With a 48,000-acre land grant from Mexican Governor Alvarado in 1839, Johann Augustus Sutter settled at the juncture of the American and Sacramento Rivers.
When Sutter received the grant, gold was immediately discovered, and word spread around the globe like the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Literally thousands of gold hunters from all corners of the earth came to what we now know as Sacramento, in search of their fortunes. In 1850, California became a state and four years later, Sacramento became its capital.
With a population of 400,000 in the city proper and nearly another 1.7 million in the metropolitan areas of Sacramento, parts of Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties, there are 22 major ethnic and cultural groups within the area, ensuring diversity within the region.
The state capital is centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, and in contrast to San Francisco and Los Angeles, is considered very economical. A new trend has evolved; people are staying in and enjoying Sacramento and taking day trips to San Francisco, Tahoe, Reno, Yosemite and the Gold Country Wine Region.
The city, ever expanding, is considered one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, offering more than 10,000 hotel rooms, from first-class full service properties, restored historic buildings, limited service properties and most everything else in between.
The city is easily accessible from whence you come. Interstate 80 and US Highway 50 run east/west; Interstate 5 and US Highway 99 run north/south.
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is served by all major airlines with direct flights from Europe offered by several carriers. With about 140 daily flight arrivals into SMF and 120 departures throughout North America and the world, Sacramento clearly stands on its own against Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Amtrak offers direct service from both the Bay Area and Chicago with the Coast Starlight Express transporting northern visitors from the Vancouver/Seattle area and southern guests from San Diego/Los Angeles. The Greyhound bus terminal is conveniently located downtown within easy walking distance of all major attractions.
Boasting a “Mediterranean climate” with mild year-round temperatures, Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and 383 miles north of Los Angeles.
