Sacramento, California is the most diverse city in the United States. Here, you can easily hear four different languages, smell the food from five different countries and hear the notes from six different styles of music, all while strolling down one of the boulevards with a famous Sacramento ice-cream in hand.

After the dotcom bubble burst, and later, after the housing bubble-burst of 2008, Sacramento has had to pick itself up and start again. This has lent an air of philosophical casualness to the city: Whatever will be, will be. Maybe it's the economy, maybe it's the weather (think warm Mediterranean days and crisp cuddly nights), maybe it's all the jazz. Whatever it is, Sacramento is arguably the best of the Californian cities, combining cool people with hot summer nights.

Things to See and Do

Not five minutes walk from the Amtrak station is Old Sacramento. This was the original township and is now a pretty well preserved monument to Ye Olde Sacramento Living. There are enough stage coaches and period actors to keep the kids amused, and enough kitsch souvenirs to keep the folks at home well-supplied, but there are a few gems as well: A steam train ride appeals to the child in everyone, and at $7 and under it's a bargain for the hour-tour of Old Sacramento. Keep the locomotive theme going with a side trip to the California State Railroad Museum. Even if you're not a train fan, this is an interesting place to get a sense of Sacramento's evolution, albeit through the lens of the Railroad.

Younger family members are well catered for in Sacramento. The Jelly Belly Candy Company offers tours and insights into how candy comes about – yes, plenty of free samples – while Fairytale Town and Raging Waters are the places to go for mythical fun and rides respectively. If you don't have kids, borrow someone's: These two spots are unmissable for over-the-top tourist entertainment.

Off the Beaten Path

To get off the beaten path, try Folsom Lake. Although it's out of town, it's not too far by car (around 25 minutes) and while there are plenty of things to do (hire a catamaran, cast a line, go hiking) it doesn't get too crowded, even in the height of summer. Take a picnic, and plenty of beer – public drinking is not exactly legal, but a few cold cans are so much a part of the local tradition that the patrols are more likely to stop you to say hello than to give you any warnings.

Music

Sacramento's music scene is diverse, but the mainstay is jazz. The Jazz Jubilee is held every year over the Memorial Day weekend, and hundreds of acts from all over the world play venues ranging from the large open-air lawn-type to the smoky and intimate clubs. The offerings are huge, from modern jazz to funk fusion to some exceptionally good covers of Billie Holiday and other notable names. Even the jazz newbie will appreciate some of the talents, and the atmosphere is inevitably friendly and lively.

Hotels

Accommodation in Sacramento is as diverse as it's culture. From shabby-chic hostels (around $20 per person per night) to upper-end suites that leave little change from $1000  a night per room, there is a bed for every budget. Most hotels average $80 - $120 per room per night, and it is is worthwhile keeping an eye on the internet specials, especially in the shoulder season between Spring and Summer when some rooms are dropped almost to rack-rate (the cost of operating a single room). These can be picked up for as little as $40 per night.

Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder on the left to find cheap hotels in Sacramento, California.

(Photo:©iStockphoto.com/slobo)

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