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Summer is almost here and families are starting to mark their calendars with trips, outings, vacations, and getaways. It’s time again to buy a new bathing suit and get the sunblock and visor ready. Sacramento is a great place from which to take many day-cations, and one-tank getaways and with all that goes on right in the Sacramento area, there’s plenty to do here. With a little planning and ingenuity you might just feel like you skipped town for the day, even if you stay in the Metro area.
 But should you want to skip town for a day-cation, SuperShuttle’s Gateway Express Shuttle has just launched a terrific new way to travel from Sacramento to Napa or Tahoe. This excellent stress free mode of transportation offers daily scheduled service between Sacramento International Airport and locations throughout Napa and South Lake Tahoe.
With Napa’s new waterfront and fantastic dining and shopping options, it’s a no-brainer. Both routes are served by a 22-passenger bus.
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No place is more beautiful for a day trip or a few nights away than Lake Tahoe. With the SuperShuttle, families can go for the day to escape the heat and play at the beach. Or mom and dad can enjoy the luxurious appeal of not driving and the whole clan can getaway to Tahoe on the shuttle for a few nights of lake fun, golfing, kayaking, casino fun for mom and dad, and to take in the many festivals and events this summer in Tahoe. Conveniently the shuttle stops at Lakeside Inn and Casino and MontBleu Resort and Casino & Spa which both are excellent family friendly properties.
Lakeside Inn has a 1-mile scenic hike to beach access, small-property feel and family- friendly dining.
MontBleu boasts world class dining, an award winning steak house, full service spa and salon, nightclubs, a lagoon style pool, and much more.
Also a wonderful program in Tahoe called Parents’ Night Out allows visitors to have a night out without the kids for only $10. With all of Tahoe’s award winning dining, this is a winning combination for parents to get that much needed date night alone at an amazingly low cost.
 Parents' Night Out is a child program designed to allow parents to have
a night out without the kids. Activities include: movies, games, Bible stories, songs, crafts, and a snack. All children ages birth-12 are welcome! The cost of PNO is $10 per child for the evening with a maximum of $20 per family.
Parents’ Night Out is held the first Friday night of the month from August to May. PNO is also held weekly on Friday nights in June and July. PNO begins at 6:00 p.m. and ends at 10:00 p.m. (Note: The August Parents’ Night Out is over at 9:00 p.m.)
Closer to home is the timeless favorite of rafting the American River. For over 30 years, Sacramento area residents have enjoyed American River Rafting and no company does it better than American River Raft Rentals. Just a few miles east of downtown Sacramento this self-guided company offers the best in self-guided Class II rafting. When the temperature approaches triple digits, stay cool on the river. Just remember to pack to a cooler with a picnic and water squirting toys. It’s a cheap, easy way to enjoy the beautiful river that meanders through our capital city area.
If something educational and captivating is in order, then stay inside a nice cool air-conditioned building to enjoy Bodies Revealed. In its return engagement, the groundbreaking and provocative exhibit is back in Sacramento with an all-new exhibition which began in late April. This limited engagement is located at 2040 Alta Arden Way (Alta Arden at Arden Way; across from Arden Fair Mall). The exhibition’s much anticipated return to the West Coast follows a two-year absence where visitors explored and learned about the human body. The exhibition has been seen by more than 15 million visitors worldwide. It features more than 200 specimens never before seen in California.
The return of Bodies Revealed to Sacramento marks one of the few times the exhibition has ever revisited a host city. Hundreds of Northern California area schools attended the exhibition as an educational field trip supported by special classroom curriculum designed for teachers to continue the important discussion about the human body and health awareness. Also among its many visitors, medical students and practitioners, art students and other related professions attended the exhibition for its fascinating combination of scientific and artistic education.
“Northern Californians have embraced this remarkable exhibition and we are thrilled to meet the demand for its return,” stated Dr. Roy Glover, Chief Medical Director for Bodies Revealed. “It is more powerful and memorable than ever before with the new specimens and a unique design. In a region so well known for its medical excellence and passionate outdoor, active lifestyles, this is sure to enlighten, empower, fascinate and inspire.”
“Based on the success of the first Sacramento run, we are very excited to see this expanded Bodies Revealed exhibit return to our city,” said Steve Hammond, President and CEO of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB). “Not only does it give our residents the opportunity to see a world-class traveling exhibit, it provides the SCVB with a strong attraction that will help us to draw additional visitors to this community.”
Another fun and educational option is The Sacramento History Museum. Recently renovated with some exciting and spectacular new changes, it’s a “must visit” this summer with its hands on exhibits and activities and impressive new additions.
The Historic Old Sacramento Foundation (HOSF) has unveiled guided tours of Old Sacramento’s underground and hollow sidewalks. The tours will be offered hourly on Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (the last tour departs at 5:00 p.m.). Tours will last approximately 45 minutes and cost $15 for adults and $10 for youths. Private groups will be able to book weekday and evening tours. The tours will be high quality presentations utilizing extensive original historic research.
Visitors to the Old Sacramento Underground will have new eyes with which to see the district and understand the city’s history after they view the disappearing windows and doors, dipping alleyways, exposed retaining walls, and walk into underground hollow sidewalks and tour under historic structures.
Most important of all, they will learn about Sacramento’s unique historical identity as the only city in the California to raise its streets, and one of only a handful to do so in the entire nation.
 Another “must plan” for the summer calendar and a great idea for summer fun and staying cool is to take in a show at the Esquire IMAX theater. A line-up of fabulous films for summer is on its way including the mind boggling and phenomenal HUBBLE 3D running throughout the summer.
Fountains Free Summer Entertainment Series in Roseville at the Fountains offers concerts three nights a week beginning June 4. And Fountains will host a free family entertainment series. Wednesday and Saturday nights will include concerts of all genres including rock , reggae, and country with free dance lessons and exhibitions on Friday nights.
Also don’t forget the State Fair. This year the state fair will be bringing back one of the most popular exhibit producers of recent years, Stage Nine Entertainment. This year the folks who brought you “Toytopia,” “It’s a Candy Nation,” and “Going Hollywood” return this year with “Get Animated.” It’s the first time that all the major animation studios have come together in one educational and entertaining exhibit.
One great way to escape the heat and escape into another world for a couple of hours is to see a play at the Sutter Street Theater in the heart of historic Folsom’s downtown district. All of this theater’s productions are top notch, excellent, entertaining and the theater has earned countless top awards. They are refreshingly dedicated to families and children, so check out their acting workshops and instruction too. Robin Hood is coming in June and they have a terrific line up of shows throughout summer and fall, in the works.
Before or after the show, stop by the Folsom Zoo and take the train. And if you’re really adventurous, stop by Folsom Lake for a picnic or outing as well.
There is so much in our own backyard in the Sacramento area, or just a gas tank away, so get out the red pen and the calendar and start plotting your summer course of fun today.
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