“Traveling- it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”. The realization of this beautiful quote by Ibn Battuta dawned upon me when I first visited the Sacramento County (California) in the United States from India for a month-long vacation, back in December of 2023. I had been planning for this trip for quite some time as I had always wanted to explore the place in-person, ever since I turned 18. That was when my aunt, uncle, and cousin brothers (who have been living in the US for more than 27 years now) relocated from Connecticut to California.
I had heard them appreciate the beauty of the appealingcountryside setting that the place hosts, but it was only in December of last year, that I finally got an opportunity to view itin-person, thanks to my super-busy academic and professional life and the long and complicated visa process! 😀
Upon reaching a neighborhood called Gold River in Sacramento, I was awed by the lush-green landscape that werevisible for miles at length. The idyllic settings of the place coupled with the clear blue sky and cool weather made me completely forget the hustle and bustle of city-life that I have always been exposed to. The roads there are way cleaner than many of us could possibly imagine!
The countryside trails reminded me of peace and serenity both of which, I had always aspired to inculcate in my life ever since I was in school. Amidst this beautiful environment, I decided to pen down my thoughts about the place and appreciate the sense of simplicity and gratification that it had to offer me, which made the long and tiring flight journey before this, completelyworth it.
Within Gold River and around a hundred miles from it, there are a lot of famous as well as off-beat places which the readers of this article could plan to explore while being on a complete vacation or a workcation. Let me take you all though a couple of them.
American River
This is a great place to visit if you want to go out for a morning walk or take a short break of around 2 hours from work during daytime. From the heart of Gold River, this place is roughly 2miles away. If you walk at a decent pace, it could take you around 45 minutes to cover this distance. You could also drive to the location. It would take around 6-7 minutes to reach there by car.
If you plan to visit the place in winter and that too from India, please wear sufficiently warm clothes to avoid getting a flu because the weather is usually cold and windy and these climatic effects become multiplied owing to a very low population density in the entire neighborhood (I had got a flu :p, so I wanted to warn my readers, some of who may eventually decide to visit the place, to avoid making blunders that I did!)
Throughout the brisk walk, you would be able to see a very low level of traffic and clean roads bordered by oak trees on both sides. The greenery that accompanies much of the pathway is truly mesmerizing. Occasionally you would be able to see houses built in the style of cottages which make the view even more picturesque. In the final few hundred meters of the walk, you would come across a narrow trail with dried oak leaves and small stones, which would ultimately lead you to the destination- the bank of the American river.
Instantly upon reaching there, you would be able to experience a deep sense of calmness by looking at the river and the surrounding view. The serene appearance of the river and the soft sound of the flowing stream has the potential to make anyone temporarily forget all personal and work-related worries by being close to nature.
You could plan to have a picnic here during summer. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? But for that, you would need to carry a backpack with a picnic blanket in it. You could either choose to bring food from your place of stay or you could also pick up food on the way from Starbucks or a few other outlets which happen to be on the route to American River. However, those desiring to drink alcohol during picnics would be disheartened to know that consumption of alcohol is strictly banned in this spot.
Please ensure that you dispose all wastes appropriately in designated places after having a picnic. This is recommended so that the beauty of the place is undisturbed. If you do otherwise, you are likely to pay a hefty amount of fine.
The American river is a good place to visit during the day. It’s better to avoid coming here during evening or night because you may not get any help if you are in trouble, owing to no person residing nearby.
Lake Tahoe
This place is ideal for people who love to see mountains and lakes together within a single place. However, it is advisable to follow weather reports before planning a visit here, to save yourself from dangers arising due to snow avalanches. Tahoe is situated at roughly 70 miles from Gold River. The best way to reach here would be by car. However, you would not be able to drive your car till the Tahoe Lake. You would need to park the car around a mile from there and then walk the rest of the distance.
The entire journey from Gold River to Tahoe is through hilly and winding roads and during winters, you would be able to see snow as well, on both sides of the road. However, let me warn you guys a little! The walk from the place where you park the car till the Tahoe Lake is not going to be easy if you don’t wear proper shoes.
Here, the trail has hardened snow in numerous places which may cause people to fall if their shoes don’t have proper gripping. Snow boots would be the ideal choice for travelers here. However, if you are unable to get hold of them, please wear cover shoes with firm gripping to avoid slipping on the snow and hurting yourself. As the temperature here is quite low round the year, wearing adequate winter clothing such as jackets and winter caps is a must.
Once you finish the one-mile walk from the parking area and reach the Tahoe Lake, you would be awed by the beautiful view that the lake having deep-blue colored water and the surrounding mountains have to offer. The pine and conifer trees in the vicinity of the lake make the view even more captivating.
It is best to visit this place during daytime and return before the sun sets. As like the American river, please avoid visiting here during evening or night.
Golden Gate Bridge
This bridge overlooks the San Francisco Bay and is roughly 115miles away from Gold River. It serves as a vital link between San Francisco and the Marin County. Again, the best way to reach here would be by car. You would need to park your vehicle at a designated parking place in the bay area and then start walking through the bridge. The entire bridge is around a mile long.
Right from the parking area itself, the view of the San Francisco Bay is breathtaking! If you visit here with a group of folks, you could easily spend hours by looking at the bay and chatting amongst yourselves.
While walking through either side of Golden Gate Bridge (which begins just after the parking lot in the bay area ends), you could look at the bay and experience a feeling of tranquility. It is best to visit here during the daytime because the San Francisco Bay looks charming then. Once the sun sets, it might be difficult to fully appreciate its natural beauty.
However, visiting here during the evening can prove to be worthy if you have a strong affinity for a combination of light and color. The bridge is very well-lit with yellow-colored lights in the evening which makes it look truly appealing. The glittering of these lights from the waters in the bay makes the entire place look amazing!
Phew! That was a lot of information for you all. It almost felt like a virtual travel adventure, right? 😉 Hope you all have enjoyed reading the article. Whenever you get a chance, you could plan a trip to one or more of the above-mentioned places. There is a good chance that you would feel positive, refreshed and be more productive at whatever you plan to do next. Take care and happy travelling!
