Rancho Cordova - A Natural Vacation. Enjoy whitewater rafting, kayaking and fishing adventures the American River. Along its winding banks, the American River parkway features beautiful walking, biking and horseback riding paths through woodlands of oak and poplar. Explore the nearby Sierra foothills and vernal pools, enjoy a sunset paddle on Lake Natoma, or tee off at Mather Golf Course.

From Sporting to Shopping. Families and sports enthusiasts will enjoy the Golfland SunSplash waterpark or Six Flags Waterworld, indoor kart racing at RPM, rock climbing at Granite Arch, and shooting hoops at Basketball Town. If you’re in the mood for shopping, Sunrise Mall and Folsom Premium Outlets has it all!

Rancho Cordova Adventures. Take a 30-minute drive to the historic Gold Country and explore towns and Native American sites with history and character dating back to the Gold Rush. Enjoy a jaunt to the El Dorado and Amador County wineries and vineyards in the Sierra foothills for an afternoon of sightseeing, wine tasting and antiquing.  [Top]

Sacramento. Sacramento is vibrant cosmopolitan state capital that retains its Gold Rush history. Peacefully located in a leafy valley of scenic rivers and canopies of trees, Sacramento is a cosmopolitan cornucopia of gleaming buildings, hearty Victorians, splendid restaurants and shops, a vibrant arts scene, exciting attractions, meeting facilities, museums, parks, gardens, theaters, festivals and sightseeing in historic Old Sacramento. With a plethora of unique attractions, California’s Capital is an exciting vacation and meeting destination combined with the rich history of California’s Wild West and Gold Rush heritage.

Old Town Sacramento. Venture back to the California Gold Rush era in Old Sacramento, a preserved 28-acre town of historic buildings, museums and monuments. The wooden sidewalks, horse-drawn carriages, Pony Express monuments and Mississippi-style riverboats reflect its early American history. Enjoy the best bars and restaurants, shops and shows in town, and historic sites which include the Governor's Mansion Historic Park, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, Downtown Sacramento and the California State Capitol, an ornate building and gardens where the state’s legislature works. The California State Capitol Museum preserves California history through changing exhibits and historic rooms.  [Top]

Sacramento State Aquatic Center. Augmenting the academic curriculum at Sacramento State, Sacramento Aquatic Center is a multi-use aquatic facility that offers excellent boating programs through education, recreation, and competition. The tranquil waters of Lake Natoma offer a perfect environment to learn and compete in canoeing, kayaking, rowing, waterskiing, sailing, boating, windsurfing, jet skiing, and wake boarding. The 8-acre facility also has a beach area, picnic tables, barbecues, four docks, and classrooms. The Aquatic Center offers classes, competitive teams, clubs, summer camps and youth programs, as well as university kinesiology classes. Visit www.csusaquaticcenter.com.

California State University, Sacramento. California State University, Sacramento is the seventh-largest university in the 23-campus CSU system, boasting professors that are dedicated to teaching excellence and a vibrant campus community. Located in the seat of California government and in one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, Sac State offers life-changing education for 28,000 students to be leaders in their fields and communities. At California’s capital university, students enjoy extensive research and internship opportunities. Landscaped with 3,000 trees and lush flower gardens, the beautiful 300-acre campus offers miles of recreational trails that stretch along the American River parkway, linking the University with Folsom Lake and Old Sacramento. The Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex hosted the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Visit www.csus.edu.com.  [Top]

American River. The beautiful American River offers a variety of aquatic activities including rafting, kayaking, and fishing for salmon, and biking or walking along the famous American River trail. Originating in the Sierras, 35 miles east of Sacramento, the winding American River offers incredible whitewater - from mellow Class II floats for canoes and kayaks to Class IV - V sections for advanced boaters. Divided into the North, Middle, South and Silver Forks before they reach their confluence in Folsom Lake, the American River is popular for white water rafting, fishing, and its verdant canyons. Below Folsom Lake, the river winds through the American River parkway, a riparian woodland park which runs 23 miles from the Lake to the Sacramento River.

American River Parkway. Winding along the banks and bluffs of the American River, through riparian woodlands of oak and poplar, the American River parkway is a 23-mile river system through Sacramento with bicycle, walking, jogging trails, and horse trails, as well as picnic areas, rafting outlets, fishing and breathtaking scenery. The beautifully preserved parkway is caressed by a ribbon of nature complete with hawks and ducks, deer and lizards, salmon and blue heron. The parkway is accessible from Old Sacramento by foot or bicycle.  [Top]

Lake Natoma. From the heart of Folsom to the American River, Lake Natoma is a popular lake for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and fishing. The Lake’s biggest attraction is the CSUS Aquatic Center, where the Sacramento State men's and women's crew teams row the smooth waters. With perfect conditions and wind-free mornings, Lake Natoma is one of the best rowing spots in the country. Every May, Lake Natoma hosts the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships with schools such as Sac State, Cal, UCLA, Stanford, and Oregon competing for championship titles. And if San Francisco wins the hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games, Lake Natoma will be home of the Olympic rowing events. The Aquatic Center also teaches classes on windsurfing, canoeing, waterskiing and jetskiing.

Folsom Lake State Recreational Area. Located at the base of the Sierra foothills, 25 miles east of Sacramento, the 18,000-acre Lake Folsom and State Recreational Area offers hiking, biking, running, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, water-skiing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, and excellent fishing for trout, catfish, big and small mouth bass or perch. For cyclists, there is a 32-mile bicycle path that connects Folsom Lake with many Sacramento County parks before reaching Old Sacramento. The park also includes Lake Natoma, downstream from Folsom Lake, which is popular for crew races, sailing, kayaking and aquatic sports. The Oaks Nature Trail is a ¾-mile trek for all fitness levels. Nature enthusiasts enjoy the oak woodland, lake shore views, creek side habitats and abundant wildlife.  [Top]

Amador Wine Country. Discover the Amador Wine Country’s distinctive, world-class wines. Located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Central California, Amador County boasts 2,700 acres of wine grapes and 25 wineries - most in the Shenandoah Valley and Fiddletown Appellations. Sitting along scenic backroads in a picturesque rural setting, Amador is renowned for producing California's finest zinfandels. Mix visits to wonderful wineries with exciting cultural and recreational activities and tour charming Gold Rush towns. If you visit in October, join the Amador Vintners’ annual "Big Crush" Harvest Festival - two fun-filled days of wine tasting, delicious food, live music, and raffle prizes. Visit www.rushtorancho.org.

Sacramento Zoo. Located in William Land Park, the Sacramento Zoo is home to more than 400 exotic animals, including 32 endangered or threatened species, including the snow leopard, red panda, Bateleur eagles and reptiles. The Sacramento Zoo features two lakes, butterfly and hummingbird gardens and a camellia garden complete with animal sculptures. The zoo also features picnic areas, tours, lectures, concessions, a gift store, and weekend animal talks. Children under three are admitted free. Visit www.saczoo.com.  [Top]

Folsom Historic District. Explore Folsom history with a walk through its Historic District. Start at the Folsom Chamber and Visitors Center and take a self-guided, seven-mile historical tour, which includes 37 points of interest and sites in the Historic District as diverse as the railroad depot, which houses the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lakeside Cemetery, which has pioneer graves dating to the 1850s and is the oldest used cemetery in the state. Outside the Historic District, points of interest include Folsom prison, with museum guided tours offered daily, the Folsom Powerhouse built in 1895, and Folsom Dam, built in 1955.

McKinley Park. A beautiful, large Sacramento park, measuring four city blocks, McKinley Park is a haven for sports enthusiasts offering baseball fields, horseshoe sand pits, a soccer field, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. The wholesome atmosphere also offers picnic tables, barbecue areas, Clunie Community Center, Shepard Garden and Arts Center, a rose garden, and a children’s playground with jungle gyms, swings and slides. Joggers living in nearby Midtown neighborhoods make extensive use of the trail circling the park. Visit www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/parks.  [Top]