Sacramento Vacation - What NOT To Do

Having lived in Sacramento for almost ten years, I have witnessed many promising and unwelcoming changes in this lovely California town. People have become more and more eco-conscious; many drivers are now bikers. There's more stuff to do and see at public parks, such as concerts, farmers' markets, food festivals, etc. Also, there're always new restaurants and clothing stores to try out despite the horrendous economy. On the downside, the weather has gotten ridiculously schizo; quite a few large construction projects have come to a halt, leaving their ugly unfinished buildings in plain sight; and the Sacramento Kings are probably leaving soon.

All in all, I still love this town and think it is a great place to be. If you are planning to take a vacation in Sacramento, here are a couple lists of fun things to do and awesome mom-and-pop restaurants to visit. To make your vacation even more enjoyable, you should also learn what not to do here in Sacramento. Every place has their own rules and culture. Whatever is considered "normal" in your town might not be the same at other places. So try to be a savvy tourist and avoid unnecessary blunders if you can.

It's all right to plan to rely on the buses if all your destinations are in the midtown and downtown areas. However, if you want to visit other parts of Sacramento or the suburbs, public transportation is not the best means. At most places outside of downtown, buses come only once or twice an hour. Some don't even run in the evenings or on weekends at all. Worst of all, they're not always on time. The Light Rail trains are better in terms of both punctuality and frequency, however, there're not that many Light Rail stations.

To ensure a smooth and easy trip, plan to rent a car. In case your budget won't allow that, try to book a hotel near a main transit station where there're several buses and Light Rail trains coming in and out. This way if you miss one, you won't have to waste an hour waiting for the next. Renting a bike is another great option if all your destinations are not too far from your hotel. Sacramento has a lot of wonderful bike trails. Plus, there's a bike lane on almost every street.

I'm not saying it is wrong or dangerous. It is of course doable, but you will find it quite difficult. Unlike big cities, such as London and New York, there are not a lot of taxis on the streets of Sacramento. It is not wise to just get out and wait on the pavement, hoping to spot one. The quickest way to get a cab is to call a taxi company and make an arrangement. There's an exception, though. If you are going to stay at one of the luxurious hotels in downtown Sacramento, there's usually a line of taxis waiting nearby. However, if your lodging place is neither first-class nor situated on a busy location, it could take you all day to find one unoccupied cab.

In Bangkok where I grew up, people don't have to get out of their car to get gas. All they have to do is roll down their window and tell an attendant how much fuel they want. If it's also like that in your country, you would need to make a little adjustment when you come to Sacramento. Here in California (and all other states, except Oregon and New Jersey), you can't wait inside your vehicle for someone to take your order. You've got to pump your own gas. If you're not familiar with it, don't freak out. It's not that hard to do.

To pump your own gas, first insert your debit or credit card into the machine. It will ask you to enter your pin number, the amount of gas you want and sometimes your zip code. Remove the cap of your gas tank. Insert the pump into the tank and choose the type of gas you want to use. Squeeze the handle and wait until you hear a click, which means the process is complete.

In many big cities around the world, there're several diners and street vendors that serve food after midnight. Here in Sacramento, once the clock strikes 10 pm, it starts to look almost like a ghost town. Diners that are open 24/7 are scarce. The other places that might still serve food are clubs and bars. "What about mini marts like Seven Eleven?" you may ask. Well, there are some but not a whole lot. Most of them won't even let you into the store, as a precaution to robbery. They might have one window open for you to order stuff, but it is unlikely that they still have hot food, such as hot dogs or burgers. If you are so inclined to enjoy a late night meal, you'd better stay at a place that offers 24-hour room service or is located near an around-the-clock diner.

Before I moved here, I had learned that Sacramento could get really hot in the summer but I wasn't too worried about it. The temperature in Bangkok, my hometown, rarely gets below 80 degree F, and I was totally accustomed to 100-degree days. Once I got here, though, I was quite surprised to find myself suffering from the heat. The weather in Sacramento is painfully dry, and it took me quite a while to get used to it. In a hot and humid place, you sweat a lot; you feel sticky all the time, but you don't get dehydrated so quickly. Lots of people could easily do outdoor activities for a couple hours without feeling too thirsty. But in dry heat, walking outside for an hour without drinking any water could make you feel like a cotton-mouthed desert camel. In case you don't think you can stand this type of weather, don't visit Sacramento in July and August. If you decide to come during these two hottest months, always remember to bring water with you while going out on a hike or bike ride, regardless of how short your trip is.