# Family-Friendly Things To Do In Sacramento That Dads Will Love Too *By James Hills, menwhoblog.com — Updated March 2026* Written by: [James Hills](https://menwhoblog.com/james-hills.html) Last Updated: 28 March 2026 Top BlogHits: 3719Reading time: 08:12 Think Sacramento is just about politics and government? To be completely fair, as a native Californian I never once thought of Sacramento as a place I'd want to visit. Last year though, I had a chance to drive through and spend some time exploring. What I found was a city with legitimate family-friendly attractions that dads will genuinely enjoy - not the "stand around while the kids do stuff" kind, but activities where everyone's engaged. ** Questions** ** What Makes Sacramento Work for a Family Weekend** Sacramento sits at the intersection of Gold Rush history, California's farm-to-fork food scene, and enough outdoor space to tire out kids of any age - all without the Bay Area price tag. - **The California Automobile Museum has over 150 cars** - classics, celebrity vehicles, and hands-on exhibits that keep both car guys and kids occupied for a solid two hours - **Old Sacramento's wooden walkways feel like a Western movie set** - preserved 1800s architecture, Gold Rush-era shops, and river cruises that get everyone out of the heat - **Four breweries have dedicated kid areas** - Hop Gardens, Drake's: The Barn, SacYard, and Porchlight all let parents have a craft beer while kids actually play - **Sutter Health Park is a two-for-one right now** - catch the River Cats (Giants Triple-A affiliate) and the Oakland A's sharing the same stadium while their new park gets built - **MOSAC is the science museum Sacramento needed** - hands-on STEM exhibits that work for toddlers through middle schoolers without feeling dumbed down ** Article Index** [California Automobile Museum: 150 Cars From Horseless Carriages To Hollywood Cars](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#california-automobile-museum-150-cars-from-horseless-carriages-to-hollywood-cars)[Sacramento History Museum and the Railroad Museum Next Door](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#sacramento-history-museum-and-the-railroad-museum-next-door)[The California State Capitol and Capitol Park](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#the-california-state-capitol-and-capitol-park)[Old Sacramento's Gold Rush District](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#old-sacramentos-gold-rush-district)[Sacramento's Family-Friendly Brewery Scene](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#sacramentos-family-friendly-brewery-scene)[Sutter Health Park: Minor League Baseball With an MLB Bonus](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#sutter-health-park-minor-league-baseball-with-an-mlb-bonus)[MOSAC and the Aerospace Museum](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#mosac-and-the-aerospace-museum)[Ten More Sacramento Stops Worth Knowing About](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#ten-more-sacramento-stops-worth-knowing-about)[Sacramento Earns More Than a Drive-Through](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-sacramento-that-dads-will-love-too.html#sacramento-earns-more-than-a-drive-through) ## California Automobile Museum: 150 Cars From Horseless Carriages To Hollywood Cars The California Automobile Museum on Front Street houses over 150 vehicles spanning the full history of the automobile - from horseless carriages to modern sports cars. About 75% of the collection belongs to private exhibitors, so the lineup rotates and there's usually something new even on a return visit. What makes this work for families is that the exhibits aren't roped-off showpieces. Kids can get close, and the museum curates around stories - Hollywood cars, vehicles with unusual histories, milestones in automotive engineering. If your household has any car enthusiasm at all, budget two hours here. It's open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. ## Sacramento History Museum and the Railroad Museum Next Door The Sacramento History Museum sits in the middle of Old Sacramento and does a solid job of making Gold Rush history tangible instead of textbook. The Old Sacramento Underground Tour takes families through the original street level beneath the current sidewalks - the city literally raised its streets by a full story in the 1860s and 1870s to deal with flooding. The Gold Fever! game-tour adds a competitive element that keeps kids locked in. Steps away, the California State Railroad Museum is one of the better transportation museums on the West Coast. Over 20 restored locomotives and rail cars fill the space, and the Sacramento Southern Railroad runs 45-minute excursion rides along the Sacramento River on weekends from March through September. The train ride alone is worth the stop if the timing works - it runs on a short stretch of track along the riverfront and the pace is slow enough for decent photos. ## The California State Capitol and Capitol Park The State Capitol building is modeled after the U.S. Capitol and it's genuinely impressive inside - the rotunda, the restored historic offices, and the legislative chambers are all open to visitors on free guided tours. For families, it's a chance to walk through working government without the D.C. crowds or security lines. Capitol Park surrounding the building covers 40 acres and includes a rose garden, Civil War memorial grove, and monuments from across California's history. It's the kind of stop that works between bigger attractions - an hour of walking, some photos in front of the building, and enough historical markers to spark a few questions from curious kids. ## Old Sacramento's Gold Rush District Old Sacramento covers a 28-acre stretch along the riverfront where the city preserved its 1800s commercial district - wooden sidewalks, brick facades, and storefronts that haven't changed much since the Gold Rush era. It's touristy in the way that actually works for families: candy shops, old-time photo studios, and enough history layered in to make it educational without trying too hard. The family-friendly restaurant options here are solid, and the snack shops selling saltwater taffy and fudge give kids something to lobby for between stops. Don't skip City Cruises by Hornblower if the weather cooperates - the river cruise runs from the Old Sacramento waterfront and offers a different angle on the city's riverfront architecture. It's a good way to decompress after a morning of walking. ## Sacramento's Family-Friendly Brewery Scene Sacramento has figured out something a lot of cities haven't - that breweries can be legitimately family-friendly without being weird about it. Four spots stand out for parents who want a craft beer without hiring a sitter: **Hop Gardens Tap Room** on Franklin Blvd has outdoor garden space where kids can spread out. **Drake's: The Barn** in West Sacramento has a big outdoor area right on the riverfront. **SacYard Community Tap House** on 33rd Street leans into the neighborhood hangout vibe with regular events. **Porchlight Brewing** on 57th Street keeps board games and video games on hand - which means the kids stay occupied long enough for a second round. All four serve food or have food trucks, so these work as actual dinner stops, not just a quick drink on the way somewhere else. ## Sutter Health Park: Minor League Baseball With an MLB Bonus Sutter Health Park is home to the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A affiliate, so there's always a chance of seeing a prospect on the way up. The stadium is compact enough that every seat feels close to the action, and the picnic areas along the outfield are built for families who want to spread out rather than sit in assigned seats. Right now there's an added draw - the Oakland A's are sharing Sutter Health Park as their temporary MLB home while their new stadium gets built. That means Sacramento has both minor league and major league baseball in the same building, which is a rare situation and a solid excuse to plan a trip around the schedule. ## MOSAC and the Aerospace Museum The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity - MOSAC - is Sacramento's purpose-built science center, and it's good enough that it would anchor a visit on its own. The exhibits are designed for hands-on engagement across a wide age range, so a five-year-old and a twelve-year-old can both find something that holds their attention without one of them being bored. The Aerospace Museum of California takes a different approach - over 40 aircraft, multiple flight simulators, and exhibits covering military aviation from World War II through the Space Race. The simulators are the draw here. Kids who are old enough to handle the controls get a feel for what piloting actually involves, and it's the kind of experience that sticks with them longer than another museum gallery. ## Ten More Sacramento Stops Worth Knowing About Beyond the headline attractions, Sacramento has depth. These are the spots that round out a longer trip or give families a reason to come back: --- {"html":""} --- - **Sacramento Zoo** - Nearly 400 animals with hands-on giraffe feeding experiences. Small enough to cover in half a day without the exhaustion of a mega-zoo. - **Discovery Park** - Sits where the Sacramento and American rivers meet. Beaches, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and access to the 32-mile Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail for biking. - **UC Davis Arboretum** - 100 acres of native California plants, walking paths, and outdoor art. Free admission. Good for a low-key morning when everyone needs a break from structured activities. - **Nimbus Fish Hatchery** - Watch Chinook salmon heading upstream during spawning season from October through December, with steelhead viewing extending through March. It's a free, educational stop that takes about an hour. - **American River whitewater rafting** - Guided family-friendly trips run through the Sierra foothills. Best for families with kids old enough to hold a paddle and follow instructions. - **Funderland Amusement Park** - A small-scale amusement park in William Land Park that's been running since 1946. The rides are sized for younger kids, and the whole place has a throwback feel that's hard to find anymore. - **Sacramento Children's Museum** - Interactive exhibits designed for kids up to age 8. Located in Rancho Cordova, about 15 minutes east of downtown Sacramento. - **Sacramento Republic FC** - Professional soccer in the USL Championship. The stadium atmosphere is family-friendly and tickets are affordable compared to MLS or other major league sports. - **West Wind Sacramento 6 Drive-In** - The region's only remaining drive-in theater. If the weather's warm and the kids can handle a late night, this is the kind of memory that sticks. Opens at 5 PM daily. - **Gunther's Ice Cream** - Open since 1940, named California's best ice cream by Food & Wine magazine. The black walnut and lemon custard are the signatures. A Sacramento institution that's earned its reputation over 85 years. ## Sacramento Earns More Than a Drive-Through I went in expecting a government town with a few chain restaurants near the Capitol. What I found was a city with a legitimate food scene, walkable historic districts, science museums that don't talk down to adults, and a brewery culture that actually accommodates families. If the family's already doing a California trip and Sacramento isn't on the itinerary, it should be - especially with the A's temporarily playing at Sutter Health Park. That alone is worth building a weekend around. **Hey James Hills wants you to share this!**   ---   Written by: [James Hills](https://menwhoblog.com/james-hills.html) #MenWhoBlog MemberBlog MasterThought Leader James' passion for exploration and sense of duty to his community extends beyond himself. This means he is dedicated to providing a positive role model for other men and especially younger guys that need support so that they can thrive and be future positive contributors to society. This includes sharing wisdom, ideas, tips, and advice on subjects that all men should be familiar with, including: family travel, men's health, relationships, DIY advice for home and yard, car care, food, drinks, and technology. Additionally, he's a travel advisor and a leading men's travel influencer who has been featured in media ranging from New York Times to the Chicago Tribune, and LA Times. He's also been cited by LA Weekly "Top Travel Bloggers To Watch 2023" and featured by Muck Rack: "Top 10 Outdoor Journalists for 2022". He and his wife Heather live in St Joseph, Michigan - across the lake from Chicago. ### Cruises and Resorts Thinking about a cruise or all-inclusive resort vacation? We can help you plan your dream getaway ... 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