Sacramento & Reno Travel Highlights
O my gosh. This post is LONG overdue. I traveled to Sacramento and Reno three weeks ago, and I’m finally writing about it. Oops! Life has been pretty busy lately, so it’s been difficult to find the motivation and time to reflect on some of the joys from this trip. The purpose of visiting Sacramento and Reno was to see my dear friends. Amy, my dear college friend, lives in Sacramento. I got to spend a full day with her exploring downtown and catching up. The friendship that I have with Amy is truly special. We get along SO well, and she is a great and supportive friend. I spent the remaining days of my trip in Reno with Marc, Marie, and Fatima. Marie and Marc just recently moved from Las Vegas to Reno and got their first apartment together. They are truly the sweetest and funniest couple.
Overall, I had a blast spending time with my friends in Reno and Sac. I got to live out my granola girl dreams and saw so many breathtaking views. It was very difficult to narrow down my favorites, so here are some of the travel highlights from Sacramento and Reno:
1. Gunther’s Ice Cream
As you know, I am a sucker for ice cream. I mean, who isn’t? When I came to visit Sacramento, it was extremely hot. Scorching hot. Gunther’s Ice Cream was the perfect place to rest and beat the heat. According to Amy, Gunther’s is a local favorite. They offer “50/50 fruit freezes” which is a scoop of regular ice cream in between two scoops or sorbet. It is such a delightful and refreshing treat. I got vanilla ice cream and guava and mango sorbet. Amy got vanilla ice cream and strawberry and mango sorbet. If I ever come back to Sacramento, I am most definitely making my way back to Gunther’s.
2. Evangeline’s Costume Mansion
I have always had a fascination for unique gift shops and boutique stores. You never know what you can find, so it’s always a fun adventure. Evangeline’s is a costume shop located in Old Sacramento. They sell costumes in eight themed rooms. This shop is so much fun to explore because of all of the unique costumes and gifts that you can find. I ended up purchasing a really cute ceramic mushroom salt and pepper shaker set for Marie and Marc’s new apartment. Amy and I had a lot of fun going through each room and exploring the different themes.
3. Hunter Creek Trail
Hunter Creek Trail is a fun and moderately challenging hike. If you plan on going, make sure to come prepared. I would recommend bringing the following: a hat, a very big water bottle (or camelback), hiking boots, a hammock, and some snacks. Initially, when we started the hike, it wasn’t all that difficult. But as time went on, it got hotter and more unbearable. A majority of the hike is not shaded, so you are in direct sunlight. The dry air also makes it difficult to breathe. The final third of the hike is shaded, and the trail leads to a waterfall. This made the hike worth it. We soaked ourselves in water before we headed back to cool ourselves off. It was such a fun experience.
4. Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe truly has my heart. Though I was born and raised in California, I never really made my way to Tahoe until recently. Now, I understand why my NorCal friends take regular trips to Tahoe in the summer. It’s very beautiful. We drove to Tahoe on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, we made it our hiking day. We hike Cascade Falls and Bayview Trailhead. Both hikes offered incredible views. Cascade Falls led us to this beautiful waterfall where we spent hours splashing around. My inner child definitely came out. For Bayview Trailhead, we hiked to the top and set up hammocks in the trees. All of us took naps at the top of the mountain. It was the most scenic place I have ever taken a nap at. I definitely recommend it. Sunday was our beach day. We grilled food for lunch and swam in the lake. It was tons of fun. Reno is only an hour away from Tahoe, so it’s definitely worth it to make the drive there for a quick and adventurous getaway.
5. University Ridge Park
Looking for a good viewpoint of Reno? Look no further. University Ridge Park is the perfect place to go to if you’re a professional sunset chaser like myself. When we went, the skies were painted a pastel blue and pink. It was so beautiful. The unique thing about thing about this spot is that it’s not too far from the heart of Reno itself. The drive is roughly 20 minutes and you’re somewhere far more secluded, quiet, and quaint. My friends and I had a really fun time dancing as the sun started to set and taking in the beautiful Reno skyline.
Reno and Sacramento were places to remember. I had so much fun exploring these places with my friends which made the experience all the more unforgettable. Now, I’m getting ready to pack my bags to visit Washington D.C.! Make sure to subscribe to my mailing list for more of my travel highlights! You can find more life-related posts here. Stay tuned for more updates on my adventures.
Emily
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