Creek/Jackson on Hwy 49.

Drive down to Sutter Creek then go north on Hwy 49 (a bit of a dbl back) up to Placerville, Coloma, Auburn, maybe go East up I-80 to Colfax and take the back way to to Nevada City/Grass Valley then down 49 to Auburn again and ret to Sac on I 80?

You may also be interested in Sacto's Bst Theater?


Any time for a <i>gee tee gee</i>? :-/

Hi Maggi, in that you have Saturday as a free day personally that is the day I would chose to go to SF. You won't be having the Monday through Friday commute traffic. And if you go to SF I would suggest you stay in SF and have dinner and drive home afterwards. Take full advantage of being in SF and the drive back to Sacramento will be easier also. And the SF weather will be so much cooler then the Sacramento weather!

With your niece being 19 years of age I can't see how she would enjoy visiting wineries as she would not be able to have a sample of wine of course. So I wouldn't make a day of visiting wineries under the circumstances. But while you are out and about a winery here and there would be fun for you and not an &quot;overkill&quot; for your niece I would think.

Sorry Kal, I have to agree with LoveItaly. Driving around the foothills/wine country in AUGUST would be boring and hot. Especially for a 19 year old. SF would be more fun for her. Maybe even some shopping !!

Good luck,

MY

Hi there MichelleY..our summer has arrived hasn't it? Between a real painful back and our triple digit temperature I am hiding out at home with the a/c on..but I have to go to the store sometime today, sigh.

Maggi, I have never known anyone your niece's age that did not absolutely love SF! Well almost all people enjoy SF regardless of their age! I was just thinking my 17 year old grandson and I need to spend a couple of nights in SF as soon as school is out..we do that every year.

Sorry, JanisJ but I can't see a 19 year-old having a good time visiting wineries in Amador County or going to the state fair. Yawn....Can you tell I have two daughters?

Maggi, SF is a must. Do it on a day you don't have to be back to Sacramento for the Music Circus. Give yourselves enough time to visit specific places that interest you and dine in a special restaurant. She should ride a cable car and see the Golden Gate Bridge. If you can take the ferry to Sausalito and back, that would be fun. The views are spectacular.

After I posted that - I added an &quot;<i>oops - missed the 19 yo bit</i>&quot; but that post seems to have been eaten by the ether.

Anyway - The rest of my post stands. Tahoe and SF are great but NOT to be done on a day you need to be back by curtain (a misnomer since the Music Circus doesn't have a curtain - but you know what I mean). And the State Fair would be fun -- but only IF it isn't 107ºF that day.

Kal, how are you guys? Do you think it would be possible to finally meet? I didn't know you were close to Sac. I'd certainly be enthusiastic for a GTG. Let me know what you think! B St Theater might be a go, if it weren't for going three times that week already! But I would like to do a winery or two - I love wine!

Gosh, thanks for all the replies so far - you guys are great! Keep them coming - I still have two months to plan. Yes, I think SF is a must, just because she hasn't been there and everyone has to have that experience once in their lives. The suggestion of Saturday is probably what we'll do.

What are the chances of getting to see the governor if we tour the Capitol? I have a special connection to him since we were both born the same year and in the same town in Austria. I wrote an email, but don't hope for a reply.

Delta King and Old Sac look like something she might like - she's not picky and very sophisticated for her age. Rappelling in the canyon - Wow - she might like that, I'll have to check it out.

Don't stop now - thanks,
Maggi

The rappel into the cavern is really fun. You can get info on it at caverntours.com and click on Moaning Cavern. If only one of you wants to rappel down, the other can take the stairs down and get a photo of the other hanging out in space (it's a trippy feeling). Then you both go back up the stairs to go out.

The legislature normally is in recess from mid July through mid August and they all leave the city -- so the Gov. leaves too.

But - we have this silliness most years where they don't pass the budget as required by June 30 and are held over as long as needed to get he budget through both houses. This year will be even more contentious than usual. So it is <i>possible</i> they will still be around when you are here.

So keep trying to contact the Guv's office -- but it is likely he won't be in town when you are.

And if he and Maria are in town, we can give you suggestions re restaurants they often eat

Toedtoes, how did you know I would be planning to sit that one out :-) ? I'll be the photographer, thank you very much. Janisj, considering the heat, I wouldn't blame them for getting out of town in August. I hadn't thought of the legislature not being in session. I'll keep trying to contact him though. But restaurant suggestions are definitely in order. I've read about Moxie. Anything else?

Just a lucky guess Maggi! Seriously, I think going down the spiral staircase is worse than rappeling down. :-d

;;)
Well hellooooooo Maggi...
((E)) ((E)) ((E))

Did someone say <i>MOXIE'S</i>.
A Kal fave!

We just did Three Monkey's this past Sat night. Across the street from the Hardrock Cafe right at the Downtown Plaza.
We really liked it. Dreaming about the Kai's Homemade Bratz.=P~

I had a &quot;Black Mamba&quot; there...almost refreshing as a Mojito.
You have to ask the bartender, Johnny Mamba for his specialty.

We also stopped by Lucca's for a final final. The zuchini chips are very good with a Cab.

Hey toedy....hey jj.......hey MY
&gt;:D&lt;

TTess..you'd melt up here right now.

Rethinking....I too failed to see 19 yr old.
What about a trip up to Tahoe via Soda Springs on Old Hwy 40 and hit the Donner Lake over look and take the back way over to Squaw Valley.
In Squaw, take the tram up to High Camp. Beautiful!


And Betsy...if you are out there...we got the room without a closet AGAIN at the Sheraton!
:))

Kal!
Thanks! Lots of food for thought and planning. Looking forward to our visit!
Maggi

((Y))

Hi Maggi, I don't live in Sacramento but here is an article from the SF Chronicle's travel section yesterday regarding Sacramento which you might want to read. I thought of you and your niece when I read it.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...TRIJ10JUPH.DTL

hey, john -- register and then plaster the boards w' links to a sleazy website?? (Advertising is not allowed on here) [-X

How about going to SF on Saturday and staying overnight?

Thanks LoveItaly for the article, which I enjoyed reading. Shanghainese, I will have to think about an overnight in SF. I don't want to stray too long from Sac. Things are shaping up very nicely for the week and it looks like we will have a chance to meet up with some new and old friends there throughout our stay.

Kal - I was supposed to be up there last Friday and Saturday but canceled. When I saw the temps, I knew I didn't want to be in the Sacramento Valley, no how, no way! ((N))

Yeah, the temps don't stay low when Kal comes home, they rise :)

T2,
We &quot;walked&quot; from the Sheraton Grand lobby bar (yah gotta hydrate) down to 3 Monkeys after a brief cool down stop at McCormick Schmicks. ((B))((B))

If Marilyn's was open we may have had a 2nd pit stop but we gutted it out.

F2, :-@ X(