Sacramento by rail

Though it has always been worth a visit, Sacramento is increasingly becoming a destination worth savoring. Add in a host of restaurants, art galleries and cool shopping areas, and you have a truly hip city, so much so that the state capital was recently named “the new Oakland” by travel website Thrillist. According to a 2010 survey, Sacramento is No. 2 among cities in the world in the number of trees per capita, falling just short of Paris. All this makes it more enjoyable to spend a day exploring the city’s waterfront, Downtown and Midtown areas, each of which offers a rich blend of old and new California. When you factor in fuel costs, parking, bridge tolls and being freed from the sheer hassle of driving, Amtrak is a good deal. (Bike lanes are plentiful, as are dedicated places to lock up your ride, and motorists seem accustomed to sharing the road.) Each Capitol Corridor train has two designated bike cars with room for 12 bikes apiece, while every car has room for three. The weekend schedule is limited, with the first train leaving Richmond at 8:37 a.m., as opposed to 5:47 a.m. on weekdays, and arriving at Sacramento Valley Station at 10:13 a.m., taking a bite out of your time on the ground in Sacramento.