Why I love Sacramento: protests, pistols, politicians, international parlor talks, The Bodies on exhibit -- what more could you ask for?

My husband and I were part of a group of volunteers who hauled a couple of dozen international students to Sacramento this weekend to tour the state capital. I'm crazy about Sacramento, so it's a treat to help out with this gig. The students were treated to democracy in action yesterday both inside and outside the Capitol building. They got to see the Legislature doing its thing from the gallery, but outside there were a few hundred University of California students protesting proposed budget cuts in higher education and proposed hikes in student fees.

Columnist Dan Walters wrote about the protest and the broader budget issue in today's Bee. Take a look at his column by clicking here.

If you're looking for a weekend to entertain teens, Sacramento is a good place for a weekend. We always stay with our group at the Sacramento Youth Hostel; probably on of the best hostels in the nation. It's a gorgeous five-story mansion, perfectly located downtown. You can't beat the rates, there's a community kitchen and dining room everyone uses, a piano, computer room, parlor with a piano, TV room with games and movies. It's beautiful and your co-travelers are so interesting. The kitchen was great for us -- we were cooking 3 meals a day for about 30 people.l For more information, click here.

There is also a lot for teens to do downtown. You don't need a car. Old Town Sacramento is full of cool little shops; a railroad museum, a military museum for my husband, a place where the kids can dress up like cowboys, bar girls or fancy ladies from the old west and get their pictures taken. (The international students love those shots! Get a picture of yourself with a pistol in your garter and a whisky bottle! How American is that!??) Take a walk under the freeway, and you are at the K Street Mall, a cool place with all the typical mall shops like Macys, Forever 21, etc., plus Hard Rock Cafe and some other spots to eat. At night, there is plenty of karaoke going on -- some of it accessible to under 21s. There is also a multiplex downtown. Explore, explore, explore.

There was one day trip to the California Caverns, about an hour and a half away from Sac. Students really liked that -- thousands of digital photos taken there. We didn't have time to see it, but the Bodies Exhibit is also in town until May. We hear it's well worth the ticket.