Old Sacramento

Over 28 acres of Gold Rush era history awaits you in the streets of Old Sacramento. You’ll find museums, shops, restaurants, train depots, riverboats, stage coaches and maybe even a few ghosts as you wander through this delightful National Historic Landmark and State Historic Park.

Old Sacramento is clearly the largest attraction in the area with good reason, not only is it officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s also a charming, riverfront town with Gold Rush era buildings, cobblestone streets and wooden sidewalks. Over 5 million visitors come here each year and it is also a favorite with Sacramento locals. Old Sacramento bustles with activities and events year round.

The California State Railroad Museum is located here along with the California Military Museum, the Discovery Museum History Center, Old Sacramento Interpretive Center, Old Sacramento School House Museum and the Wells Fargo History Museum. You’ll often see re-enactment groups on the streets portraying the people and events from the 1848s to 1870s.

Be sure to take a walking tour of the area. Costumed docents from the Old Sacramento Living History Program lead tours from March through September on a regular basis. You can call the Old Sacramento Living History Program any time of the year to arrange a private walking tour at 916-445-3101. If a self-guided tour is more your style, purchase a self-guided walking tour map at the visitor center.

You’ll find that Old Sacramento is jam packed with historic buildings. In fact, in its 28 acres of property, you’ll probably see more historic buildings than a similarly sized area in the west! You’ll want to check out the museums, most of which are inexpensive and some are even free, walk the streets, browse the shops and enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants and cafes.

Old Sacramento has survived floods and fires as well as a grand scheme to raise its street level above flood level. The entire area has been restored and is a thriving commercial center with unique shops, fine dining, excellent lodging and year round entertainment.

Some of the must see annual events include the spooky Ghost Tours each Halloween season. For three weekends in October, you can walk the streets of Old Sacramento with a docent from the Old Sacramento Living History Program and learn about the ghosts who are believed to inhabit the original buildings found here.

The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee is held each May for four days and attracts over 100,000 visitors each year with over 125 bands playing non-stop. With the stunning background of Old Sacramento, fantastic music, an opening day parade, wonderful shops and mouth-watering food, you can’t go wrong by heading out to the Jubilee.

Getting around Old Sacramento offers as many choices as there are styles. You can walk, you can ride a horse drawn carriage, you can cruise the river on a riverboat, ride a steam locomotive and more. No matter how you choose to get around, we’re sure you’ll agree, Old Sacramento is a great place to explore.