In general, when I think of capital cities, I always imagine large buildings and tree-lined streets, and it’s always Fall? California’s capital is no exception. Is there a reason for this? Nonetheless, when I had a trip to Sacramento in my future, I was determined to find all of the wonderful things (read: food) that the city had to offer, the Little Things way. Should you have a trip to California’s capital scheduled, be sure to check out a few!
The first, and most important, activity on my Sacramento to-do list was to drink bloody marys pan for gold. Gold was first discovered in Coloma, California, a tiny town outside of Sacramento. I went straight to the source. I imagined myself parting the sea of small children and expertly pulling out chunks of gold while the park rangers stared on in wonder. Instead, I watched as 6-year-old Chloe began filling her vial with small chunks of gold. Desperately swooshing my pan, I tried to distinguish between the fool’s gold and the real stuff. Needless to say, I walked away with zero gold. Still, I recommend going and competing against those crafty kids; definitely a highlight of the trip!
Downtown Coloma is about a 5 minute walk filled with quaint little buildings and bridges.
My boyfriends’ family is from Placerville, just down the street from Coloma. We stopped at The Independent for dinner. Tucked away downtown, the food and drinks were all amazing and the twinkle lights on the back patio made it the perfect date-night location. We ordered the buttermilk-fried free-range chicken breast and the White Marble Farms pork back ribs along with some bourbon cocktails that fit the old-world charm perfectly.
Old Town Sacramento is full of beautiful brick buildings (our favorite) and specialty shops. I recommend setting aside a couple hours to stroll through the streets, take a carriage ride, and enjoy all the ice cream you could ever wish for!
Keya and I are constantly on the lookout for amazing bloody marys, so when I walked by a sandwichboard claiming “The Best Bloody Mary in Old Town Sacramento” at the River City Saloon, I was both skeptical and extremely excited. Just hours earlier, I had tried what was supposedly the best bloody mary in all of Sacramento, and was extremely disappointed by the lack of snacks. Now, slightly tipsy and with the desire to restore my faith, I had to try this (for the sake of comparison). When the bartender pulled out the bacon, I knew this was going to be a good afternoon and I was not disappointed. 5 stars for the River City Saloon. Also, there is a fake cowboy propped at the end of the bar, great for taking photos with!
Back in Placerville, Sweetie Pies Restaurant and Bakery was the perfect place to pick up a few breakfast treats.
Jack Russell Brewery is located on Apple Hill, an area with over 50 apple orchards. We sat outside and played cards while enjoying the stunning view.
Wandering through downtown Sacremento, you must stop by Rick’s Dessert Diner and order a piece of pie. Sit with Marilyn Monroe or James Dean and embrace the cheesy doo-wop music as you savor that piece of chocolatey-goodness.
If you are driving up north in the Spring, you are going to see the amazing almond orchards along the way. They went on for miles and I could not stop staring. A total fairy-tale.
Recommended playlist for the drive up:
Roll down the windows and sing as loud as you can!
Not pictured: The Weatherstone location of Old Soul Coffee Co. is a beautiful brick building with great coffee and their own beer on tap! Cozmic Cafe in Placerville is a great lunch spot with an upstairs music venue and a historical gold mine in the back.
And for next time: I am dying to go to Dive Bar in Sacramento! This place has real live mermaids swimming in large tanks behind the bar! Call ahead to find out when the mermaids will be making an appearance.
xoxo,
erica
THE LITTLE THINGS 