California vacation: Jan 2026. Sacramento/SF/Berkeley

dalej42
Sun, 05 Oct 2025 20:59:23 +0000
In My Humble Opinion

Planing on about a week in California in January. Not ideal for weather, but it’ll be better than Chicago and maybe I’ll see the sun at least once.

It looks like it’s easy to get between the Bay Area and Sacramento via Amtrak. I’ll fly into one and out of the other. Haven’t decided where to start yet.

Here’s some ideas, please provide feedback.

Sacramento. It looks walkable, at least the downtown and old town areas.

I’d like to see the State Capitol and perhaps the legislature if it is in session.

The Crocker art museum looks like an absolute must.

Looks like there is both a Sacramento history museum and a California museum, both worth a visit or is one better than the other?

Two other museums I noticed are a railway museum and a California State Indian museum.

I realise Sacramento is more of a place that you’d visit on a school field trip than fly across the country for, but I liked what little I saw of it years ago and figured it’s worth 2-3 days. I am definitely a museum guy.

It looks like it’s basically chain hotels in my target area which is fine. If the Sacramento Kings happen to be home, I’ll definitely catch a game.

Heading to the Bay Area, is it ridiculous for an adult to tour UC Berkeley?

Is January just too cold to consider a Bay cruise?

I want to ride the California Street Cable Car at night.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is an absolute must.

Are there any good walking tours of various neighborhoods? Particularly the Castro and Haight-Ashbury?

My hotel in San Francisco will be Citizen M 72 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

I am a pretty experienced public transportation user and I’ll be using it in both Sacramento and the Bay Area. Any tricks or suggestions I should know?

Also, feel free to give restaurant suggestions. I like Mexican cuisine and spicy cuisine of any type.

I do have friends and some family spread throughout the Bay Area so some of my time will be with them.

38 posts - 20 participants