Los Angeles has star power. San Francisco has urban culture. San Diego has to-die-for weather. So why is Sacramento the capital of California? The rationale goes back to the days of the Gold Rush when it was a hotbed for gold diggers — actual miners, not the other kind. And though it's not celebrity-studded or on the seaside, the seat of California's state government has plenty of culture. For this reason, the Capitol building of aptly named Capitol Park is the first stop for many visitors. And there is more to explore. The Midtown neighborhood hosts burgeoning theater and nightlife scenes that cosmopolitan visitors will appreciate. The Gold Rush may be over, but Sacramento's still a great place to be.

The Golden State's capital is rooted in history. Before Spanish settlers claimed the land in the 1840s, the Nisenan branch of Maidu Native Americans inhabited the Sacramento Valley. With the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, the area saw the largest migration in the country's history. Nowadays, the region is known as the most affordable of the California destinations. Plus it is home to plentiful outdoor activities, 200 parks and two rivers, and it's also the self-proclaimed "Farm-to-Fork Capital of America" with a large agricultural production of grapes, pears, corn and livestock. No matter what your interest, it's safe to say Sacramento won't leave you bored.