Sacramento area

Around Sacramento area

Photo: Andre m · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Greater area · California · 2.8M people

Sacramento area

Locals say Sacramento · “Sactown”, “River City”, “City of Trees”, “Farm-to-Fork Capital”

Where rivers meet and every meal is from the farm.

goldpurplegreen

Welcome to Sacramento, where the river meets the farm-to-fork table. Whether you're here for the Kings or the Delta breeze, you'll find a friendly vibe and plenty of good eats.

Clubs for Sacramento area

No clubs for Sacramento area yet.

The room

Sacramento area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Sacramento's; the others are below.

One room for everyone around Sacramento. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.

Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Sacramento area. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Tower Bridge Iconic vertical-lift bridge over the Sacramento River.
  • Old Sacramento Historic district with wooden sidewalks and museums.
  • California State Capitol Seat of state government with beautiful gardens.
  • Crocker Art Museum Oldest art museum west of the Mississippi.
  • Golden 1 Center Downtown arena, home of the Sacramento Kings.
  • Sutter Health Park Ballpark for the River Cats and temporary home of the A's.
  • Outdoors Bike the American River Parkway
  • Outdoors Hike at Folsom Lake
  • With kids Sacramento Zoo
  • With kids Fairytale Town
  • Evenings Midtown bars
  • Evenings Harlow's
  • Locals love farmers markets
  • Locals love farm-to-fork restaurants

Through the year

  • Farm-to-Fork Festival September Celebrates local cuisine with tastings and chef demos.
  • California State Fair July A classic state fair with rides, food, and livestock.
  • Sacramento Music Festival Memorial Day weekend Jazz, blues, and rock performances across downtown venues.
  • Gold Rush Days Labor Day weekend Historic reenactments and family fun in Old Sacramento.
  • Folsom Pro Rodeo July Professional rodeo with bull riding and barrel racing.

Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal with mild temps and clear skies.

Talk like a local

“Sac”
Short for Sacramento.
“The Grid”
The downtown street grid area.
“Farm-to-Fork”
The local cuisine movement emphasizing fresh, local ingredients.
“The Delta”
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region.

Getaways

  • Napa Valley World-famous wineries and scenic vineyards.
  • Clearlake California's largest freshwater lake, great for fishing.
  • Sonora Gold Country town with historic charm and outdoor recreation.
  • Santa Rosa Wine country and access to the Russian River.

Local flavour

Teams

  • Sacramento Kings NBA
  • Sacramento Republic FC USL Championship
  • Sacramento River Cats Triple-A West
  • UC Davis Aggies NCAA Division I
  • Sacramento State Hornets NCAA Division I
  • Athletics MLB

Eat and drink

  • farm-to-fork cuisine Sacramento is the farm-to-fork capital
  • Hmong sausage
  • almonds Grown in the surrounding valley
  • asparagus From the Sacramento Delta
  • craft beer Many local breweries

Where people go

  • farmers markets Year-round markets with local produce
  • farm-to-fork restaurants Dining that highlights local ingredients
  • riverfront promenades Walkways along the Sacramento and American rivers
  • the Tower Bridge Iconic golden bridge over the Sacramento River
  • Old Sacramento Historic district with wooden sidewalks and gold rush charm
  • Delta waterways Maze of rivers and sloughs for boating and fishing
  • breweries Local craft beer scene

Heritage and traditions

Sacramento is proud of its role as the capital of California, its Gold Rush history, and its vibrant farm-to-fork culture, celebrating the bounty of the Central Valley. It's also a diverse city with strong communities, including a large Hmong population and a growing tech sector.

This time of year in Sacramento area

  • Fall harvest at Apple Hill September–October Apple picking and harvest festivals.
  • Italian Festival October Celebrates Italian heritage with food, wine, and music.

Say it like a local: “Old Sac” — Old Sacramento, the historic riverfront district.

Festivals

  • Hmong New Year Celebration November Traditional food, music, and dance in November.
  • Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Memorial Day weekend One of the largest Dixieland jazz festivals in the world.
  • Camellia Festival March Parade and events honoring the city's official flower.
  • Sacramento Pride June LGBTQ+ pride parade and festival.
  • Greek Festival September Greek food, music, and dancing at the Greek Orthodox Church.
  • Italian Festival October Celebrates Italian heritage with food, wine, and music.

Landmarks with a story

  • Sutter's Fort State Historic Park The first settlement in Sacramento, now a museum.
  • Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Historic Catholic cathedral in downtown Sacramento.
  • Sacramento California Temple LDS temple in Rancho Cordova.
  • Buddhist Church of Sacramento Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple with a long history.
  • Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park Home of the former governor and railroad magnate.
  • Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park One of the first hydroelectric plants in the state.

Food traditions

  • Hmong sausage Spicy pork sausage with lemongrass, a staple at Hmong gatherings and markets.
  • Delta asparagus The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta produces asparagus, enjoyed in spring.
  • Farm-to-fork dinners Restaurants source directly from local farms, with special dinners in the fields.
  • Craft beer Thriving brewery scene using local hops and fruit.
  • Mexican pan dulce Sweet breads from local bakeries, often enjoyed with coffee.

Music and arts

  • Indie rock scene Bands like Cake and others put Sacramento on the map.
  • Folklorico dance Mexican traditional dance groups perform at festivals.
  • Hmong textile arts Needlework and traditional clothing are celebrated.
  • Farm-to-fork culinary arts Chefs and restaurants emphasize local ingredients.

A little history

  • 1848 Gold Rush begins; Sacramento becomes a major supply center.
  • 1860 Pony Express starts from Sacramento.
  • 1869 Transcontinental Railroad completed, with Sacramento as the western terminus.
  • 1854 Sacramento becomes the permanent state capital.
  • 1900s Delta reclamation and levee building.

Rivalries

  • Causeway Classic UC Davis vs. Sacramento State football rivalry.
  • Kings vs. Warriors NorCal NBA rivalry with Bay Area fans.
  • Game day Light the Beam
  • Game day Republic FC's 'Indomitable City' chant
  • Outdoors Float the American River
  • Outdoors Pick apples at Apple Hill
  • With kids California State Railroad Museum
  • With kids Sacramento Children's Museum

People in Sacramento speak with a general American accent, influenced by the Central Valley. They often say 'Sac' for the city and pronounce 'Sacramento' as 'Sack-ruh-men-toe'. Freeways are called by number without 'the' (e.g., 'take 50').

Only here

  • The Pony Express started here.
  • The Transcontinental Railroad's western terminus.
  • The city's nickname is 'The Big Tomato'.
  • The first commercial canning of tomatoes happened in Sacramento.
New here? A few tips
  • Summers are hot (100°F+); stay hydrated and enjoy the Delta breeze.
  • Downtown has a grid system; learn the letter and number streets.
  • Freeways are called by number without 'the' (e.g., 'take 50').
  • Pronounce 'Sacramento' as 'Sack-ruh-men-toe'.
  • Try the farm-to-fork cuisine; it's a local point of pride.

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Areas in Sacramento area

Sacramento-Roseville, CA CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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