What’s open this weekend? Swimming pools, outdoor dining, Folsom Lake
It’ll be hot this weekend, but you can still stay cool. Public swimming pools are open and the rivers and Folsom Lake await. You can’t dine in, but al fresco is fine. Outdoor dining is allowed at restaurants in the four-county Sacramento region. Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties are on the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations rise, meaning a 21-day ban on indoor dining and other indoor operations including movie theaters.
Up in El Dorado County, health officials there are keeping close watch on developments at Lake Tahoe as cases rise along the south shore.
Counties’ health guidance continues to change to adjust to the virus’ impact on communities, but there remains plenty to do this weekend. Just remember: Stay safe. Wear a mask. Practice social distancing — 6 feet, please — and wash your hands.
El Dorado
El Dorado County doesn’t have an indoor closure order, but health officials are keeping a watchful eye on the rising numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the South Lake Tahoe region, site of half of the county’s cases to date, according to Dr. Nancy Williams, El Dorado Public Health Officer.
Residents and tourists alike are following masking and distancing guidelines, but “too many others are taking unnecessary risks,” Williams said in a statement this week.
Williams says it’s easy to stay safe whether hiking, boating, camping, climbing or going to the beach:
- Stay with members of your own household
- Order food to-go over a sit-down meal
- Wear a mask where required
- Go outside instead of closed buildings where there’s more chance of contracting the virus
- Stay at least six feet away from those who aren’t in your household
- Wash your hands often
Placer
Placer County was added to the state’s “watch list” this week on rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospital stays. That could mean an automatic minimum three-week ban on indoor dining at restaurants in the county and bars, breweries and brewpubs will also have to shut down.
Placer County officials said those establishments can remain open if they offer outdoor dining.
A list of businesses were being told to prepare to move to outdoor operations just as a July heat wave prepares to settle in on the Sacramento region including movie theaters and family entertainment centers.
Sacramento
Sacramento County is on the state’s three-week watch list restricting indoor operations for restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos and museums.
All can remain open for outdoor operations.
Bars, brewpubs, breweries and pubs are closed.
Many businesses, services, fitness and recreation options are allowed including swimming pools, gyms and fitness studios, county campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor recreation, day camps and racetracks. Hotels and short-term lodging are also allowed.
Shopping malls and general retail remain open.
Places of worship are allowed to open. Attendance is limited to 25 percent of a building’s capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.
Yolo
Face coverings are required in Yolo County, which is also in the state’s three-week monitoring period. Many of the same sectors closed in neighboring Sacramento and Placer counties are shut for three weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19. They include bars and breweries, dine-in restaurants, indoor wineries and tasting rooms, family entertainment centers, indoor movie theaters, museums and cardrooms, except those on tribal land.
Public swimming pools are allowed to operate, but spas, saunas and hot tubs are not permitted.
Folsom Lake
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area’s Beals Point Campground is open. Peninsula Campground is open at limited capacity to avoid gatherings of large groups and to maintain physical distancing.
Park entrances on the Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento County sides of the lake are open to vehicles. Go to the website to find which entrances are open.
Gatherings, picnics and parties are not allowed and visitors will be asked to leave if there are too many people at the park or on the beaches or trails to accommodate for social distancing. Wear a mask outside when you can’t maintain social distancing of six feet or more from people outside your household group.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 5:30 PM.
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