Travel and 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).
 

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. 

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. 

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

As a Tourism Manager I get asked all the time what exactly it is that I do...usually by my boss. People have a lot of ideas as to what the title means. Some folks think I'm a tour guide, others think I sit in a hammock and sip mai-tais all day.

Well, neither one of those is correct. I don't lead tours and I rarely even spend half a day in my mai-tai hammock.

So what exactly is it that I do?

My job as a Tourism Manager is to promote the Sacramento region as a travel and tourism destination for tour groups and to make it as easy as possible for tour operators to include Sacramento on their itineraries.

Sure, we're not the huge draw that nearby tourism favorites like San Francisco are, but Sacramento has definitely found its niche as a popular overnight stop on California-based itineraries. We're a pretty cool town and travellers from all over the world are taking notice.

From the Squeezeburger to the farmer's markets and from the Railroad Museum to the bike trail, there's no shortage of cool stuff to see, do, eat and drink in Sacramento.

So we in the Tourism department spread the good word about our city and we help tour operators find the right Sacramento area hotels, restaurants and attractions for their group tours. Basically we save our clients the hassle of blindly calling around to dozens of possible options. Oh and our services are free of charge. It's a pretty sweet deal.

We develop marketing materials, represent Sacramento at trade shows, keep contact with our hotel and restaurant partners, host potential clients on familiarization tours of the region and mostly we send a lot of emails and make a lot of phone calls.

And as soon as I figure out how to do all that while gently swaying in a hammock, I'll be all set.