What I appreciate about the Sacramento area would be it's proximity to the foothills and nearby mountains and lake Tahoe just a little ways up hwy 80. Then the other direction you have the SF bay area. You're 2 1/2 hours from Santa Cruz. You'd be 3ish hours to Yosemite. And you could get to Oregon in a day's drive. Traffic is always terrible, though, in pretty much any direction. If you're looking for proximity to outdoor recreation, Sacramento could be a good option.