2.5 day scouting trip to Sacramento (Roseville, Folsom: rent, houses, neighborhoods)

[mrscrant]

My wife and I are heading to the Sacramento area for a weekend in the beginning of April. We are considering leaving the east coast, and after doing lots of web searching, we have Sacramento in our sites. It's time to come out and see the area for ourselves to determine if we want to move forward. Like I said, we are from the Northeast, have two young boys (1.5 and 3), and are just normal, working folks (healthcare, management). Reading online only gets you so far.

So, we will be arriving Thursday afternoon, and staying until very early Sunday morning (via SFO). We are interested in getting an overall feel for the city and area, while absorbing the surrounding communities and culture. Ideally, we'd like to see the "worst" of Sacramento/metro, as well as the best... given our time constraints of course. We're not sure if we will stay in the city itself or the burbs (where we'd most likely choose to live... Roseville and Fair Oaks are on our radar), but we'd like to get a look at both rivers, a quick stop at Folsom Lake, and just get an overall feel for the area. We plan on waking up early Friday morning and experiencing rush hour from Roseville to the city. Go check out some of those Fair Oaks chickens... you know, the local flavor!

Any tips or quick must-see/stop experiences that you highly recommend? What are some of the gems of your area that you like to share with visitors?

Much appreciated...

[Gaylord_Focker]

Good luck, can't wait to see the results. I did some internet scouting and checked out Denver, KC and Vegas. The first two are no longer on my list.

[ryuns]

Hm. That's a tough exercise. There are some great things to see in the city, but it's hard to recommend too much, because, in my estimation at least, the charms of the city are more apparent when you slow down a bit. It's a very livable place.

You should probably go see Old Sacramento and then walk along the river a little. The California Railroad Museum is a ton of fun for kids, though your youngest may be too young. Maybe walk (or at least drive) around Capitol Park, which is sort of an arboretum meets center of government. The area in between Old Sac and the Capitol is hit and miss (since you wanted to see the "worst", you may find a few run-down blocks near where the new sports arena is going to go as the worst with closed shops and homeless folks--that appears to be changing fast as that neighborhood redevelops, and in any case isn't representative of the area.

Don't leave the "grid" (rounghly downtown + Midtown, the area bounded by the American river, Sac River, and Capitol City Freeway on the south and east) without spending some time in Midtown. Find a nice place to eat (maybe brunch--there are tons), and cruise the neighborhoods off of the main drags. Nice tree-lined streets and Victorian houses. I'd also recommend spending a little time in the streetcar suburbs around the city. You might head to Land Park, which is a huge park and contains the zoo, and a couple children-oriented entertainment spots. Not sure if you're open to living close to town or what your price range is, but I recommend taking a look at that neighborhood--I mention that because a lot of folks only end up seeing downtown and farther-flung suburbs, and don't know the feel of the neighborhoods closer in. If you're thirsty, there are a couple breweries in that neighborhood that are kid-friendly. Track 7 and New Helvetia are their names.

I'll let someone else handle the recommendations for the suburbs. FYI, Folsom Lake isn't much to look at this year during the drought, but it is (generally) a great regional asset. A (very) long bike trail connects downtown Sac to Folsom along the American River, which is awesome.

[wburg]

Chicken-keeping was recently legalized in the city of Sacramento--it's not unusual to hear them clucking in Midtown or East Sacramento, although they are confined to backyards.

Best way to experience Sacramento's central city and streetcar neighborhoods is by bike. You can rent bikes by the day at Practical Cycle in Old Sacramento, including motorized electric bikes.

[caligirlz]

For Folsom, be sure to stop on Sutter Street and go to Snooks Candy's. http://snookscandies.com/
I'd also recommend having a burger & brew at Samuel Horn's on Sutter Street. http://samhornes.com/
The main cross-town roads are E Bidwell and Folsom Blvd; both take you to hwy 50. E Bidwell merges into Riley and takes you through the historic district. For a good view of the entire valley form the tallest point in all of Sacramento, go up to the top of Carpenter Hill - drive up Iron Point past Costco. Also, for a scenic way to get to Roseville, take the backroads, Folsom-Auburn Rd all the way to Douglas Blvd, then turn left to drive through Granite Bay & into Roseville.

Other ideas: Get an icecream cone at Gunthers http://www.gunthersicecream.com/
Get a cup of Joe at Old Soul in Oak Park. Be careful though, it is Oak Park.
Go to the The Squeeze Inn - Best Burgers In Town!
The absolute best restuarant in the area IMO is Hawks, Hawks Restaurant :|: Granite Bay, CA

"Worst" areas? Take a drive down into Meadow View in South Sac. Drive down Del Paso Blvd & up Marysville Blvd. Be sure to hang out at the bus stop on Arden & Del Paso. Drive up Northgate Blvd through So Natomas to No Natomas. Be sure to stop and hang with the homeless campground(s) somewhere along the American River from Discovery Park to capitol 80.

I can't think of a whole lot of really cool places in Roseville. There's a lot of shopping and suburban sprawl. I know there are some really cool parks out by E Roseville Parkway near East Roseville, and you can take Sierra Blvd out to Loomis and points beyond such as Auburn. A good independent coffee place. http://www.bloomcoffee.com/

[muffincake]

If you want to see the worst of Sacramento, walk downtown, especially after 5pm, on a weekend, or near one of the train stops. Homeless people and unsavory characters galore. But also, lots of empty storefronts and not a great welcome to the city, that's for sure.

I would caution that a lot of people here or on sites like Yelp are active on forums about their cities because they like them. You get quite a few cheerleaders here.

Roseville is a nice spot. Haven't spent much time there, but did drive out for some errands and thought it seemed like a rather nice suburb.

The thing I would say is to check out the normal stuff. You're not tourists, you're figuring out where you want to live. Don't go to a festival being hosted or whatever if it happens once a year. Focus on figuring out how day to day life would feel. Good luck!

[sacite]

Originally Posted by mrscrant

My wife and I are heading to the Sacramento area for a weekend in the beginning of April. We are considering leaving the east coast, and after doing lots of web searching, we have Sacramento in our sites. It's time to come out and see the area for ourselves to determine if we want to move forward. Like I said, we are from the Northeast, have two young boys (1.5 and 3), and are just normal, working folks (healthcare, management). Reading online only gets you so far.

So, we will be arriving Thursday afternoon, and staying until very early Sunday morning (via SFO). We are interested in getting an overall feel for the city and area, while absorbing the surrounding communities and culture. Ideally, we'd like to see the "worst" of Sacramento/metro, as well as the best... given our time constraints of course. We're not sure if we will stay in the city itself or the burbs (where we'd most likely choose to live... Roseville and Fair Oaks are on our radar), but we'd like to get a look at both rivers, a quick stop at Folsom Lake, and just get an overall feel for the area. We plan on waking up early Friday morning and experiencing rush hour from Roseville to the city. Go check out some of those Fair Oaks chickens... you know, the local flavor!

Any tips or quick must-see/stop experiences that you highly recommend? What are some of the gems of your area that you like to share with visitors?

Much appreciated...

I like the Land Park area for the trees and remodeled Victorian houses. I always take my mother there when she visits, and she loves it . If you are in that area, Gunthers Ice Cream off of 12th ave (NOTE: Sac has avenues and streets) and Franklin is a great, lively location at night. A good mix of people and a very friendly vibe. I would also check out the little block in midtown between 18th & 19th st and L. There's a frozen yogurt shop, wine/cheese bar, steakhouse and desert shop all on that block. Finally, you should check.out Rick's Diner on 24th and K. I am addicted to their carrot cake and again, it is always buzzing at night. There is a great little coffee/tea house right accross the street from it.
All of these places will give you a glimpse of the local culture. But you really have to live here to get to know it. Once you've been here awhile you begin to see that there are small businesses everywhere tucked in warehouses, converted residential units, and just places you wouldn't notice on a 2 day visit. I've been here almost 7 yrs and I still find new places every week.

[mrscrant]

These are all great suggestions! Much appreciated. Especially all of the ice cream spots...

We want to take a peek at the rivers. Is there an area in Fair Oaks we could park and quickly walk to a spot by the river accessible by the bike trail? A spot where people swim/raft/fish would be ideal!

Also, is there a good spot to grab a cup of coffee (or an ice cream cone) next to the river in the city itself? I think coming from from the east coast we are a bit concerned about feeling "landlocked" so it would be nice to see the water and hopefully alleviate that.

[sacite]

When you go to "old" Fair Oaks just ask someone how to get to the pedestrian walking bridge. It's a nice walk over the bridge and it will take you to paths that go up and down the American River. As far as coffee shops go, Sac is just.loaded with them all over - probably 20-30 in midtown alone if you know where to look - but my one comaint has been no coffee shop right on the river ;(. I know the new stadium coming in will change that though! There are several little diners in Old Fair Oaks that I go to from time to time, but you'd have to take your coffee with you and walk to the river. There are some options in Old Sac as well for restaurants that overlook the river, but to be honest it's kinda touristy and not all that well maintained.

[wburg]

Originally Posted by mrscrant

We want to take a peek at the rivers. Is there an area in Fair Oaks we could park and quickly walk to a spot by the river accessible by the bike trail? A spot where people swim/raft/fish would be ideal!

Also, is there a good spot to grab a cup of coffee (or an ice cream cone) next to the river in the city itself? I think coming from from the east coast we are a bit concerned about feeling "landlocked" so it would be nice to see the water and hopefully alleviate that.

Just as an FYI, Fair Oaks isn't a city--it's a neighborhood in the unincorporated county. There aren't many places for dining alongside the American River because its water level can vary widely--a trickle one year, a flood the next--even with the dam. There are a couple of restaurants in Folsom with river views higher up on the bluff, including Sudwerk.

Sudwerk Brewhouse Grille

In Sacramento, the American River causeway is primarily a nature preserve, a stretch of wild river right next to downtown Sacramento--there is a 22 mile bike trail from downtown to Folsom along this stretch, but in the winter a lot of the trail gets flooded. The Sacramento River, on the other hand, is far more tamed--but it is hidden from sight by the levee. In Old Sacramento, you can be a few hundred feet from the river but not see it until you reach the boardwalk. Probably the best place downtown to enjoy a coffee or a drink alongside the river is the Delta King, our old riverboat. It doesn't move anymore (permanently moored to the river dock) but it's still a nice place to hang out, and of the four restaurants with a Sacramento River view downtown, serves the best food. The Pilothouse bar upstairs from the King's restaurant includes tables out on the deck directly alongside the river. It's especially fun on summer evenings when the Rivercats games are on--they finish each game with a fireworks show that is a lot of fun to watch from the river.