Over the past few months, we’ve had an opportunity to explore Sacramento as a family thanks to a couple of work trips that Steven had on the calendar. As the capitol of California, Sacramento offers up a lot of history and kid-friendly activities for traveling families. Between our two recent stays, we’ve compiled a list of all of the fun things to do with your family in this historical city that won’t break the bank!
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park
We’re huge fans of checking out California state parks. Rich in history, these are the perfect places to drop some knowledge on your kids. (Insert the boys’ reactions to finding out TVs and iPads haven’t been around forever: ???) So when we saw that Sutter’s Fort is literally in the middle of this urban area, we swooped on the opportunity to check it out.
More than 150 years ago, a Swiss immigrant named John Sutter received a land grant from the Mexican government to build an agricultural establishment, which he called New Helvetia (New Switzerland). Ten years later, miners coming to California for the Gold Rush occupied Sutter’s land grant. Today, Sutter’s Fort is all that remains of New Helvetia.
It’s impressive that Sutter’s Fort has been restored to its 19th century appearance. Each room along the perimeter of the fort offers an audio tour explaining the historical purpose of each area. From the bakery stores to the blacksmith shop, visitors can truly immerse themselves into what life was like in 1845.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tickets sold until 4:30 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day
Price: Adults $5 (18 years and older); Youth $3 (ages 6 to 17); Children Free (5 and under). Please Note: On special interpretive program days fees are $7 for adults and $5 for youth. You can also buy an annual state parks pass if you plan on exploring other state parks and beaches in California!
Sacramento Zoo
When our youngest received tickets to the Sacramento Zoo for his birthday, we were pumped to check out a new zoo! And this place did not disappoint. The African lion exhibit, which features a glass barrier for an up-close and personal experience, was easily our favorite. You can literally get nose-to-nose with Cleo and Kamau, the lion pair! The zoo boasts more than 200 reptiles, 30 bird species, orangutans, lemurs and much more. You can feed the giraffes, or ride the carousel!
Hours: Open daily, year-round, the zoo closes at 4 pm but guests may stay on grounds until 5 pm. Some exhibits close early.
Price: Ages 12+ $16.50; Children ages 2-11: $11.50; Children under 1 Free; Senior admission 65+: $15.50
Fairytale Town
Fairytale Town looks like a kids’ dream! For more than 60 years, this 2.5 acre park has offered families a chance to play, imagine and learn in 26 different areas –all based on stories and nursery rhymes. Park attractions include King Arthur’s Castle, the Giant’s Foot from Jack and the Beanstalk, a Pirate Ship, Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest, Mr. McGregor’s Garden, and the Mother Goose Stage. Numerous slides are situated in play sets throughout the park, including the Old Woman’s Shoe slide and Owl’s Tree House slide!
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit due to their winter hours and the timing of our trip, but it’s on the top of our list for our next visit.
Price: Tickets are $5 per person on weekdays; $6 per person on weekends. Kids under 2 are FREE!
Hours: Varies depending on time of year and weather. Check here before you go!
Funderland Amusement Park
Another Sacramento staple for kiddos! Since 1946, Funderland Amusement Park offers up kid-sized thrills with nine exciting amusement rides. This is the perfect place for little ones, and comes highly recommended by our Sacramento friends. (We were bummed to see that the park was closed for the winter. Next time!)
Price: $19.99 for 10 rides; $44.95 for 30 rides; $19.50 for weekday unlimited rides.
Hours: Varies quite a bit! Click here for the full calendar.
One thing to note about the Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town and Funderland — these are all located in Land Park, across the street from one another. It makes for a fun and easy day if your kiddos have lots of energy! The zoo and Fairytale Town offer discounted tickets if you buy the combo pass.
California State Capitol
Take a docent-led or self-guided tour to take in California’s rich history and witness the making of history through the modern lawmaking process. This living museum is dedicated to sharing the Golden State’s past and working to build California’s future.
Don’t forget to stop by the Governor’s office to take a picture with the giant bronze bear, gifted by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first floor features historically restored rooms that emulate various architectural and legislative eras over California’s history. You can also peruse the historic rooms that served former governors, secretaries of state, and treasurers are now preserved to show visitors what the offices looked like at the turn of the 20th century. After your tour, head outdoors to explore the Capitol Park and the World Peace Rose Garden.
Hours: Weekdays 7:30am – 6pm; Weekends 9am – 5pm; Tours available hourly 9am – 4pm
Price: FREE
Old Sacramento Waterfront District
You honestly can’t visit Sacramento without checking out the Old Sacramento Waterfront District, also known as Old Sac. This historic riverfront district features Gold Rush-era buildings, cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages. (The latter was our favorite part!) Step back in time with the Sacramento History Museum, California Railroad Museum, California Automobile Museum or one of the many souvenir or candy shops. Visit the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, take a Gold Fever Tour, or explore the Old Sacramento Underground Tour. There’s no shortage of things to do here. You can easily spend a whole day exploring this neat little part of the City!
Hours: Most places open at 10am
Price: FREE to wander around
California Railroad Museum
The California Railroad Museum is so cool, it’s worthy of its own mention on this travel guide — especially if you have any little ones who are big train fans. There are 225,000 square-feet of exhibits and beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives here, as well as an incredible toy train collection. And for kiddos between ages 7 and 12, you can become a Junior Engineer. Just ask the front desk for an activity guide!
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day
Price: Adults – $12; Youths – $6 (ages 6-17); Children – Free (ages 5 and under)
Where to Stay in Sacramento
Our hometown is so close to Sacramento, that it hasn’t been very often that we’ve stayed overnight here. But because we were up here for a week this December, we rented the cutest little Airbnb in Midtown Sacramento. (If you’re new to Airbnb, use this link to get $55 off of your first booking!)
Looking for a Spot to Grub Down?
Here are a few of our preferred spots in Sac Town.
The Other Side by Track 7 Brewing: One of our favorite breweries. The food is out of this world (get the Panic Fries and Wings!) and super kid-friendly.
Milk Money: A quaint little donut and ice cream shop with unique flavor combos. A must if you’re in the mood for something sweet!
Cafeteria 15L: A cool, urban vibe with American fare. Delicious food that adults and kids alike will love.
Mikuni: A Sacramento staple for sushi lovers! Get the Freaky Edamame, Truffle Sashimi and the Japanese Mafia Roll. (But honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything here!)
Fox & Goose Public House: This traditional English pub, located downtown, offers up one of the best breakfasts in town! Still daydreaming about that Benedict Arnold…
The Bank: Can’t agree on what to go eat? Head here. With five different kitchens ranging from poke bowls, pizza, burgers and more — plus two bars and a self-pour taproom — there’s something for everyone.
Let’s Hear From You!
Have you ever been to Sacramento? Where are your go-to spots when visiting?
