Weekend trip to Sacramento

Labor Day was this last month, and I decided to get away from the chaos that San Francisco can be sometimes by taking a quick weekend trip to Sacramento.

Sacramento is the capital of California, although its population density is not as high as other cities that are part of the state, like Los Angeles or San Francisco itself.

Unlike other cities in California (which turns out to be the same size as Spain on its own), it is only a two hour drive from San Francisco, which made it a perfect option for this long weekend. I personally took a late-night, which was quick and cheap. One of the things one can notice in the US when coming from Europe is that flights are are by no means cheap, ever, so finding alternatives like trains or busses can save one a great deal of money.

Sacramento is a quiet city. It has a lot of cute streets full of lights, it’s clean and it’s a little bit less pricey than San Francisco. I planned a series of activities for my weekend, which included:

• The California State Capitol Museum. This museum displayed an amazing piece of California’s history, since it used to be the actual capitol building of the state.

• The Tower Bridge. It’s yellow bridge with a very interesting structure that looks like a tiny version of the Golden Gate. I had the chance to pass under it during a dinner cruise; I absolutely recommend it.

• The Railroad Museum. I personally love trains, and this museum had a lot of real samples of old Californian trains completely restored and on display. As part of the experience, you are also given a quick tour in a classic functioning steam train.

• Other more minor landmarks like the Serendipity Fountain, the Capitol Park or the Rainbow Bridge.

Sacramento also has an amazing food culture. While there, I found an incredibly authentic Hungarian restaurant, where I had one of the best culinary experiences in a long time. It’s called Café Marika, and the moment you walk into it you can’t help but feel at home, especially if you happen to come from a west-European country, as I do.

Overall, my weekend in San Francisco was a great break from the incredibly busy San Francisco. I could relax for a while, visit a new place and enjoy some food, all the while reloading my batteries to continue giving my best to my internship. So, if you are in San Francisco and you want to get away for a little bit, Sacramento is definitely an option you should consider. See you next time 🙂