UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#9. Sacramento, CA
Why Sacramento is an Awesome Place to Live: While Sacramento’s housing prices might not seem affordable, at $327,000 they’re a steal compared to the rest of California. Sacramento also has a surprisingly good coffee scene and one of the best minor league baseball parks in the U.S.
Easy Places to Get To From Sacramento: San Francisco, Eldorado National Forest, Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley.
Best Roadside Attraction Near Sacramento: Folsom History Museum, which is not your typical municipal museum! Learn about the gold rush, the history of Chinese immigration to the area and the prison made famous by Johnny Cash.
Our Favorite Road Trip Route: Sacramento to Tahoe City with a stop at The Gold Rush Museum and then hike, picnic, and admire Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe to Bodie Historic Park (read: ghost town). Bodie Historic Park back to Sacramento with a stop at Yorba Wines for some wine tasting.
Read More:
5 Outdated Myths About Sacramento