DAY 1 ARRIVE SACRAMENTOw
Welcome to Sacramento, the
cosmopolitan capital of California. Following
a short transfer from the Sacramento
International Airport, you’re off to Old
Sacramento, the waterfront district that sprang
up overnight during the early days of “gold
fever.” Visit the California State Railroad
Museum, the largest interpretive and most
visited museum of its kind in North America
that contains 21 restored locomotives, cars
and fascinating exhibits. The newest exhibit
is “Toy Trains on Parade,” the highly regarded
Thomas W. Sefton collection appraised at over
$1 million!
Meet some new friends at a
memorable Welcome Dinner this evening at
one of several group-friendly restaurants in
Old Sacramento. Your fabulous meal will be
a great kick-off to a spectacular tour. Enjoy a
two-night stay in Sacramento.
wDAY 2 SACRAMENTO, WINE COUNTRY On this morning embark on a guided
sightseeing tour of Sacramento, beginning
at the stunning California State Capitol,
which underwent a $68 million dollar
restoration to bring back its original turn-of-
the-century beauty and grace. It is here that
Arnold Schwarzenegger governs the state of
California, and you’ll have an opportunity
see his office. Then take a stroll through the
lush 40-acre Capitol Park with plants and trees
from around the world, along with stirring
monuments and memorials. The newest
additions to the park are the International
World Peace Rose Garden, one of only five
in the world, and the poignant California
Firefighter’s Memorial.
Continue on to Sutter’s Fort,
established in 1839. John Sutter was a
complex, but visionary Swiss immigrant whose
adobe fort was the western destination of early
pioneers.
Driving past the splendid Stanford
Mansion, hear the story of the fascinating
railroad baron and California governor,
Leland Stanford. See the Historic Governors
Mansion which was home to 13 of California’s
governors, the last being Ronald Reagan.
This afternoon it’s a short drive to
Lodi, an emerging jewel of California wine
and a real treasure trove. From its rural
atmosphere and relaxed pace to it’s beautiful
vineyards and award-winning wines, Lodi has
become more and more popular as visitors
realize it is less crowded and less expensive
then other wine regions of California. The
largest grape-growing region in the state, Lodi
is home to over 75,000 acres of grapes and over
50 wineries –the type of wineries where owners
and wine grape growers join you while tasting
their wines. A winery tour will showcase this
magnificent area and very important industry
to the California economy and way of life.
Visit the Lodi Wine & Visitor
Center, an exciting new destination for any
California wine tour. The Center is complete
with an expansive tasting bar, interactive and
educational exhibits and a gift shop. Your next
stop is Woodbridge Winery. After establishing
the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley,
Robert returned to Lodi in 1966 looking for a
place to produce quality wine for people to
enjoy with every meal. Today Woodbridge
churns out 8 million cases of wine each year
and a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery
will showcase this state-of-the-art facility
This evening enjoy dinner at one
of Sacramento’s many culturally diverse and
group-friendly restaurants. From a murder-
mystery dinner on an historic paddlewheeler
to modern day restaurants in the heart of
downtown, the diversity in tastes and ambience
of Sacramento’s restaurants is overwhelming.
The Beginning of a New Way to Think About Driving!