Best Place To People Watch In Sacramento
If people watching is high on your list of fun things to do, Sacramento is a great place to do it. The Capital, art galleries, sidewalk friendly cafe's and the general hub-bub of a great midtown and downtown will fill your people watching needs.
This is the place to be if you are love politics and history. You can observe the inter-workings of your local government. This is also the place where various groups hold either protests or large outdoor meetings to showcase their organization or goals. Now and again, it is the terminus of a parade or ride.
Explore the grounds at the Convention Center next time you are in the neighborhood. The venue hosts a plethora of large events and concerts. The area outside has great places to sit and observe all that goes on around this large facility. Year round events make it a sure bet to see or be seen.
Hours: Mon to Thur- 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Fri to Sat - 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Since April 22, 1990, the Tower Cafe has been a Sacramento landmark. It was opened by James Seyman with the aim of providing international dishes and bringing the Sacramento community together. It is quirky, loud and typically busy. The outdoor eating area is one of the best spots in Sacramento to see an eclectic gathering of foodies enjoying an equally eclectic menu of dishes, topped off by decadent desserts.
The length of K Street is a walking lesson in history and people. Starting at the Convention Center it continues until it turns into the K Street Mall. The number of people who are out and about here is large. State workers, politicians, school children on field trips, gallery rats, foodies and colorful characters span the length of this street. Street preachers, musicians, wanderers, inner city residents take their strolls here. History is in the buildings, those that have been restored and re-purposed, and those that are waiting their turn. K Street is a gold mine for people watching.
Hours: 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sometimes the best people watching spots are tucked away. Old Soul is one of these places. They are located in an alley, where they roast and serve a good series of coffees, bake bread and goodies. Old Soul was founded in 2006 by Jason Griest and Tim Jordan, and it has turned a discarded warehouse facing an alley into a different kind of coffee and bread place. If your people watching style is to sit, enjoy a coffeelishious cup of latte or an equally fine cup of tea, and knosh on a crumpet, this is the place. Laid back, artistic and friendly, it is one of several good coffee spots that dot the downtown and midtown areas of Sacramento.
Charles is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. He retired from teaching after 36 years in 2010. He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. Wandering aimlessly, always looking for another place to explore, some place new, is high on the agenda. Charles enjoys all aspects of the great outdoors and writing about it to encourage others to explore as well. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
