If the thought of spending a day in the shadow of twin nuclear-generator towers sounds like a terrible idea, think again. Rancho Seco Recreational Area surrounds a 160-acre lake that is as pleasant a place to play as anywhere in Sacramento County. The Sacramento Municipal Utilities District owns the site, which was developed to support a nuclear generating facility in the 1970s. The lake originally served as a backup emergency water supply for the station. The plant operated from 1975 to 1989, when it was decommissioned.

Today a private concessionaire oversees facilities that include campgrounds, group and day-use picnic areas, a swimming beach with lifeguards in season, boat launches with no gas motors permitted, and boat rentals including paddle-boats, kayaks, electric-powered fishing boats, SUPs, and rowboats. You’ll also find volleyball courts, a camp store, hiking trails, and a waterfront dog park. Fishing for bass is reputed to be very good, and the lake is stocked with trout in the spring.

Rancho Seco is popular with windsurfers, small sailboats, kayakers, and fishermen, but especially families who set up camp on summer weekends at shady picnic tables stationed on broad, well-tended lawns. Breezy afternoons are the norm here, even on the hottest days. The water stays relatively calm, making it ideal for paddlers who prefer calmer conditions.

Dogs are welcome at the park but must be leashed except in the dog-park area near the end of the dam. Away from the swimming beach, you’ll find lots of nooks and coves marked with “no swimming, diving or wading” signs where dogs can go for a quick dip. The park sits 25 miles southeast of Sacramento. Take Highway 99 south to Twin Cities Road, also signed as Highway 104, go left and follow it 12 miles to the signed entrance. Day-use is $10 per vehicle, with a $15 boat-launch fee and $3 charge per dog. Group picnic areas for up to 200 people can be reserved, and tent and RV camping is available. The park is open year-round.