Sacramento, California
Sacramento was a March 2023 city break — a stay at a stylish Midtown Airbnb on 19th Street in California's capital.
Our experience
We came to enjoy a city that's often underrated: Gold Rush history preserved in Old Sacramento, a leafy and walkable Midtown full of restaurants and Victorian-era character, the grand California State Capitol, and the rivers that meet at the city's edge.
Sacramento proudly embraces its farm-to-fork identity, drawing on the agricultural richness of the surrounding Central Valley. Set between San Francisco and the Sierra Nevada, it made for a relaxed, characterful escape with real California history at its core.
Sacramento played an extraordinary role in America's transportation history. It was the western terminus of the Pony Express and became a crucial western starting point for the first Transcontinental Railroad. That history is still visible throughout Old Sacramento and inside the California State Railroad Museum.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Old Sacramento Waterfront — wander the historic riverfront district, where preserved and reconstructed buildings recall Sacramento's Gold Rush and early railroad era.
- California State Capitol — see California's historic capitol building and stroll through the surrounding Capitol Park.
- Midtown Sacramento — explore the leafy grid of restaurants, cafes, historic homes, and local businesses around the neighborhood where we stayed.
- California State Railroad Museum — discover Sacramento's railroad history through historic locomotives, railroad cars, and exhibits in Old Sacramento.
- Sacramento & American Rivers — enjoy the waterways that helped shape Sacramento and the trails and parks around them.
- Farmers' markets & local dining — lean into Sacramento's farm-to-fork culture and the produce of California's Central Valley.
Our pro tip
We'd base ourselves in Midtown again — it's a walkable, restaurant-rich part of Sacramento and makes a great starting point for exploring the central city. Spring was a good time for our visit. Sacramento summers can get very hot, so spring and fall are especially appealing for walking around Midtown, Capitol Park, and Old Sacramento.
Leave enough time for the California State Railroad Museum rather than treating Old Sacramento as just a quick photo stop. The museum is one of Sacramento's major visitor attractions and also offers historic excursion train rides along the Sacramento River on operating dates.
One bookable option is Oasis Inn Sacramento – Elk Grove on Klook, with convenient access to central Sacramento.
For a wider California trip, browse California tours and experiences on Klook that can be paired with Sacramento.