Visit California’s Capitol Building and Museum, stroll through rose gardens, watch squirrels chase each other, enjoy some exercise or simply relax with a picnic on the manicured lawns of Sacramento Capitol Park. You’ll find yourself coming back here again and again during your time in Sacramento.
A Californian governor, Leland Stanford, declared in 1863, “An edifice should be constructed… surrounded by grounds with a beauty and luxuriousness that no other capitol could boast.” His mission succeeded. Flowerbeds and neat rows of trees line the park’s long, wide walking paths, demonstrating a classic example of Victorian-era city planning.
State Capitol Park spans 12 city blocks. Follow the neat 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) loop along its perimeter or delve into the interior. Favorites for many visitors are the World Peace Rose Gardens and its central fountain. Besides the park’s original cedars and California fan palms, you’ll find trees ranging from Australian bunya-bunyas to Chinese elms. One of the tallest trees, at 120 feet (37 meters), is a coastal redwood that started as a seed that traveled to the moon.
The focal point of the park is the neoclassical State Capitol Building, housing the California Legislature since 1869. While still the seat of today’s government, it also serves as a museum. Enter to watch democracy in action or join a free guided tour, available hourly until late afternoon.
Separated by 10th Street are two later extensions to the Capitol, housing the State Library, Supreme Court and other state offices. Between the two sites, use the fountain of the Capitol Mall as an idyllic meeting place.
The park is also home to many of the state’s war memorials, such as the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Civil War Memorial Grove of trees sprung from saplings taken from historic battlefields. Also look for the obelisk honoring California veterans from other major wars.
Come to the public Capitol Park during the day for the safest and most interesting visit. Nearby street parking is metered during business hours. Spaces fill fast, but there is a multistory parking garage on 9th Street between L and K streets.
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