Folks visiting Sacramento for the holidays? Here’s our guide to what to do and where to eat
Do you have friends and family visiting Sacramento this holiday season?
If you have time to kill or need to take a break from the festivities, you can show your loved ones everything the area has to offer.
Here’s your guide to some of the best things to do and places to eat with out-of-towners.
If you’re planning to head out to a business, museum or center, be sure to call ahead and confirm the open hours. Some buildings may be closed for the holidays.
Top things to do in the Sacramento area
Sacramento residents recently took to social media to ask for advice on things to do with visiting family members.
In a Reddit thread posted on Sunday, users recommended taking out-of-town friends and relatives to the Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento and the California Agriculture Museum in Woodland — less than 20 miles from downtown.
In separate Reddit thread from 2021, site users suggested taking a walk by the American River, strolling Capitol Park or taking a bike tour of the murals painted around downtown.
Here are other ideas, according to social media and Visit Sacramento:
Visit the Crocker Art Museum — The contemporary art museum is home to one of the world’s best collections of Californian art.
Go wild at the Sacramento Zoo — The Sacramento Zoo is home to nearly 400 animals, including the African hedgehog, red pandas, cheetahs and giraffes. The zoo is hosting “Unextinct,” an immersive nighttime show featuring lights and illusions, from Dec. 26 to March 9.
See a Sacramento Kings game — Show some Sacramento pride at a Kings basketball game. There are home games planned at Golden 1 Center in December and throughout January. If you’re lucky, you can show off the Beam when the team wins.
Picnic at a park — The Sacramento area is home to several parks. According to Visit Sacramento, there are even four hidden parks in the area: WPA Rock Garden at William Land Park, Sand Cove Park, Natomas Oaks Park and the Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery.
Read more:
“24 hours in Sacramento: Here are the best sights and stops for a day in California’s capital”
“Hiking not your thing? Here’s how to recreate in Sacramento without breaking a sweat.”
“Is Sacramento ‘California’s most underrated big city’? Here’s what LA Times says”
Best places to eat in the area
Sacramento’s food scene is something to brag about. Just ask locals — and The New York Times.
The region has an eclectic palate with restaurants serving up everything from New American fare to authentic Japanese cuisine along with an array of coffee shops and craft cocktail bars. Sacramento also enjoys close proximity to wine country.
The Sacramento Bee’s list of the top 50 restaurants in the area in 2022 features spots including African and Mediterranean restaurant Abyssinia and Adamos, an Italian eatery.
According to Yelp, the top five places to eat in the Sacramento area are:
Represa Grill by Chef William Hartzell, 97 Natoma St., Folsom
Urban Grill & Salad, 3040 Sunrise Blvd., Suite B, Rancho Cordova
House of Thai Rice & Noodle, 5738 Watt Ave., North Highlands
Good Eats Deli, 4884 San Juan Ave., Fair Oaks
Zest Mediterranean Cuisine, 1008 Riley St., Suite 2, Folsom
Read more:
“The Sacramento Bee’s 50 best restaurants of 2022: Where to eat around the region”
“Here are the top 50 places to eat in the Sacramento area, according to Yelp”
“Food and fun for $25? Here’s where I found affordable entertainment in Sacramento”
Holiday events
If you want to continue channeling your holiday spirit, Sacramento has festive events for the rest of December.
Homes across the region feature dazzling holiday displays featuring thousands of lights, Christmas trees and elaborate inflatable decorations.
There’s also the Imaginarium, a large light festival at Cal Expo, which showcases more than 5 million lights. The event runs through Jan. 7.
Other activities include ice skating at the Downtown Commons, watching the Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento and catching Santa in nearby neighborhoods.
Read more:
“2023 Holiday Lights Guide: Where to see the best Christmas lights in the Sacramento area”
“Santa Parade, Imaginarium light show and more: What to do in Sacramento this holiday season”
“These 3 California cities are among the ‘coziest winter towns’ in America. See why”
Have a suggestion on where to take out-of-towners in Sacramento? Tell us in the form below or email us at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
