Part of the beauty of Sacramento is its central location. It's sometimes possible to go skiing in the morning, and surfing in the afternoon. All within a couple hours by car:
Truckee and Donner Pass, about 100 miles east of Sacramento on I-80. Be prepared in wintertime, as the elevation is over 7,000 ft. This also includes Reno/Tahoe below, which are further east via I-80.
Lake Tahoe, a gorgeous lake on the Nevada border, with gambling on the Nevada side
Reno, a little bit o' gambling just over the border in Nevada
Gold Country, The gold country encompasses several small towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills
San Francisco, does it need an introduction?
Napa Valley, gorgeous landscape and the most famous wine-tasting in the States
