Things to Do in Sacramento with a Large Group

Sacramento is easy to plan around when you travel as a group. The main sights sit close together, the river gives you free outdoor time, and the city is a good base for day trips into the foothills, wine country and the mountains. This guide covers the outings that work best for ten or more people and how to organize them.

Old Sacramento and the riverfront

Old Sacramento is the historic district on the Sacramento River, with wooden sidewalks, restored buildings and shops. It is walkable, so a group can split up and meet again without much coordination. The California State Railroad Museum is the anchor here and suits every age: restored locomotives, rail cars you can walk through and plenty of room for a big group to move at its own pace.

Plan two to three hours, then eat along the waterfront. For a group of more than eight, call restaurants ahead rather than relying on walk-in tables.

The State Capitol and Capitol Park

The California State Capitol is free to visit and sits inside Capitol Park, which has shaded paths and memorials. It is a good low-cost morning, especially with children or older relatives who want a slower pace. The Crocker Art Museum and Sutter's Fort State Historic Park are short drives away if the group wants more history.

The American River Parkway

The parkway runs along the American River for more than 30 miles and is one of the best free assets the region has. Groups rent bikes, walk sections of the trail or, in summer, float the lower American River on rafts. Go early on hot days and bring more water than you think you need.

Games, concerts and nights out

Golden 1 Center downtown hosts Sacramento Kings games and big concerts. Buying a block of seats together is easier through the venue's group sales than by having everyone buy separately. Midtown has the densest choice of restaurants and bars for an evening out.

Day trips from Sacramento

Sacramento sits within a day's drive of a lot of variety:

• Gold Country, including Auburn and Coloma, where the 1848 gold discovery happened
• Folsom Lake for swimming, boating and picnics in summer
• Napa and Sonoma wine country, roughly an hour or more to the west
• Lake Tahoe, about two hours up Interstate 80 or Highway 50

Our guide to day trips from Sacramento for groups covers each in more detail.

Where to stay

Splitting a large group across hotel rooms makes it hard to spend time together. A large home with a full kitchen and a big table gives the group a place to gather at the end of each day. See our homes in Sacramento and Roseville, including the seven-bedroom Sacramento House and the five-bedroom Roseville House.

Tips for organizing the group

• Pick one or two anchor activities a day and leave the rest free.
• Share a simple plan in a group chat the night before, with addresses and start times.
• Cook at least one big dinner at the house. It is usually the meal people remember.
• If the trip is a reunion, our family reunion page has more ideas for keeping several generations happy.

Frequently asked questions