Is Sacramento a boring city? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: sales, real estate, condos)

[krudmonk]

Sacramento is relaxed, but not boring. There is a difference.

[wulfgar64]

It's funny how the topic of Sacramento being boring always comes up. I suppose if you're looking for a big city lifestyle: forget about it. You need to go to the Bay Area. Sacto is good for a more sedate, family type of atmosphere. If you're into sports, picnics, walking in the park, etc., Sacto is the place.

[wburg]

wulfgar: What aspects of big city lifestyle is Sacramento missing?

[misterdammit]

I've only lived her for about 8 months, but to me Sacramento is exciting. Of course, I'd lived my whole life in the Redding and Chico areas, so it's all relative I guess.

[mmouwse]

Sac is noisy (freeways surround it). The air quality sucks! It is the state capitol, so it almost becomes a ghost town when the employees go home. Crime is rampant--gangs, drugs, murders, robberies even amongst the very young still in school even!
It does have some nice neighborhoods that are nice to look at, safe to live in, and feel like the best of small town living with friendly neighbors and a real sense of community. It does have the paved path along the river. Old downtown is cool. Lots of history here. Lots of great restaurants and museums some culture and lots of activities of all kinds, indoors and outdoors. River activities, bicycling is big, sports are available. Decent nightlife, culture, fun for young adults.
But, I would not raise my kids here. Not impressed by the shools or quality of education.
Very hot and smoggy in the summer. Tends to be a bit cold and wet in the winter. The Valley fog can be dangerously thick.
It is centrally located...2 hours to the mountains, 2 hours to SF and the coast. It does have the feel of a small town in the better neighborhoods while still having some of the qualities that attract folks to bigger cities.
So....it depends. For some it is a great place to live, others dislike it. Depends on your socioeconomic position and your personal preference for career opportunity, environment and passtime pursuits. And how/where you want to raise your kids.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by mmouwse

Sac is noisy (freeways surround it). The air quality sucks! It is the state capitol, so it almost becomes a ghost town when the employees go home. Crime is rampant--gangs, drugs, murders, robberies even amongst the very young still in school even!
It does have some nice neighborhoods that are nice to look at, safe to live in, and feel like the best of small town living with friendly neighbors and a real sense of community. It does have the paved path along the river. Old downtown is cool. Lots of history here. Lots of great restaurants and museums some culture and lots of activities of all kinds, indoors and outdoors. River activities, bicycling is big, sports are available. Decent nightlife, culture, fun for young adults.
But, I would not raise my kids here. Not impressed by the shools or quality of education.
Very hot and smoggy in the summer. Tends to be a bit cold and wet in the winter. The Valley fog can be dangerously thick.
It is centrally located...2 hours to the mountains, 2 hours to SF and the coast. It does have the feel of a small town in the better neighborhoods while still having some of the qualities that attract folks to bigger cities.
So....it depends. For some it is a great place to live, others dislike it. Depends on your socioeconomic position and your personal preference for career opportunity, environment and passtime pursuits. And how/where you want to raise your kids.

Hear! Hear! I moved my family here 19 years ago. Grown children, a divorce, a new marriage and retirement later I can't wait to leave this Spring when we're heading East.

We've lived in the 'burbs and have lived downtown. Tired of crime, sirens, the homeless, Sacto's lack of planning ability and its politics.

Happiness will be Sacramento in the rear-view mirror, as will California as a whole.

[D-town 720]

Originally Posted by Mach50

To me Sacramento sounds a lot like Denver. Davis is Sacramento's Boulder .
Not sure if you know these 2 places to say if they are comparable or not.

They are not comparable. Boulder is much more like Berkeley. Davis really isnt that left wing but for the area its in it appears that way (SEE voting stats). And Sac is not like Denver at all. However, I lived in midtown Sac and that place is a gem. Its your liberal bastion/walkable/cafe etc hood with many nice trees and victorians. The art walk has been getting better every year and there's some good infill going on. I even think they kick you out of midtown once you hit 40

[D-town 720]

Originally Posted by wulfgar64

It's funny how the topic of Sacramento being boring always comes up. I suppose if you're looking for a big city lifestyle: forget about it. You need to go to the Bay Area. Sacto is good for a more sedate, family type of atmosphere. If you're into sports, picnics, walking in the park, etc., Sacto is the place.

Bay area big city lifestyle? Maybe if you live in SF. Most of the bay area is sprawl. People drive everywhere, shop at the super K and tend to live in planned communities, old or new. The downtown area of Sac has more to offer in terms of urban living than most of the bay area communities i.e. fremont, Hayward, San Mateo, Richmond, Milpitas, south city, redwood city etc etc. Oakland and SJ may compete with Sac but would never qualify as "big city living".

- Bay area resident of 30 years

[clongirl]

I used to live in the Sac Area (Fair Oaks) and our family always found something to do...and we were from San Francisco. We loved being able to head to the snow for a couple of hours in the winter and get back the same day! We loved taking our daily walks/bike rides along the American River and take hiking day trips up to Empire Mines, Yuba River etc. There are a lot of family friendly places to eat that aren't necessarily big chains and nobody's going to throw you nasty looks for even bringing children in (we get this a lot in San Francisco). I thought it was an outdoor paradise for kids.

Now if you are looking for nightlife, strip bars and sake/wine bars, then Sac won't be like San Francisco or anything but for families we thought it was a great place for finding things to do.

[wburg]

The main difference between Sacramento and bigger cities, other than the obvious "more people," is that we do seem to have a particularly easygoing attitude. Very few people here are in a rush. We have nightlife spots, wine bars and sake bars and strip clubs, just not as many as, say, SF, but really, how many do you need?

I dunno. I'm 40 and haven't gotten my notice to leave midtown yet. Last night my wife and I walked downtown, had dinner after walking by a dozen or so restaurants that all looked too full, went to a nightclub to see some friends, it got too crowded so we walked to another nightclub and saw more friends (and past a few other clubs too.) Then we walked home at 1:30 AM, where it was pretty quiet aside from a few other people walking home from bars or clubs or shows. The Midtown scene has ebbed and flowed over the years, and there are more nightlife spots lately as Sacramento has started to realize it has a downtown, but it's a pretty nice place to live as cities go.

I suppose someone used to a super intense kind of city would find it kind of boring, but it's about my speed.