Smelling the roses in the City of Trees: 48 hours in Sacramento
Posted by Mary on May 27, 2010
I went to Sacramento expecting to have a fast-paced tourist experience full of new places and activities to tell future hostel guests all about.
Instead, I discovered that the best thing to do in Sacramento is slow down — despite being the capital of the most populous U.S. state, it has an unhurried, relaxing feel I’d only before experienced in the colonial South (Georgia and the Carolinas).
While there’s plenty to do — especially for history buffs — the wide, tree-lined streets of downtown and the old-fashioned boardwalks through Old Sacramento invite you to take your time and smell the roses.
Waking up each morning in a restored Victorian mansion made the relaxation that much more real, as if I’d gone back in time — or at least far, far away — from my hectic Bay Area life.
Inspired by the New York Times’ "36 Hours" columns, here’s an account of my 48 hours in Sacramento. Photos of my trip can be found here.
Thursday
11 a.m. — Train to the Capital
Stepping off the Amtrak Capital Corridor train, I realize it’s 20 degrees warmer here than it was in San Francisco! Jacket: off. It’s a sunny, yet tree-shaded, four-block walk to the hostel, where I’m checked into the nicest hostel room I’ve ever stayed in. And I’m not just saying that because I work for HI — my bright-orange painted, sun soaked private room, complete with a pair of cute vintage armchairs, feels like it belongs in a bed and breakfast. Bathrooms are shared, but the room is beautiful!
12:30 p.m. — The "Soup Nazi"
At the front desk, Brooke gives me a long list of lunch recommendations. Rather than pick one, I decide to wander and see what I find. I’ve barely gone three blocks when I run into a line of people outside the cafe Brooke praised most. She said the French owner, chef, and sole employee at La Bonne Soupe Cafe (920 8th Street) is the "Soup Nazi" of Sacramento (a Seinfeld reference). I find him to be anything but: He’s warm and kind and only barely scolds a woman trying to spoon her half of a shared creme brulee onto a plate (apparently a very improper way to eat it). I’m drooling as he makes decadent sandwiches with soft cheeses, apples, strawberries, smoked salmon, and more. My delicious, made-this-morning tomato, basil, and red pepper soup is a mere $4, and my warmed brie and apple sandwich (yum!!) is $6.50. Food that good — and at that price — is worth any wait (the line does die down around 1:30 p.m.).
2 p.m. — Small town, big city
K Street runs through the middle of downtown, and is blocked to all traffic other than pedestrians and the occasional light-rail train. Some of it is under construction — and the economy has obviously had an impact on business — but there are a handful of lively restaurants and theaters along the wide tree-lined walkway. The Cosmo Cafe immediately catches my eye with its tented, open-air second floor, but since I just ate, I only look. The trees and the open space and the pedestrians give me the impression that I’m in a small town, despite the big city.
4 p.m. — Hostel history tour
I had reserved a spot on a walking tour with the Downtown Partnership, but after waiting 20 minutes for my guide, I give up. I see later on their website that the guide is ill, but I’m told at the hostel this isn’t the first no-show tour guide. I did not pay the $10 fee in advance, and recommend other travelers also wait — and have a backup plan. My Plan B: a hostel history tour! Hostel staff have done loads of research into the mansion’s history, and Steve, the general manager, has been part of its restoration for the last decade. Tours are offered on request. For mine, we walk down the block to see another mansion on H Street, once called Merchant Row (politicians built their mansions on the other side of town). Back at the hostel, Steve explains the hostel’s architecture and offers stories of the Williams family who built it in 1885. My room, nice as it is, turns out to be on the servants’ side of the house, while the master bedrooms at the front, complete with original fireplaces, have been converted into dorm rooms. The "Oak Room" downstairs — one of several common rooms — is the most authentic space in the house with original wallpaper, woodwork, and painted ceiling.
5:30 p.m. — Old Sacramento and Candy Heaven
Anyone who visits this city should check out Old Sacramento — its cobblestone streets, old-fashioned wooden sidewalks, Gold Rush era tourist shops, and riverside restaurants are fun and quaint and different from the rest of downtown. Trying to imagine what this strip would have felt like in the 1880s — the sounds of trains, steamships, and gold rushers — I’m bombarded with another sensation: the smell of candy. The pull toward Candy Heaven gets even stronger when a kid on the street hands me a coupon for free samples of taffy. The shop is full of children, so the cashier politely tells everyone to take just two samples. But he winks at me and says to try what I like, so I help myself to a few, including two flavored like Key Lime pie.
7 p.m. — Dinner and a movie
After a hot day of walking around town, grabbing a beer is at the top of my list of priorities. And since I’m planning on catching a movie at the Crest Theater after dinner, the Pyramid Alehouse next door is an easy pick, if unremarkable. The Crest Theater is similarly unremarkable — except that it plays independent and foreign films you can’t find elsewhere (a far cry from the IMAX theater a block over). I see La Mission, a San Francisco film, and one of the best I’ve seen in months — making the theater remarkable after all. Even better — since it’s just five blocks from the hostel, I easily make it back before 11 p.m. (Important, since I left the late-night entry key code in my room!)
Friday
8:30 a.m. — Fog Mountain Cafe
Looking at the menu, I’m sorry I won’t be here for lunch — the sandwiches (Grown Up Grilled Cheese, Turkey Bacon-Jack-A-Cado, Black Forest Ham, Cheese ‘n’ More) look yummy, and the cafe is right across the street from Cesar Chavez Plaza, where lunch on the grass or by the fountain might be nice. Alas, I’m here for a breakfast sandwich (bacon and egg scrambled with a little dill, $5). It’s an easy stop on the way to do anything, since it’s just one block from the hostel. Weekenders will miss out — it’s only open Monday - Friday.
10 a.m. — Touring the Capitol
In third grade, I toured the State Capitol of Minnesota, where I grew up. I haven’t been in a Capitol since, and I know almost nothing about California history. I arrive just before the 10 a.m. tour (and just after a few school buses full of third graders, who are luckily taking separate tours). The guide is hilarious and dynamic, and full of facts about Spanish missions, gold seekers, and how classical and American symbolism was incorporated into the Capitol’s decor. Cool. The free tour ends under the giant Capitol dome, so I head down the hall, past Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office, and into the back gardens. Wandering, I come across rose gardens and a very moving Vietnam War Memorial: A life-sized bronze figure of a soldier sits at its center, and I stand so close to him that I have to remind myself he’s not real.
2 p.m. — The California Museum
A few blocks away from the Capitol, this museum is meant for school kids. The $8.50 admission is a little steep for such a small museum, but two exhibits are especially interesting. The California Hall of Fame has memorabilia from a lot of the people featured, including Henry J. Kaiser (a sweet mid-century station wagon!), Judy Blume (a mountain of books!), and George Lucas (Star Wars robots and Indiana Jones’ jacket, hat, and whip!). Another wing of the museum is dedicated to the Japanese internment during World War II. The exhibit walls are covered with photos, art, and even the suitcases of Japanese Americans, and there’s a re-creation of a family’s shack.
6 p.m. — Megami Sushi
I cannot refuse sushi. Period. And since this restaurant offers "Stimulus Fridays," when everything is 10 percent off all day, and it’s recommended by hostel staff, I have to come by. Before the discount my rainbow roll is $8 and a two-piece salmon nigiri is $4 — they’re fresh and good and satisfy my sushi craving perfectly. Like many downtown joints though, it’s only open Monday - Friday.
7 p.m. — Music to everyone’s ears
Every Friday all summer, the city hosts a free concert in Cesar Chavez Plaza, just one block from the hostel. Walking into the park, it looks like this is the place to be if you’re young in Sacramento, but it’s also full of families. The hipster high schoolers are gathered around the central fountain, while other groups are on the lawn and around the stage. There’s a beer garden and booths promoting local groups, but since the music is a little heavy for my taste, I turn my sushi-filled belly back toward the hostel (where I can still hear most of the music anyway).
9 p.m. — The comforts of hostelling
The WiFi connection is stronger in the common rooms than upstairs, so I’m curled up in an Oak Room chair with my laptop and a book. I can hear an Australian man in the other room on Skype, and there are two young guys near the fireplace speaking a language I can’t identify. I imagine they’re talking about their girlfriends and planning their California weekend. Nearest to me is a three-generation American family — a nine-year-old girl, mom, and grandma. Grandma and granddaughter are reading a storybook together. What a comfortable hostel.
Saturday
9 a.m. — Jim Denny’s and Temple Coffee
My last jaunt in Sacramento was supposed to be to Jim Denny’s, a tiny, one-counter diner straight out of the 1940s. Too bad that one counter is full of other hungry people when I arrive. I’m craving eggs, smelling them is killing me, and I’m getting hungrier by the millisecond so, with regret, I leave and walk toward Temple Coffee, where I know they’ll have pastries and caffeine to prepare me for the train ride home. At Temple — which is more like a cottage but meets all expectations of holiness when you’re tired and hungry — I order a lemon-strawberry scone and a pot of Darjeeling tea. Both are entirely satisfying, and the leather furniture makes me OK with skipping the crowded diner.
Planning your trip
It’s easy to book a stay at the Sacramento Hostel online, or you can do it over the phone: (916) 443-1691. The hostel offers accommodations in private, family, and shared rooms.
For more ideas on things to do and see, these are a few resources I found while planning my trip:
"50 Things You Must Do in Sacramento" — A 2007 story in Sacramento Magazine that is exactly what it says it is!
Sacramento Museum Guide — All the museums in Sacramento are listed here, including the California Museum that I visited.
Undietacos — Local music and small venue listings. Unfortunately, there weren’t any shows that interested me during my stay.
Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission — Walking around town, you’ll see there’s public art everywhere. The SMAC has a great map and self-guided walking tour you can download here.
Downtown Partnership Dining Guide (PDF) — This guide of downtown restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops is available at the hostel, but you can download it online too.
This story was written by Sarah Trent, the marketing and communications coordinator for HI’s Northern California hostels. When she’s not busy updating calendars and writing about hostel news, she loves exploring Bay Area hiking spots and farmers markets.