Capitol Park

We recommend you start your trip to the park with a free escorted tour of the capitol building (recent visitors describe it as both beautiful and educational). Next up: A trip to the grounds' state museum, which holds a collection of artistic depictions of the California, plus antiques, murals and governors portraits. Strolls through the park are also recommended. The surrounding green space has four notable memorials among neatly manicured areas, perfect for a relaxing break.

One TripAdvisor remarks: "People with a historic or political mind might like the capitol museum and building, and children will love running around the beautiful gardens. There are many squirrels. There are also memorials for veterans."

Capitol Park lies at the center of downtown Sacramento. You can visit the capitol, the museum and the park itself for free. Public tours of the capitol building are available on the hour from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. daily, while the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information about the surrounding park, check out the California State Parks website and, for the capitol, see the museum's website.