Making tracks for Sac
Though it has always been worth a visit, Sacramento is increasingly becoming a destination worth savoring. Its cultural offerings have blossomed. Add in a host of restaurants, art galleries and cool shopping areas, and you have a truly hip city, so much so that the state capital was recently named “the new Oakland” by travel website Thrillist.
Then there’s the fact that Sacramento is surprisingly green, with numerous parks and sidewalks shrouded by rows of century-old trees. According to a 2010 survey, Sacramento is No. 2 in the world among cities in the number of trees per capita, falling just short of Paris.
All this makes it more enjoyable to spend a day exploring the city’s waterfront, Downtown and Midtown areas, each of which offers a rich blend of old and new California.
And for those of us who dread the thought of having to drive up congested Interstate 80, there is an alternative: Amtrak will whisk you from the East Bay to the state capital in less than 90 minutes, for just $27 each way.
When you factor in fuel costs, parking, bridge tolls and being freed from the sheer hassle of driving, Amtrak is a good deal. More importantly, the view out the window is worth the fare alone. Seriously. The Capitol Corridor route diverges from Interstate 80, offering a different perspective on the region by inserting you right into the Central Valley landscape before your capital visit.