Sacramento Wineries

Are you and your closest compatriots longing to take an exciting trip together?  Well look no further. Sacramento is sure to entertain both ladies and gentlemen alike.  Groups of friends looking to get away for a "guys" or "girls" trip will find a variety of fun and entertaining Sacramento attractions combined with affordable rates and great values.  Sacramento has something for everyone, and we are here to help you plan your next visit to California's capital city.

For the Guys:

1.       GOLF: A fan of the links? Sacramento and the Sacramento region offer more than 20 golf courses for you to tackle.
2.       BEER: Who doesn’t love an excuse to bond over some brews? Sacramento has a thriving beer scene, complete with both local breweries and brewpubs. Craft your own crawl.
3.       RAFTING: Sacramento’s two rivers provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation. Whether it be a scenic float or a whitewater adventure that you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.  See also:  Disconnect in Sacramento.
4.       TAKE A COOKING CLASS: Polish your culinary skills during a session with Community Tap and Table, where you’ll learn to pair amazing beers with gourmet (locally sourced) cuisine.
5.       PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES: The more mechanically inclined will enjoy at least three of Sacramento’s museums in particular. Check out a Blue Angels fighter jet at the Aerospace Museum of California, climb aboard a restored train at the California Railroad Museum or take one of the tune-up classes offered by the California Automobile Museum.

For the Gals:

1.       SPA DAY: Pamper yourself at one of Sacramento’s many fine day spas. Group packages are very popular.
2.       WINE TASTING: There are more than 200 wineries in the Sacramento region, and numerous tasting rooms and wine bars are located in the downtown area.  Click here to visit our Sacramento Regional Wine Guide.
3.       LADIES’ DAY AT THE BALLPARK: Enjoy some sunshine and baseball at Raley Field while you take in a River Cats game.
4.       SHOPPING: From outlets to boutiques to vintage stores, Sacramento has it all.
5.       SIP 'N' PAINT: While you hold a glass of wine in one hand and a brush in the other, Aimee from Creative Juices Events will teach you how to paint a lovely picture.

Now that we’ve given you just a taste of Sacramento’s offerings, what are you waiting for? You and your friends are certainly overdue for some quality bonding time.  Please visit our website for ideas about planning your next trip to Sacramento.  If you are a tour operator planning a "Girlfriend Getaway" or "Mancation" for one of your groups, email us to help you create the best itinerary.

This week: Artsy Excellence & Purposeful Excursions
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The Sacramento region has played a huge part in the history of America.  In Sacramento, nestled in with all of the modern amenities of a world-class city, there is an appreciation for our region’s history and the contributions we continue to make to the American culture.  We are proud to give visitors to Sacramento an all-American experience, showcasing our history, culture and the celebration of our “Old West” heritage.  From our role in the great California Gold Rush and the great American migration to America’s greatest pastime, Sacramento is a true slice of Americana.

Here are 10 Sacramento-area attractions that will show you the best of the Old West, American traditions and all the latest fads.

• Sutter’s Fort - See what was once called the “capital” of a settlement known today as Sacramento. Established in 1839 by John A. Sutter, a German-born Swiss entrepreneur, Sutter’s Fort marks a pivotal point in the history of California and westward migration. The fort was a self-sufficient community that served as Sacramento’s original commerce center, offering supplies and rest to pioneers coming west.  Learn about life in this settlement through costumed reenactments and interactive displays.
   
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Park - Stand in the exact spot where John Marshall discovered gold in 1848, setting off one of the most significant migrations the world has ever seen. The tiny town of Coloma, with its various Gold Rush-era structures and cemetery, is located about an hour east of downtown Sacramento.
   
• Old Sacramento - Step back in time to the days of the Gold Rush.  Against the Sacramento River as a backdrop and set amongst recreated or restored Gold Rush-era buildings, wooden plank sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages are more than 125 boutique shops, restaurants, attractions and museums – all within walking distance of several downtown Sacramento hotels.

• Military Museum – Located within Old Sacramento and other downtown Sacramento attractions, this museum is the official military museum and historical research center of the State of California.  The museum houses more than 33,000 artifacts and a substantial library of archives focusing on California’s rich, but sometimes unknown, military history.

• Caifornia State Railroad Museum - Learn about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad and how trains have shaped people's lives, the economy and the unique culture of California and the West. With 21 meticulously restored locomotives and cars, the museum is widely regarded as one of North America’s finest and most visited railroad museums.

• Sacramento History Museum - The Gold Rush is only part of the story. The Sacramento History Museum is a reproduction of the 1854 City Hall and Waterworks. It explores Sacramento’s city founders, the Gold Rush, industry and more.

• Sacramento Wineries – California is known the world over for its superb wines, and some of its finest are made right here in Sacramento.  From the rustic California Delta to the oak tree-dotted foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Sacramento’s wine region is one of the most diverse and scenic you’ll find anywhere.

• California State Capitol – California’s economy is one of the 10 largest economies in the world.  Laws made in Sacramento play a major part in American politics.  Learn what makes California’s capital tick at the California State Capitol.  Opened to visitors in 1869, the State Capitol features changing museum exhibits and historical rooms offering a view into California’s political past while the rest of the building acts as a “living museum.”

• Raley Field – You can’t get a better American experience that sitting back and enjoying America’s pastime.  Raley Field is the home of the 2008 PCL Champions the River Cats, and it is located within walking distance of Old Sacramento, downtown dining and downtown Sacramento hotels.

• Shopping – We love to shop in America, and Sacramento is home to a variety of shopping destinations that offer a variety of stores to please all types of shoppers.  From big box classic American mall stores to locally owned specialty stores to high-end designer shops, we have it all here in Sacramento.

We are here to help you plan your “All-American” experience in Sacramento.  Contact us for more information about planning a group tour to Sacramento or visit our website for more information.

This Week: Delectable Design & Fashionable Fun
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		Special Events: New Year, New You: Let's Talk Transformation Three Stages - Folsom Feb 20 Wed 7pm-8:30pm This is a series of short, to-the-point talks, with tips from leading health & wellness gurus, life coaches, and others, all benefiting WEAVE.
		Music: Wallpaper Ace of Spades Feb 21 Thurs 7pm Get your dance on to the electronic/hip-hop beats of Wallpaper, the enigmatic onstage existence of Oakland music addict Eric Frederic.
		Poetry & Lit: TrueStory Bows & Arrows Feb 21 Thurs 8pm-11pm TrueStory is Sacramento's first nonfiction reading series and open mic. All stories shared must be true and they must be personal.
		Festivals: Sacramento Beer Week Various locations Feb 22-March 3 Daily, times vary Celebrate Sacramento's rich beer culture with local breweries, beer-loving businesses, and hundreds of events.
		Music: Dean-o-Holics: A Rat Pack Experience Harlow's Feb 22 Fri 7pm Swingin', smoke-filled, & flowin' with booze, broads, and pallies, the Dean-o-Holics bring a sound that will knock you right outta your Mary Janes.
		Museums: Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design California Museum Opening Feb 23 Tues-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun Noon-5pm With over 100 original works and rarely-seen artifacts the exhibit provides a new perspective on Ray Eames' 60-year career in the arts.
		Food/Wine: 25th Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest Sacramento Convention Center Feb 23 Sat 5pm-10pm Guests will enjoy a live and silent auction, live entertainment, and delicious food and drink from elite restaurants and wineries.
		Sports/Rec: Getty Owl Run/Walk Crocker Park Feb 24 Sun 7am-Noon Enjoy a 1/4 mile kids run, 5K Walk/Run, or 10K Run. A post-race family festival includes massages, vendors, food, music, and activities for all ages.
		Theatre: Robert Post Crest Theatre Feb 24 Sun 3pm Blending his love of character work with the magical techniques of the movement arts, Robert Post creates a unique creative style.
		Fashion/Design: Sacramento Fashion Week Various locations Feb 24-March 2 Daily, times vary Kick off SFW this Sunday with the Launch Party at MiX. SFW showcases the fashion and artistic talents of the Sacramento region.

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This Week: Twist, Shout, and Dance About
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		Music: Sum 41 Ace of Spades Jan 15 Tues 7pm Sum 41's career has been filled with highlights that extend well beyond the traditional punk band. See them on their 10th Anniversary Tour, along with Hunter Valentine & IAmDynamite.
		Sacramento Nightlife: The Siren Show: Calendar Girls Harlow's Jan 17 Thurs 8pm Join Sacramento's original leading ladies of burlesque as they shimmy and shake across the stage in character themed burlesque performances set to showcase what it really means to be a Siren.
		Food/Wine: Runnin' for Rhett Winterfest Beer & Wine Social Red Lion Woodlake Hotel Jan 18 Fri 7pm-10pm Enjoy 50 breweries and 15 wineries with unlimited tastings, local food vendors, and live music.
		Sports/Rec: Monster Jam Sleep Train Arena Jan 18-Jan 20 Fri & Sat 7:30pm; Sun 2pm These machines will bring you to your feet, racing & ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over.
		Comedy: John Oliver Crest Theatre Jan 18 Fri 8pm Prepare to laugh at an evening of stand up with John Oliver, best known for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
		Theatre: Driving Miss Daisy Chautauqua Playhouse Jan 18-Feb 23 Fri & Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm This play tells the post-World War II story of a rich, sharp-tongued Jewish widow who meets her new black chauffeur.
		Special Events: The Great Train Expo Cal Expo Jan 19-Jan 20 Sat & Sun 10am-4pm The Great Train Expo is a national, traveling show that caters to the model railroad enthusiast.
		Museums: Hands on History: Trappers, Trades, and Treaties Sutter's Fort State Historic Park Jan 19 Sat 10am-5pm Step back in time to the 1840s to learn why trappers were considered jacks of many trades.
		Music: An Evening with Cary Farley Three Stages - Folsom Jan 19 Sat 7pm Cary Farley performs a melodic mixture of alt & contemporary rock with a five-piece band in a benefit for the Mustard Seed School.
		Festivals: Bacon Fest Sacramento Various locations Jan 20-Jan 27 Daily, times vary From a Kevin Bacon-themed musical tribute to a chef's competition, with many delicious, bacon-filled activities inbetween, you will be sure to leave this event full and satiated.

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This was a big year for Sacramento, and next year will be even bigger.

2012 saw Sacramento officially named “America’s Farm to Fork Capital” – a title well-earned over the past 200 years. The farms in the Sacramento region supply ingredients to the country’s best restaurants…and, of course, many of those restaurants are right here in California’s capital. And mark your calendars for September 2013 when Sacramento presents the inaugural Farm to Fork Festival.

This year we saw the addition of great restaurants and bars such as Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. with its rustic California décor, inventive menu and – most importantly – Negroni cocktails on tap. Then there’s Oishii  Sushi Bar & Karaoke, where you can order a party platter of Nnigiri and take it to your own private karaoke room.

Or how about Downtown & Vine, which brings the best wineries in California right to downtown Sacramento, with a collection of Napa, Sonoma, California Delta, Gold Country and Foothill wines offering tastings right there. And just down K Street from there you’ll find the new KBar overflowing with folks enjoying late-night bites and great happy hour deals.

Let’s not forget the new Firestone Public House, which also opened to much fanfare in 2012 as it properly completed the vision of restoring the old Firestone Tire Shop into a vibrant downtown Sacramento dining and nightlife location.

And that’s just a handful of the new spots in town.

Tours in Sacramento have also seen a boom. Local Roots Food Tours and Grange Restaurant’s “Follow the Chef” program showcase Sacramento’s “farm-to-fork” prowess. Or if you prefer to see the city by bike, there’s always a casual historic city tour from Fast Eddie Bike Tours. For the more adventurous, Giro d’Oro Cycling will even guide you through all 30+ miles of the American River Parkway Bike Trail or on a cycling escape through the foothills.

Of course, not everything in Sacramento was new in 2012, the classics also stood their ground. Old Sacramento, our venerable waterfront district, is better than ever. In the Fall, Old Sacramento welcomed the National Tour Association’s Tourism Cares volunteer program to town as over 250 travel and tourism professionals picked up paintbrushes, hammers, shovels and saws to restore, repair and beautify the historic district. If you haven’t seen Old Sacramento for a while, you’ll want to get out there and reconnect with California’s Wild West past.

Speaking of Sacramento’s past, the city is on its way to recapturing its rightful place as the beer capital of the west. Prior to prohibition Sacramento was known as the “Milwaukee of the West” for its impressive collection of breweries. With plenty of water from two major rivers, the best land for growing hops and the post-Gold Rush influx of German immigrants with beer-making knowledge, 1800s Sacramento was the perfect place to make beer. Of course, prohibition put a damper on all that. But now, Sacramento is regaining its beer-making reputation as the city is home to numerous craft brewers such as Ruhstaller, River City Brewing, Track 7, American River Brewing, Rubicon, Hoppy Brewing and more. There’s even Two Rivers Cider which produces some of the finest hard cider available anywhere. So come on by for a beer or two.

2012 was also a great year for festivals in Sacramento: Gold Rush Days, Grape Escape, Beer Week, Restaurant Week, California Capital Airshow, the Launch Art & Design Festival, the Sacramento Music Festival and more kept us busy all year long.

In short, 2012 was a year filled with great food, locally produced beer, fine wines, some awesome bike rides, a lot of festivals and some Wild West fun. Not too shabby.

If you are interested in bringing setting up a group tour to Sacramento, email us at tourism@discovergold.org.

See you in 2013!

This Week: Find Time for Fun with Friends and Family
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		Sacramento Nightlife: Santa's Tavern & Hot Toddy Competition The Golden Bear Dec 10 Mon 7pm Partake in music and spirits, rub elbows with a few elves, and have some fun under the mistletoe as the 12 Days of Midtown continue.
		Special Events: Best of Sacramento Party Thunder Valley Casino & Resort Dec 12 Wed 6pm-10:30pm Experience the Best of Sac with more than 50 restaurants, wineries, breweries, & distilled spirit vendors, with live performances on two stages.
		Special Events: Thurs 'til 9: Art Mix Crocker Art Museum Dec 13 Thurs 5pm-9pm This month's Art Mix celebrates all things Americana in honor of the exhibition American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell.
		Festivals: Found Footage Festival Sacramento State - Hinde Auditorium Dec 13 Thurs 7pm This one-of-a-kind event showcases footage from videos found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country. Plus, there's plenty of live comedy along with the found footage.
		Comedy: Bobby Slayton Punch Line Comedy Club Dec 13-Dec 16 Thurs 8pm; Fri & Sat 8pm & 10pm; Sun 7pm A true comic's comic, Bobby Slayton is one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.
		Music: Project4Trees Bows & Arrows Dec 14 Fri 8pm Project4Trees are unique designers of hip-hop, planning future sounds that exemplify the transformative power of creative expression.
		Special Events: Christmas Memories Governor's Mansion Dec 15 Sat 10am-4pm Transport back in time to the place where 13 of California's governors & their families lived, spent Christmas seasons, & shared holiday traditions.
		Special Events: Drawing for Toys Empire's Comics Vault Dec 15 Sat 11am-6pm Artists come together from around Sacramento for a live drawing session and auction to raise toys and money for the Marines' Toys For Tots Drive.
		Sports & Rec: Fleet Feet Free Holiday Classic Sutter's Landing Regional Park Dec 16 Sun 8am *Run starts 9am Do all those cozy holiday gatherings make you sweat? Run for the chill of it!
		Music: Benefit for Larry Crawley: Songwriter's Showcase & BBQ Blue Lamp Lounge Dec 16 Sun 1pm-8pm This show features a showcase of performers from Sacramento, all playing for the benefit to help long-time musician and all-around good human Larry Crawley return to his home of Danville, IL.

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By Janet Lewis and Carol Dabrowiak, photos by Cindy Gibbs

Janet's Story

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Sacramento was recently named the "Farm to Fork Capital of America."  Below, our Hometown Tourists write about one of the many "Farm to Fork" style activities available in Sacramento.

In the dead of winter, I daydream about the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in downtown Sacramento.  Every year I look forward with anticipation to when the Market will open in May.  Then I look for good reasons to go downtown on a Wednesday morning.  Somehow it seems all of my downtown meetings happen on Thursdays instead!  But, at least once a year, Cindy, Carol and I make a point of meeting for some downtown Sacramento dining on a Wednesday during the Market season.  The past two years, we’ve added the Grange Restaurant’s “Follow The Chef” tour and lunch to our Wednesday Market adventures.  Grange is located inside of The Citizen Hotel, a downtown Sacramento hotel located across the street from Caesar Chavez Park.

In June of 2011,  Cindy and I did Grange Restaurant’s “Follow The Chef” tour and lunch.  I still have the souvenir reusable shopping bag.  It gives me good memories of the fresh and seasonal three-course lunch we enjoyed at the Grange that day in June along with 12 other (unintentional) "Hometown Tourists."  It was there we met Sarah A. of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau and hatched the idea for the HTT blog!

Celebrating summer, the meal that June day featured locally produced squash blossoms, kernel corn, cherries, two kinds of wine (chardonnay & zinfandel); supporting cast included goat cheese, cabbage salad & biting mustard greens - all  totally delicious and refreshing!  The chef made mine dairy free and still deliciously prepared.  Carol was not able to join us, but that gave us the perfect excuse (if one were needed!) to do “Follow the Chef” again in a slightly different season in 2012. 

Just over 1 year later, Cindy, Carol, and I are still enjoying and finding ever more adventures as HTTs!  Travel and tourism in Sacramento is alive and well and giving us lots of opportunities to see some really great things.

In September 2012, Cindy, Carol and I took the opportunity to celebrate and have a reunion of sorts with our SCVB mentor, Matthew, at the “Follow the Chef” tour presented by the Grange restaurant.  Even though the Grange does this every Wednesday during Market season, it is a new experience each time!  As we found on that September day, the cast of visitors and victuals changes constantly with the seasons. 

We each arrived via a different travel mode:  Cindy walked over, Carol drove in, and I rode light rail.  Carol took advantage of the Grange’s valet parking -  very convenient, and only $5.  A good deal!

Our group of six Follow The Chef guests was smaller this time than last year.  But, all the better to enjoy congenial conversation, and, more serendipity!  One of our lunch companions turned out to be a contact with the parks department of a nearby city.  A great lead for a future HTT adventure!

A bonus from following Chef Oliver around the Market are the samples we received from the vendors:  green figs, honey,  3 kinds of grapes --including Muscat.  Both the honey and the Muscat later featured as sauce on our dessert!  Oliver pointed out that as we approach the autumn equinox, the offerings at mid-September Market are season-spanning;  tomatoes to pumpkins;  corn, cucumbers, and stone fruits, just to name a few.  Such variety and opportunity for creative eating!

Our group ambled about, making purchases from various stalls and tucking our items into our souvenir reusable shopping bags.  Now I have a collection!  When we got to our table and set the bags onto spare chairs, Carol warned, “Watch out for your bags, don’t mix them up!”  Wouldn’t that be a surprise when we got home?

As last year, the wine pours offered a a Chardonnay and a Petit Syrah from Bogle Vineyards, one of our local Sacramento wineries.

First course, a salad.   The ingredients were from Feeding Crane Farms:  spicy stemmed greens and watercress, heirloom tomatoes and Armenian cucumbers, with pine nuts on top and a muscatel vinaigrette.

Oliver came out to see us at each course.  By the 2nd course he had a blue apron over his white chef’s outfit!

Main course was salmon, baby pastas, tomato, arugula, watercress, brocolini, and a delightful tomato chip.  Carol’s vegetarian version featured a generous portion of “lobster” mushroom .  We all found our entrees delicious and filling. 

Dessert consisted of beautiful individual pear tarts described by the pastry chef as “tarte porteleau with frangiapani” made of red Bartlett pears, almonds, bourbon caramel and with an amoretto cookie under a pouf of whipped cream.

My non-dairy dessert was 3 seasonal sorbets.  They were delicious with the last swallows of the wine!  I must have looked longingly at the tarts, though, because the pastry chef brought me out a small dishlet of the poached pears in Bariani honey --  they were fantastic, with a bite-sized popcorn ball on a clear hard candy wafer.  Talk about tiny but with a huge wow factor!

All too soon, I found myself heading home (er, back to the office) on light rail with a full shopping bag, a full stomach, and a full heart!  Plus a shared vow with my HTT buddies to “Follow The Chef” at the Grange again next year!  A true Sacramento attraction!  

Carol's Story

We knew it was going to be a special lunch. Because when Janet, Cindy and I arrived at the Grange Restaurant and Bar the hostess said, "Wait here for Chef Oliver.  He'll join you in a minute."

That was the start of a delicious afternoon. Grange is located across the street from Cesar Chavez Park where they were having the Wednesday Farmer's Market, one of Sacramento's many culinary events. Part of our lunch experience called "Follow the Chef" included a tour of the market with Chef Oliver. Grange is committed to using fresh local ingredients in all its dishes. Chef Oliver shops the market every Wednesday and is on a first name basis with most of the vendors.

At every booth we visited, the chef gave examples of how he would use the seasonal ingredients in his recipes. When we were there we saw an abundance of squash and stone fruit. Chef Oliver explained that the tomato season was winding down and when local tomatoes were gone he would no longer have them for his restaurant. In fact, in the middle of winter if a diner orders a burger and requests a tomato slice for the burger, they are told "No." Did I mention they were committed to fresh and local?

After we strolled thru the market, we were guided back to the restaurant for a three-course gourmet lunch. There were six people in the "Follow the Chef" group that day, and there was a special table set up in the back of the restaurant for our meal. The servers hovered around us, filling our wine glasses. They also noted our dietary restrictions: Janet is lactose intolerant and I'm a vegetarian. No problem.  

The courses started to arrive. With each course, Chef Oliver came out to explain the ingredients and the processes used to prepare the dishes. That made everything taste special.  We all loved the fusion of flavors and ingredients. We plan to return soon when the market has a different blend of seasonal crops. We all felt inspired to go home and experiment with new recipes. It was a delicious afternoon in downtown Sacramento.

Today’s travelers are more connected than ever. Friends, work and information of all kinds are never further away than the tap of a touchscreen. And while smart phones, iPads and other technologies have made travelling easier and more enjoyable in many ways, sometimes you just want to disconnect and enjoy your surroundings. 

Sacramento offers travelers many opportunities to separate themselves from their everyday lives and electronic devices so they can enjoy all the great attractions Northern California has to offer.  From Sacramento recreation to wineries, you can put down the smartphone and enjoy yourself on your Northern California vacation.

The American River Parkway in Sacramento is one of the area’s finest way to get away from it all. With over 30 miles of paved trail that weaves through riparian forests and wetlands alongside its namesake river, riders on the bike trail won’t even feel like they’re in the city. Bike rentals are available at several shops in town and some Sacramento hotels even have rental bikes right in their lobbies. 

The American River also offers adventure seekers  great whitewater rafting opportunities. From a quick 3-hour trip to multi-day camping and rafting excursions, there are whitewater experiences for all skill levels. Many of these guided trips start in the Gold Country near the Gold Rush town of Coloma where you’d be lucky to get mobile service at all.  But you wouldn’t want to have your phone with you on the river anyhow. Rafting trips through rapids with names like Troublemaker, Satan’s Cesspool and Meat Grinder will leave you soaked and are not exactly phone-friendly.

For those looking to disconnect in a slightly more relaxed manner, there are over 200 wineries in the Sacramento region. Turn off the phone and enjoy the small wineries that dot the foothills of the Gold Country. After a few glasses of wine, you probably shouldn’t be responding to work emails anyhow. Wine tours and limo rentals are available from downtown Sacramento so you won’t even need your GPS.

Of course, after enjoying a day disconnected from your smartphone and enjoying these great Sacramento tourist attractions, you can return to all the modern day comforts and wi-fi capabilities of your Sacramento hotel. 

Click here to email us for more information about arranging your "disconnected" group tour.  

For some folks, there’s nothing worse than those “please do not touch” signs in a museum. Some people like to dive-in rather than just walk through. Luckily, Sacramento is full of unique opportunities for those looking for a more hands-on experience.

Hopping on a bike is one of the best ways to really see what Sacramento is all about: the Victorian houses, museums, cafes, pubs and galleries all under the canopy of the city’s urban forest. A bike tour from Fast Eddie Bike Tours turns the whole city into a museum. Visitors can cruise through the city streets and down the famous American River Bike trail as Eddie shares his knowledge of all things Sacramento.

Or, visitors can become part of Sacramento’s rich agricultural heritage by joining one of several local food tours. The “Follow the Chef” lunch program at Grange restaurant has been a favorite for years now. Each Wednesday, Spring through Fall, a small group gets a personal tour of one of Sacramento’s best farmers markets from the executive chef himself. After sampling the farmers' offerings and filling their grocery bags, they return to the Grange where the chef makes a four-course lunch with the ingredients they just purchased.

Another option for those wishing to experience the bounty of Sacramento is “Local Roots Food Tours” which provides a sampling of up to seven local restaurants on their walking tours of Sacramento. The group walks from restaurant to restaurant enjoying tales from Sacramento’s colorful past between samplings of small plates and hands-on cooking demonstrations.

If Sacramento’s Gold Rush roots are more to their liking, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the 49ers while exploring mines, caves and even trying their hand at gold panning. And, yes, there’s still gold to be found out there.

Of course, the treasure they’re really looking for a nice bottle of wine, you can ‘t beat a tour of one of the hundreds of wineries within an hour’s drive of downtown Sacramento. Many offer vineyard tours where you can tour the grounds, experience the winemaking process and maybe even stomp a few grapes before enjoying dinner with the winemaker.

There’s no shortage of memorable, hands-on experiences for visitors to enjoy in Sacramento. If there’s an activity you’re looking for, just let us know.  Email us today to let us help you plan your experiential itinerary.