Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

With over 50 historic structures from the California Gold Rush era in an area of about 300 acres, Old Sacramento contains more buildings of historic value than any other western city. Though today, Old Sacramento is a little bit easier on the history and heavier on the tacky tourist traps.

Wedged between Interstate 5 and the Sacramento River, the several blocks of Old Sacramento today contain old buildings with wooden plank sidewalks, shops full of gimicky gifts such as gift shops featuring catchphrase-emblazoned tshirts and bumper stickers and more than one store dedicated to selling novelty socks. 

While the building facades display remnants of the area's past such as theatres and hotels, Old Sacramento today tends to be a place where historic railroad cars mingle with all-you-can-eat pizza shops and beer specials, and free waterfront yoga classes take place across the paving stone streets from shops selling postcards of San Francisco located nearly 100 miles away...

A few statues do stand at the fringes of the park, and presumably the streets become peaceful after 2 a.m. when the bars close. 

One highlight would be the California State Railroad Museum at Old Sacramento's northern end, which features buildings full of displays and excursion trains that run through Old Sacramento and along waterfront tracks.

Parking is available at a structure on 3rd and J streets and at metered parking spaces throughout Old Sacramento's streets.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

None

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Diverse tourist opportunities.

Cons

Tacky. Can get crowded.

Features

ADA accessible
General store
Historically significant
Flushing toilets
Family friendly
Picnic tables
Near lake or river
Potable water

Location

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