Our beautiful State Capital of California is located in historic Sacramento... right in the middle of the San Joaquin Central Valley, where the American River meets the Sacramento River. Smog, heat & traffic can get unruly here in the summer months. 100+ temps everyday, no joke. The California Gold Rush hit big in this region, because of the proximity to the Sierra Nevada. A shipping channel was brought through the wetlands of the California Delta, from the San Francisco Bay Area.