The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Exploration
Oa-hooooo!
Sneak a Peek of Hawaiian Life!
Can’t get away? Tour the island of Oahu without the jet lag (to the right). Catch some rays or a wave, shop Waikiki or wander inland, sightsee, snorkel or sail away. Oahu has vibrant city life, laid-back low-country charm, waterfalls, swimming spots, historic sites, surf towns, sunrises and ‘sets galore. Grab your flip flops and a Mai Tai, and dig those toes into the warm sand. {If you are planning a trip, Hawaiian Airlines has nonstop flights to and from Sacramento – FYI, Aloha and Mahalo}!
Open Roads Open Minds
When you set out on the open road, the open roads and fields and skies often become comfort to the soul and exhilaration for the spirit. Almost immediately, I begin to feel the pressures of life and confines of my mind melting away. Who I am – or want to be – becomes clearer as the stressors and structures of society begin to disintegrate. What I want and want to believe possible emerges upon the horizon’s glow, sparking the glistening pavement, the ancient trees, the wild wandering birds to sing, sway and move with me in some new and beckoning way.
But before I get too lost in my own reverie, new civilization sprouts before me, foreign lands birth people, and those creatures in turn speak to me in my thirsty native tongue… What they say stops me in my tracks.
“Cold Beer Here!”
Take Hwy 16 through Downtown Woodland and keep on heading west. You won’t regret it if you like blossoming trees, billowing grasslands, small farming towns and refreshment stands along the way. Don’t miss Roadtrip Bar & Grill in Capay for smoked meats and a game of horseshoes. If you like to explore times gone by, stop off at Junk, Funk & Finery Thrift Store in Esparto. But by all means, get back in the car and keep aiming for that gorgeous horizon, even if just to eventually return, a slightly renewed and refreshed you.
Stroll Through Time & Place
With this great mild summer weather, there’s hardly an excuse to not be outside. And I’ve got the perfect stroll and sightsee path for you! Just wear comfy shoes and some sunscreen, maybe a hat, definitely a camera.
Off the I-5 freeway and adjacent to Embassy Suites in Old Sacramento is a stretch of 10-hour parking spots. Grab one of those, pay the meter machine (cash or credit/ATM), and then decide which way to head first.
Let’s say you decide to cross the pedestrian-friendly overpass to find the Crocker Art Museum at 2nd & O. You could spend hours there if you choose – going forward and backward in time and traveling the world through art. And luckily there’s a café and plenty of casual seating to enjoy refreshments and downtime. From there, walk back toward your car (but don’t get in it). Just beyond the street is a railroad and then Promenade with unfettered river views. Stroll the wide tree-lined concrete path enjoying the scenery, people watching, and brushing up on your Sacramento bridge, boat and railroad history. From here, I suggest two options: Either go straight and swiftly end up in Old Sacramento for bountiful dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities…. Or head left across the Tower Bridge to Raley Field and end up in West Sacramento; See a River Cats game or concert there, or take a tour of the facility.
Traversing on foot in this manner, you’ll really get an intimate feeling of the lay of land and gain a better picture of past, present, and possibly even future.
Where to Stay: Embassy Suites, Delta King or Holiday Inn Capital Plaza
(Uh oh – I didn’t mention the shopping plaza nearby or eclectic K Street Mall, did I ?….)
Seeing is Feeling
Discovering...
What does it feel like to walk around an eerily empty nightclub alone or wander through a haunted historic ship? What does it feel like to look at things from the inside out or capture something unexpected?
Any kind of openness or exploration always breeds some kind of discovery – whether inner or outer.
Images – they’re sometimes more powerful than words.
And basic moments – always more poignant than we know.
A Little Exploration Goes a Long Way
Find Your Inspiration
Hop on a train and watch the world go by.
Get in your car and see where the day takes you.
All it takes is one small step to set your current existence on a new and exiting course…
Or at least refresh the old one.
May Madness: So Much to See & Do in Sac & Beyond!
If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?
FUN, of course~
OUTDOOR CONCERTS
Announcing the kick-off the 20th season of Friday Night Concerts in the Park.
May 6th and every Friday night, 5-9PM, through August 12.
Cesar Chavez Park, Downtown
http://www.SacFridayConcerts.com
ART & WINE AFFAIR
20 area wineries, artists, vendors, live entertainment.
Saturday & Sunday, May 7 & 8, 11-4PM
El Dorado Hills
916-802-6924, http://www.eldoradohillsartaffaire.com
PIXAR COLLECTION
Disney Fine Art by Collectors Editions presents the Pixar Collection worldwide debut — One Day Only!
Sunday, May 15, 11AM to 4PM
California State Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park
916-445-6645, http://www.csrmf.org
NATURE TOURS
Delta Eco-Tours – Take a short or long nature and cultural history tour of California’s best and most breathtaking locations along the Sacramento Delta.
Saturday, May 21, 2-hour History & Riparian Cruise
Saturday, May 28, 4-1/2 hour Tule Wilderness Adventure
Delta Ecotours/Hartland Nursery
13737 Grand Island Road (P.O. Box 439), Walnut Grove, CA 95690
(916) 775-4545, http://www.DeltaEcoTours.com
HISTORY TOURS
Gold Rush Legacy Tours and Old Sacramento Architectural Tours begin in May and go all summer long.
Saturdays & Sundays at 11AM
916-808-7059, http://www.historicoldsac.org
And for more ongoing, engaging and special events check out http://www.Sacramento365.com!
The Secret Life of Birds
Yolo Basin Trails - Davis, Yolo County, CA
California Duck Days, a wetlands festival in the heart of the Pacific Flyway, will be held on February 19th and 20th. A FREE gala reception and Wildlife Art Show will launch the festivities on Friday evening February 19th at the Davis Arts Center, from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
On Saturday February 20th the festival will feature one full day of field trips, workshops and other activities at the Yolo Wildlife Area Headquarters facility in South Davis. Field Trips include rice farming first-hand, central valley raptors and birding by bicycle. Workshops include duck calling, decoy painting and bat class.
•Workshops and onsite activities only: $20
•Workshops/onsite plus 1 field trip: $23
•Workshops/onsite plus 2 field trips: $25
[Children 16 and under are free when accompanied by an adult]
Sacramento’s Annual FREE MUSEUM Day is Here
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
Free Museum Day is just ’round the bend, this Saturday, February 6!
Free shuttle and all the art and culture you can handle in one day included.
Rain or shine. Expand your mind!
Old Sacramento – Take Another Look
Early Winter in Old Sacramento
No matter what you do – or don’t do – in Old Sacramento, there’s always something spectacular waiting up the cobblestone street, down the alley or ’round the bend.
There is something special about Sacramento; the rich land upon which it was built, the rivers that flow through, the bounty around it and the people who make the Sacramento area their home.
Life is good in California’s Capital City for many reasons, including climate and geography, community and amenities, nature and wildlife, and so much more. It’s hard to imagine a warmer feeling than a sunshine-drenched morning here, an easier feeling than a refreshing post-rain spring day, or a more engaging experience than a night on the town with friends or family.
There’s truly something here for everyone and every mood, for Sacramento is a shifting entity itself, with four distinct but relatively mild seasons, diverse neighborhoods and people, a ripening food and restaurant scene, year-round events and outdoor fun, and daytime and night-time adventures. Its magic is a blend of history and tradition, vision and reinvention. And there’s so much pleasure to be had here – with family and friends, food and wine, adventures and experiences – that they’re likely to create the kind of fond memories that might seem so familiar… but aren’t quite like any other.
