From the Lake to the Bay

All good things must end. The Lake Tahoe tour is over, but you've got something special to look forward to—San Francisco, Golden Gate City, and all sorts of goodness in between.

A stop at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is a must in Sacramento, giving a real sense of life in the early days when California was Alta California, a territory of Mexico. The site was established in 1839, but was largely abandoned in 1849 when workers could not be found during the Gold Rush. Visitors can navigate the extensive site on their own, sometimes with living history docents that can add more flavor and context. The complex includes living spaces, blacksmith shop, kitchen and livery, among other elements.
The park does not have its own parking lot, but metered parking is available surrounding the site.
Open daily until 5pm

Historic Old Sacramento was built on the river delta, where to Delta King Riverboat now sits. You can explore this fascinating neighborhood, with it's late 1800s-era buildings, wooden sidewalks, and charming shops—a good mix of the old and the new. There are many options for lunch here, and plenty of candy shops if your sweet tooth is calling.

It's not just Ronald Reagan who loved Jelly Belly jelly beans—you probably do too. Why not stop at their site of birth at the Jelly Belly Factory Store? Try some of their crazy flavors, get a peek at how they are made and shop to take some home. For a small fee you can take the self-guided tour, sample your way through the Chocolate & Wine Experience, or take a look at the Jelly Belly Jelly Bean Art Gallery. But there's nothing wrong with just shopping for new flavors too!
Self-Guided Factory tours are available from 9:15am to 4pm daily. The Visitor Center retail store and Chocolate Shoppe are open from 9am to 5pm daily. The Café is open from 9am to 3pm with indoor seating, outdoor seating, and take out. The Chocolate & Wine Experience is open from 11am to 4pm.

The Golden Gate Bridge is San Francisco's crown jewel—an classic sight of the city and amazing feat of engineering. Before you cross, pull over on the parking lot if you'd like to walk any part of the bridge. After all, that's where you'll get a real sense of this storied icon.

Head straight into the mission district for a San Francisco classic: an enormous mission burrito. It may be huge, but it's delicious. Next time you are in Los Angeles, try their bean and cheese variety and settle the age-old debate: which city does burritos better?