Weekend & Day Trips from Sacramento

1. Benicia

Benicia is a charming waterfront city in Solano County, located within San San Francisco's North Bay area along the banks of the Carquinez Strait near Vallejo and Martinez. The city is known as a top outdoor recreation destination in the Bay Area, home to over 20 parks, including the lovely Benicia State Recreation Area, which attracts cyclings, joggers, and equestrian riders throughout the year.

Its historic downtown district is home to beautiful 19th-century landmark buildings, including the Clock Tower, and the Camel Barn. Quaint boutiques, antique stores, art galleries, book stores, and restaurants line the city's lovely First Street Promenade, which is filled with Victorian-era buildings. Unique attractions include the lovely Benicia Historical Museum, which preserves the region's history of United States Army camel operations, and Arts Benicia, which showcases dynamic art exhibitions throughout the year. Each year, the city hosts the annual Benicia Peddler's Fair, one of North Carolina's largest street fairs.

2. Bodega Bay

Bodega Bay is a quaint fishing town on Northern California's Bodega Head peninsula, located approximately two and a half hours from Sacramento's downtown district. The charming Sonoma County town is best known as the filming site for the acclaimed Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds, which was inspired by an actual attack of shorebirds in the town in the 1950s, and is home to several preserved attractions showcased in the film. Visitors can view the historic Fort Ross, originally erected in 1809 as one of the first permanent structures in California by Russian settlers. The town's lovely harbor offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the year, including opportunities for paddleboarding and kayaking. Nearby, the Russian River wine region is home to top national wineries such as Russian River Vineyards and Korbel Winery.

3. Berkeley

Berkeley is a hip, liberal city on San Francisco Bay's eastern shoreline, known as the birthplace of several major free speech and political movements during the mid-2oth century. The delightful day trip destination is home to a wide variety of cultural attractions, including the renowned Berkeley Repertory Theater, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and the beautiful restored Hearst Greek Theatre, a concert venue that presents major live music performances by internationally-recognized independent rock musicians. The University of California Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union make the city a popular college town, which is populated by hip cafes, eclectic bookstores and shops, and delicious restaurants along its Telegraph Avenue district. Family-friendly attractions include lovely Tilden Park and the interactive Habitot Children's Discovery Museum.

4. Apple Hill

Planning to go apple picking in the fall? Apple Hill is a charming farm district in Sacramento, originally founded in 1964 to represent 16 local apple ranches. Today, the conglomerate represents more than 50 local farms, including fruit and vegetable farms, flower and Christmas tree farms, and lovely wineries.

Visitors can explore sites like lovely Rainbow Orchards, operated by the Campbell family since 1977 and known for its famed fried-to-order cinnamon sugar cider doughnuts. Denver Dan's Apple Patch, established in 1961, offers pick-your-own orchards, a family-friendly petting zoo, and delicious fresh-baked apple pies, while Delfino Farms is home to a fully-stocked bake shop serving up Walkin' Pies with cinnamon cider sauce. Families can enjoy great opportunities for pony rides, caramel apples, and face painting throughout the fall months, while adults can sample delicious wines and brews at Jack Russell Farm Brewery or Lava Cap Winery.

5. Auburn

Auburn is a lovely Placer County city that is designated as a California Historical Landmark in its entirety for its significance to the state's Gold Rush history in the 19th century. Today, the city's restored Old Town district is home to a number of preserved landmarks from that era, including a preserved mid-19th-century post office and fire station building. The Placer County Museum preserves gold mining artifacts and exhibits related to the region's Chinese immigrant workers, while a memorial honors native citizen and acclaimed fantasy writer Clark Ashton Smith. A wide variety of recreational opportunities abound throughout the year at Auburn State Recreation Area, which hosts the annual 100-mile Western States Trail Ride and Endurance Run, the American River 50-Mile Endurance Run and Equestrian Ride, and the Auburn Century 100-Mile Bike Ride. The region is also known as an up-and-coming wine destination, home to a variety of lovely wineries and tasting rooms.

6. Brannan Island State Recreation Area

Brannan Island State Recreation Area is a gorgeous California state park unit in Sacramento County, located near the cities of Isleton and Rio Vista. The park protects a beautiful stretch of waterways within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, offering amazing opportunities for striped bass, catfish, sturgeon, perch, and bullhead fishing throughout the year. Visitors can windsurf at the Windy Cove day-use area or enjoy seasonal summer swimming opportunities at Seven Mile Slough's public swimming beach. More than 76 species of birds call Frank's Tract home, along with beavers, muskrats, and river otters. A six-lane boat launch ramp is also offered, along with more than 140 overnight campsites.

17645 CA-160, Rio Vista, CA 94571, Phone: 916-777-6671

7. The California State Railroad Museum

The California State Railroad Museum is a lovely museum in Sacramento that preserves the history of the region's railroads and their relation to the nation's development of railroad system. The charming Old Sacramento attraction dates back to 1937, founded by the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. Its first public museum opened within the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station in 1976. Today, the museum is a Smithsonian-affiliated organization, showcasing a collection of nearly two dozen restored locomotives and railway cars that date back as far as the mid-19th century. Its beautiful Sierra Scene recreates a large-scale mockup of a Sierra Nevada railroad construction site at Donner Pass dating back to 1867, showcasing the Gov. Stanford locomotive. Other exhibits detail the impact of railroads on American society, travel, and commerce.

125 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814, Phone: 916-445-7387

8. Davis

Davis is a delightful city located just west of Sacramento, best known as the home of the University of California Davis and its beautiful arboretum, which showcases landscaped gardens with international plants organized around the banks of Putah Creek. Visitors can explore unique museums such as the Bohart Museum of Entomology or the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame, which showcases historic bicycles and inducts important biking figures each year. The UC Davis California Raptor Center rehabilitates orphaned birds of prey, offering up-close opportunities to meet and greet with birds. The famed Davis Farmers Market, located within the city's Central Park, is operated twice a week, known for its delightful live music performances, restaurant stands, and locally-grown produce. Each year, the university campus hosts Picnic Day, the United States' largest student-run festival.

9. Donner Memorial State Park

Donner Memorial State Park is a beautiful California state park, located at the site of the infamous pioneer Donner Camp, where the ill-fated Donner Party spent a brutal winter in the mid-19th century without adequate supplies. Today, the site within the Sierra Nevada Mountains has been declared a National Historic Landmark, home to the Emigrant Trail Museum and the Pioneer Monument, which honor the travelers of the pioneer-era Emigrant Trail. Visitors can observe the California Historic Landmark monument, which sits atop a 22-foot pedestal at the site of the former Schallenberger and Breen Cabins. Regional history and culture exhibits are showcased at the Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center, including exhibits on area indigenous groups. Over eight miles of hiking trails traverse the park, which is also home to trout fishing lakes and more than 150 campground sites.

12593 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee, CA 96161, Phone: 530-582-7892

10. Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park is one of Lake Tahoe's most beautiful attractions, located on the banks of the National Natural Landmark Emerald Bay, a protected region since 1969. The park is best known as the home of Vikingsholm, an incredible 38-room mansion that was constructed by Lennart Alexander Palme for Lora Knight and is considered today to be one of the United States' top examples of Scandinavian-style architecture. Visitors can explore the home as part of guided tours, which are offered daily between May and September, and learn about the history of its construction and use. Paddlewheeler boats like the M.S. Dixie II traverse the bay throughout the year, along with private yachts that can be rented through companies like Lake Tahoe Boat Rides. The park is also home to the underwater Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail, which protects the shipwrecks of a number of fishing boats and barges from the 20th century.

138 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, Phone: 530-541-3030