Sacramento
Sacramento is the star attraction on the map of California and the place where excursions into the Central Valley, the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta and the Sierra Nevada foothills begin. For DogTrekkers, the most obvious attraction in the state capital is the 32-mile
American River Parkway, a shady and beloved greenbelt cradling a multi-use trail that stretches from the
Old Sacramento historic district all the way to the
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Along the way are parks, picnic areas, river beaches and countless other places where you and your canine companion can stretch your legs and enjoy the scenery.
Whether you're looking for off-leash romps, dog-friendly patio dining or dog-passionate hotels, you'll have fun with Fido throughout River City. And if sniffing out dog-friendly wineries is in your plans, you'll find more than 200 tasting rooms within a 75-mile radius of the Capitol's white dome.
Sacramento, geographically a part of the Central Valley, was the main supply center for fortune-seekers headed to the hills during the 1849 Gold Rush and is historically a part of
Gold Country. From a DogTrekker's point of view, there's still lots of "gold" to be discovered in
Sacramento County and beyond.
Not all botanical gardens are dog-friendly, but we know some that are—and if you’re into tulips and other early-blooming florals, now’s the time for the two of you to watch spring springing into action.
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The words “wine” and “
Sacramento” may not seem to go together—until you realize more than 200 wineries and tasting rooms are situated within 75 miles of the state capital. Many welcome tail-waggers as warmly as the uprights on the other end of the leash. Once you and Sparky have experienced the friendly atmosphere in the Sierra Nevada foothills, along the Sacramento River corridor or in surprising nooks and crannies of
Yolo and
Lodi farm country, you might see no reason to visit that “other” wine country again.
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One of our favorite destination apps for the iPhone and iPad this year is called the
NorCalGuide. This comprehensive app covers both the Gold Country as well as the Central Valley, from Sierraville in the north -- to Lake Tahoe in the east -- to Sacramento and Folsom in the west -- to Bakersfield in the south.
You'll find destination profiles, points of interest, photos, videos, maps and events in the palm of your hand,showcasing the best of Northern California in a format that's easy to use on the go. Visit the iTunes app store and search for
NorCalGuide. Check out your favorite dog-friendly Gold Country place on
DogTrekker.com, and then use this handy app to guide you to, and around, your destination. The great thing about this app, besides all the cool stuff, is that it is free!
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Group dog walks and off-leash recreation are the focus of Sacramento’s Responsible Dog Lovers Meetup group, while hiking and dog socialization is the name of the game for TOPDOG, an acryonym for Trekking Our Pooches Dog Owners Group. If your interest lies in training, Dogs with a Job is your vehicle for sharing “career” experiences such as obedience, agility, flyball, dog Frisbee, hunting, therapy or tracking. Also in the Sacramento area, you’ll find Meetup groups dedicated to big dogs, toy dogs, shih-tzus , border collies, Australian shepherds, miniature pinschers, dachshunds, schnauzers, Labrador retrievers, greyhounds, pit bulls, mastiffs, beagles—and, of course, those lovable pugs.
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The Sacramento River Delta is a watery maze worlds removed from the urban clutter of Sacramento and the Bay Area. On a Sunday drive you'll see old-time bridges and miles of levees that in the mid-1800s transformed a once trackless wetland into 55 agricultural islands—two of them connected by public ferry— that still produce food for Northern California. Regrettably, there are not many areas in the Delta where you can legally let Astro off leash. But don't let that stop you. more »