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Boredom results from practiced habitual avoidance. There is always something to do.
Sacramento
- Cooking Classes
- Old Town Sacramento
- Shops unlikely found anywhere else
- Entertainment
- Boat Excursions
- Train and Automobile Museums
- Numerous Bars
- Candy and Ice Cream in abundance
- Delta King River Boat
- Dining
- Hotel
- Capitol Building
- Christmas Tree
- Rose Garden
- 43rd Street Christmas Lights
- Previous Residence of Ronald Reagan
- Horse Drawn Hay Rides
- also Cinderella carriage for weddings and special occasions
- Self-Propelled Touring Bar
- Sacramento Zoo
- Sutter’s Fort Historic reenactment
- Boating
- Auto Racing
- Keto-friendly Restaurants
- Jack’s Urban Eats (map)
- Golden Corral buffet (map1) (map2)
- Stockton Ave caters to a wide variety of vegetable dishes
- Watt Ave does not have as many choices
- Chipotle – burrito bowls
- Westwind Drive-In Movies
- Expo Festival of Lights
- Escape Room (s)
- Virtual Reality Arcade
- Fox River Train – Christmas Theme (1 hour – $55 / person)
- B-Street Live Theatre
- Museums
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Do-It-Yourself Studios
- Cooking Classes (for the fun of it)
- Ceramics and Pottery
- Alpha Fired Arts – DIY
- Color Me Mine – Pottery Painting
- AR Works – art studio
- Maker Spaces – Tools for DIY Projects
- Painting
- Software Development
Sports
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- Play It Again Sports (map)- 2nd Hand Sports Equipment
- Large number of Bike Trails
- American River paved bike and walking trail (Folsom Lake to Sacramento – 32 miles along river)
- Beale’s Point State Park at Folsom Lake (high point of the trail)
- Nimbus Fish Hatchery – Salmon and Steelhead Fish Hatchery – Fish Ladder – Late October to December
- To find eateries and shops along the route, the trail is on the South side of the River
from Folsom Lake to River Bend Park, ride the bridge, and
continue on the North side of the River until Discovery Park near downtown Sacramento. - Getting to and from Old Town Sacramento from Bike Trail
- Nimbus Aqua Center
- Rent Kayaks and Paddle Boats for Nimbus Lake
- Rowing Classes
- Sacramento State Rowing Competition Training Center
- Windsurfing Classes
- Learn to Snorkel and SCUBA Diving
- Indoor Ski Diving
- Axe Throwing
- Paintball Activities Complex
- Bowling
- Horseback Riding on Trails
- Players Sports Pub & Grill (map1) (map2) – Games Room and Bar
- billiards, shuffle board (curling), basketball hoops, dart boards
- American River Raft Rental
- Skateboard Parks
- Raging Waters Waterpark
- Scandia Family Fun Center
- Golf Courses and Driving Ranges (many)
- The Gun Range (map) – indoor shooting range, gun rentals and classes
Towns Near Sacramento
- Roseville
- Folsom (15 miles NE on Hwy 50)
- Folsom Prison Museum
- Sea Quest Aquarium
- Cliff House Restaurant
- Old Town
-
The Game Getaway (play games all day long for $5, delicious beverages)
- Art Interests
- Christmas Decorations
- Paint & Draw Coffee House
- Wings Wall
-
- Placerville (Hang Town)
- Apple Hill Orchards (Busy July – October)
- Country Market Tent-style Merchants
- Kids Live-Horse Carousel
- Fresh Pies Baked to Order
- Nice Old Town to Walk Around
- Apple Hill Orchards (Busy July – October)
- Davis (West about 30 minutes)
- Fairfield
- Lodi (South)
- Tower Park Waterfront Grille
- Country Hawaiian Atmosphere
- Ducks always discussing… whatever ducks squawk about
- Panorama on River
- Karaoke (call ahead)
- Nice Downtown to Walk Around
- Old A&W Restaurant
- The birthplace of A&W is still in business
- Old A&W Restaurant
- Lodi Lake
- Beach and Picnic Park
- County Park kinda place
- Renting a Picnic Shelter
- Headwaters Kayak & SUP Rentals
- Beach and Picnic Park
- Tower Park Waterfront Grille
- Stockton (South and past Lodi)
- Bob’s at the Marina Cafe
- Nice outside atmosphere when a nice day
- Burgers and such
- Weber Point Events Center
- Bob’s at the Marina Cafe
- Rio Vista
- Just an old little town at the end of a picturesque river-side highway
- From Sacramento to Rio Vista
- Highway 160 weaves back and forth among islands
- The Point – Marina Restaurant
- Nice Place to eat along river
- Just an old little town at the end of a picturesque river-side highway
- Benecia (toward San Francisco)
- Nice harbor town
- Fishing Pier
- Lucca’s Restaurant
San Francisco
CAUTION: Leave car completely empty and doors unlocked, or your car will be vandalized.
Someone must stay with vehicle at all times if door locked and not parked in guarded parking lot.
Gangs of thieves break windows to get in trunk via pass-through; police do nothing.
- Exploratorium
- The Art of Brick, LEGO Art
- Presidio Park and Marina
- Ocean Organ
- Restaurants on Ocean
- Cliff House
- Beach Chalet
- Chinatown
- Mercantile Shops generally open M-F 9-5
- Restaurants open, but call ahead, some close at various times of the day
- A large number of Chinese Groceries, 7 days a week, some will be open, 8 am to 9 pm
- Union Square
- Cable Car to Pier 39
- Shops around Union Square
- Transportation options
- Pier 39
- Walking Tour on Alcatraz (walk East to Pier 34 to buy boat tickets)
- Flyer Thrill Zone 3D Arcade (advertised as 7D)
- Aquarium of the Bay
- Seafood
- Wax Museum
- Old Military Ship to tour
- Vintage Statuary Salvage
- NOT in, but near San Francisco, but worth a mention
- Always new items to explore
Highway 1
-
North on Hwy 1
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Three Vista Outlooks (someone must stay with car unless unlocked and empty)
- Sausalito
- East Side of Highway
- Golden Gate Outlook (inland side)
- Floating House Marina
- Bayside Cafe – on the doorstep to tour marinas
- nice inexpensive breakfast choice
- small convenience store next door
- free parking
- Bayside Cafe – on the doorstep to tour marinas
- The Garage Restaurant
- Fort Baker
- West Side of the Highway (last Exit before the bridge)
- Golden Gate Outlook (ocean side)
- Bay View Outlook
- Ocean View Outlook
- East Side of Highway
- Picturesque Winding Road on cliffs looking over the Pacific Ocean
- Beautiful, but the driver can’t see anything due to driving on a winding road
- Stinson Beach
- Nice hidden beaches require climbing down steep trails
- Be aware, clothing optional
- not much in town
- Nice hidden beaches require climbing down steep trails
- Can drive hundreds of miles North
- Redwood Forest
- Cliffs and Outcroppings
- Towns dimpled along the way
- Eventually, a Large Expanse where there is nothing but nature
- Research potential road closings before you go
- Fill your gas tank at half a tank (always check for the next available gas station and hours of operation)
- Take warm clothing, a raincoat, food, and water
- likely windy conditions make umbrellas ineffective
- Golden Gate Bridge
-
South on Hwy 1
- Ocean front drive, not too curvy
- Very expensive hotels along this route, must go inland to find affordable hotels
- Most towns are notable because of their beach
- Santa Cruz (nice town)
- Marina Boardwalk
- Restaurants and Shops
- Paved bike trails
- Marina Boardwalk
Northeast from Sacramento (Scenic Forested Drive)
- Chester via Hwy 70
- Check for Road Closures, great bike ride with no cars when the road is closed
- Alternate route by car from Paradise to Chester is 2 hours, for drop-off
- 8-hour one-way bike trip from Chester to Paradise, CA on Hwy 70 (more downhill)
- When Hwy 70 open
- scenic mountain river drive with small waterfalls (beautiful)
- Check for Road Closures, great bike ride with no cars when the road is closed
- Grass Valley
- Nevada City
- Decorated Nicely for Christmas
- Art based community
Southeast from Sacramento
Jamestown (historic old west town – 1 hr 50 min)
- Gold Mining Experience
- Hands-on Tour where you actually pan for and find tiny gold flakes
- Old Mercantiles
- Haunted Hotel and Saloon
- Jamestown Hotel
- There is nothing I know more affirming of an afterlife than the potential of friendly spirits
- Jamestown Hotel
- Cavern Tours
- Moaning Caverns
- Cavernas de Mercer
- Mark Twain Cabin (along the route to Jamestown)
- interesting story about mule teams supplying the California gold rush
- Frog Racing (call for information)
Columbia (historic gold mining town – 1 hr 45 min)
- Smooth Large Rock outcroppings from hydraulic mining
- Well-maintained old west buildings
- Working Blacksmith
- Memorable
Calavaras Big Trees State Park (Sequoia Trees)
- Camping, hiking — Wow, big 30 foot diameter tree trunks
- 20% of Giant Sequoia’s lost since 2015
- consequence-challenged humans
- people donate to support overall destructive causes, but not actual worthy works
Northern California
- Best rated places for Star Gazing
- Amtrak Railroad Excursions (low cost)
- San Francisco without driving
- WiFi available on trains
- Call to check if bus transfers are needed for certain Southern destinations
- National Parks (take your bike and pack)
Casinos
- Red Hawk
- Thunder Valley
- Cash Creek
- Hotel Hollywood
- Jackson
- many many Poker casinos not listed here (minimal slots)
Lake Tahoe (2-hour drive – Hwy 50)
- Boat Rentals
- Party Cove
- Water Ski Boat Rental with Pilot
- Snow Skiing
- Casino
- Scenic Drive around Lake
- Multi-million dollar Rock Mansion that is now a State Museum (Northwest Shore)
- Places to explore along the way
- Placerville
- Apple Hill
- Ice House Rd, Falls
- Need truck, rough road
- Placerville
- Small towns to explore near Lake Tahoe
- Carson City
- Minden
- Virginia City (old West Tourist Attraction)
Reno (2-hour drive – Hwy 80)
- Casinos many, very poor payouts, entertainment value questionable
- Shows (call ahead)
- Pepper Mill notable
- Towns to explore along the way
- Sierra Lodging & Rustic Table Restaurant
- best breakfast burrito I’ve had in California
- about an hour out of Sacramento towards Reno on Hwy 80
- Scenic views of the snow, and near ski areas
- Donner Ski Ranch Resort
- Ski Area and Rafting, Lodging
- Creepiest Hiking Trail in Northern California
- Truckee
- Tourist Restaurants and Mercantile
- Thousands of miles of interconnected trails to hike and bike throughout Northern California
- Sierra Lodging & Rustic Table Restaurant
- Towns a little beyond Reno
- Fallon, NV
- Frey Ranch Whiskey Distillery
- 3 1/2 hour drive from SAC through Reno, NV or Lake Tahoe about 20 minutes further
- they grow their own ingredients
- so pure, no hangover
- Frey Ranch Whiskey Distillery
- Fallon, NV
- From Reno to Lake Tahoe, is about a 50-minute drive
* well-traveled roads, but in remote areas, cell phones have blind spots
San Jose (2-hour drive)
Amusement
- The Tech Interactive
- Roaring Camp Railway (open-air cars)
- Lego Land
- Monopoly in the Park
- Winchester Mystery House
- Mount Hermon Adventures (physical challenges)
- Happy Hollow Zoo and Amusement (16-acre children’s amusement park)
Shopping