Local Sights
Mansion tours
The Sacramento Hostel staff provides free tours of the mansion from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, and to groups by appointment. Tours are open to the general public; please call the hostel at (916) 443-1691 to reserve. Our public tours are free, but we will never turn down a donation to Hostelling International.
Museums and attractions
Old Sacramento
This four-block historic district founded in 1848 was a major commercial and agricultural center during the Gold Rush. Now it is Sacramento's most popular destination. Visitors experience everything from wagon trains to stagecoaches, riverboats to the first transcontinental railroad. Old Sacramento sits along the Sacramento River and is filled with dozens of restaurants, shops, and saloons. It is also home to the Crocker Art Museum (see below).California State Capitol Building
Forty acres of gardens with 340 varieties of trees from around the world surround this awe-inspiring building where legislators have assembled since 1869. The California State Capitol was restored in the 1970s to its original turn-of-the-century magnificence. Free tour tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis or you can pay a small fee to catch an overview of the legislative process. The capitol gardens feature California's Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and other public art.
Crocker Art Museum
The Crocker Art Museum (est. 1885) is one of Northern California's largest and best museums of regional artists. The collection spans from the 10th century to contemporary periods and includes a stunning collection of European master drawings and a notable selection of contemporary California art. Museum programs include touring exhibitions, educational programs, public tours, and concerts.
Note: The Crocker Art Museum will be closed for renovations June 7 - October 9, 2010.
California State Railroad Museum
This world-class tribute to the role of the "iron horse" includes 21 lavishly restored locomotives and cars from the 1860s to the 1960s--a dream world for every child and railroad buff in America. The California State Railroad Museum tells the story of how rail travel transformed American society starting in the West. It include a full-scale diorama of an 1860s construction site high in the Sierra Nevada as well as a bridge elevated 24 feet above the museum floor.
Sutter's Fort / California State Indian Museum
Step back in time at Sacramento's earliest settlement: Sutter's Fort, the first non-Indian settlement in California's Central Valley. John Sutter developed this 48,000-acre patch of wilderness into a European-style self-contained settlement in 1839. The entire site has been restored, along with the California State Indian Museum, which includes artifacts from more than 100 California tribes.
The California Museum
The California Museum opened in 1998 and was initially designed to showcase materials from the State Archives. Over the last decade it has evolved into a destination that educates and inspires visitors about California's rich history. The museum is home to the California Hall of Fame and California Legacy Trails, and features exhibits that showcase the state's unique contributions to the world through innovation, arts, and culture.
Discovery Museum
History, science, space, and technology converge at the Discovery Museum, a replica of the city's 1854 City Hall and Waterworks Building. The museum provides a hands-on exploration of Sacramento's past, present, and future as experts demystify the skies in the Planetarium and elevate the habits and habitats of native wildlife in the Nature Discovery Room. Teachers will love the fact that all of the Discovery Museum's K-12 educational services are designed to reinforce the concepts identified in the California Department of Education's subject framework.
Outdoors
Two major rivers run through the city of Sacramento: the Sacramento River and the American River.
Whether you're seeking a lazy afternoon float or a true adrenaline rush, the American River is particularly popular for swimming, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and "tubing."
Sacramento is also the start of the American River Parkway, an impressive 23-mile stretch of tree-lined trail where pedestrians and cyclists can follow the sparkling river from Old Sacramento all the way to the town of Folsom. (Public transit via light rail is available for the return journey.)
There are also many guided trips available along both the Sacramento and American rivers.
Youth programs
Tailored intercultural programming is available to youth and student groups, including World Travel 101, Cultural Kitchen, the Community Walls mural project, and Girl Scouts badge work. For details, please see the Programs section of the Golden Gate Council website.
Resources
50 Things You Must Do in Sacramento
American River Parkway (PDF download)
Map and guide to the American River Parkway, a 23-mile paved
walking/biking trail that runs from Old Sacramento along the river to
the town of Folsom.
Downtown Partnership Walking Tours
Downtown Partnership Dining Guide (PDF download)
The Old Sacramento Scavenger Hunt
A free walking tour for kids that takes them through the historical high points and free museums of Old Sacramento.
Sacramento Bicycle Trip Planner
Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission
SMAC has a great map and self-guided walking tour of public art you can download.
Undietacos
Local music and small venue listings.
