Pictured this -- the Governor's Mansion, a California State Historic Park attraction. The old swimming pool that California Governor Jerry Brown had built way back in the 1970's, can still be seen on tours of the Governor's Mansion in Sacramento. And his modernist portrait that stands out among the formal paintings of other California governors that hang on the Capitol building walls is still there. Artist Don Bachardy's controversial interpretation of the governor looks unfinished Brown said recently, and it reflects his unfinished work while in office.

His former Governor's Mansion that is now open for tours and weddings, the swimming pool, and the portrait, may not provide the most compelling reasons for a visit to Sacramento, but when you combine them with five other California State Historic Park attractions plus a free flower, you can spend a full day in Sacramento after you've lobbied your elected representatives and feel honored. The Big 7 museums, mansions and forts that make the state park's Sacramento inventory are open to the public and provide a great backgrounder on the history of how we got to where we are now as a state. One of the more interesting is Sutter's Fort, which was over-run by gold-seekers who trampled John Sutter's "Little Switzerland" paradise. Only the fort portion of his massive lands remains today.

From an Indian Museum to a Railway Museum, Old Sacramento to the Capitol, you can tour seven historic museums and attractions-part of the California State Parks operations.

If you happen to visit on Camellia Pin-On Day on Feb. 24, 2011, you'll get a free camellia corsage at the State Capitol Museum, 10th & L Streets, Sacramento. Head for the State Capitol, First Floor Rotunda between 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. for your free flower. Sacramento is officially the "Camellia Capital of the World,"and the camellias will be cut from Capitol Park bushes and trees by the Department of General Services groundskeepers. Camellias have bloomed in Sacramento since the 1850s when pioneers brought and planted seeds from Boston. Some of the original plants are even still growing around the city today. capitolmuseum.org.