Visiting Sacramento for 4 months
 

Any suggestions on where to rent a 2 bedroom house, outside of city with 4 year old child? <BR>In other words, where is the best area to live near Sacramento? <BR>We are staying for a short time but might extend if we like the quality of life there.

No idea, but while you're out there you should make it a point to visit two very cute towns that are about 40-45 minutes or so outside of Sacramento: Grass Valley and Nevada City. These are old gold mining towns in a beautiful area near the Yuba River in the foothills of the Sierras. You can tour the old Empire gold mine and see what life was like around the turn of the century. There is also good hiking in this area. It is very different topography from Sacramento because it is higher, at an elevation of about 2000 feet, so it's a little cooler. I thought those two towns were absolutely charming. Interesting antique stores, restaurants, etc.

You might want to consider living in the city. The Land Park area is the best that Sacramento has to offer. For a young child it is really a good area - parks, zoo, small amazement park for kids 2-5. McKindley Park is another nice area.

Hello, We've lived in the Rocklin/Roseville (So. Placer County)area for 30+ yrs..it's about 10-15 miles out of downtown Sac and have been pleased w/ the "somewhat planned" growth and still a hi quality of life. "Clean" industry..Hewlett Packard/NEC/Oracle/HBFuller/Albertson's <BR>etc. We do have a terrible traffic prob into Sac on I-80, like any other big city. I'd suggest looking for local real estate websites and Roseville and Rocklin's websites..both cities have great park and rec programs for kids and some of the finest adult rec programs with new facilities. A few Silicon Valley businesses are transferring up here due to a higher quality of life....Good luck

Blum, avoid Sacramento and its immediate suburbs altogether -- there ARE no nice neighborhoods in town any more. Most are now infested with gangs and crime -- the graffiti will alert you right away. Stay in Folsom or Rocklin, or ideally even higher up in the foothills on either highway 50 or 80 (Grass Valley and Nevada City are very nice). People who can afford to do so are building their houses in those directions and there's a reason for it! DO NOT stay in Land Park, whatever you do!! Major high crime area. Go to the U.S. Census Bureau's site and look at the statisical information (crime, percentage of college-educated residents, etc...) for all the above-mentioned areas and see for yourself.

i realize this post is over a year old, but needed to respond, in case others are reading it. i think the previous assessment of sac is way off. i've lived here most of my life, and travelled to many parts of the u.s. and sacramento is definitely a safe and wonderful place to live and becoming mroe so. land park and east sac are beautiful and safe. the reason, one might not live there is that housing prices have increased dramatically. I live in midtown and feel comfortable walking by myself even at night. The reason housing is developing out in folsom and rocklin is a bad case of urban flight for really no reason - oh housing is slightly cheaper maybe. As with any other city there are neighborhoods to avoid but sacramento as a whole is a great place especially for a family.

Like Sac native I'm surprised at sacresident's post. Quite alarmist. The reason for urban flight has alot to do with the sacto schools though. Ugh! <BR>If school attendance is not an issue, both Land Park and McKinley Park areas are nice and then there is always the Fab Forties!

Hi there. I would like to tell you about a cute little area outside of Sac. and if you don't mind driving approx. 30 - 45 minutes to work, I think the area is great. I'm talking about Vacaville, off Hwy 80. It has good schools, small amount of crime, great housing prices, pretty environment and pretty parks, close to Lake Beryessa (sp?) which is lots of fun on weekends. Still close enough to work in Sac and close enough to enjoy all that Sac and S.F. have to offer. Lots of luck to you.

I have to speak up for the City of Davis. I shy away from the greater Sacramento area, but feel Davis is a great place to live while being only 20 minutes away from Sacramento.