Driving the Pacific Highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, many holidaymakers miss Sacramento, tucked away inland in the Central Valley.
In a nutshell
The little-known state capital of California was the supply point for the famous 19th-century Gold Rush, and back then it was a rowdy, bustling place. Today it's a young and vibrant city with a chic mix of old and new.
Along the riverfront, Old Sacramento has been resurrected through the restoration of the wharves, warehouses, stores and saloons, which are now atmospheric restaurants and shops. There's the California State Railroad Museum with some of those huge old trains with the 'cow-catcher' grills on the front, and on summer weekends you can take a 45-min ride along the river on the Central Pacific Railroad steam train.
The elegant State Capitol, where the state government still sits, has also been restored to its former glory. Take one of the hourly tours to get the most out of it. A recreation of the original settlement, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, is in the east of town. On summer weekends, volunteers get in costume and act out scenes from the Gold Rush days.
Eats & drinks
Being the state capital, Sacramento has 1,500 restaurants, with cuisine from all over the world. There are some particularly good Mexican and Chinese places. There are over 200 vineyards within an hour of Sacramento that offer FREE wine tasting.
Getting there
Sacramento is 103 miles (about a 2-hour drive) from San Francisco.