Are you looking for the best things to do in Sacramento with kids? We visited quite a few times with my kids, and I’m now sharing our favorite spots with you.
Sacramento is the Golden State’s capital. It’s perfectly located halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, yet one of the lesser-traveled-to major cities in Northern California That said, it’s a beautiful region with a special place in our family’s heart (where my husband grew up).
Over the last few years, we’ve visited his parents and seen Sacramento through a new lens. We no longer go there for happy hour and dinners like when we first started dating. We now need to find kid-friendly activities that will (ideally) give us a few seconds of quiet to catch our breath.
That’s why, in this post, I’m sharing what we like to do in Sacramento with kids when we visit. Ready to get started?
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1. Old Sacramento
This is one of the first attractions I visited in Sacramento. On my first visit to Old Sacramento, I started calling it Cowboy Town. And it stuck with me. Every time we visit the family back in Sacramento, the kids will now ask, “Are we going to Cowboy Town?”
From restaurants by the waterfront to old candy stores, there is a lot to do in Old Sacramento. And if you don’t shop too much, it’s one of the great free things to do in Sacramento.
You can park in the garage parking lot or on Old Sac Street (paid parking).
Make sure to stop at Angelica to try some new Halloween costumes. We can spend hours wandering around the store. And why not do an underground guided tour of the railroads the run beneath the city? We have yet to try it, but it’s on the list.
When you’re done, you can return to the surface and grab some taffy from The Candy Barrel. My husband still remembers coming here as a kid with his parents when their family would make trips to that part of town.
The Old Town is part of the California Historical Sites. Old Town Sacramento has many things to do to learn about California history, such as visiting the old town school, the old hardware store, and the historical museum.
2. California State Railroad Museum
Located just at the corner of the historic Old Town, the California State Railroad Museum gives tribute to the role of the “iron horse” that helped connect California to the rest of the country.
If you’re a train-loving family, then the museum is one of the things you can’t miss when visiting Sacramento. Kids will enjoy it. I know my kids LOVED it.
The museum features 20+ restored locomotives and cars dating back to 1862. It also has a kids’ play zone and a huge automated train set. Our kids loved it.
The Museum is a great place to start your California gold rush tour. The California State Railroad Museum also offers train excursions from April to September. It’s a 45-minute ride along the Sacramento River. This is something I would love to do next time we visit.
3. Nimbus Flat State Park / Lake Natomas
On a hot summer day, Nimbus Flat State Park on Lake Natomas is the place to be. Summers get really hot in Sacramento, so paddle boarding or simply playing in the water is much needed.
At Nimbus Flat, you’ll find a great sandy beach and a calm lake for water sports. When we visited, we paddle-boarded with the kids, but you can also kayak or enjoy the water.
Some areas have trees, but not everywhere is shaded, so bring sunscreen. You’ll also find There restrooms. Next door is the water sports center where you can rent some water equipment.
Because it’s a state recreational area, a $10,00 parking fee is valid all day.
4. Quarry Park
If you are looking for outdoor activities in Sacramento and a day packed with adrenaline for your kids, Quarry Adventure Park is the place to go.
Located in Rocklin, Quarry Adventure Park offers plenty of adventure activities for all the family. The Quarry Kids Kove is made for kids from 3 years old to 13 years old.
They can run free and climb.
With more than 30 activities, from climbing nets to zip lines and balance beams, your kids will have a lot of fun.
When we visited, we only did Kids Kove, because my youngest was too small for the Zip Line. It costs $15.00 per child for a 1.5-hour session. Parents do not pay to enter. We are hoping to go back to try the Zip Line
5. Sutter Fort State Historic Park
Sutter Fort State Historic Park dates from the 19th century. It was a fort during the colonial trade time in the Mexican Alta California province. The fort was established in 1839 when California was still part of Mexico. But it’s also where James Marshall called John Sutter to discuss the discovery of gold.
This is a great living museum, with enough to keep the kids engaged. They’ll see old buildings and tools.
I know my kids love outdoor living museums. We spent an entire day at the Historic Acadian Village in the Acadian Peninsula, New Brunswick, and another whole day at Fort Williams in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and we could have stayed even longer.
💡 PRO-TIP: Take the opportunity to ask the staff about what happened in the fort during the 19th and 20th centuries. Plus, outside the fort, there is a nice green park where you can have lun
6. Stock Ranch Natural Preserve
In the suburbs of Sacramento, in Citrus Heights, you’ll find a hidden natural gem and an easy hike for the family.
It’s hard to believe that it’s next to a Costco.
But I promise you, once you enter the Natural Preserve, you won’t feel like you’re in a commercial district.
There is a boardwalk with some interpretive signs and a few trails. There is also a kids’ playground. You’ll probably see a few wild turkeys walking around when wandering in the park.
7. Folsom Lake – Negro Beach
Negro Bar in Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is another great place to cool off during the summer months. There is a boat launch where you can depart for kayaking or paddleboarding. The boat launch is not ideal with little kids, as there is no place to chill between paddle sessions.
But if you park at the main parking lot and walk along the trail, you’ll reach a lovely little beach. Kids can play in the water and on the rocks.
They even have some life jackets for day use if you forgot yours. Plus, the view of the bridge is also beautiful, but make sure you pack a lunch.
There is a $10,00 parking fee to enter the Folsom SRA.
8. Old Folsom
Old Folsom is a great place to spend an afternoon. There is a nice central plaza with restaurants and little shops. In the center, you’ll find a reconstruction of a turntable used to turn locomotives. It was built in 1867 and is a fun history to share with the kids.
My boys were really intrigued by the turntable.
From there, you can walk around the old town and find a few fun things to do in Folsom with kids such as visiting one of the museums:
- Pioneer Village
- Railroad Museum
- History Museum
Those are all great kids’ activities in Folsom.
There are live concerts in the amphitheater on Thursday evenings during summer.
A short walk from the historic downtown, you’ll reach the Waterfront trail, where you can walk along the lake. There is also access to the lake if you want to go swimming, paddle boarding, or kayaking.
9. MOSAC (Museum of Science and Curiosity)
The Museum of Science and Curiosity is a brand-new museum in town. It opened in 2021. It’s an interactive and kids-oriented science center.
It’s designed for kids to learn science through hands-on exhibits. Throughout the exhibits, kids will discover math, engineering, the arts, and so much more.
My kids loved the dome weather, where we learned all about the cosmos. It was a great learning experience after visiting the planetarium in Jasper National Park. We also had a lot of fun creating our own pinball machine and tiny race cars.
When you visit, plan for a couple of hours to let the kids fully experience the museum and all its exhibitions.
Other things to do in Sacramento (that my kids loved when they were younger)
10. Fairy Tale Town in Sacramento
Fairytale Town in Sacramento is a non-profit playground themed around nursery rhymes and fairytales. It is located in Land Park, right across from the Sacramento Zoo.
Fairytale Town is fantastic for kids ages 2 to 6. It is a safe, enclosed space with lots of room for their imaginations to run wild.
There are 26 different play areas, mostly made of painted concrete. The play stations are really creative – from a slide down from Owl’s House in Pooh Corner, to running along the crooked mile.
When you pay your admission fee, you can get a story box key for a $20 deposit, $17 of which is refundable when you return the key. The keys start a song or story when inserted into story boxes around the park.
We found that only some of the boxes worked, and often, the kids didn’t have the patience to stay and listen to the ones that did. (But that’s our little guys, and we see kids with more patience often enjoying them 🙂 ).
11. Sacramento Zoo
The Sacramento Zoo may not be as big as the San Diego Zoo or the zoo in Calgary, but kids will definitely enjoy their time anyway. There are more than 400 animals to see, from reptiles to mammals. There is even a dinosaur exhibit.
Plan on spending half a day exploring all the different sections of the zoo. There is also a playground and picnic tables for snack and lunch breaks.
12. Sacramento Children’s Museum
This is a great thing to do indoors in Sacramento with younger kids. The Sacramento Children’s Museum is designed especially for kids from birth to 8 years old (but ideal for toddlers). Outside the entrance, you’ll find a big second-hand book library (pick one-leave-one principle) and a few chairs where the kids can read books.
Inside, the Sac Kids’ Museum is divided into activity sections where children can play and learn through sensory activities.
13. Galleria Mall Playground & Train Ride
This isn’t your common “things to do with kids in Sacramento” type of activity, but you’ll love it anyhow.
The Galleria Mall in Roseville is the perfect mall for families, including playgrounds and kids’ activities.
There is one indoor playground, but the coolest is outside, on the main level by the food court. The playground is in the middle of the restaurant’s outdoor patio and has some shade. Kids will have so much fun playing (while you sit down with a quiet cup of coffee).
There is also a train where you can board and do a small tour around the court and playground.
GETTING READY FOR YOUR SACRAMENTO TRIP?
✈️ Book your flight to Sacramento or San Francisco. Find cheap flights to Sacramento International Airport (SMF) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO) by using Google Flights or Skyscanner. There are, of course, more options flying in San Francisco.
🛏️ Book your accommodation in Sacramento. Booking.com is a great search engine for hotels and guesthouses in Sacramento. For campgrounds, check out The Dyrt app or Harvest Hosts. Some nice hotel options for families in Sacramento are: Embassy Suites by Hilton Sacramento Riverfront or the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown-Arena.
🚗 Rent your car or campervan. It’s best to have a car when visiting Sacramento, especially if you’re flying in San Francisco. DiscoverCars is a good search engine for car rentals. Outdoorsy and Escape Campervans are great for RV and campervan rental, from San Francisco and even Sacramento.
Book your tours in Sacramento. Viator and Get Your Guide are two great hubs for finding fun tours in Sacramento, such as a historic gold rush river cruise or an Old Sacramento Scavenger hunt.
Download a few apps to help you plan. The AllTrails app is a great resource for up-to-date trail reports. The GoWhee app is the perfect app for finding fun kid-friendly activities.
Still need help planning your itinerary? Let me help you plan your custom itinerary.
Final Thoughts: Things to Do With Kids in Sacramento
And that’s all for today! There have been 20 things to do with kids in Sacramento. We hope you found this post helpful and if you think we missed anything, let us know in the comments section below!
Related Article – Planning a Trip to California
If you’re planning a family trip to Californa, make sure to read those articles:
- 10 Day California Road Trip with Kids: San Diego to San Francisco
- Things to Do in California With Kids: Add Them to Your List
- A 2-Day Itinerary in Yosemite National Park With Kids
