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Sacramento is still sometimes called “that place halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.” And travelers often drive to those two tourist attractions without stopping to see what’s in between them. But that’s changing.

Sacramento is dedicated to turning the Old Sacramento waterfront into a new type of tourism draw. The town of Winters in Yolo County just got selected by USA Today as one of the country’s best small-town food scenes (it came in #4, two places higher than Yountville, home to the French Laundry). And Lodi, originally (in)famous for the Creedence Clearwater song, is a place people now don’t mind getting stuck in, thanks to its upward-trending Wine Country status and world-acclaimed Zinfandels.

We’re talking with a few people leading the efforts to boost tourism efforts in Sacramento and the Central Valley, and show them off as destinations to visit, wine and dine in, and even relocate to.
What does it take to get these places on the map for those unfamiliar with the region?
What’s the payoff, and the pitfalls, for the people who currently live there?
And how will touting the wonderful features these places have now transform what they’ll be like in the future?

PANELISTS

• Nancy Beckman, CEO of Visit Lodi

• John Donlevy, City Manager of the town of Winters

• Rob Stewart, host and producer of the KVIE show Rob on the Road

• Mike Testa, CEO of Visit Sacramento