Reasons to visit Sacramento are many.
From its refocus as the Farm-to-Fork Capital to its cobblestoned Old Sacramento Waterfront, Sacramento is at the crossroads of a bustling, imaginative art scene and the annuls of Gold-Rush history past.
I grew up as a boy in the sprawling foothills of the Sierras in Grass Valley and Colfax, and as an adult, I transplanted to Sacramento. First, drawing closer by moving to the suburb of Antelope and then moved to the historic Thayer Building at the heart of Downtown Sacramento on N street. I quickly grew fond of my front yard—the beautifully landscaped California State Capitol Park and the city surroundings. Once the move was complete, Sacramento became a playground. Endlessly walking, exploring, and visiting almost every restaurant, bar, and activity in the area quickly became a second-nature home.
Now, my husband and I live in Oak Park off Broadway and enjoy experiencing an entirely new area of Sacramento. Right outside the downtown grid, it’s a pleasure to explore the Land Park area and its offerings and then quickly pop into Midtown.
1. The history is strong in Sacramento.
Sacramento was at the heart of the busy Gold Rush.
From Sutter’s Fort to the Old Sacramento State Historic Park—Sacramento has been rich with history since Samuel Brannan and John Sutter started development in the area in the 1800s.
Along the Sacramento River, West of Downtown is the Old Sacramento Waterfront. This is a must-visit location! With cobbled streets and over 100 shopping vendors and restaurants, you’ll be transported to a time past, when the hunt for gold was on everyone’s minds, and adventure was a way of life.
If you’re in the Old Sacramento Waterfront area, don’t forget to stop by the Sacramento History Museum, who offers Old Sacramento Underground Tours and paranormal investigation tours of the Historic Old City Cemetery.
2. You can get anywhere from Sacramento.
When visiting any destination, I find it fun to go on day trips. In Puerto Vajjarta, we toured on a bus for hours through the countryside. In Las Vegas, a drive to the Hoover Dam is quite the adventure.
When it comes to Sacramento, it serves as a wonderful host city. You can explore all the city has to offer and then also visit all that the surrounding areas have to offer.
From Sacramento, you can take a day trip to Napa and gorge yourself on imbibements and food. You can drive to the ocean and visit San Francisco for a day or take a weekend trip to Santa Cruz or Capitola.
After visiting Sutter’s Fort, you can continue exploring history past by driving to Coloma.
3. A host of pubs and bars are reasons to visit Sacramento.
If you have bars on your mind, go to the Lavender Heights District off K Street in Sacramento.
At the crossroads of 20th St and K St is the most popular section of Lavender Heights, featuring The Depot, Badlands, Mango’s Sacramento, and Faces Nightclub. The Lavender Heights neighborhood has been the focused center of the LGBTQ+ community for decades. It continues to serve drag queen shows and drinks from Midtown in full regalia.
Other popular bars in Sacramento include The Cabin, Republic Bar & Grill, Dive Bar, The Shady Lady Saloon, and The Jungle Bird.
4. Satiate your need for art and museums in Sacramento.
Art and performance are rich in Sacramento.
The Crocker Art Museum (formerly the E.B. Crocker Art Gallery) is the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River. It fills a large historic building and a new pavilion annex of 125,000 square feet that has caused the museum to almost triple in size. In the museum, you’ll find countless master drawings and ceramics and exhibitions that change throughout the year.
If you’re in the mood for performance art, you can catch a Broadway show at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center or head to Broadway Sacramento’s renowned, circular Music Circus venue. From Cats to Motown, performers dazzle all stages and leave you invigorated and tapping your feet on the way out the door.
5. Sacramento is home to The Sacramento Kings.
Whether a fan or not, the Sacramento is home to the Sacramento Kings.
Although not always a top contender, there was a time in the early 2000s when the Kings were in a “Greatest Show on Court” era. During this time, Chris Webber, Mike Bibby and Vlade Divac found there way into the hearts of thousands across the Sacramento region.
Now, the Sacramento Kings play their home games at the newly built Golden 1 Center in the heart of downtown. The Golden 1 Center not only hosts the Sacramento King but also brings in the world’s greatest performing talent, from Harry Styles to Michael Bublé to Carrie Underwood and more.
6. Sacramento is close to both the beach and mountains.
One of my favorite reasons to live in Sacramento is due to its close proximity to both beautiful beaches and glorious mountains.
You can get to many incredible places in less than three hours from Sacramento.
If you’re planning to visit Sacramento, you can spend a few days in the city, and use it as a basecamp to then go explore the Bay area and forests surrounding Lake Tahoe.
7. The food is one of many great reasons to visit Sacramento.
There is no shortage of food stops in Sacramento, adding to the reasons to visit Sacramento.
Known as the Farm-to-Fork Capital, Sacramento displays in full regalia the beauty of land producing vegetables, fruit and herbs, and feeding its people. California, with its rich central valley farming from Sacramento to the south, feeds this country and world, and Sacramento is proud of this stewardship.
As Downtown Sacramento locals, we’d walk to the R Street Corridor to visit Ryujin Ramen House, Iron Horse Tavern, Orchid Thai Restaurant & Bar, The Shady Lady Saloon, or Shake Shack on some days, and then to Cafeteria 15L, Jack’s Urban Eats, Mikuni, on others.
When it comes to K street, some of the best food includes Nash & Proper, Ella Dining Room & Bar, Brasserie du Monde, Kodaiko Ramen and Bar, and Solomon’s. And don’t forget to stop in to Dive Bar to see some mermaids! Traveling towards the river, you can grab Insomnia Cookies at the DOCO, or get a bite at Yard House, Estelle Bakery & Patisserie and Sauced BBQ & Spirits.
Once you make it to the Old Town Waterfront, Firehouse is your place for fine dining, Rio City Cafe is a great place for a good view of the river, and Railroad Rish & Chips will deliver on the bowl of clam chowder and fries. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can’t get more authentic Chinese food than from Shanghai Delight Sacramento!
8. Sacramento is where California law and policy are created.
Sacramento is home to the California State Capitol.
From the California State Capitol, the entire state’s government is seated, from the 52 U.S. House of Representative delegates, and our 40 Senators.
Apart from being a working Capitol, the California State Capitol Museum runs simultaneously through the halls of the large building. You can visit the rotunda area of the California State Capitol Museum for tours that take you through various rooms set in their 1800s décor and style.
Public tours are available on weekdays every hour from 10 am to 4 pm, and you can sign up easily at the Information Desk in the 1st Floor Rotunda.
Need more reasons to visit Sacramento?
Stop by and create a memory and reasons of your own! Who knows, you could visit and end up moving here. We could one day be neighbors! With an eclectic mix of different people from all walks of life, Sacramento continues to grow as a metropolitan area not far from the larger San Francisco Bay—offering a wide spectrum of food, entertainment, and things to do.
What is so great about Sacramento? What are the reasons to visit Sacramento?
Sacramento is a great city to visit to feel part of the history of the Old West, with attractions like Sutter’s Fort and the Old Sacramento Waterfront. As a modern city, Sacramento offers a wide variety of restaurants, arena shows, and trails for biking.
What is Sacramento best known for?
Sacramento is known for its ever-growing contemporary “hipster” culture, performing arts centers, beer-focused bar scene, and rich history—and is California’s capital city.
Why is Sacramento a tourist attraction?
Sacramento is a tourist attraction because of its many restaurants and bars, and its cobblestoned Old Sacramento Waterfront popular for its building facades preserving the history of the American frontier.
