Recreations & Leisure
Of course, a lot of the expansion and development of Sacramento can be attributed to their winning Sacramento Kings basketball team. If you want to see them in action, you’ll need to go to the Arco Arena (north of town, via I-5), just north of town. But the Kings aren’t the only ones loved by local fans; the Sacramento River Cats are another baseball team (AAA) that is affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. They can be seen at Raley Field (400 Ballpark Drive) in West Sacramento.
The highlight of outdoor events is the American River Parkway (916.566.6581 or 916.277.6060-Parks and Recreation Department). This five thousand acre stretch of beautiful relaxing parkland has been set aside for the enjoyment of outdoor enthusiasts. The parkway includes a twenty-three mile long bike trail, Jedediah Smith Memorial Bicycle Trail and lots of things for the whole family to do—fishing, swimming, rafting, etc.
The Sacramento Zoo (3930 W. Land Park Drive) is home to over twenty endangered species and is planning on expanding even further with the support of a $40 million expansion plan. So well worth a visit! Or you can head over to the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (916.775.4420) or Cosumnes River Preserve (916.684.2816).
If you’re into shopping, then Sacramento has just what the trunk of your car needs. Saturdays and Sundays are the prime time to visit the seventy acres (yes, seventy acres!) of down-home shopping at Denio’s Roseville Farmers Market and Auction (1551 Vineyard Road). You can find everything from appliances to car parts. You can even set up your own yard sale, if you’d like to join in on the fun and earn a little extra money.
There’s also Westfield Shoppingtown Downtown Plaza (between Fourth and Seventh and J and L Streets). Including a Macy’s and a Hard Rock Café, this is the place to spend an entire day shopping. In the same neighbor hood is the Virgin Megastore and the original Tower Records.
You may also want to walk the streets of Old Sacramento and Midtown to find trendy, smaller boutiques which is where you’ll find more unusual items.