Day 1:Start your visit in Old Sacramento(916-442-8575, oldsacramento.com), where museums and historic buildingscall to the city’s heyday as a terminus for the First Transcontinental Railroad. Ride a wagon through town with Top Hand Ranch(916-655-3444, tophandranch.com), and enjoy a sarsaparilla at The River City Saloon(916-443-6852, therivercitysaloon.com), established in 1871, before ordering burgers at Fanny Ann’s Saloon(916-441-0505, fannyannsaloon.com), where memorabilia from the establishment’s namesake steamboat adorn the walls. In June, the Western States Horse Expo(800-352-2411, horsexpo.com) is a must.The three-day eventfeatures clinics with top trainers, lectures from leading experts on equine health, a trade show, and much more.
Day 2:In the morning, learn about California’s pioneer, explorer, and agricultural history at Sutter’s Fort (916-445-4422, suttersfort.org). Then grab lunch at Chando’s Tacos(916-641-8226, chandostacos.com) before visiting the California State Railroad Museum (916-323-9280, csrmf.org), where you can ride in a vintage diesel locomotive. Round out the afternoon with a trip to Folsom, to learn about the penitentiary—made famous by Johnny Cash—at the Folsom Prison Museum (916-985-2561, folsomprisonmuseum.org) orcatch the Folsom Pro Rodeo(folsomrodeo.com). End your day with comfort food and live music at the Goldfield Trading Post(916-476-5076, goldfieldtradingpost.com).
Day 3:Breakfast at Black Bear Diner(916-641-2327, blackbeardiner.com) before setting out on The American River Parkway, for a walk or a float downstream, then stop off at the State Indian Museum and State Park(916-324-0971), where you’ll find gifts and souvenirs like Native-made jewelry and handcrafted pottery at the California Indian Heritage Center Foundation Store(cihcfoundation.org). Before heading home, drive an hour north to Rough and Ready, a mining town that seceded from the Union (for three months) after the government imposed a tax on all claims. Secession Day is celebrated annually with a musical melodrama, arts and crafts festival, and pancakes.
Plan It
Seven-Up Guest Ranch
A working ranch for more than 150 years, the Seven-Up Guest Ranch offers rustic cabins nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Enjoy local wines from one of California’s greatest wine regions while relaxing on the front porch.
530-620-5450 sevenupguestranch.com