Is Old Sacramento Worth Visiting? 21 Things To Do From A Californian

Are you wondering if Old Sacramento is worth visiting?

Let me answer that question right away!

Absolutely Yes, Old Sacramento is worth visiting! I really enjoy spending time there and you will too. It’s an 8 block stretch of historic buildings, waterfront activities, horse and buggy rides, restaurants, shops, and even a mini amusement park. You’ll find it is super family friendly, but it’s also a great spot for a couple’s date day or girlfriend getaway.

As a northern California resident for many decades, I feel like the Golden State capital, Sacramento, deserves more visitors’ attention. So, this is an intro to one of my favorite parts of that sprawling city northeast of San Francisco.

Where is Old Sacramento?

Sacramento is a perfect day trip from San Francisco. It’s just about 85 miles from the Bay Area.

The Sacramento River runs through Sacramento, with Downtown Sacramento on the East Side of the river and West Sacramento, on, you guessed it – the west side of the river. Approximately 28 acres along the east side of the river near Downtown are designated as the Historic Old Sacramento, also called Old Town Sacramento, and the Waterfront. The Tower Bridge is at one end of the Old Town and connects the west side to the east, leading to the Capital Mall toward the state capital.

Old Sacramento, a California Historical Landmark, is the site of epic historic events. Fires and catastrophic floods plagued the early days of Sacramento. Lives were lost, cattle died, and as levees were built, they also collapsed. Eventually, people began to raise the streets and the buildings and by the late 1800’s, Old Sacramento sat about 10 feet higher than it originally did! This is also the spot of the country’s first transcontinental railroad, the first transcontinental telegraph, where the Pony Express began, and the home to a ton of wild Gold Rush stories.

Why is Old Sacramento Worth Visiting?

Very different than the cities of Los Angeles or the City by the Bay, San Francisco, Sacramento is another California gem. Old Sacramento is worth the visit, not just for its history and charm, but also because there is so much to do there, you can easily enjoy a full day or few days right in that small area. Let’s get started!

#1 Start at the Visitor Center 

1000 2nd St.
Daily 11-4

It’s always a great idea to begin at the visitor center in any new place if you want to create a plan for the day. There you’ll find maps, info, and best of all – people who can actually help you!

#2 Visit the Crocker Art Museum

216 O St.
Wed. – Sun. 10 -5, Thurs. 10 – 9
$15

I absolutely love this museum – I know I say that all the time about art museums, but the Crocker is very special. Founded in 1885, it’s the oldest public art museum in the country. The collection began as the private collection of Edwin and Margaret Crocker in their home. The mansion is now connected to a contemporary building showcasing a varied collection.

#3 Explore Old Sacramento State Historic Park

Old Sacramento
Daily

Over 50 important historic buildings within the downtown and Old Sacramento area have been designated as a state park and National Historic Landmark. The buildings from the Gold Rush era include the Eagle Theater, the B.F.Hastings Building, and the Big Four Building.

#4 Don’t Miss the California State Railroad Museum

111 I St.
Daily 10 – 5
$12 Adults, $6 6-17 , Free Under 6

This is a must see museum if you are with kids or if you are a train fanatic. The museum is a huge space filled with beautifully restored railroad cars and historic locomotives. You’ll learn a lot about how the railroad system changed the way people lived and how it reshaped the economy of the West.

#5. Check Out the Sacramento History Museum

101 I St.
Daily 10 – 5
$10 Adults, $5 6-17 , Free Under 6

This museum is on land originally inhabited by the Nisenan Tribal people. It is a reproduction of the 1854 City Hall, the city’s first municipal building. The original building was built of bricks due to the history of fire in the city, but then was fraught with structural issues due to water tanks, the railroad, and other problems, so it was eventually condemned. Since its rebuild, the museum serves as one of the most popular sites in Old Sacramento, filled with very cool artifacts and exhibits, like the history of tattooed women in California. But it’s mostly famous for its underground tours.

#6. Take a Sacramento History Museum Underground Tour

101 I St.
Daily with reservations
$25 Adults, $18 6-17 , Free Under 6

This is everyone’s favorite tour! Part of Sacramento’s amazing history is that much of the old town started about 10 feet lower than you find it today. Fires lead to more brick being used for buildings rather than the old wood from ships, but the Great Floods of 1850 and 1862 continued to destroy the town. When levees didn’t work, people built walls along the sidewalks and filled in the streets with dirt, making the second story now the first floor! The underground tour takes you onto the old original streets with a guide – it’s a lot of fun and really fascinating. No photos are allowed. Book ahead of time, it’s very popular!

#7. Walk on the Tower Bridge

M St.
Daily 
Free

Walk on the historic bridge in the state’s capital. This famous bridge connecting West Sacramento to the East side of the river is called the Tower Bridge and opened in 1935. Since the Gold Rush expanded the population of the area so exponentially, the previous bridge could no longer support the needs of the city. The bright yellow color of this vertical lift bridge is a bit controversial, but it sure stands out!

#8. Play at the Waterfront Amusement Park

1150 Front St.
Daily 
$7 for rides

Walking along the waterfront, you won’t miss the small and sweet amusement park in the midst of the historic buildings, railroad, and waterfront. There’s a ferris wheel, a carousel, and snacks! If you’ve got little ones with you then this is an absolute must!

#9. Stop into the Delta King

1100 Front St.
Daily
Open to the public

This is not your average hotel! The Delta King is a beautifully restored riverboat with an incredible history. Although it’s now docked and serves as a hotel and restaurant, all visitors are welcome to climb aboard and walk around the museum. Originally built in 1927, this boat and its twin, the Delta Queen, took passengers from San Francisco to Sacramento. The trip took over 10 hours and passengers enjoyed jazz music, dinner, gambling, and prohibition era drinks. After the Golden Gate Bridge was built, the boats were no longer popular. Eventually, they were used for the Navy in World War II. Later the Delta Queen was taken to New Orleans for renovation use on the Mississippi, and eventually, the Delta King was also purchased and restored to its original beauty here in Sacramento.

#10. See the Pony Express Statue

2nd St. & J St.
Daily 
Free to the public

This famous statue was dedicated at the country’s bicentennial in 1976. Did you know that the Pony Express first ride was from this spot in 1860? Rider Sam Hamilton took mail 1966 miles to Missouri. This delivery service was the end of California being cut off from the rest of the country. For only 18 months, before the transcontinental telegraph was invented, the Pony Express had 80 riders on 500 horses connecting to 190 stations from Sacramento to St. Joseph Missouri.

#11. See the Big Four Building

101-115 I St.
Daily 
Free to the public

The original building was actually three structures. It later became one larger building when the men known as the “Big Four,” Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, Collis Huntington, and Lelan Stanford, started the first transcontinental railroad. The railroad operations were later moved to San Francisco and this building became an expanded Huntington & Hopkins Hardware Store. You can now visit the building as part of the landmark sites in the Old Sacramento State Historic Park.

#12. See a Show at the Eagle Theater

921 Front St.
See Schedule
Ticket prices vary

This is a replica of the original theater which was built in 1849 as the first permanent theater in the state. The new Gold Rush residents of the wild west needed more to do than the town offered. The theater provided all kinds of entertainment to keep the gold miners busy! Now the theater is part of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park and the California State Railroad Museum. Many community events are currently held there to this day.

#13. Visit the Wells Fargo Museum at the B. F. Hastings Building

1000 2nd St.
Daily 10 – 5
Free

The Benjamin Franklin Hastings property, built in 1852, was not only the terminal on the Pony Express Trail in 1860, but it was also the first location of the California Supreme Court. Now the historic building houses a museum dedicated to the Wells Fargo Bank and is part of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park.

#14. Visit the Old Sacramento School House Museum

Front St. & L St.
Requires reservation – (916) 808-7031
Free

This museum is a replica of the one room schoolhouse that was used by communities in the 1800’s.  Visitors can explore what it was like for the children of the Gold Rush families to study in one classroom. 

#15. Visit the Theodore Judah Monument

2nd St. & L St.
Daily
Free

Theodore ‘crazy” Judah was the engineer who pioneered the construction of a railroad that would move through the Sierra Nevada mountains to link California to the rest of the country. This statue, erected in the 1930’s commemorates the man who is responsible for the transcontinental railroad concept.

#16. View the Wall of Plaques

2nd St. & L St.
Daily
Free

The wall of plaques commemorating old Sacramento was established in the 1960’s when it was believed that the Old Sacramento had been neglected. The historic land commission placed the plaques on the wall to help rejuvenate the neighborhood.

#17. Shop at Warren’s New England Seed Store

J St. & Commonwealth Ave.
Daily
Open to the Public

In the 1850’s John Warren brought seeds from New England to California and established a seed store. The original wooden building burned down in the 1852 fire, but was rebuilt with brick and was the center for agricultural needs. Warren is also known for introducing the camellia flower to California which later became the state flower.

#18. Eat Sweets at Candy Heaven

1201 Front St.
Daily
Open to the Public

Penny candy became a popular thing in the 1800’s when the general store would also sell individually wrapped candy. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a penny candy store when you’re on vacation? 

#19. Hang Out at Fanny Ann’s Saloon

1023 2nd St.
Wednesday – Sunday 11:30 – 2AM, Tuesday 4 – 2AM
See Menu

Not your average burger joint! This saloon has a wild history as fun as its name suggests. Get this – Its origins were as an 1842 riverboat that then was used for transporting supplies that helped saved the city in the 1852 fire, and then was used to supply union troops with food during the Civil War, and then was a brothel and saloon which eventually burned the boat down during a party gone awry! The madam, Fanny Ann relocated as much stuff from the boat as she could to her saloon on 2nd St. Check it out for the cool interior and great food!

#20. Dress Up at Evangeline’s Costume Mansion

113 K St.
Sunday – Thursday 10 – 7, Friday & Saturday 10 – 9
Prices Vary

The famous Evangeline’s Mansion is in the oldest building still standing in Sacramento. The Lady Adams Building and the Howard House survived the fire of 1852 which destroyed most of the city, because brick from the German builders’ ship was used in the roof construction. Inside you’ll discover the most fun costume shop ever, but also the original staircase and fireplace.

#21. Take a Sacramento River Cruise

Waterfront
Daily
Prices Vary

There are many boat tours along the Sacramento River. Some offer evening cruises with wine and cheese tastings, some are historic tours during the day, and all are scenic and relaxing.

Where To Park in Old Sacramento

Old Sacramento is at the east side of the Sacramento River with the I Street Bridge at one end and the Tower Street Bridge at the other end. There are several parking choices in the area:

• Metered parking on the streets is available for 2 hours in the Old Sacramento Waterfront area.
• The Tower Bridge Garage is at Neasham Circle on Capital Blvd.
• The Old Sacramento Garage is on I Street between 3rd & 2nd Streets.
• There is a Parking Lot at Front Street and L Street near Firehouse Alley.

Best Boutique Hotels in Sacramento

The Sterling Hotel  – 1300 H St. 

Built in 1897, the Sterling Hotel is in a beautiful Victorian mansion that combines old world charm with modern amenities. There are 16 rooms, each uniquely decorated. It is an affordable hotel with good reviews and a lot of interesting history. It once housed a music hall!

The Inn & Spa at Parkside – 2116 6th St.

This luxurious Bed & Breakfast is housed in the famous Fong Mansion built in 1936. Each room is individually decorated and the prices are affordable. The reviews are excellent!

Where to Eat in Old Sac

Some of the top recommended places to eat in Old Sacramento are:

• Firehouse Restaurant – 1112 2nd St.Sophisticated American seasonal cuisine
• Rio City Cafe – 1110 Front St. American cuisine
• Fanny Ann’s Saloon – 1023 2nd St. Burgers, wings, and salads
• Frankie’s Pizza – 200 K St. Pizza
• Honey & The Trapcat – 1023 Front St. Burgers & Sandwiches

Yes, Indeed, Old Sacramento is worth visiting!

In a nutshell…

Why should you make the trip to Old Sacramento? It’s not just about stepping back in time—it’s also about feeling the history of a city with a vibrant culture and tons of charm.

From its cobblestone streets to its historic buildings and exciting museums, every corner holds stories of the past. Old Sacramento has a hidden gem appeal, much like other California dream locations like Carmel, Monterey, and Laguna.

Bring the family, or venture out solo, and dive into the Gold Rush era, some great food, and a lot of fun. Trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem. It’s totally worth the trip!

xx, 
Carrie