As California’s capital city, Sacramento captivates visitors with historic landmarks, a flourishing arts scene, and urban green spaces—all available to enjoy affordably if not completely free of charge.
Rather than choose between sightseeing or sticking to your budget, these 12 activities promise memorable pursuits welcoming to all wallets.
| # | Activity | Brief Description | Google map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explore the State Capitol | Free guided tours of the State Capitol building, showcasing its history and architecture. | Map Direction |
| 2 | Old Sacramento | A historic district with restored buildings, shops, and cultural attractions. | Map Direction |
| 3 | Crocker Art Museum | Offers free admission on certain days to view art collections spanning different eras. | Map Direction |
| 4 | Second Saturday ArtWalk | Monthly event featuring local art, galleries, and performances in Midtown Sacramento. | Map Direction |
| 5 | Fairytale Town | A storybook-themed park with playsets based on fairy tales, perfect for families. | Map Direction |
| 6 | Stand-Up Paddleboard City Scenes | Free stand-up paddleboarding opportunities in the city center. | Map Direction |
| 7 | SEE/CHANGE: Emerging Artists with Disabilities | An art gallery showcasing works by artists with developmental disabilities. | Map Direction |
| 8 | Sunday Supper at the California Museum | A community gathering with meals at the California Museum. | Map Direction |
| 9 | Concerts in the Park | Free live music events in various parks around Sacramento. | Map Direction |
| 10 | California State Railroad Museum | A museum featuring vintage locomotives and railcars, with donation-based admission on weekends. | Map Direction |
| 11 | R Street Art Murals | A display of vibrant street art murals in the R Street neighborhood. | Map Direction |
Wander tree-lined streets down by the river, immerse in exhibits unveiling local history, or catch impromptu concerts without opening your wallet. From culture to nature and everything in between, savor these top free attractions capturing Sacramento’s best.
Personal Experience
As a traveler exploring Sacramento, I had the opportunity to experience a variety of free attractions that truly showcased the city’s charm and history. At the State Capitol, I marveled at the grand architecture and fascinating political history during a free guided tour. In Old Sacramento, I strolled through the historic district, absorbing the atmosphere of the Gold Rush era. The Crocker Art Museum was a cultural delight, offering free admission on certain days to view its diverse art collections.
The Second Saturday ArtWalk in Midtown Sacramento was a vibrant display of local art and performances. For a family-friendly adventure, Fairytale Town’s storybook-themed park was enchanting. I also enjoyed the unique experience of free stand-up paddleboarding in the city center, a delightful way to see the city from a different perspective.
SEE/CHANGE, an art gallery showcasing works by artists with disabilities, was both inspiring and thought-provoking. The Sunday Supper at the California Museum offered a warm community gathering with interesting conversations. Free concerts in the park provided a lively and enjoyable outdoor experience.
The California State Railroad Museum, with its vintage locomotives and interactive displays, was a journey through history. Finally, the R Street Art Murals added a colorful and creative touch to the city streets, making for a perfect leisurely walk.
Overall, Sacramento impressed me with its range of free activities, each offering a unique glimpse into the city’s rich culture and history.
Explore the State Capitol
As the seat of California’s state government since 1854, the majestic State Capitol building offers free guided tours unveiling this National Historic Landmark’s artistic marvels and political intrigue.
Join passionate volunteers leading the way under the iconic stately dome soaring 220 feet tall and intricately adorned inside with hand-stenciled motifs and chandeliers weighing a whopping 2,500 pounds each. Gaze up at towering granite columns while learning secrets like citrus trees planted around the Capitol whose fruit sweetens legislative tension with bipartisan scratched orange peel.
Marvel at overwhelmingly expansive spaces like the Assembly Chamber or Senate Room decked in timeless details like Cuban mahogany wainscoting framing iconic portraits of governors and titans who shaped California’s history and future sitting in the same ornate desks still used today.
An underground tunnel even gives you behind-the-scenes access to glimpse offices and pop in the Governor’s reception room too. Whether you’re a first-timer or a local history buff, free Capitol tours allow up-close encounters with soaring spaces that continue making state-wide decisions.
When to visit : Best during weekdays for guided tours and to witness legislative sessions.
Old Sacramento
This National Historic Landmark district lining the Sacramento River transports visitors back to the city’s founding during the mid 19th-century California Gold Rush. Today the waterfront is lined with over 60 restored buildings containing one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and cultural attractions without entry fees to access their elaborate wooden boardwalks overlooking riverboats cruising by.
Pop inside the 1851 B. F. Hastings Building to view artifacts from frontier pharmacies with curious potions or stand beneath the iconic “Big Four” railroad building archways marking the physical spot where California’s First Transcontinental Railroad commenced in 1863.
The California State Railroad Museum offers impressive self-guided access at no cost to their 21 restored locomotives and railcars exhibited chronologically to share the boundless impacts connecting East and West by rails delivered across the decades.
Costumed history interpreters stationed along cobblestone streets share Gold Rush folklore and early settlement challenges overcome to found today’s Capital City.
From wild west shoot ‘em up tales to INSIDE Sacramento’s abandoned tunnels submerged by flooding to Chinatown’s resilient communities, the engaging stories unfolding freely in Old Sacramento reveal this port’s lasting influence throughout California’s history.
When to visit: Ideal on weekends, offers a lively experience with street performers and bustling shops.
Crocker Art Museum
Art enthusiasts adore Sacramento’s Crocker Art Museum as the West’s first purpose-built public art gallery founded in 1885 boasting regional masterpieces spanning European eras through today’s contemporary collections viewable at no cost every third Sunday courtesy of generous community sponsors.
Wander between galleries showcasing 15th century illuminated manuscripts, moody 18th century landscapes then puzzle 20th century modernism works around the corner without opening your wallet.
With more than 10,000 permanent collection works directed by innovative guest curators, the Crocker also delivers an ever-evolving art experience through new acquisitions from living artists and groundbreaking installations addressing urgent cultural conversations.
Frequent public events, lectures from globally-renowned experts, even hands-on art discovery programs also make immersing in creativity during Free Sunday visits an inspiring opportunity for Sacramento’s creative community to gather.
When to visit: on the third Sunday of each month for free admission.
Second Saturday ArtWalk
Art-filled escapades continue monthly during Second Saturday ArtWalk when Midtown Sacramento comes alive showcasing local creators. Every second Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., galleries and retail boutiques keep doors open late inviting self-guided exploration of eye-catching contemporary collections alongside the neighbors who envisioned them while snacking on complimentary snacks and libations.
Street performers like jazz trios get toes tapping while unique galleries like The Clovercub showcasing glass sculpture demonstrations surround street corner pop-up poetry readings awaiting discovery.
Or wander through warehouses near the R Street Corridor transformed into vivid wall murals and imaginative installations during recent years’ events.
With new participants launching special programming every season, ArtWalk First Saturdays promise dynamic arts access unfolding around every tree-lined corner of Sacramento Midtown waiting to inspire attendees of all ages.
Fairytale Town
Both kids and kids-at-heart fully immerse in beloved storybook pages coming to life just east of the city center at Fairytale Town. Originally founded in 1959 by television host “Sheriff” Claude Terry, elaborate play sets like the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe’s boot delightfully towering three stories tall or Jack’s iconic beanstalk still inspire smiles and squeals over half a century later.
Fantasy cottages encourage little imaginations to twirl down Rapunzel’s looming braids, slide through wacky caves, feed the Three Blind Mice scurrying about and peek through the precarious window panes of Humpty Dumpty’s zig-zagging domain.
For inside look behind the fairytales, weekend walking tours provide a glimpse at how dedicated park staff and volunteers meticulously create enchanting experiences for over 200,000 annual visitors on a tight budget through creative passion.
When a royal decree for more family-friendly adventures with free admission calls, Fairytale Town makes treasured memories reality.
When to visit: Ideal for families on weekends, more interactive experiences.
Stand-Up Paddleboard City Scenes
Sacramento’s scenic riverways tempt outdoor enthusiasts, yet recreational rentals quickly tally costs leaving budgets capsized. However hidden opportunity floats straight through the city center to experience Sacramento’satural nooks accessible exclusively by water – completely free of charge – via Outpost Sacramento’s seasonal free stand-up paddleboard offerings.
Every Wednesday June through August before dusk, anyone over age 12 can join their pontoon dock to receive a quick paddling tutorial, vest and board without paying a cent.
Newbie and experienced paddlers alike then venture off together along scenic routes showing cityscapes and hidden pockets from fresh perspectives, like meandering through a floating habitat for blue herons or peering up underneath Tower Bridge. With gear provided and only good vibes required, Outpost Sacramento delivers free access on the water revealing Sacramento’s latent urban adventure.
SEE/CHANGE: Emerging Artists with Disabilities
While small in footprint, VERVE Gallery delivers revolutionary impact showcasing artists with developmental disabilities to transform public perspectives while empowering each individual creative’s distinctive talents and voices.
Every emerging artist receives dedicated studio space, professional development workshops and marketing support to propel professional art careers often overlooked by exclusive mainstream exhibition circuits.
Drop in anytime VERVE is open to admire the rotating contemporary collections or chat directly with resident artists about their inspirations while they work.
Second Saturday receptions allow visitors to meet talent behind beautiful canvas commissions capturing Sacramento scenery, imaginative acrylic pours, and other mixed media works available for purchase directly supporting inclusive arts. VERVE’s year-round programming aims to foster welcoming creative community where ability engages beyond limits.
Sunday Supper at the California Museum
Celebrate The Golden State’s cultural tapestry each Sunday evening at The California Museum gathering around values of inclusivity, innovation and hope shaping tomorrow’s future over hot meals. Their weekly Sunday Suppers facilitate meaningful connections between community members and leaders pioneering social justice while combating food insecurity.
Arrive with an open heart to pass plates serving North African vegetable tagine then swap stories with fellow dinner guests that dissolve divides. From migrant students to tech trailblazers, Sunday Supper Conversations offer poignant windows celebrating shared dreams and struggles as well as Sacramento’s promise of empowering all people.
And with nourishment for both body and spirit freely given through food and fellowship each weekend, The California Museum’s welcoming table makes Sundays their brightest light holding space for a better tomorrow.
Concerts in the Park
As warmer sunny days invite play outdoors, City of Sacramento Parks deliver free live music filling picnic basket-toting crowds spread across lush lawns dancing delight nearly every week April through October.
Midtown’s leafy Cesar Chavez Plaza packs performances like salsa nights while bands playing genres from jazz to pop to reggae rock community centers like George Sim from Elmhurst to Southside O’Neill Centennial in more residential corners of the city.
Pre-concert fun engages kids hula hooping onside with seniors playing lawn bowling as food trucks dish out grilled cheese, Hawaiian shave ice and other snacktime classics before singers take the mobile soundstage at dusk. If weather drizzles, shows simply move inside nearby auditoriums and recreation rooms without missing a beat.
By offering 50+ free band line-ups alongside other all-ages programming annually, Sacramento concerts in the park tradition tunes up beloved public spaces through the unifying power of music out under the stars all summer long.
California State Railroad Museum
As one of Sacramento’s most popular attractions with vintage locomotives, lavishly restored railcars and intricate model railroad sprawling across spacious galleries, the California State Railroad Museum amazes guests that General Admission on weekends is donation-based with plenty to fill hours without any fixed ticket fees.
Interactive kids zones reveal how steam powers engines the size of houses as hands-on history interpreters illuminate passenger experiences racing across the first transcontinental route linking amazing cities modern railways reach today.
Periodic special events intensify immersive activities too, like “Night Train!” adventures allowing aspiring little conductors to earn prizes checking pocket watches while dodging brazen bandits during an after-hours lantern-lit tour filled with close escapes capturing old west ambiance beside steel tracks rumbling since 1862.
For visitors short on cash but overflowing with curiosity, Sacramento’s impressive tribute to California’s rail revolution offers ample adventure providing vivid learning for train lovers young and old.
When to visit: Recommended on weekends; donation-based admission.
R Street Art Murals
Lively blocks reinventing the once blighted R Street neighborhood between 16th down towards 10th now overflow with brilliantly-colored street art murals from local painters and nationally acclaimed muralists alike.
Strolling these revitalized warehouses lets you bask in the floaty wonder of a hot air balloon mural on one building before pausing at the 2319 R Street structure to contemplate a five-story abstract mural challenging perspectives as the artwork appears differently across sunlight and shadow.
Nearby at The Press, their cozy coffee shop patio filled with blooming flower boxes and string lights invites lingering over seasonal drinks and pastries while watching a faded patriotic mural emerge across the brick corner storefront thanks to restorative graffiti art in progress.
Show up with a fully charged phone anytime to snap selfies with vivid backdrops constantly breathing imaginative life into previously downtrodden wallscapes.
Whether passing through between downtown destinations or dedicating an afternoon for serious mural hunting, R Street Art activations make creative placemaking freely accessible to all who colorfully wonder by.
When to visit: The Second Saturday ArtWalk is the perfect time to explore.
Conclusion
With dozens of museums, performing arts centers and cultural touchstones all accessible through free or donation-based admission, California’s Capital City encourages everyone to engage arts and history illuminating Sacramento’s resilient pioneering foundations now leading The Golden State towards an bold visionary future.
Civic green spaces further foster gathering as one community celebrating diversity and unity lifting up voices and songs with harmony.
Rewarding, vibrant experiences await within Northern California’s river-borne hub made prosperous and proudly progressive by nature’s gifts given to all generations so that Sacramento’s tomorrow always blooms brightly for everyone seeking joy and justice.