Sacramento, California, serves as the capital of the state as well as a culture and tourism center in Northern California. Visitors to, and residents of, Sacramento can find a variety of fun things to do. Options include enjoying touring city attractions and historic buildings. Sacramento also hosts a variety of special festivals each year, including some that feature live entertainment.
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park is on N Street, between Eighth and Ninth Streets, in Downtown Sacramento. The California State Parks Department oversees the site of this historic home. Built in 1856, the house became a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Sacramento visitors can tour the 19,000-square-foot home, which has undergone extensive restoration to add fabrics and carpeting that resemble the original Victorian furnishings. Original artwork and bronze and crystal light fixtures are located throughout the house. After the tour, visitors can tour the 19th-century-style English gardens that surround the home.
The Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park is open daily, closing only on some major holidays. As of October 2010, general admission for the tour is $5. Children enjoy discounted rates. The nearest parking lot is five blocks away on N Street. Three public bus stops are within a block of the state park.
The Sacramento Zoo is on West Land Park Drive to the south of Downtown Sacramento. The City of Sacramento operates the zoo, which opened on June 2, 1927. The facility carries the accreditation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, an honor reserved for roughly 10 percent of the U.S. zoos and animal attractions. The zoo covers around 14 acres of land and has more than 600 animals, approximately 140 of which are endangered species. Among the animals in the zoo's many exhibits include primates such as the lemurs and gibbons. The Sacramento Zoo also features a children's area with a carousel that consists of 32 wild animals rather than horses.
The Sacramento Zoo is open daily, although hours vary from month to month. General admission is $10.50 as of October 2010. Senior citizens and children receive discounted admission rates. Free parking is available on site.
Each year, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and businesses in the capital area combine efforts to present The Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee. The event occurs over Memorial Day Weekend and began in 1974. The festival starts on Friday and lasts through Monday each year. Live concerts occur throughout the weekend of the festival, with around 60 bands performing a variety of jazz styles, including Zydeco, ragtime, blues and traditional. Other shows are also held during the event each year, such as swing dance competitions and gospel choir concerts. The event occurs throughout the town, typically at more than 20 venues. Free shuttles run throughout the weekend to transport festival goers from location to location.
Tickets are required to attend the Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee. Prices vary annually. With the purchase of a ticket, visitors can also tour five area museums for free during the festival: the California State Railroad Museum, the California State Military Museum, the Sacramento History Museum, the Schoolhouse Museum and the Old Sacramento Wells Fargo History Museum.
