Downtown Sacramento
Nestled
at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers, downtown
Sacramento has grown from a Gold Rush town to a capital city that blends
quaint neighborhoods and retail shops with adjacent businesses, health
centers and government offices. Interspersed among the buildings are parks
and community gardens as well as well-tended private greeneries, which add
to the city's sense of lushness.
California's Capitol
Building and surrounding park sits in the middle of downtown.
Trees and a rose garden provide a cool place to eat lunch and walk during
the warm summer days.
Under a canopy of mature elms and sycamores, Victorian homes, built by
the town's founders, mingle with bungalows and Craftsman homes. Newer
housing, such as the 45 homes built on 2.5 acres in midtown, blends modern
amenities with the graceful lines of the older homes. A recent trend has
been the conversion of former warehouses to cutting edge artistic co-ops,
with living quarters above and galleries below. Neighborhood and historic
preservation groups provide a respected vehicle for residents to
participate in the future of their neighborhoods.
While downtown Sacramento boasts a good network of bus lines and light
rail that reaches out to the suburbs, the simple grid of downtown's
streets and proximity of retail shops makes downtown pedestrian-friendly.
Groceries, gourmet coffee shops, the dry cleaners and hardware for that
weekend building project are only blocks away. Weekly farmers' markets,
held at various points downtown, offer up truckloads of fresh fruits and
vegetables.
A boardwalk invites residents and tourists alike to stroll amidst Old Sacramento's
restored Gold Rush-era buildings. A variety of culinary treats, unique
gifts and antiques are available. Here you'll also find the State Railroad
Museum and the children's Discovery Museum. The waterfront, already rich
with floating restaurants, is poised for the additions of a $4.5 million
eatery and a ferry boat restaurant. A river taxi service lets you dine in
one location and dance the night away at another river-based spot.
Leading from Old Town is the K Street Mall, where national retailers
still roll out the welcome mat with special concerts and events. The new
IMAX theater on the Mall promises an eight-story film adventure while the
renovated Crest Theater, built in 1913, offers moviegoers classics and
modern art films along with cafe fare. Away from the rivers but still
within range of soothing Delta breezes, are opportunities for both casual
and four-star dining. The menus reflect a diversity of ethnic influences
as well as the chefs' training and creativity.
Whatever the season, there's always something of interest downtown.
Some excuses to celebrate at the community-oriented festivals and fairs
are sidewalk chalk art, the jazz jubilee, and a Fiat block party, complete
with bocce ball and Italian cuisine. Downtown is the heart of Sacramento's
artistic community. The theater companies, ballet, philharmonic and
symphony orchestras are counted among the city's treasures. Galleries host
both renowned and up and coming local artists.
And if traversing the sidewalks to complete your daily errands doesn't
net you enough exercise, the 22.5 mile long American River Bike Trail
starts its journey near the water in Old Sacramento. Nearly every weekend
there's a fun run or walk on behalf of a local charity and personal yet
professional gyms are scattered throughout downtown. Downtown is also the
gateway to the marinas. Boating and fishing opportunities abound along the
two rivers that mark the place Sacramentans love to call home.
Return to Sacramento County
Photograph by Karan Thompson Photography
