What To Do With One Day In Sacramento
Where to go and what to do with one day in Sacramento is hard to figure out. Sacramento and the surrounding areas offer a bag full of variety. Stay close or venture out for the day. Here's a list of some places to add to your 24-hour itinerary in Sacramento.
Tower Cafe
1518 Broadway
Sacrarmento, CA 95818
(916) 441-0222
www.towercafe.com
Start your day off exploring at the iconic and eclectic Tower Cafe. It's billed as an international restaurant and bakery, but it's much more than that. The breakfasts here will tickle your tummy in a very delicious way. Enjoy the very richly decorated and international flavor of the food and the artwork that lives here. The desserts may make you drool.
McKinley Park
601 Alhambra Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 452-8011
www.mckinleypark.com
After a great breakfast, head over to McKinley Park and take a walk in this beautiful east Sacramento landmark. Roses galore, great shade trees, tennis and walk paths; it's all here. This is a favorite community meeting place and a fantastic place to walk or jog for a bit. Cruise through the grounds and wake up a bit after that big breakfast. There's still a lot of day left for exploring.
Art Foundry
1021 R St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 444-2787
www.rstreet.com
After a few laps around the park, the entire length of 1021 R Street beckons. The Art Foundry will anchor your time here. The building that houses the foundry is home to various artists. Spread out between the floors you'll find painters, jewelers, potters and mixed media artwork and artists. Plan for viewing everything from traditional art to the more experimental works. Take your time wandering through the studios. It's well worth it.
California State Capitol Museum
10th St. and L St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 324-0333
www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov
It's a short jaunt over to the Capitol from R Street. Not only is the state legislature housed here, along with the governor and all the assorted politicos, but the state museum is here too. The inside of the Capitol is gorgeous. Outside on the Capitol grounds, you'll find an amazing rose garden, trees of all shapes and sizes, with accompanying placards describing them, and military and peace officer memorials. On any given day, there may be a protest, a press release or an organized gathering of just about any kind of group. It is, after all, the California State Capitol.
Old Sacramento Underground Tours
101 I St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 808-7059
www.historicoldsac.org
Old Sacramento is a very well-preserved portion of the city that retains its historic buildings and atmosphere. Everything at street level is actually the second floor of the buildings here. For 150 years, the real street level was hidden from sight. Though you may take a tour of the underground and see the enclosed walkways, building foundations and fronts that disappeared when the street level was raised due to the constant flooding from the great Sacramento River are quite a sight. Plan for at least an hour with your tour guide. Above-ground restaurants galore will vie for your presence at dinner.
Related: Weirdest Museums In Sacramento
Charles Ferris is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. In 2010 he retired from teaching after 36 years . He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
