Sacramento, California

Sacramento's most dramatic influence since it was founded in 1839 came just nine years later: the discovery of gold, which prompted the infamous gold rush and the largest human migration in American history. All the attention brought money into the city and Sacramento was declared the capital of California in 1854. Interestingly, Sacramento is still one of California's fastest growing areas.

Sacramento still retains some hints of its Wild West past, especially in the area of Old Sacramento, where locals have preserved the wooden sidewalks and historic buildings and created monuments, such as that to the Pony Express mail service. These days, though, golf is far more popular for this metro city's population of 1,796,857 (407,018 just in the core of Sacramento) than panning for gold or riding a bronco.

Sacramento is an attractive place to live because it's less of a tourist mecca than other Californian locales. And its central location means you have easy access to a variety of weekend retreats: Napa Valley, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel are all less than 200 miles from Sacramento, by car.

That's not to say the city doesn't have its own attractions. Situated at the confluence of the American and the Sacramento rivers, there are more than 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) of Delta waterways for fishing (mainly salmon and steelhead trout), rafting, boating, and simply keeping cool on hot summer days. Landlubbers will enjoy the 23-mile (37-kilometer) American River Parkway, which is always busy with bikers, hikers, and horse riders. The other past time favored by Sacramentans is politics – the State Capitol building is an impressive feature of the city, and Sacramento is the hub for the state's political decisions. And with politics and politicians come the more cosmopolitan aspects of life: gourmet restaurants, art galleries, and fancy shops.

Though it may seem odd to cite trees as a reason for relocation, Sacramento is known as the City of Trees thanks to aggressive tree planting back in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The result is a huge variety of trees, including oak, eucalyptus, cottonwood, and sycamore, which line the city's streets creating shade and providing Sacramento with an unusual seasonal occurrence for California: fall.

Sacramento … California, with a twist.

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