Life in Sacramento and Beyond

Sacramento: Lively and Diverse

As California's capital city, Sacramento is on the move, serving up a diverse menu of outdoor activities, great restaurants, cultural events and nightlife. In addition to the obvious benefits of a rapidly expanding and diverse patient population, Sacramento is a mid-sized, very livable city and offers affordable housing (some residents even buy homes here). The standard of living is higher and the cost of living is lower when compared to California's other heavily populated regions — the Los Angeles area or the San Francisco Bay area. Sacramento is one of California's most accessible major cities and is located just 90 miles from San Francisco and Lake Tahoe and just 50 miles from Napa.

Watch a video featuring UC Davis medical students and the Sacramento region

Recreational paradise...

Sacramento is surrounded by some of California's most popular attractions, all within easy driving distance: Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco and the Carmel/Monterey Peninsula, Mendocino and North Coast shores, and the "wine country" of the Napa and Sonoma valleys and Sierra Foothills.

Some Useful Links On the Surrounding Regions:

Sac wine region http://www.sacbee.com/foodwine/
Lake Tahoe visitor’s bureau http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com/
Reno visitor's bureau http://www.visitrenotahoe.com/
Napa visitor's bureau http://www.napavalley.org/index.html
Yolo County Visitors Guide (Davis, Woodland, Winters, Clarksburg, Capay Valley) http://www.yolocvb.net/

Sports enthusiasts will also find Sacramento's climate and opportunities ideal. The American River Bike Trail (http://www.americanriverbiketrail.com/) follows 30 miles of riverfront, from downtown's historic "Old Sacramento (www.oldsacramento.com): " to the Folsom Lake state recreation area. Horseback riding, golf and tennis are year-round activities. Areas for skiing (http://www.skilaketahoe.com/), hiking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking, fishing, boating and rafting are also readily accessible. Additionally, the Sacramento and surrounding areas offer a variety of professional and semi-professional sporting events throughout year, from basketball, to auto racing to tennis.

Links for Ongoing Sporting Events:

Rivercats (www.rivercats.com) - Sacramento's AAA, minor league baseball team (www.rivercats.com)
Sacramento Kings (http://www.nba.com/kings/) - NBA Basketball
Infineon Raceway (http://www.racesonoma.com/) - Nascar racing in nearby, Sonoma
Sacramento Capitals (http://www.saccaps.com/teams/index.aspx) - Sacramento's World TeamTennis Pro Team

Cultural and entertainment hub...

With professional ballet, opera and theatre companies, along with numerous theaters, galleries and museums, Sacramento offers plenty of entertainment. In the evenings, you'll find everything from quiet jazz, to DJs spinning hip-hop or bands belting out the blues, to salsa dancers stirring it up in the clubs. What's more, on the second Saturday of each month, midtown and downtown Sacramento neighborhoods come alive during the 2nd Saturday Artwalk (http://www.sacramentoartwalk.com/), a street fair and art walk which features locally produced arts and crafts as well as music by a variety of local musicians and bands. Midtown and downtown Sacramento also offer a variety of dining (http://sacramento.diningguide.com/) and shopping (http://sacramento.downtowngrid.com/shopping/) options at its many restaurants, bistros, shops and boutiques. Enjoy dining al fresco? Visit a few of these top airy hot spots for the best outdoor dining (http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/best-sacramento-ca-outdoordining_41so.html) in Sacramento.

Local Arts Organizations Links:

Crocker Art Museum (http://crockerartmuseum.org/)
Sacramento Museum Information (http://www.discovergold.org/visitors/thingstododetail.cfm?id=279)
Sacramento Music Circus and California Musical Theatre (http://www.californiamusicaltheatre.com/)
UC Davis Mondavi Center (http://www.mondaviarts.org/)
Sacramento Ballet (http://www.mondaviarts.org/)
Sacramento Theatre Company (http://www.sactheatre.org/)

Nightlife - http://sac.napkinnights.com/venues/

When the suns goes down, Sacramento sizzles. Choose your style of nightlife in Sacramento. These lists of evening entertainment venues in Downtown, Mid-Town and Old Sacramento includes Night Clubs, Dance Clubs, Live Music, Karaoke Bars. Sports Bars and Grills, Comedy Clubs, Country Dancing, Jazz Clubs, Wine Bars, Piano Bars, Martini Bars, or any other nightlife that makes you come alive.