So, I finally got around to spending a day in Old Sacramento. Heard a lot about it, figured it was time to see it myself. Drove down there, parking wasn’t too bad, found a spot in one of the garages nearby.
Stepping out, it really does feel different. You got these old buildings all around, wooden sidewalks, kinda takes you back a bit. You can almost picture horses and carriages, though now it’s mostly just people walking around.
First Impressions Walking Around
I just started walking, no real plan. The vibe is definitely touristy, lots of little shops selling souvenirs, candy, that sort of thing. But the buildings themselves are cool to look at. Lots of brick, balconies, old-style signs. You can tell they put effort into keeping that historic feel.
Heard the train whistle blow, which definitely adds to the atmosphere. That reminded me…
Checking out the Railroad Museum
Made my way over to the California State Railroad Museum. Gotta say, this was probably the highlight for me. Didn’t expect much, but wow.
Inside, it’s huge.
They’ve got these massive locomotives just sitting there. You can walk right up to them, see the scale. It’s pretty impressive.
- Saw some really old steam engines.
- Walked through some fancy old passenger cars. Felt like being in an old movie.
- Learned a bit about how the railroad was built, the whole history bit.
Spent a good chunk of time in there, definitely worth the admission fee if you ask me.
More Wandering and Snacks
After the museum, I was feeling a bit peckish. Wandered into one of those old-fashioned candy stores. You know the type, barrels of taffy, fudge, all that stuff. Grabbed a small bag of saltwater taffy, just because.
Looked into a few other shops. Some had interesting old stuff, antiques, others were more standard gift shops. Didn’t buy much, mostly just looked.
Walked down towards the river. Saw the Delta King, that big riverboat hotel docked there. It’s quite a sight. Just stood by the water for a bit, watched the boats go by. Pretty relaxing actually.
Wrapping Up the Day
By late afternoon, I felt like I’d seen most of it. Walked back through the streets one last time, soaking it in.
Overall, it was a decent day out. If you like history, trains, or just want a different kind of atmosphere for an afternoon, Old Sacramento is worth a visit. The railroad museum was the best part for me, but just walking around and seeing the old architecture was cool too. It gets crowded, especially on weekends I bet, but still manageable. Glad I went.
