Sacramento -
Get around
By foot
Historic Old Sacramento, the Riverfront, and the California State Railroad Museum are all within an easy five minute walk of the train station.
The Capitol is a half-hour walk from Old Sacramento.
By car
For nearly all other getting around, you will want a car.
Attractions
Old Sacramento
The oldest part of town, Old Sacramento contains several museums, restaurants, and the usual assortment of tacky souvenir shops all within walking distance of each other. Best of all, it's a five minute walk from the Amtrak station.
• The California State Railroad Museum, 111 "I" Street, (916) 323-9280 - A huge museum of railroad history with a large collection of old yet well-preserved trains and equipment. If possible, take Amtrak to the Sacramento station to get into a trainy mood for it. $8 adults, $3 ages 6-17, 5 and under free.
• Steam train rides, Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot (just south of the Railroad Museum). Hourly April through September. Operated by the Railroad Museum, these forty minute excursions are pulled by an historic steam locomotive along the nearby levees. $8 adults, $3 ages 6-17, 5 and under free.
Stay safe
Stay away from the K-Street Mall between 3rd and 11th Sts. Drivers here are crazy. Downtown has a lot of one-way streets which are confusing, not always well marked. (Hint: Look at the direction in which cars are parked!)
Get in
By plane
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is the main airport for Sacramento, located 15 minutes north of downtown along Interstate 5 at the Airport Boulevard exit.
By train
Amtrak runs two long distance trains and two regional trains through Sacramento.
• The Coast Starlight runs from Seattle and Portland through Sacramento to San Francisco (via Emeryville), Oakland, San Jose, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.
• The California Zephyr runs from San Francisco (via Emeryville) through Sacramento to Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha, and Chicago.
• The Capitol Corridor is a regional train that runs from the Bay Area to Sacramento making major stops in Martinez, Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland, Fremont, and San Jose. Carefully consult the schedule when buying tickets for this since some of the daily runs are by bus instead of train.
• The San Joaquins is a regional train that runs from Sacramento south into the San Joaquin Valley making major stops in Stockton, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
By car
Sacramento is conveniently located at the intersection of Interstate 5 (a north-south route) and Interstate 80 (an east-west route). It is also located at the western terminus of US Route 50.
• From the San Francisco Bay Area, take Interstate 80 east.
• From Reno and North Lake Tahoe, take Interstate 80 west.
• From South Lake Tahoe, take US Route 50 west.
• From Redding and the Pacific Northwest, take Interstate 5 south.
• From the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California, take Interstate 5 north.
Activities
• The American River Cycling Trail is a world class pleasant ride through lush parkland, along the river and past lake Natoma, 44 miles (70km) of automobile-free pavement from Folsom, Ca to Downtown Sacto, where old town provides plenty of refreshment with bars and restaurants. Lock your bike outside Fanny Anne's and have a big sandwich and a cold beer before riding back. Plenty of picnic-spotted parks offer water and shade, convenient parking, and you may spot the occasional deer or wild turkey. Be alert in the area of the bridges near downtown after dusk. There are walkers and joggers all along the trail so it's bad manners to ride too fast.
• If you are visiting in August or early September, you cannot stop in Sacramento without stopping by the California State Fair! The Cal Expo fairgrounds come alive every summer as the State Fair becomes a "city within a city" that hosts nearly one million visitors. Folks come from near and far for the memorable delights of this 152-year-old extravaganza that includes exciting exhibits, amazing attractions, live entertainment, and the Magnificent Midway. Visit for the daily schedule of exhibits, attractions, races and more!
Dining
Mid-range
• Crepeville
• La Bou
• Panera Bread
Splurge
Waterboy (2000 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, 916-98-9891) Lomo Argentine Grill (1107 Front St., Old Sacramento, 916-442-5666) Biba Ristorante Italiano (2801 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, 916-455-2422)
Lodging
• Best Western Expo Inn, 1413 Howe Avenue, (916) 922-9833, Toll-free: (800) 643-4422, Fax: (916) 922-3384
• Best Western John Jay Inn, 15 Massie Ct, (916) 689-4425, Fax: (916) 689-8045
• Best Western Sandman Motel, 236 Jibboom Street, (916) 443-6515, Fax: (916) 443-8346
• Best Western Sutter House, 1100 H Street, (916) 441-1314, Fax: (916) 441-5961
• Courtyard Sacramento Airport Natomas, 2101 River Plaza Drive, (916) 922-1120, Fax: (916) 922-1872
• Courtyard Sacramento Midtown, 4422 Y Street, (916) 455-6800, Fax: (916) 669-1031
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas, 2730 El Centro Road, (916) 923-7472, Fax: (916) 923-7482
• Holiday Inn, 300 J Street, (916) 446-0100
• Holiday Inn, 5321 Date Ave, (916) 338-5800
• Holiday Inn Express, 728 Sixteenth Street, (916) 444-4436
• Lions Gate Hotel and Conference Center
• Motel 6 Sacamento South, 7407 Elsie Avenue, (916) 689-6555, Fax: (916) 689-6495
• Motel 6 Sacramento Central, 7850 College Town Drive, (916) 383-8110, Fax: (916) 386-0971
• Motel 6 Sacramento Downtown, 1415 30th Street, (916) 457-0777, Fax: (916) 454-9814
• Motel 6 Sacramento North, 5110 Interstate Avenue, (916) 331-8100, Fax: (916) 339-2241
• Motel 6 Sacramento Southwest, 7780 Stockton Boulevard, (916) 689-9141, Fax: (916) 689-7340
• Motel 6 Sacramento-Old Sacramento North, 227 Jibboom Street, (916) 441-0733, Fax: (916) 446-5941
• Residence Inn Sacramento Airport Natomas, 2410 West El Camino Avenue, (916) 649-1300, Fax: (916) 649-1395
• Residence Inn Sacramento Cal Expo, 1530 Howe Avenue, (916) 920-9111, Fax: (916) 921-5664
• SpringHill Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas, 2555 Venture Oaks Way, (916) 925-2280, Fax: (916) 925-2290 -
Adapted from WikiTravel under the Wiki License
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