Sacramento History Museum
Located in the heart of Old Sacramento, the Sacramento History Museum brings the city’s fascinating Gold Rush past to life. This intriguing museum is housed in an original 1849 Iron Warehouse building from the California Gold Rush era. Within the museum’s three stories, you’ll find exhibits that showcase what life was like for Sacramento’s diverse communities during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the Sacramento History Museum’s highlights include an operational Pony Express exhibit, displays of Victorian clothing and goods, Chinese artifacts that reflect Sacramento’s bustling Chinatown in the late 1800s, and indigenous Native American baskets and tools. The museum also includes a replica of a traditional 19th century general store where you can see common goods that would have been sold during that time. With interesting artifacts around every corner and friendly docents to answer your questions, a trip to the Sacramento History Museum is a perfect way for you to immerse yourself in California’s wild past.
Sacramento History Museum:
Address: 101 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7059
Locke Boarding House Museum
Just 10 miles south of downtown Sacramento lies the remarkable historic district of Locke. Established in 1915, Locke was built as a town to provide housing and services for Chinese farmworkers after a fire destroyed Chinatowns in nearby cities like Walnut Grove, Isleton, and even Sacramento. Today, Locke stands as the last rural Chinese-American town in the United States. The Locke Boarding House Museum tells the captivating story of how settlers created a bustling community against all odds. Inside the boarding house, you’ll see rooms decorated as they would have looked when Chinese laborers resided here in the early 20th century. Other exhibits in Locke shed light on immigration, racism, and the importance of unity within the Chinese community. A tour of this National Historic Landmark is a moving experience you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in the country.
Locke Boarding House Museum:
Address: 13916 Main St, Walnut Grove, CA 95690
Phone: (916) 776-1661
California Automobile Museum
Calling all car lovers! The California Automobile Museum is one of Sacramento’s best hidden gems for auto aficionados. This museum is dedicated entirely to beautifully preserved automobiles from the late 19th century to the 1980s. With about 150 vehicles on display at a time, you’re bound to find a car that sparks childhood nostalgia. Some of the historic beauties you can admire at the California Automobile Museum include a 1911 Maxwell, a 1915 Model T Ford, a 1931 Duesenberg, and a cherry red 1959 Cadillac convertible. Several of the cars are rotated seasonally, so you’re likely to see new gems during each visit. In addition to its impressive collection, the California Automobile Museum also hosts fun annual events like the Concours d’Elegance classic car show and the All-Ford Car Show. If you love antique Fords, Cadillacs, Packards, and more, don’t miss a trip to this intriguing Sacramento museum.
California Automobile Museum:
Address: 2200 Front St, Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: (916) 442-6802
Underground Tours
Beneath the streets of downtown Sacramento lies something mysterious. After severe flooding in the 1860s, the settlers of Sacramento ingeniously built up the existing streets to 14 feet above ground level to rise above future floods. This left an entire network of underground tunnels and basements abandoned below the new city. Today, you can discover Sacramento’s subterranean secrets on a unique underground tour. Professional tour guides will lead you below ground to walk on the very streets that were buried 150 years ago. You’ll also enter the underground spaces that were once saloons, opium dens, stores, and brothels during Sacramento’s wilder early days. Underground tour meeting locations vary by time slot, but most tours begin under Old Sacramento at the entrance near the Delta King Riverboat. Embark on a one-of-a-kind adventure you won’t find in any other city on an exciting Sacramento underground tour.
Historic Old Sacramento Underground Tours:
Address: 125 I St & Front St, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 442-1619
Sacramento Zoo
Home to over 500 animals across 140 species, the Sacramento Zoo is a wonderful place for families and animal lovers to spend an afternoon. This 14-acre zoo focuses primarily on species native to California and Northern Mexico. When you visit, you’ll have the chance to see black bears, mountain lions, bald eagles, Channel Island foxes, and other local creatures up close. In addition to regional animals, the Sacramento Zoo is also home to several endangered species like lemurs, Masai giraffes, and red pandas. The zoo has an extensive program dedicated to the conservation of at-risk animals around the world. Don’t miss exhibits like the fluttering butterflies of the Boeing Butterfly Habitat or the playful otters and seals of the Kid’s World petting zoo. Grab your cameras and wear comfortable shoes, because your feet will be tired from a full day exploring this charming zoo!
Sacramento Zoo:
Address: 3930 W Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822
Phone: (916) 808-5888
Fairytale Town
Your little princes and princesses will feel like royalty with a visit to Sacramento’s whimsical Fairytale Town. This unique 2.5-acre park brings classic fairytales and nursery rhymes to life with interactive structures and storybook sets. Kids can climb aboard Captain Hook’s pirate ship, explore the Old Woman’s shoe, and walk across the Three Billy Goats Gruff bridge. Storybook characters like Humpty Dumpty, the Three Little Pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood are scattered around the park for perfect photo opportunities. Tiny tots will also love the playhouses, maze, and splash park. In addition to play structures, Fairytale Town hosts engaging events and activities year-round. Around Halloween, the park is transformed into a family-friendly “Boo Area,” and on Christmas, it becomes a magical winter wonderland. Fairytale Town is ideal for imaginative kids 10 years old and under.
Fairytale Town:
Address: 3901 Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822
Phone: (916) 808-7462
Sacramento Historic City Cemetery
Some of Sacramento’s most prominent pioneers and founders are laid to rest in the serene Historic City Cemetery. Established in 1849 shortly after Sacramento’s founding, this cemetery gives you a glimpse into the lives of doctors, mayors, miners, criminals, and other early citizens. Notable gravesites include the city’s first elected African American mayor, Benjamin F. Hart, and his wife Leticia. The cemetery is also the final resting place for businessman Samuel Brannan who founded Sacramento’s first newspaper and helped spark the California Gold Rush in 1848. Cedar trees planted in 1859 by Brannan’s wife still stand on the grounds today. Friendly docents lead free tours every Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10 am to share stories behind the historic headstones. The cemetery grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset if you’d like to explore on your own.
Historic City Cemetery:
Address: 1000 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: (916) 448-0811
Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park
Experience the splendor of California’s governor’s mansion with a visit to this National Historic Landmark. The stately Victorian home was built in 1877 by Albert Gallatin, a successful hardware merchant. It served as home to 13 governors and their families between 1903 and 1967 before becoming a historic house museum. On tours of the Governor’s Mansion, knowledgeable guides will walk you through the authentically furnished first floor to see how governors like Hiram Johnson, Pat Brown, and Ronald Reagan once lived. You’ll also learn intriguing stories behind the various furnishings and artwork inside. Walk the mansion’s manicured grounds to see the tennis courts, putting green, and beautiful camellia garden planted in 1935. Before leaving, don’t miss the carriage house behind the mansion which displays early 20th century transportation methods used by Sacramento’s leaders.
Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park:
Address: 1526 H St, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 323-3047
Plan Your Sacramento Hidden Gems Tour with Sacramento Party Bus Company
With so many unique attractions, you’ll need more than a day to fully experience Sacramento’s charming hidden gems. Sacramento Party Bus Company can help you craft the perfect weekend itinerary to hit Sacramento’s hot spots in comfort and style. Our private charter buses and limos eliminate the stress of driving and parking so you can focus on soaking up our city’s vibrant culture. Our experienced team knows Sacramento’s bustling streets and hidden backroads to get your group where you need to go in comfort and efficiently. Contact Party Bus Company today at (279) 399-4837 to reserve your transport and start planning your hidden gems adventure in California’s capital city!