The gateway to the Gold Country, the seat of California state government, and an agricultural hub, the city of Sacramento plays many important contemporary roles. One and a half million people live in the metropolitan area, and the continuing influx of newcomers seeking opportunity, sunshine, and lower housing costs than in coastal California have made it one of the nation's fastest-growing regions. Midtown's many new cafés and downtown's revived K Street Mall are testaments to Sacramento's growing sophistication.

Scottsdale High School Volleyball Team Sacramento contains more than 2,000 acres of natural and developed parkland. This "city of a million trees" is planted with grand old evergreens, deciduous and fruit-bearing trees (some streets are littered with oranges in springtime), and even giant palms, giving it a shady, lush quality. Genteel Victorian edifices sit side-by-side with Art Deco and postmodern skyscrapers.

Sacramento was California's first charter city and is at the heart of California history - the gold rush. Today, Sacramento is a beautiful place to live and surprisingly affordable. The median home cost is $390,000 for the city of Sacramento.

The confluence of two of the state's largest rivers is just a short walk from the steps of City Hall. San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Valley, all offering a wide variety of recreational and cultural activities, are just a few hours away. The city's rich historical heritage, commitment to quality of life, and abundance of trees and parkland contributed to Newsweek magazine naming Sacramento one of the ten best cities in the United States.

Sacramentans enjoy professional ballet, opera, theater, outstanding museums, one of the best small zoos in the country, and the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Each year the city hosts the world's largest Dixieland Jazz Jubilee, and many other recreational, entertainment and cultural activities.

Sacramento has also become one of California's main tourist centers. The restored State Capitol, miles of rivers and river parkways, North America's largest railroad museum, and the Old Sacramento restoration are just a few of the City's many attractions.