The Delta is the midsection between the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. Most of its towns are tiny, with many serving as bedroom communities for commuters who work in Sacramento and San Francisco. Still, you can find a handful of things to do in places like Rio Vista and the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.

Rio Vista

Rio Vista is a small town of about 4,500 souls on the Sacramento River. It's not exactly a travel and tourism hot spot, but it is the closest town to the Western Railway Museum, which offers electric train trips over the historic main line of the Sacramento Northern Railway.

There are more than fifty restored railcars on display, plus additional exhibits and a picnic area where your family can enjoy a prepacked lunch. Admission is $7 for children between two and fourteen years old, and $10 for adults. Hours are 10:30 A.M. until 5 P.M. Saturday and Sunday, with expanded hours in the summer. For details, go to www.wrm.org.

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area

About ten miles southeast of Fairfield, you'll find the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, a 10,000-plus-acre region encompassing two islands where you can fish, take photographs, and sightsee among the birds, reptiles, and amphibians.