Sacramento Tourism

We're excited about what is happening in Sacramento.  And you should be too.  As the summer travel and tourism season kicks off, Sacramento events, attractions and more are ready to accommodate your group's itinerary.  I have compiled a list of 5 things we are excited about in Sacramento.  There is something here to fit all the varied interests of the members of your group, and we are here, as always, to help you plan the best itinerary to fit the needs of your group.

Here are five things we are excited about in Sacramento:  

1. The Beer Renaissance - Beer-making has long been a tradition in Sacramento, but a wave of new breweries has recently popped up in town. Track 7, Ruhstaller and American River Brewing have joined the ranks of Sierra Nevada Brewing,  Rubicon, River City Brewing Company, Sacramento Brewing Co, Two Rivers Cider and more to help reinvigorated Sacramento's beer scene. Come on over for a cold one!
   
   
   
   
    
2. Fun on the river - The weather is warming up and that means it's time to get out and enjoy great Sacramento recreation on our local waterways. For the adventurous, there's whitewater rafting from companies such as EarthTrek Expeditions and Gold Rush Whitewater. For the slightly less adventurous, there's "slow drift" rafting from American River Raft Rentals. For those who prefer to view the river while enjoying a glass of wine, Hornblower Cruises offers sightseeing and dinner cruises throughout the week.
   
   
    
3. "Follow the Chef" is Back - Grange Restaurant's wildly popular "Follow the Chef" lunches return this month and run through October. Each Wednesday, the head chef from Grange will take a group of lucky folks through the farmers' market across from the restaurant. Guests sample fresh produce as they soak in the chef's culinary knowledge. Then it's back to Grange for a fabulous 3-course lunch using many of the ingredients picked up at the market.  Many other Sacramento restaurants also offer "Farm to Fork" inspired menus that feature the best of the bounty of the region.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
4. Pedal Power - Sacramento is one of the country's top cycling cities. With miles of paved bike trails along the river, an abundance of safe bike lanes in midtown and an overall easy terrain, it's no surprise Sacramento biking has become such a popular attraction.  Experienced bikers and amateur enthusiasts come from all over to experience the American River Parkway.  You'll see everything from beach cruisers and fixed gears to high-tech road bikes being pedaled around town and chained up in front of Sacramento's super bike-friendly restaurants and cafes. Bike culture continues to flourish in Sacramento as visitors and residents embrace a more green-friendly and healthful lifestyle. 
   
   
    
5. City of Festivals - Everyone loves a celebration, and a quick peek over at the sacramento365.com event calendar will show that Sacramento truly is the City of Festivals. Celebrations of food, wine, art and culture keep Sacramento buzzing. Grape Escape, Juneteenth, Gold Rush Days, California Capital Airshow and The Sacramento Music Festival are just a few examples. Have a group with a specific interest? Give us a call - we probably have a festival they'd be interested in.
   
    

See anything here that you would like to include in your group's itinerary?  Email me to learn more planning your group's visit to Sacramento.

Are you ready for experiences that connect you with the essence of Sacramento and its people?

When you're traveling, sometimes it is comforting to stop into a Starbucks and get a "tall half-skinny half-one- percent extra hot split quad shot (two shots decaf, two shots regular) latte with whip" that tastes exactly like it does at home.

But it's not authentic.

Unlike bigger cities, Sacramento has an ideal size. There are no tourist-only areas where residents avoid. In fact, locals and tourists can enjoy a pretty similar quality of life. Meet some people in our neighborhood whose lives create lasting memories when you visit us:

THE COFFEE ROASTER, Jason Griest
In 2006 after opening another mainstay on the capital's coffeehouse circuit, Jason Griest and artisanal baker, Tim Jordan, started a wholesale coffee bean roasting business. Old Soul Co. sources green beans from small estates and fincas, then lightly roasts them in a 12-pound roaster.

"My favorite days are roasting days because it smells so great in there," hinted Diana, a regular patron.

"You can actually watch bakers put high-grade crack into those addictive ham and cheese croissants," remarked another patron, Richard.

Located only blocks from the Sacramento Convention Center and downtown hotels, the warehouse-cafe (and de facto community center) has even fueled real estate development with alley in-fill projects.

After opening two more coffee-inspired community centers, including one with beer and wine options, founders and fans petitioned to bring soul to the new terminal at Sacramento International Airport. After all, there's a very comforting feeling in enjoying a cup of coffee just before leaving on a trip (or coming home from one).

Throughout the Spring, I'll introduce you to more neighbors who shape experiential travel and tourism in Sacramento. Sign up to get the latest issue of our complimentary SCVB visitor guide.

Have teens who want to avoid family vacations like the plague? Maybe they'll change their minds after hearing about downtown Sacramento tourist attractions that cater to them... and parents won't have to hear complaints!

Sports and Fitness
Cruise the capital in style. See the City of Trees from the seat of a bicycle. Family-owned Practical Cycle (916.706.0077) rents bikes made in the USA. Guided or self-guided tours get your teen exercising! Fast Eddie (916.812.2712) only offers guided tours; pricing includes bike rental.

Shock your X Games fan when you tell him or her to pack a helmet because the skate park at Sutter's Landing (916.808.5611) is on the itinerary. All sessions are supervised. Skateboarders, scooters and (inline) skaters are invited. The indoor street course features a bowl, quarter pipes, fun boxes, and grind rails -- can you picture it? Pro skaters Matt Pailes, Matt Rodriguez, and Omar Salazar are familiar faces.

When the sun goes down, student specials on glow-bowling appear at Capitol Bowl (916.371.4200). Remodeled. The 1950-era bowling alley is the first in the country to feature granite counters and restaurant-caliber dining. Don't wait til Thanksgiving to bowl a turkey! 

Another popular indoor activity is rock climbing. Pipeworks has a 40-foot-high lead wall with 11,000 square feet of climbing terrain -- plus 2,000 square feet of bouldering.

Entertainment
Ever read Teens are from Mars, Parents are from Earth? Shrink the generation gap when families laugh together. Sacramento Comedy Spot (916.444.3137) at MARRS -- the Midtown Art, Retail and Restaurant Scene -- is an all-ages venue featuring weekly improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy shows. Material rated 'PG-13' (parental guidance recommended, age 13 and older) to 'R' (restricted, age 17+).

If your youth enjoy music, free summer Concerts in the Park or the all-ages, indoor Ace of Spades event facility can introduce them (or you) to a wide variety of live, local music: from blues and country, to punk and indie, to pop and hip hop. During the outdoor park series, more than 40 bands play on Friday nights from 5 to 9 PM. The diversity of talent and ages on stage may inspire your guitarist to learn more than 'Stairway to Heaven'.

Discover more inspiration at the California Museum (916.653.7524), home of the California Hall of Fame. This cultural destination is popular for its modern and thought-provoking storytelling of the state's rich influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. Now through March 25th, Riding Concrete is a multimedia exhibit about skateboarding from California creation in the 1950s to its international appeal today. 

Food and Shopping
Schedule a power-ballad lunch or dinner at Pizza Rock (916.737.5777). World pizza-tossing champion, Tony Gemignani, opened his flagship artisan pizzeria in Sacramento to re-establish respect for his craft by using seasonal and organic ingredients. The ceiling mural, semi-truck cab, and energy certainly suggest you aren't at Chuck E. Cheese. 

Got an adventurous or epicurean eater or chef? Downtown Sacramento dining can take you on a culinary tour of the world. Join a Local Roots Food walking tour. Or browse farmers markets. 

Finally, indulge designers or stylists with a shopping tryst. Explore Midtown's concentration of new and vintage clothing stores plus record, home, and gift shops. And if you feel like driving them, Arden Fair mall (916.920.1167) is 10 minutes away!

Let your teen to discover Sacramento, shortlisted by BETA UK -- the British Educational Travel Association -- as the Best International Youth Destination.

Contact the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau at tourism@discovergold.org to learn more about itineraries for traveling families with teenagers and tweens (pre-teens).
 

At the Sacramento CVB, we’re all about making things easier on tour operators. After all, isn’t that what we’re here for?  Part of this means that we partner with the representatives from the surrounding regions so that you can expand your itineraries, but still have one simple point-of-contact.

We recently worked with a tour operator interested in planning a Gold Rush themed itinerary for a group tour which would include visits to Sacramento, Coloma, Sutter Creek, Angels Camp, Columbia and Yosemite.  With so many stops, she was faced with a long list of contacts in order to secure reservations for lodging and attractions. Luckily, at the top her list was the Sacramento CVB. We listened to what she wanted to do over the course of this itinerary – mine tours, zip-lining, gold panning, etc - and we were able be a one stop shop for all her needs. 

We know that many of our visitors will want to make short day trips into the historic Gold Country to take advantage of the vast history, wine and outdoor recreation opportunities available there. This is why we work closely with the Gold Country Visitors Association to remain knowledgeable about all the Gold Country has to offer and how your groups can maximize your time in the area.

So while there might not be whitewater rafting or mine tours within Sacramento’s borders, the Sacramento CVB’s tourism team can still help make that an easy part of your itinerary without you having to make extra phone calls.

Combining the lively, urban experience of Sacramento with the rustic appeal of the Gold Country provides any itinerary with variety and substance that’s hard to match. Add that to a larger Northern California itinerary and it really can’t be beat.

So if you’re looking to plan a new itinerary or to spice up an old one, contact the tourism team at the Sacramento CVB and we’ll make navigating the Gold Country simple.

Your motorcoach is essential to your group.  And it is also essential your motorcoach seamlessly fits into your scheduled itinerary.  Sacramento is a motorcoach-friendly destination with many options to ensure your motorcoach is staged, loaded, unloaded and parked with ease in reasonable time.  Here are five ways the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau can ease your motorcoach worries:

The SCVB is constantly signing on new partners that can be beneficial to your group.  We are able to work with our partners to give your groups the best possible experiences in Sacramento for the best price.  We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a few of our new partners.

• Gold Country Wine Tours takes visitors on an unforgettable wine tour through the beautiful Gold Country.  The Sierra Foothills of Amador County offer some of the most beautiful sites and oldest vineyards in Northern California.  These vineyards offer a great wine tasting experience, less commercialized and less congested than Napa or Sonoma.

• Earthtrek Expeditions outfits adventurous travelers for rafting trips on the American River.  Established in 1977, Earthtrek has been providing professional and quality services to rafters for the last 30 years.  Eartrek’s base is located less than one hour from downtown Sacramento and is a perfect fit for our more adventurous groups.

• Sacramento Children’s Museum opened its doors for the first time this month to excited children and grateful parents.  This stimulating and educational center is designed for children from birth to age 8.  The Sacramento Children’s Museum believes that “play” is part of a child’s “work.”  The SCVB is excited to have this new museum as a partner and a possible destination for your groups with younger children.

Our relationships with our partners allow us to be able to get you the best deal – at no cost to you. Please email us at tourism@discovergold.org to learn more about how the SCVB can organize the best possible visit to any of our new partners. 

• Tales of the Central City – An Overview of Early Sacramento History explains how Sacramento became California’s Capital City as you walk the original route of the famed Pony Express. 
• Structural Stories – Local Examples of Historical Architecture Styles showcases iconic Sacramento architecture such as the renaissance-style Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and the art deco Crest Theatre. 
• Art is All Around Us – A Tour of Sacramento’s Collection of Art in Public Places showcases works of art that have been permanently installed into downtown Sacramento’s buildings and natural environments. 
• Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow – K Street Commerce, Growth and Redevelopment features the history of Sacramento’s first commercial district, which began as a vaudeville and entertainment hotspot, as well as the future developments planned for the historic district.
• The Art of Terra Cotta – An Architecture Tour Featuring Local Clay Artisans Gladding McBean highlights downtown Sacramento’s best examples of terra cotta and the contribution of the famous studio to Sacramento and the world.

This Week: Sacramento Heats Up
Email support@sacramento365.com to get the Top 10 Events Newsletter delivered to your inbox.

		Food & Wine: Yelp Eats! Restaurant Week Various Restaurants July 11-July 17 Daily, hours vary Enjoy half-off menus of appetizers, entrees, & desserts at participating restaurants.
		Visual Arts: Boxing! Images on Canvas & Photography La Raza Galería Posada Ongoing-Aug 13 Tues-Fri 1pm-8pm; Sat 11am-6pm; Reception Thurs, July 14, 6pm-8pm A beautiful combination of moody impressionism & interior realism through the visions of two social artists: legendary West Coast painter Benny Barrios & young Chicago photographer Jason Reblando.
		Theatre: The Producers Wells Fargo Pavilion July 12-July 17 Tues & Wed 7:30pm; Thurs 2pm & 8pm; Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 7:30pm The outrageous, side-splitting Mel Brooks musical makes its Music Circus premiere.
		Music: Reverend Horton Heat Ace of Spades July 13 Wed 7pm Reverend Horton Heat's music is a mixture of country, punk, big band, swing, and rockabilly, all played loud and energetically.
		Festivals: 158th Annual State Fair Cal Expo July 14-July 31 Mon-Thurs Noon-10pm; Fri-Sun 10am-10pm *Midway open later In addition to this year's new attractions, the State Fair will focus its traditional exhibits and competitions on recreation, sports, and tourism that make California an adventure capitol of the world.
		Poetry & Lit: Poetry Benefit Reading Crocker Art Museum July 15 Fri 7pm-9pm An all-star cast of poets will take the spotlight in a benefit poetry reading the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley. The lineup includes acclaimed poets Robert Hass, Brenda Hillman, Cathy Park Hong, Major Jackson, and Sharon Olds.
		Visual Arts: Wildlife Art Festival Doubletree Hotel July 16-July 17 Sat 9am-4pm; Sun 9:30am-4pm Celebrate traditional wildlife art forms with contests, kids activities, and displays of carvings, paintings, antique decoys, and sculpture.
		Festivals: Sacramento Mermaid Parade Begins from Rio City Cafe July 16 Sat 1pm Mermaids and assorted sea creatures will emerge from the sea and make their way to the Dive Bar to hang with their kin. Prizes will be awarded for best costume for both adult and children's categories. A wonderful way to partake in Sacramento outdoor activities.
		Film: Silent Movie Festival Eagle Theatre Ongoing-Aug 27 Sat 7pm As a bonus to this summer's "Time Travel Weekends", guests will be treated to something quite novel in this day and age-silent films! Talented period performers delight & amuse the audience with engaging & entertaining songs, mini skits, & comedic acts as the movies play.
		Sports & Rec: Sacramento Cyclefest Bicycle Show Fremont Park July 17 Sun 10am-3pm Enjoy a bicycle contest, food from vendors, & a raffle-not to mention very cool custom bikes.

 
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Visit us at these events!
Keep an eye out for Sacramento365.com at various events around town. See us at Concerts in the Park, Launch Design & Music Festival (where you can save $5 on tickets purchased online with promo code "sac365"), & more!

Featured Local Artist of the Month: Nicholas Wray

Learn about Sacramento's urban photographer, Nicholas Wray, in his Featured Artist Profile.

Sac365's Weekly Deal: Save 50% at Mehran Indian & Pakistani Food!
Looking for an authentic Indian dine-in restaurant experience, complete with delicious food, authentic décor and music to satisfy all your senses? You don’t have to plan a trip out of the country to get the authentic taste you are seeking – Mehran is right here in Sacramento.

Mehran Indian & Pakistani Food, $7 for $15 worth of food! Snag this deal Tues-Fri only, on Sacramento365.com's Weekly Deal Page.

So what do international travelers need to know before planning a trip to Sacramento? It is important for our international guests to be aware of the rules and regulations involving the procurement of a visa for travel to the United States. The U.S. Department of State has provided an excellent resource for all International travelers looking to visit the United States for leisure travel. 

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is available to nationals of 36 participating countries. If a country meets various security requirements, its eligible citizens are allowed entry into the United States without a visa if they are visiting for less than 90 days for tourism or business. This program was created to allow guests from these 36 countries to travel to the United States without having to go through unnecessary and time consuming barriers. Click here for a list of the 36 eligible countries and more information on the VWP.

Citizens of Canada, Mexico and Bermuda are not participants in the Visa Waiver Program. Click here for information about entry to the United States for citizens of these countries.

Finally, citizens of countries that are not participants in the VWP should not worry about entry into the United States. The U.S. encourages travelers from all countries to choose us as a destination for leisure and business travel. Advance planning is always the key to navigating the visa application process. If you apply for your visa well in advance of your travel, you should be able to enjoy a seamless entry into the United States. Click here for more information about obtaining a temporary visa.

And once you have researched how easy it is to plan your vacation in the United States, we want you to consider Sacramento as a top destination. The Capital City is the perfect start for your Northern California getaway. Rich in Gold Rush history, Sacramento boasts some of the best attractions from museums to restaurants to outdoor activities. Sacramento is also the perfect “Hub-and-Spoke” location to serve as your gateway to all of Northern California. Centrally located, Sacramento is driving distance from the best of Northern California.

We invite you to “Discover Gold” in Sacramento. Contact the SCVB to assure you are given the best tools and deals for your seamless travel to Sacramento.

Why all this hoopla from regional business leaders—the SCVB included—to keep the Kings in Sacramento and to build a new sports & entertainment complex? 

Is it about the Kings needing a pretty new arena to bounce their balls in and make more money—or is it about the Sacramento region generating jobs, increasing the hotel transient occupancy tax, and providing sales tools to local companies, all while increasing the bottom line of hundreds of local businesses?

Why can’t it be about both? What’s so bad about a scenario where everybody benefits?

It’s no secret that Sacramento is mired in a heated debate on the merits of professional basketball and the creation of a new regional sports & entertainment complex. And when arguing those collective merits with the Kings as the lead motivation, some people answer with a resounding NO! After all, if you’re not a basketball fan, why would you care what type of facility they play in—or if they even play at all? 

But that argument misses the point of what a new sports and entertainment complex would mean for Sacramento.

It’s About so Much More Than Basketball. 

A new sports and entertainment complex, built in the right location, serves as a catalyst for new development.  

Specific examples from other cities show that downtown Phoenix saw a 20 percent increase at arts and cultural venues after America West Arena opened, not to mention $2.5 billion in development investment in their Central City. The San Francisco Giants pay the City of San Francisco millions of dollars in rent and taxes annually for AT&T Park, which has also acted as a catalyst for development in a previously underutilized area of that city. Coors Field in Denver brought not only a world-class stadium but also an investment in restaurants, shops, hotels and offices that revived a pre-stadium downtown depression. And the revival of the neighborhood surrounding the HP Pavilion in San Jose post-arena construction is nothing short of amazing. 

All that aside, and taking the construction of a new facility out of the discussion, you’d still have tremendous value from professional sports in Sacramento.  

A recent article in the Sacramento Business Journal estimated that the loss of the Kings would top $100 million for this region. That same article noted that the Kings provide 773 full and part-time jobs for area residents, fund the largest contract for off-duty Sheriff officers in the region and have donated $19 million to local charities in just 11 years.

How about the game night business that the restaurants in Natomas do? What about a few years ago when the team was one of the best in the league? How many bars—from Elk Grove to Roseville—were packed with jubilant Kings fans buying drinks and food while they cheered the team on—and how many tax dollars did that generate for local governments that was used to pay for services utilized by the residents of those regional cities? 

What other businesses did the team touch? Uniforms for arena staff, legal services paid for by the team to local law firms, chiropractors, taxis and limos companies, sales for local beer distributors, real estate agents and the list goes on and on.

Sacramento Kings Good For Tourism

What about tourism? With about 40 rooms used by the visiting team per game (sometimes for two nights) for 41 home games the numbers add up to more than $320,000 spent on hotel rooms and transient occupancy taxes.  

That’s a decent number but it pales in comparison to the $2 billion generated annually by visitors to Sacramento. Our ability to attract business and leisure travelers relies heavily on the image that our city portrays to the rest of the world—and professional sports helps to create that image and identity internationally on our behalf. 

Win or lose, the name “Sacramento” appears in newspapers throughout this country for the majority of the year. That’s exposure for this region, which translates into visitors, which benefits the people who live here.

It’s also about proactively leveraging the team to generate more business. The SCVB, for example, has attended Kings games in Chicago and Washington, DC, in an effort to meet with various national association groups. At those games, we hosted prospective clients and had upwards of three hours to talk to them about bringing their convention business to Sacramento. 

In just two seasons, the SCVB booked four convention groups that delivered more than $4 million worth of economic impact to our city. We also generated leads that, if closed, will provide an additional $10 million in economic impact. The tax revenues generated from those groups (or any convention group, for that matter) goes into the City’s general fund which is then used  to improve roadways, build new parks and hire police and fire officers.  

But it’s certainly not just the SCVB that leverages the appeal of the team. Local companies buy suites for the opportunity to conduct business while at the game. They buy sponsorships to increase the visibility of their business. They do these things to increase sales and grow profits—which in turn creates more jobs for those of us who live here.

Wanting to keep the Kings or build a new sports and entertainment complex in Sacramento is not about paying for a team facility that is owned by billionaires. It is about investing in Sacramento, growing local business and tourism dollars to improve the resident’s quality of life—all while continuing to foster regional pride. Whether you’re a Kings fan or not, professional sports make your life better if you live in Sacramento. 

We have seen Sacramento CEOs shave their heads for charity and Sacramento tourism professionals grow moustaches to raise awareness about social issues that affect the capital community... NOW we will see it all.

On April 30, 2011, some of Sacramento's businessmen will man up to advance public education of sexual assault. Walk-a-thon participants include Chef Patrick Mulvaney, no stranger to downtown Sacramento dining; developer David S. Taylor, famous for downtown entertainment venues; and developer Bob Slobe, who chairs the California State Railroad Museum Foundation and serves on the Crocker Art Museum board.

To learn more about this event, sign-up, and/or support a participant, visit WEAVE. Join us April 30 as men walk anywhere from a block to a mile, starting at Zócolo restaurant.

As an Information Specialist at the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, I receive a number of the general questions directed to our office (along with my co-worker Nadine; there are also Information Specialists at our Visitor Center in Old Sacramento). What hotels are closest to the Sacramento Convention Center? Are there tours of the Capitol? What things are there to do in Sacramento with a 5- and an 8-year old?

Eight hours a day we man the phones prepared to answer any and all questions. There are questions I can answer in my sleep. Then there are the ones that throw us for a loop. Then there are the questions that prove to be really challenging, for example, finding the name of “that one restaurant near that one street with the funny looking tree.” All in all we're prepared to answer your questions and if we need help, we have a number of co-workers with a wealth of Sacramento knowledge ready to jump in and assist.

I was born and raised in Sacramento and thought I knew a lot about my hometown, but I have to admit that answering the phones for the SCVB has expanded my Sacramento knowledge tenfold. There was a lot for me to learn. Answering the phones for a tourism organization requires talent and some detective skills.  You're the front line of the business. You’re the voice at the other end of the line and you are the face seen when guests walk in. You must be pleasant and helpful and know your stuff, and if you don’t know your stuff you need to be prepared to find it and remember it for next time. 

This blog will highlight commonly asked, and the occasional odd ball questions - a sort of Sacramento Tourism Q&A. And if your question isn’t answered here, give me a call and we’ll get it answered.

If you’re like me, you are always in search of the real deal. It’s what makes me choose locally owned over mass-produced, independent stores over chains, an actual walk instead of a spin on the treadmill and so on. Of course, it’s clearly impossible to avoid the fake stuff.

We have created a fake world around us. From lip-synched concerts to jeans with factory-manufactured holes in them, authenticity is harder to find than ever.

In Joel Achenbach’s essay of the same name, he coined the term “Creeping Surrealism.” He was moved to create the term after contemplating some store-bought cookies that were designed to look homemade. Somewhere along the way, Pepperridge Farm actually had to design a machine that purposely would make uneven edges to mimic a handmade product. How weird is that? Don’t you still know that you’re eating a factory-produced cookie.


“Creeping surrealism” has crept well in to the world of tourism.

This was never more obvious to me than on a recent trip I just took.  It was theme park after theme park and chain restaurant after chain restaurant.

The week I spent away made me appreciate Sacramento more than ever.

Sure, we don’t have major theme parks, but we have something better: A soul.

There’s a real city with real people in Sacramento.  When you walk into a bar that looks like an Old West saloon, there’s a good chance that, at some point, it really was an Old West saloon. If you want to pan for gold, take a short drive to Coloma and experience the real Gold Country and actual gold panning. I’m not saying everything is authentic in Sacramento – we have our fair share of standards – but there is more than enough “real” city to give you a true sense of being somewhere.

Our restaurants have real chefs who control their own menus based on the real and actual produce grown just miles down the road. Our best water park is the real and actual river. Our big hotel that looks like a boat actually is a boat. Our biggest tour attraction, the Capitol building, is filled with real and actual politicians doing real and actual political work – more or less.

When you visit Sacramento, you’ll get a real experience in a real city that wants to show you a good time. There’s a lot to be said for that.

Seven Sacramento businesses will celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week May 8-16 by circulating $2 bills in a SpendTom campaign, announced California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) President and CEO Caroline Beteta. Nearly $100,000 in $2 bills will be distributed statewide
 
The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau will deliver a briefcase filled with $2 bills to Hornblower Cruises at the dock in Old Sacramento on May 7^th at 2:30pm.

 “As the rarely seen bills, bearing the portrait of Thomas Jefferson (hence “SpendTom.com”), make their way through the state, they will act as a reminder of the scope and economic impact of the tourism industry in California,” Beteta noted. “Although tourism is the second-largest export industry in the Golden State, it often gets overlooked as an economic driver.”

Tourism is big business in Sacramento, one of the destinations participating in CTTC’s public awareness campaign. “Many people don’t realize that travel and hospitality support 26,800 jobs and generate more than $156 million in state and local tax receipts and more than $2.49 billion in travel spending in our community,” said Steve Hammond, Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau president & CEO.

Those who receive a $2 bill in their change are encouraged to visit SpendTom.com and learn how they can enter for a chance to win a variety of prizes, such as weekend getaways, attraction passes and more. Entries must be posted online by Sunday, May 31.

Tourism-related businesses throughout Sacramento were invited to participate on a first-come, first-served basis, and seven have embraced the program to date, including:

• Brew it Up
• Buca di Beppo
• California Automobile Museum
• Hornblower Sacramento
• Lounge ON20
• Magnolia Grill
• River City Saloon