Sacramento

Sacramento grew up at the meeting of the Sacramento and American rivers during the Gold Rush and became the permanent state capital in 1854. In 1863 four Sacramento merchants started building the Central Pacific Railroad east from here over the Sierra Nevada. One of them was Leland Stanford, whose fortune later founded the university next door to Palo Alto. That link makes Sacramento a natural day trip for anyone curious about how this part of California came to be.

The city is flat, leafy and easy to get around. Most visitors focus on three areas within walking distance of each other: the State Capitol and its park, the restored Gold Rush streets of Old Sacramento on the river and the California State Railroad Museum at the edge of the old town. This guide covers each one, how to time your visit around the Capitol's weekday-only hours and whether to drive or take the Capitol Corridor train from San Jose.

Driving or the train

By car

Sacramento is about 120 miles from Palo Alto. The usual route crosses the Dumbarton Bridge, follows Interstate 880 and Interstate 680 north, crosses the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and joins Interstate 80 east near Cordelia. Plan on 2 to 2.5 hours each way with light traffic. Rush hour on 880 and 680, or a Friday afternoon on I-80 through Vacaville and Davis, can push it well past three. Leave Palo Alto by 7 a.m. and head home before 3 p.m. or after 7 p.m.

Bay Area bridges collect tolls electronically in one direction. On this route you pay northbound on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and westbound on the Dumbarton on the way home. The 2026 toll is $8.50 per bridge, rising to $9 with FasTrak on January 1, 2027. Rental cars are usually billed through the rental company. If you need a car, you can compare rental cars from San Jose or SFO.

By train

The Capitol Corridor runs from San Jose to Sacramento through Oakland and the Carquinez Strait. From Palo Alto, take Caltrain to San Jose Diridon, about half an hour, then change trains. The Capitol Corridor timetable, effective December 8, 2025, shows these morning departures from San Jose:

Coming back, the last train that runs through to San Jose leaves Sacramento around 5 p.m. and reaches San Jose a little after 8 p.m. Later trains end in Oakland. A service disruption at Oakland Coliseum station from October 26, 2026 to January 1, 2027 changes several trains, including evening runs to San Jose, so check the modified schedule. You need a valid government ID to board. The train is relaxing and lands you at Sacramento Valley Station, a short walk from Old Sacramento. The trade-off is time: with Caltrain, it is about four hours each way door to door. Buy tickets from the Capitol Corridor site, the Amtrak app or the station machines.

The State Capitol

The domed Capitol, finished in the 1870s, still houses the Legislature. Its restored historic rooms now form the State Capitol Museum, which is free. The key thing to know is the schedule. According to the State Capitol Museum, the building is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on weekends and most holidays.

• Guided tours: free, weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each is limited to 35 people, first come, first served. Sign up at the information desk in the first floor rotunda.
• Self-guided tours: download a free brochure in English, Spanish, Chinese, German, French or Dutch and explore at your own pace.
• Groups: school and group tours book through ReserveCalifornia at least seven days ahead.
• Entry: visitors pass through security screening. The address is 1315 10th Street.

Outside, the 40-acre Capitol Park is planted with trees from around the world and holds the World Peace Rose Garden and many memorials. The museum also offers free guided tours of the park. If your only free day is a weekend, you can still walk the grounds and see the building from outside, but plan the rest of the day around Old Sacramento.

The California State Railroad Museum

The museum at 125 I Street, at the north end of Old Sacramento, tells the story of railroading in the West with restored locomotives and cars filling a huge hall. It suits train lovers of every age. Our guide to kids and trains covers railway fun closer to home. According to the museum's visitor information:

• Hours: daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., last admission 4:30 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
• Admission: $12 adults, $6 ages 6 to 17, free for children 5 and under.
• Docent tours: about 30 minutes on the building of the transcontinental railroad, offered daily. Ask at the front desk for times.

The excursion train

On many weekends the museum runs a 45-minute excursion train along 3.5 miles of track beside the Sacramento River. Tickets are sold at 930 Front Street on run days. In 2026 regular weekend trains ran from April through mid-October, with Friday trains between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Coach fares were $18 for adults and $10 for ages 6 to 17. The regular season is over for 2026. The museum's holiday train event runs separately, so check its site for dates and tickets.

For the Peninsula side of the railroad story, see our page on the railroad and Palo Alto.

Old Sacramento

Old Sacramento Waterfront is a district of brick and wood buildings from the 1850s to the 1870s, raised and restored along the river. Wooden sidewalks, horse-drawn carriages on some days and the Tower Bridge give it a period feel. It is the city's most touristy corner, with candy shops, saloons and souvenir stores, but it is also a real historic district and a pleasant place for lunch by the water.

• Parking: two all-day garages sit at either end of the district. Street meters run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Walking: the Capitol is less than a mile east along Capitol Mall, an easy 20-minute walk.
• Timing: on weekends the old town gets busy by midday. Arrive in the morning or late afternoon for photos.

The Crocker Art Museum, a few blocks south, is one of the oldest art museums in the West and makes a good add-on if you have time.

Leland Stanford Mansion and Sutter's Fort

Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park

This Victorian house at 8th and N Streets, built in 1856, served as the office of three governors in the 1860s, including Leland Stanford. Later it was a children's home run by the Catholic Church for most of the 20th century. Today it is the state's official reception center for visiting leaders, a few blocks from the Capitol. It is the most direct link in Sacramento to the family whose farm became Stanford University. Our page on Leland, Jane and Leland Jr. Stanford fills in the story.

Guided tours run every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there are no self-guided visits inside. Tours can be cancelled during official events, so the park page asks visitors to call 916-324-9266 first. Regular tours resume on November 2, 2026 after the mansion's Halloween program ends. Book online through the park page.

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

John Sutter's adobe fort from the early 1840s, reconstructed with its walls and workshops, sits in midtown about 1.5 miles east of the Capitol. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and charges $5 for adults and $3 for youths. Walkway renovations may briefly hold visitors at the gates in late 2026.

A sample weekday

1. 7 a.m. Leave Palo Alto by car, or catch an early Caltrain for the 8:38 a.m. Capitol Corridor.
2. 10 a.m. Join a free guided tour at the State Capitol, then stroll Capitol Park.
3. Noon. Walk down Capitol Mall to Old Sacramento for lunch.
4. 1:30 p.m. Spend two hours at the Railroad Museum.
5. 4 p.m. Catch the 4 p.m. Stanford Mansion tour, or head home before the evening rush.

Frequently asked questions