SACRAMENTO — It was home to three California governors, once housed needy and homeless children, and today welcomes visitors to a visual delight with 19,000 square feet of Victorian splendor and elegance.

The Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park reopened in September of 2005 after a 14-year,

$22 million restoration project. Guided tours lead guests through the hallways, gardens and rooms where restored elements including period-style carpeting, renaissance revival furniture and gas lighting all provide a glimpse of what life was like for the early Gov. Stanford and his wife, Jane.

FRESNO — A garden oasis in the heart of the Central Valley, Shinzen Japanese Garden offers a great place to enjoy peace and tranquillity. This 5-acre respite occupies a small southeastern piece of land in Fresno's 300-acre Woodward Park.

The garden — which was developed as a gesture of friendship to Fresno's Sister City, Kochi, Japan — opened to the public in the spring of 1981. Inside, visitors may walk the many paths and meander their way through the gardens, which are divided into separate areas to highlight the four seasons.

Stopping in the autumn garden, guests can enjoy one of the tembo dai, or viewing shelters, and enjoy the branches and artistry of the tulip, Chinese pistache and tallow trees. The winter garden also offers a tembo dai, a large cascading waterfall and the beauty of winter vegetation, including pines and evergreens. Summer is where visitors can enjoy viewing the grace and beauty of the koi that inhabit the pond, which is the centerpiece of this area. The spring garden offers floral stars like azaleas, camellias, irises and the blossoming cherry and plum trees.

SACRAMENTO — Rev up your hot rod, jump in your little deuce coupe, giddy up in your 409 or cruise in your '57 Chevy to the West Coast's premiere car show, the Sacramento Autorama, when it rolls into the Cal Expo Fairgrounds for a weekend pit stop on Feb. 19-21.

What began in 1950 as a two-day hot rod show at a Sacramento car dealership complete with 22 entries, is now one of the longest running custom car shows in the world.

In celebration of its 60th year, more than 450 vehicles — including custom and classics cars, motorcycles and specialty vehicles — will strut their stuff and wow both spectators and professional judges with custom paint jobs, chrome undercarriages and original restorations.