What to See in Sacramento - Top Sights and Attractions

Ornate church with tours and a gift shop. Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. As the mother church, it is the seat of Jaime Soto, the ordinary bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento. The Cathedral is located downtown at the intersection of 11th and K Streets.

Currently, the cathedral is considered both a religious and civic landmark. It is the mother church of the diocese, which stretches from the southern edge of Sacramento County north to the Oregon border and serves approximately 1,000,000 Catholics. The diocese encompasses 102 churches in a 42,000 square mile region. The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is one of the largest cathedrals west of the Mississippi River. Because of its size, it has sometimes been used as the site of final funeral Masses for former Governors of California, most recently that of Pat Brown in 1996.^[7]

Museum in Sacramento, California. The California State Railroad Museum is a museum in the state park system of California, United States, interpreting the role of the "iron horse" in connecting California to the rest of the nation. It is located in Old Sacramento State Historic Park at 111 I Street, Sacramento.

The museum features 21 restored locomotives and railroad cars, some dating back to 1862. The "Sierra Scene" shows a large scale mockup of a construction scene high in the Sierra Nevada representing Donner Pass circa 1867, featuring the locomotive Gov. Stanford. Other exhibits show how the influence of railroads changed American society, influencing travel, commerce and daily life, as well as the lives of railroaders and the diversity of people who work on railroads. Changing exhibits featuring photography, ephemera, and artifacts from the museum's collection, add depth and incidental information to the overall story of railroad history. The Museum has an extensive educational program for elementary students from across the region to help them learn about railroad history using re-enactments, costumed docents, and including train and handcar rides. The roundhouse area of the museum features a rotating display of locomotives and equipment belonging to the museum. When not on display, these items are stored and worked on at the nearby Sacramento Railyards in the remaining buildings that were part of the original Southern Pacific Shop complex. A large 3-rail O-gauge model train layout is also located in the museum.

Adjacent to the main museum building is a reconstruction of the 1870s-era Central Pacific Railroad passenger station and freight depot on Front Street, which houses historic and contemporary railroad equipment. In early 2011, the interior remained closed to public use, but is occasionally open for special events. Between April and October, the Sacramento Southern Railroad, operated by the museum, takes passengers on a 40-minute, 6-mile (9.7 km) roundtrip route along the Sacramento River on a portion of the Walnut Grove branch of the former Southern Pacific Railroad. The Sacramento Southern Railroad owns the Walnut Grove Branch right-of-way that extends south from Sacramento along the eastern bank of the Sacramento River. A few miles of track were rebuilt along the levee near Freeport, California as part of a US Army Corps of Engineers project. The CSRRM hopes to one day have a longer excursion line, perhaps as far as Hood, California. At that location the railroad passengers could disembark the train and take a tourist steamboat back up the Sacramento River to Old Sacramento.

In 1992, Railtown 1897 in Jamestown began operating under the museum.^[8]

Arena in Sacramento, California. Golden 1 Center is an indoor arena, located in downtown Sacramento, California, United States. It sits partially on the site of the former Downtown Plaza shopping center. The publicly owned arena is part of a business and entertainment district called Downtown Commons, which includes a $250 million 16-story mixed-use tower.

The arena, which replaced Sleep Train Arena as the home of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association, hosts concerts, conventions and other sporting and entertainment events. Capacity is expandable to about 19,000 to accommodate concert audiences. Thirty-four luxury suites were sold to include all events year-round. Suite partners have access to three exclusive clubs on the premium level including two skyboxes that overlook the concourse and have a direct view of the outside. In addition to the luxury suites, there are also 48 loft-style suites.^[9]

Museum in Sacramento, California. California Automobile Museum is an automobile museum located in Sacramento, California. It has a collection of over 150 classic cars, race cars, muscle cars and early models displayed throughout 72,000 square feet of museum space. The mission of the California Automobile Museum is to preserve, exhibit, and teach the story of the automobile and its influence on our lives.

The California Automobile Museum was the first automobile museum in the west to be established in perpetuity. Founded in 1983 as the California Vehicle Foundation, the museum opened to the public in 1987 as the Towe Ford Museum, displaying the largest collection of Fords in the world, courtesy of Edward Towe, a Montana banker. David Flatt is the executive director of the museum.

The first car to be donated to the California Automobile Museum was a restored 1938 Buick sedan, a gift from John Joyce, president of the Golden One Credit Union, which is still on display at the museum. In 1997, the museum was renamed The Towe Auto Museum, as they began displaying vehicles of all makes and models. In 2009, the Board of Directors officially changed the name of the museum to the California Automobile Museum, reflecting the expanded mission it has grown into over the last 25 years.^[10]

State park in Sacramento, California. Sutter's Fort was a 19th-century agricultural and trade colony in the Mexican Alta California province. The site of the fort was established in 1839 and originally called New Helvetia by its builder John Sutter, though construction of the fort proper would not begin until 1841. The fort was the first non-Indigenous community in the California Central Valley. The fort is famous for its association with the Donner Party, the California Gold Rush, and the formation of the city of Sacramento, surrounding the fort. It is notable for its proximity to the end of the California Trail and Siskiyou Trails, which it served as a waystation.

After gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill (also owned by John Sutter) in Coloma on January 24, 1848, the fort was abandoned. The adobe structure has been restored to its original condition and is now administered by California Department of Parks and Recreation. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.^[11]

Vertical-lift bridge in West Sacramento, California. The Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento in Yolo County to the west, with the capital of California, Sacramento, in Sacramento County to the east. It has also been known as M Street Bridge. It was previously a part of U.S. Route 40 until that highway was truncated to east of Salt Lake City as well as US Route 99W, which served the western portion of the Sacramento Valley from Sacramento to Red Bluff. The bridge is maintained by the California Department of Transportation as part of State Route 275 and connects West Capitol Avenue and Tower Bridge Gateway in West Sacramento with the Capitol Mall in Sacramento.

In 1982, the Tower Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.^[13]

State park in Sacramento, California. The Leland Stanford Mansion, often known simply as the Stanford Mansion, is a historic mansion and California State Park in Sacramento, California, which serves as the official reception center for the Californian government and as one of the official workplaces of the Governor of California.

Built in 1856, the mansion was formerly the residence of Leland Stanford, 8th Governor of California and founder of Stanford University. The Stanford family donated the estate to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento in 1900, which maintained a children's home on the estate until 1978. Subsequently, the Californian government purchased the property to serve as the Californian capital's ceremonial reception center and as a state park, officially known as the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park.^[15]

Museum in Sacramento, California. The California State Military Museum was the official Military museum of the State of California. It was located in the Old Sacramento State Historic Park at 1119 Second Street. A new site is under development and the museum is expected to reopen by 2019.

The Museum begun in 1991 during the administration of California Governor Pete Wilson. 11 years later Governor Gray Davis made it a permanent Museum under the California State Military Department, providing it permanent funding. On 13 July 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made it the State's official Military Museum.

The Museum highlights contributions of individuals and units from California in the US military, and its various military operations and wars. The museum in 2011, through a collaborated effort with the California Department of Veteran Affairs and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, represented by guest curator Natalia Visante, created themed exhibitions showcasing various military units.

In addition to its main location in Sacramento, the Museum has five satellite Museums located at Camp Roberts in southern Monterey County, Camp San Luis Obispo, Fresno Air National Guard Base, the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in Orange County and the National Guard Armory in San Diego.

To honor Californians who have laid down their lives in the Global War on Terrorism, the California State Military Museum built a "Global War on Terrorism Wall of Honor". Constructed of black granite, this memorial is located in the entrance of the museum. The names of the service members who have died September 11, 2001, in the attack on the Pentagon, as well as casualties of the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaigns are listed chronologically. The memorial includes their rank, branch of service, and age. Currently, the annual wreath laying ceremony has ended, due to the Museum's closure.

The Major General Walter P. Story Memorial Library is one of the finest collections of military history writings in the western United States. With over 10,000 volumes and growing rapidly, the library is one of the State's hidden educational and historical treasures. Topics range from general military history to very specific and one of a kind documents, such as original unit rosters of early California Militia units.

As of March 2014, the California State Military Museum was closed amid disputes between the non-profit foundation operating it and the California Military Department which oversees its operation. This conflict, in addition to state of California budget constraints, forced indefinite closure of the museum.^[16]

City or town hall in Sacramento, California. Sacramento City Hall is a five-story, 267,000-square-foot building that combines modern and historic structures in Sacramento, California. The building can house up to 730 staff members. Prominent local architect Rudolph A. Herold designed the building in 1908. Completed in 1909, the building is located at 915 I Street. Sacramento City Hall went through a major $11 million restoration from 2003 to 2005. The restoration was part of an overall $60 million civic center project with city hall as the cornerstone. Another part of the civic center project was the construction of underground parking garage for 170 cars. Sacramento City Hall now houses all of the city's significant municipal functions.^[22]

Theatre in Sacramento, California. The Eagle Theatre in Gold Rush-era Sacramento was the first permanent theatre to be built in the state of California. Established in 1849 this relatively small structure was originally wood-framed and canvas-covered with a tin roof and a packed earth floor. The theatre was flooded on Jan 4, 1850.

Located at 925 Front Street, it was one of the earliest structures in the new city. It featured many different types of entertainment for a rough crowd of wild west pioneers and gold miners from the small but rapidly growing area. Tickets to the theater could be obtained at a nearby saloon for two dollars and three dollars, most likely the Round Tent Saloon then located just to the south of the theatre.

Today the theatre is owned by California Department of Parks and Recreation and is administered by the California State Railroad Museum as part of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park.^[24]

Mansion in Sacramento, California. The Heilbron House is a historic mansion in Downtown Sacramento, California. Built in 1881, it was initially the home of August Heilbron, a cattle rancher, merchant, and landowner who came from Germany.

The home is located just around the corner from Leland Stanford's iconic Stanford Mansion—marking the area as an upscale residential location for captains of industry. Heilbron hired Nathaniel Goodell, who also designed the home that later became the California Governor's Mansion. Costing $10,000 in all, the Heilbron House is one of the few remaining historic structures in an area that is now primarily populated with office buildings for the State of California.

In the last 65 years, the mansion has served as a restaurant, bank, and art gallery, and now serves as an office for the California Department of Parks and Recreation.^[26]

Presbyterian church in Sacramento, California. The Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 13th St. and N Street in Sacramento, California, was built in 1927. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

It was deemed significant for its architecture. The Presbyterian church was designed in "Spanish Eclectic" style with Byzantine influences as in the Hagia Sophia, by Sacramento architects Dean and Dean. It has a bell tower and tiled dome. It is constructed of reinforced concrete with stucco covering and decorations made of pre-cast cement.

Westminster Presbyterian Church is listed as an American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site No. 373 by the Presbyterian Historical Society.^[27]

City. William Land Park, frequently referred to as simply "Land Park" is a major city park in Sacramento, California. The park is located between Interstate 5 and State Route 160.

William Land was a pioneer who built the Western Hotel at the NE corner of 2nd and K St in 1875 (California Historical Landmark #601). There is an elementary school named after him. He is buried in a Greek temple mausoleum within East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento. William Land was a founder of the East Lawn Memorial.

There are several city attractions located within the park including:

• The Sacramento Zoo
• Fairytale Town, a park which has play equipment designed to represent articles from various fairy tales and nursery rhymes (there is a small admission fee).
• The William Land Golf Course
• Funderland, a small park with several carnival like rides primarily for very young children.

"Land Park" can also refer to the surrounding neighborhood.

• Vic's Ice Cream – landmark restaurant in the neighborhood.

William Land Park was mentioned in Sir Mix-A-Lot's 1992 rap song "A Rapper's Reputation".^[28]

City in California. West Sacramento is a city in Yolo County, California. The city is separated from Sacramento by the Sacramento River, which also separates Sacramento and Yolo counties. It is a fast-growing community; the population was 48,744 at the 2010 census, up from 31,615 at the 2000 census. The traditional industrial center of the region since the Gold Rush era, West Sacramento is home to a diverse economy and is one of the area's top four employment centers.

The United States Conference of Mayors named West Sacramento as the Most Livable City in America in 2014 in the category of cities with fewer than 100,000 residents.

West Sacramento is part of the Sacramento–Arden Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a population (2000) of approximately 1,796,857 (July 1, 2016 estimate placed the population at 2,296,418). Major industries to the region include agriculture, government, and transportation.^[31]

Swing bridge in Sacramento, California. The Jibboom Street Bridge is a historic metal truss swing bridge located on Jibboom Street in Sacramento, California, crossing the American River in Sacramento County. It was built in 1931. The main swing span is flanked by two Parker through truss spans.

On August 18, 2018, Caltrans announced the indefinite closure of the Jibboom Street Bridge to both vehicles and pedestrians due to a maintenance report that revealed several critical structural elements in poor condition. The swing span was rotated into the open position on August 19 and subsequently locked open, therefore allowing marine traffic to pass through while the bridge was closed and no bridge tender was on duty. The bridge was reopened to a single lane of traffic with the swing span locked closed (not available for marine traffic) in October 2018, but was closed again in November following the discovery of more deficiencies.

The bridge remained closed throughout the winter of 2018-19 for a comprehensive rehabilitation project that addressed the deficiencies as well as engaged in preventive maintenance. The bridge fully reopened to traffic on April 2, 2019, and reopened to marine traffic usage the following day with a swing span opening and a police & fire boat passing through.^[33]