ABOUT THE CITY
Sacramento, the state capital lies 90 miles northeast of San Francisco. The pace of life is somewhat slower than in other large Californian cities, and the people are generally warm and friendly. There’s plenty to do in Sacramento. The city is home to over 32 theaters, galleries and museums. In a city bound by two rivers, the American and the Sacramento, water recreation tops the list for outdoor activities: Salmon and steelhead fishing, river rafting, boating. Professional sports are represented by the Sacramento Kings of the NBA, the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA and the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple-A baseball team. Sacramento enjoys mild year-round temperatures. Summers are dry with little humidity and an abundance of sunshine. But don’t let the heat keep you from the California State Fair. The Cal Expo fairgrounds come alive every summer as the State Fair becomes a “city within a city” that hosts nearly one million visitors.
About Sacramento
A City With a Past—and a Future
Situated at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers, Sacramento is a city of contrast, defying expectations that the capital of a state must be a bustling metropolis studded with sleek steel and glass towers. There are buildings fitting that description clustered downtown, but the heart of California’s capital city has tree-shaded streets lined with elegant Victorian homes. Unlike most major metropolitan areas that grew from a civic center, Sacramento started from several small communities that grew together.
History
Sacramento: Discovered and Named
In 1808, Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga found the Maidu Indians living peacefully in the Northern California valley formed by the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east and the Pacific Coast Mountains to the west. Warm summers, mild winters, a dependable yearly rainy season and water from the confluence of two great rivers resulted in a landscape so verdant and abundant that Gabriel Moraga named the valley after the Holy Sacrament— Sacramento.
Fast Facts
Zip Code: 95814 – 95864
Population: 1,898,300
County: Sacramento
Median Age: 32
Home Median Value: $280,000
Home Appreciation: 14.71%
Sales Tax: 7.75%
Cost of Living Index: 118.4%
Median Income: $43,790
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
By Car
The Sacramento region is served by freeways (notably I-5, I-80, Business Loop 80 (Capital City Freeway), U.S. Highway 50, and Hwy 99). No new freeways have been built since the mid 1970s, despite a near-doubling of population in the metropolitan area since that time. Some Sacramento neighborhoods, particularly the central downtown and midtown areas, are pedestrian friendly. And as a result of litigation, Sacramento has undertaken to make all city facilities and sidewalks wheelchair accessible. In an effort to preserve its urban neighborhoods, Sacramento has constructed traffic-calming obstacles in several areas.
Public Transportation
Sacramento Regional Transit
(916) 321-BUSS (2877)
Sacramento Regional Transit’s bus and light-rail system provides service within the city and nearby suburbs.
Inter-City Transportation
Sacramento Amtrak Station
401 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Amtrak provides passenger rail service to the city of Sacramento. The main passenger rail station is located on the corner of 5th and I streets near the historic Old Town Sacramento.
Amtrak’s California Zephyr also serves Sacramento daily and provides service to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Reno, Salt Lake, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Chicago and intermediate cities.
Greyhound Bus
(800) 231-2222
Service from City to numerous locations throughout the United States.
Air Transportation
Sacramento International Airport
(SMF)
6900 Airport Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95837
(916) 929-5411
Sacramento International Airport is located just of the 5 freeway, 10 miles northwest of downtown. SMF offers 30 minutes of free parking in the Hourly Parking lots. If you park 31-60 minutes, you only pay $1.
Terminal A Airlines
US Airways (800) 235-9292
Continental Airlines (800) 523-3273
Delta Air Lines (800) 221-1212
Hawaiian Airlines (800) 367-5320
JetBlue (800) 538-2583
Southwest Airlines (800) 435-9792
Terminal B Airlines
Alaska Airlines (800) 426-0333
Aloha Airlines (800) 367-5250
American Airlines (800) 433-7300
Frontier Airlines (800) 265-5505
Horizon Air (800) 547-9308
Mexicana Airlines (800) 531-7921
Arrivals: Interim International Arrivals Building
Northwest Airlines (800) 225-2525
United Airlines/United Express (800) 241-6522
Local Phone Numbers
| City Area Code | |
| The area code for the Sacramento | 916 |
| Emergency | |
| All Emergencies | 911 |
| Non Emergency | (916) 264-5471 |
| Crisis Pregnancy Center | (800) 395-4357 |
| Poison Control | (800) 764-7661 |
| Runaway Hotline | (800) 392-3352 |
| Government Numbers | |
| City of Sacramento | (916) 264-5011 |
| Dept of Parks and Recreation | (916) 808-5200 |
| Internal Revenue Service | (800) 829-1040 |
| Social Security Administration | (800) 772-1213 |
| Utilities Dept | (916) 808-1400 |
| Voter Registration | (916) 875-6451 |
| Financial Services | |
| Automatic Teller Information | |
| ATM Locator | (800) 248-4286 |
| MasterCrd ATM | (800) 424-7787 |
| VISA Plus System | (800) 843-7587 |
| Lost or Stolen Credit Cards | |
| American Express | (800) 233-5432 |
| AT&T Universal Card | (800) 423-4343 |
| Diners Club | (800) 234-6377 |
| Discover Card | (800) 347-2683 |
| JCB | (800) 736-8111 |
| MasterCard | (800) 826-2181 |
| VISA | (800) 336-8472 |
| Lost or Stolen Travelers Checks | |
| American Express | (800) 221-7282 |
| Thomas Cook MasterCard | (800) 223-7373 |
| Travelers Check Customer Service | (800) 645-6556 |
| VISA | (800) 227-6811 |
| Support Networks | |
| Teen Link (Various Topics) | (800) 235-9678 |
| Crisis Pregnancy Center | (800) 395-4357 |
| Services | |
| Directory Assistance | 411 |
| Shipping & Postal Service | |
| Airborne Express | (800) 247-2676 |
| Federal Express | (800) 463-3339 |
| UPS | (800) 742-5877 |
| Library | |
| 27 Branches and bookmobiles serve the Sacramento area. Go to www.saclibrary.orgto find the closest branch, or call 1-800-561-4636. | |
Television
| 3 | KCRA | NBC |
| 6 | KVIE | PBS |
| 10 | KXTV | ABC |
| 13 | KOVR | CBS |
| 18 | KUVS DT | UNI |
| 19 | KUVS | UNI |
| 21 | KMAX DT | CW |
| 31 | KMAX | CW |
| 35 | KCRA-DT | NBC |
| 53 | KVIE-DT | PBS |
Radio
| AM Radio | ||
| 650 | KSTE | talk |
| 710 | KFIA | religious-talk |
| 1140 | KHTK | sports |
| 1210 | KEBR | religious |
| 1320 | KCTC | Air America talk |
| 1380 | KTKZ | K-Talktalk |
| 1430 | KJAY | Ethnic |
| 1470 | KIID | Disney childrens |
| 1530 | KFBK | NewsTalk news/talk |
| 1620 | KSMH | Religious |
| 1690 | KFSG | Religious-español |
| FM Radio | ||
| 88.9 | KXJZ | NPR/CPR- public/jazz |
| 90.9 | KXPR | NPR- public/classical |
| 92.5 | KGBY | |
| 93.3 | KYLO | religious |
| 93.7 | KQJK | Jack- adult hits |
| 94.7 | KSSJ | smooth jazz |
| 96.1 | KYMX | Mix 96 |
| 96.9 | KSEG | Eagle 96.9classic rock |
| 98.5 | KRXQ | 98 Rock- active rock |
| 100.5 | KZZO | The Zone modern |
| 101.1 | KHYL V101 | urban oldies |
| 101.5 | KDRT LP | community |
| 101.9 | KCCL | Boss Radioclassic hits |
| 102.5 | KSFM | CHR rhythmic |
| 105.1 | KNCI | hit country |
| 106.5 | KWOD | modern rock |
| 107.9 | KDND | The EndCHR-pop |
Newspapers
The primary newspaper is The Sacramento Bee, founded in 1857. Its rival, the Sacramento Union, started publishing six years earlier in 1851. Before it closed its doors in 1994, the Union was the oldest daily newspaper west of the Mississippi. Writer and journalist Mark Twain wrote for the Union in 1866. In late 2004 a new Sacramento Union returned with bimonthly magazines and in May 2005 began monthly publication, but does not intend to return as a daily newspaper.
Sacramento Bee
(916) 321-1000
Sacramento Union
Dining & Nightlife
From Chuckwagon to World-Class Cuisine
California’s capital city still has essentially a hometown feel despite its phenomenal growth during the past decade. For most of its 150-year history, Sacramento’s culinary scene has featured Middle American fare served in fine dining rooms, steakhouses and grills. Its growth has resulted in an explosion of culinary choices. Sacramento has seen a staggering influx of quality ethnic dining venues. Throughout the metropolitan area a variety of sleek, sophisticated and elegant restaurants have opened, while venerable institutions underwent renovation. On the breezy banks of the Sacramento and American Rivers, patio dining includes spectacular views. Under the leafy canopy of the Midtown district, the view from patio tables beside Victorian mansions is pleasantly intimate. Throughout the capital region are a variety of distinct districts with eclectic and exciting dining experiences to satisfy both the gourmet and the aficionado of traditional American favorites.
Art
A diverse array of museums and galleries in the Old Sacramento, Downtown and Midtown districts feature everything from treasures of the Old Masters to cutting-edge examples of post-modernism. Occupying a Victorian mansion in Midtown, the Crocker Art Museum is the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi. Several galleries display contemporary art by Californian Wayne Thiebaud alongside works by Pieter Brueghel, Rembrandt and Jacques-Louis David.
On the K Street Mall, the Artists Contemporary Gallery, founded in 1958, is Sacramento’s oldest continuously running gallery. It displays works of incredibly diverse media by area artists. Taking its name literally, the Art Foundry Gallery includes a working bronze foundry as well as gallery space featuring artistic works of local artisans.
Dance
Sacramento Community Center Theater at the eastern end of the K Street mall highlights traveling Broadway song-and-dance extravaganzas with dozens of high-stepping dancers. The Sacramento Ballet, a few blocks east on K Street is dedicated to bringing classical and contemporary ballet to Sacramentans. The award winning California State University, Sacramento Department of Dance hosts diverse cutting-edge interpretations of contemporary dance works.
The Sacramento Ballet performs in the Community Center Theatre. The Deane Dance Center is the company’s official dance school. The Russian-American Music Academy of Roseville, CA regularly offers community productions of operas and operettas.
Film
You can always view Hollywood’s latest blockbuster at huge megaplexes scattered around town. Century has four locations: the Century Downtown Plaza 7, the Century 16 Laguna megaplex, the Century Stadium 14 on Arden Way and the Century Cinedome 9 off of Interstate 80 at Greenback. The Regal Natomas Marketplace 16 megaplex is huge with 16 screens. The Esquire IMAX Theatre on the K Street Mall shows adventure extravaganzas on its six-story tall screen. For viewers interested in more eclectic cinematic fare, the Crest Theatre, a lovingly restored 1920s movie palace on K Street and the Tower Theatre on Broadway offer classics, art and foreign films as well as live events.
Museums
For those new to the River City the sheer variety of museums is staggering. In Old Sacramento, is the Railroad Museum, in which restored locomotives and railroad cars are featured along with all sorts of railroad artifacts. Over in Midtown the Sutter Museum and the California State Indian Museum feature exhibits, which demonstrate the coexistence of two very distinct cultures. Docents in period dress re-enact various crafts and other activities from those times. The McClellan Aviation Museum features 30 aircraft dating to World War II. In addition, for those interested in a tour along memory lane, the Historic City Cemetery established in 1849, is the resting-place for more than 20,000 settlers who shaped Sacramento’s early history. Guided and self-guided tours of the cemetery are available.
Music & Theater
Music
Classical music aficionados will find many venues in which to enjoy fine performances in Sacramento. Camellia Symphony Orchestra (The) is nationally recognized for its unusual performances of traditional repertoire works. For popular music fans, The California Musical Theater offers Music Circus, a one of a kind tent theater for musicals and a Broadway Series featuring classics of the musical theater. Based in West Sacramento, the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society sponsors the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee on Memorial Day Weekend. The Jubilee features dozens of Jazz bands from around the world. A new option for contemporary music fans is the Sacramento Valley Amphitheater, a state-of-the-art outdoor facility, 20 miles north of downtown, that features nationally touring bands.
Shopping
| Arden Fair(916) 920-11991689 Arden WaySacramento – 95815Sacramento’s largest shopping center with 165 specialty shops | Folsom Premium Outlets(916) 985-031313000 Folsom Blvd.Folsom – 95630More than 80 famous-brand outlets featuring everyday savings of 25 to 65 percent |
| Nimbus Winery Mall(916) 985-810012401 Folsom BoulevardRancho Cordova – 95742Four major restaurants coupled with a collection of unique specialty shops. | Old Sacramento Historic District2nd & K Streets(916) 442-7644Old Sacramento – 95814More than 125 boutique shops set amongst Gold Rush-era buildings, dozens of restaurants and the Sacramento River |
| Pavilions(916) 925-6133563 Pavilions LaneSacramento. – 95825Cosmopolitan shopping and dining in a village atmosphere. | Vacaville Premium Outlets(707) 447-5755321-2 Nut Tree RoadVacaville. – 95687120 name brand outlets including Burberry, Banana Republic Factory Store, Coach, and many more. |
| Westfield Shoppingtown – Downtown Plaza(707) 447-5755321-2 Nut Tree RoadVacaville – 95687 |
Recommended Tours
Whether you prefer exciting urbane amenities, humble historic activities, or sports, there is always something to do in Sacramento—capital of the Golden State.
One-Day Stay: Just Walking Around
If you just have a day, spend it in Old Sacramento. Old Town, as the locals call it, features a Wild West ambiance, with history and diversity that attracts visitors from around the world. A registered national landmark, Old Sacramento boasts the largest concentrations of historic buildings in California. With more than 100 restored 1849 Gold Rush-era buildings now housing shops, top-quality restaurants and museums, few destinations in America offer so many opportunities to learn, dine and shop in a 28-acre site that lends itself to perambulation.
Old Sacramento is located downtown and is convenient to all freeways. From any direction take Interstate 5 to the J Street exit and follow the signs. Abundant covered parking at reasonable rates is available. Enter at Third and J streets or at Capitol Mall and Front Street. Newly installed meters now watch over on-street parking spaces, but from popular downtown hotels like Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza, Governor’s House or the Delta King, Old Sacramento is just a walk away.
Sports
If you love sports, Sacramento is the city for you. It is the home of the AAA minor league ball club the River Cats, the NBA Sacramento Kings and the WNBA Monarchs. Of interest to golf enthusiasts, Twelve Bridges Golf Club in Lincoln, northeast of Sacramento, sponsors a major yearly LPGA tournament. The fishing around the Sacramento area draws aficionados from across Northern California. The Sacramento River Delta, a complex network of sloughs and wetlands extending to San Francisco Bay, brims with salmon, bass and giant sturgeon. Weekend bikers and hikers appreciate the trails on The American River Parkway, a two mile wide preserve that meanders through the center of town.
Sacramento hosts two professional basketball teams: the Sacramento Kings (NBA) and the Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA). In addition, Sacramento also has a minor league baseball team called the Sacramento River Cats (affiliate of the Oakland Athletics).
Education
Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.
The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.
The Los Rios Community College District (www.losrios.edu) consists of several two year colleges—American River College, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento City College, Folsom Lake College, plus a large number of outreach centers for those colleges.
Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.
Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes— and financial aid is equally available—while the cost to the institution can be much less.
There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.
Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.
Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.
Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.
Sacramento State University (www.csus.edu) was founded as Sacramento State College in 1947. In 2004, enrollment was 22,555 undergraduates and 5,417 graduate students in the university’s eight colleges. The 300 acre (1.2 km) campus is located along the American River Parkway a few miles east of downtown.
The University of California (www.ucdavis.edu) has a campus, UC Davis, in Davis, 15 miles west of Sacramento.
McGeorge School of Law (www.mcgeorge.edu) in Oak Park is the University of the Pacific’s law school.
Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.
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