Reopening Guide: What to know and do in Sacramento as the state officially reopens
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Sacramento Reopening Guide
This story is part of the Sacramento Reopening Guide, giving you everything you need to know as the state’s economy officially reopens June 15. Read more of the stories here:
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After 15 long months of living in the coronavirus pandemic, life is returning to normal in California, and it’s time for us to (safely) celebrate. This is where The Bee’s Sacramento Reopening Guide comes in.
Looking to go see live music or check out a new restaurant? We’ve got you covered. Wondering where to take the kids for some indoor fun on a hot day? There’s a story on that, too.
There’s something for everyone: Parents, commuters, avid diners, travelers. And more stories will follow in the days ahead, so check back often.
Take a quick look at the guide below, and in the meantime, head to a restaurant or the mountains or a local shop.
It’s time to reopen.
California has reopened. What you need to know about masks, travel and restaurants
It’s been a long 15 months, California. The Golden State has reopened. The color-coded tiers are gone. Vaccinated residents don’t need to wear masks.
Here’s what you need to know about masks, travel, where you can eat and more as California relaxes its COVID-19 rules.
Your summer guide to fun in Lake Tahoe and the Placer foothills
Placer County — home to picturesque foothill communities and a national treasure in Lake Tahoe — is open for business.
As the state of California reopened June 15, lifting pandemic restrictions that had been in place for over a year, county officials say businesses are ready for the summer surge of visitors.
» » See our guide to hikes, breweries, fairs, concerts and more
Where to reenact your child’s favorite school field trip this summer
The school field trip was among the many traditions wiped away by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While students across the Sacramento region eventually returned to in-person learning after months of online learning, most field trips were canceled. Now that school is out of session, many families are looking for activities to do with their children – and perhaps reenact activities lost by the tumultuous school year.
» » See our field trip reenactment guide here
Who’s hiring? Here’s what to know now that California is reopening
The pandemic has led many Californians, by force or choice, to hit a reset button in their career. California’s labor market is still more than 1.3 million jobs short of where it was before the pandemic.
As California lifts most of its restrictions, labor experts and career coaches expect the state to continue to regain lost jobs. These experts have weighed in on questions like how jobs will look and how workers can take advantage of the labor market.
Enjoy sidewalk restaurant dining in Sacramento? Why it might be here to stay
California’s capital city is suddenly on the cusp of becoming a full-on, full-time outdoor dining city – a la Paris or Rome or Rio – and it has the coronavirus pandemic to thank for it.
One year after agreeing to temporarily allow restaurants to put tables on sidewalks, in parking lots and even in streets to keep businesses alive during the COVID-19 indoor-dining ban, Sacramento officials this week plan to extend those allowances another year, until June 2022.
» » Read more in this subscriber exclusive here
How COVID changed the party in Sacramento’s Lavender Heights
The last year and a half has been devastating for all businesses, but for night clubs here — where shameless, sweaty, intimate dancing and boozy fun are kind of the point — the pandemic was a nightmare, said Lavender Heights general manager Johnathan Cameron.
Now, as California reopens, Cameron wonders what a return to the old normal will look like.
» » Find out what he thinks here
Newsom: After June 17, vaccinated California workers won’t have to wear masks
California will let fully vaccinated workers go maskless after Thursday, June 17, pending a vote from the state’s workplace safety board, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
Newsom said he will issue an executive order on Thursday codifying the state’s new COVID workplace safety rule, which lets fully vaccinated California workers not wear masks at work and also ends social distancing.
» » Read more about the executive order here
Sacramento’s K Street is suffering. How can it heal?
Downtown is the heart of Sacramento, and K Street is its main artery. But as of right now, the city’s main street is sick with blight that could affect the rest of the body. After public and private entities invested more than $1 billion in downtown during the last decade, some who stuck around say it was largely abandoned by both leaders and regulars during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to slip into disrepair.
»» Read about what is next for K Street, and how it can recover
How California’s mask rules will change June 15
California’s mask guidelines will loosen but not disappear entirely on Tuesday, June 15, the same day capacity limits, social distancing requirements and most COVID-19 restrictions on businesses are set to end.
What are the rules for the fully vaccinated? What about the workplace? We created a breakdown of where you will and will not need to wear a mask depending on your vaccination.
Best Sacramento restaurants that opened during COVID
Our food reporter Benjy Egel created a searchable database of 30 new restaurants that grabbed his eye as they opened during the coronavirus pandemic.
As Egel puts it, these restaurants are still looking for their regulars. Maybe you’re one of them.
»» See the list of restaurants
New spots to shop in Sacramento
A diverse cohort of new entrepreneurs, artisans and cooks has emerged in Sacramento. They have embarked on building brands and businesses — hyper-online, locally-minded, event-oriented — despite a year of pandemic-induced economic turmoil.
And in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, business owner Mikaela Baker said many people are more conscious than ever about supporting diverse businesses run by queer entrepreneurs, Black owners, women artisans and more.
»» Learn more about these businesses
What’s new at Sacramento International Airport
Air travel in the United States is starting to pick back up.
Those flying into and out of Sacramento International Airport for the first time in awhile will notice some changes. We’ve compiled a guide to SMF as California – and much of the United States – reopens.
»» See the full guide to what’s changed
Road trips: 10 destinations within 5 hours of Sacramento
Tired of being pent up during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not quite ready to fly? Many are hitting the road for shorter vacations and day trips. Others are focused on a safe outdoorsy experience. For thousands of Northern Californians, this will be the summer of the road trip.
Here are 10 getaways within a five-hour drive of Sacramento that are delightful, each in their own way, and a little less congested.
»» Read the full list of nearby getaways
Heading back to the movies? What to expect at local theaters
Sacramento Bee reporter Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks wrote about her memory of a time last year when she thought she was never going to go back to a movie theater.
“Now fully vaccinated, and with a smorgasbord of films slated to arrive this summer on my movie-watching agenda, I decided it was time to head out downtown and catch a flick,” she said.
»» Read about how the movie-going experience has changed
How breweries survived the pandemic, and what’s next
Sacramento-area breweries were forced to get creative during the pandemic. Most built their business models around in-person dining and drinking; when they were forced to adapt, virtually all of them changed course.
It worked. No brewery in the Sacramento area went out of business during the pandemic. And the changes they made are likely to linger as they fully reopen for business June 15.
»» Read about what’s next for breweries
How Sacramento-area venues are preparing for live entertainment
Live entertainment venues are now piecing their once-booming venues back together.
Lyndsay Burch, the associate artistic director of the B Street Theatre, said it will take time to rebuild the business and win back patrons, while Marina Texeira, owner of the Torch Club in downtown Sacramento, says the reopening of California will happen too quickly.
»» Read more about how local venues are preparing
Where to see live music and plays this summer
Ready to attend a show? We’ve compiled a list of venues in the Sacramento region of Northern California that have plans to bring back live entertainment.
How to support Black businesses, events
The past year has also seen a renewed focus on social justice issues and supporting all of our communities.
As the economy begins to open up, we’ve assembled a list of activities, summer outings and events where you can support Black entrepreneurs and business owners in Sacramento.
»» Learn more about the Black businesses and events
Local indoor fun is back: Where to take the kids
Indoor venues have been slowly reopening as COVID-19 infection rates are on the decline in the Sacramento region. And starting June 15, most physical distancing and capacity limits for indoor activities will go away.
With students wrapping up the school year, and families looking for summer activities, parents may be looking for indoor activities to keep children busy and away from the Sacramento heat. We compiled a list of 10 local indoor places for families to enjoy this summer.
Remote work is here to stay for California state employees
Working for California’s state government will never be the same after the coronavirus pandemic, and that’s how employees want it, according to remote work data published by the state.
»» Here’s what it means for DMV, CalSTRS and CalPERS offices
This story was originally published June 12, 2021 at 8:54 AM.
