Discover Sacramento: History, Museums, and Family Experiences

Sacramento combines California history with museums, unusual stories about the city, and excursions for a range of interests. Anyone looking for a vacation rental in Sacramento can plan their trip around whether historical sites, science, railways, animals, or outdoor activities should be the main focus. This creates a city trip where families can combine shared discoveries with different daily routines.

Experience California History in Sacramento

The State Capitol Museum presents California’s history through public tours and exhibitions. The museum also offers free tours of the historic Capitol building or Capitol Park. This is suitable for visitors who want to learn about political and regional history not only through exhibits, but also in the context of a historic building.

Sacramento was founded in December 1848 by John A. Sutter, Jr. During the Gold Rush, the city was an important distribution center and later a terminus of the Pony Express. These milestones make Sacramento a destination where California’s development can be seen through several different themes.

Old Sacramento and Railway History

Old Sacramento is listed as a Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places; it was added to the register on October 15, 1966. A distinctive detail of the commercial district is that its streets were raised more than 20 feet above the flood level. The Old Sacramento Visitors’ Center provides information about the Old Sacramento Waterfront and can help you find your way around this historic area.

The California State Railroad Museum is located in Old Sacramento State Historic Park and offers a direct insight into railway history. From April through September, the museum offers historic and authentic excursion train rides. This creates a clear seasonal distinction for your daily planning: The exhibitions and train rides should be considered separately if you are planning your trip outside this period.

Old Sacramento also offers a guided tour program of underground areas and hollow passageways beneath the sidewalks. This tour provides another perspective on the city’s architectural history, while the historical museums focus more strongly on regional development and transportation history.

Science, Animals, and Garden Landscapes

The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity is aimed at visitors who want to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics interactively. The exhibits cover topics including energy, health, water, nature, space, and design engineering. The museum also includes a planetarium showing various star shows and feature films. This allows you to complement a cultural day in the city with scientific topics and a view into space.

The Sacramento Zoo offers a different focus for an excursion. Through education, recreation, and conservation, it gives guests an appreciation of, respect for, and connection to wildlife and nature. Fairytale Town is home to pigs, goats, and lambs and features a landscape with magnificent gardens. Especially for families with children, these two destinations can provide a change of pace from historical exhibitions and the city’s history.

Bike Trails and Arrival Planning

If you would like to include some activity in your stay, Sacramento has more than 32 miles of paved bike trails along the American River Parkway. The route is therefore a travel component in its own right alongside the museums and historical attractions. For travel by train, the Gold Runner offers connections through the Central Valley to Sacramento Valley Station in the city center. Sacramento Regional Transit also operates light rail and bus routes in Sacramento.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore first determine your preferred focus: A vacation rental suits a trip during which you want to divide several days between the city’s history, museums, family excursions, and bike trails. Then consider which location makes the most sense for your personal arrival arrangements and planned daily destinations, without combining the individual offerings into a single circular route.

Other Places in the Area

For further searches, you can also explore North Highlands, Elk Grove, Courtland, Walnut Grove, Fair Oaks, Citrus Heights, Foothill Farms, and Antelope.

To the higher-level travel overview: Sacramento.