A Wild West City Adventure

August 11, 2023
Walking along the boardwalks in Old Sacramento you’d be forgiven for thinking you are on the set of a Wild West movie set. Old relics remain from a bygone era, horse drawn stagecoaches and saloon style shop frontage are amusing and intriguing in equal measures, I half expected Client Eastwood to jump out from his Dirty Harry days and challenge me to a Shoot ‘Em Up! Visit over Labor Day weekend and you may well find yourself transported back to the 1850's as streets are covered in temporary dirt, locals carrying out re-enactments and encouraging you to join in for a good old sing song and dance. Having begun our blended tour of the old district at the California State Railroad Museum, what better way to end than by dining on board the Delta King, a former working paddle boat that has its own share of history, having been a passenger vessel during the 1920's transporting along the river between San Francisco and Sacramento, serving as barracks during the wars to more recently when it was rescued from its semi submerged state in San Francisco Bay and restored to its former glory, which now offers a stationary hotel, dining, theatre and permanent feature on the Old Sacramento waterfront. 

Hire a bike; with Sacramento's relatively flat city streets it is by far one of the easiest ways to get around and see the sights. Pick up your wheels first thing from Practical Cycle and head away from the bridge that looks like it is made of gold, along the Mall to the Capital Building. Here you can make your first pit stop and peruse the halls of this landmark in relative peace and quiet before the crowds roll in. Resume your gentle morning workout onto your next stop at Café Bernado on K Street where the European influence ensures that you can have enjoy a twist on the hearty American breakfast. Follow on from this and cycle away to your heart’s content with multiple bike lanes marked out under your wheels and over 32 miles of track along the American River Parkway, it will be hard not to gaze in awe at the scenic surroundings. An interesting take on this recreational activity is to combine it with the current trend for craft beer, for instance Sac Brew Bike in Midtown describes itself as having a 'Mission to Provide the Ultimate Brew and Bike Experience'. The 15 seater rectangle pedal powered vehicle offers a range of 2 or 3 hour tours with prices from $20 per person. Unfortunately at the moment due to state law you are not permitted to drink alcohol whilst on the bike. Watch out though in 2016 as a Senate Bill has been passed to legally allow the consumption of wine/beer on the bike – this could make the tour a whole lot more amusing! 

Regularly overlooked Sacramento is a location that lives in the shadows of its fellow state cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. As the State Capitol it has so much to offer and I have only named a few of the activities. Visit the tourist bureau website and see for yourself.  

Direct flights to San Francisco currently depart from London, however starting in May 2016 Thomas Cook are offering a direct flight to Los Angeles from Manchester, ideal if you are planning to see more of the Golden State. From San Francisco I would recommend car hire, this will give you the independence to go at your own pace and the drive from Airport is less than 2 hours along the i80. Alternatively catch a bus from San Francisco to Emeryville and then a train to Sacramento; a popular Amtrak train option is on board the Capital Corridor. 

The Econo Lodge is a budget conscious choice for your stay and located on the outskirts of the city, with rooms from £57 per room per night based on a Friday night. Alternatively embrace the historic district with modern day amenities at the Citizen Hotel in the heart of downtown Sacramento, rooms from £142 per night based on a Friday night stay. 

http://www.csrmf.org/ - California State Railroad Museum 

www.deltaking.com - Delta King Paddle Boat Restaurant and Hotel 

http://www.paragarys.com/sacramento-restaurants/cafe-bernardo/cafe-bernardo-on-k/ - Café Bernado 

http://www.practicalcycle.com/ - Practical Cycle Bike Hire 

http://www.sacbrewbike.com/ - Sac Brew Bike 

http://www.visitsacramento.com/ - Tourist Board 

http://www.capitolcorridor.org/route_and_schedules/ - Amtrak Capital Corridor