From Fodors:

The midtown area, just east of downtown, contains many of the city's best restaurants and quirkiest shops; Good

Downtown, pedestrians-only K Street Mall has a persistent panhandling problem. Bad

An infusion of upscale, popular restaurants, nightclubs, and breweries is nevertheless energizing the downtown scene. Good

Ten miles west is the college town of Davis, which, like nearby Woodland, is beginning to feel more suburban than agricultural because many Sacramento workers are settling there. Good/Bad?

Sacramento contains more than 2,000 acres of natural and developed parkland. Good

Grand old evergreens, deciduous and fruit-bearing trees (many lawns and even parks are littered with oranges in springtime), and giant palms give it a shady, lush quality. Good

Genteel Victorian edifices sit side by side with art deco and postmodern skyscrapers. Good

Though cheap-looking apartment buildings abound in midtown, and stuccoed suburbs are obliterating a lot of the greater metro area's rural charm. Bad

I think that's pretty fair - K Street Mall is an eyesore, no matter how we pretend it's not, and there are some monstrosity apartment buildings in mid-town.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive