Crocker Art Museum
One of the oldest art museums in the West, set in a Victorian-era mansion joined to a modern wing, with a deep California art collection.
Tip Open late until 9 p.m. on Thursdays; closed Monday and Tuesday. Adults $15.
All guides
Sacramento guide · Updated Oct 2026
Rainy Day in Sacramento
Sacramento doesn't get many rainy days, so when one shows up it's a good excuse to finally do the indoor…
- Best forFamilies, couples and visitors waiting out the weather
- WhereDowntown, Old Sacramento, Midtown, Land Park, East Sacramento
- Budget$$
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Museums worth a whole afternoon
Old Sacramento has three museums within a few blocks of each other, and the Crocker is a short walk south along the river. If you only pick one, make it the Railroad Museum with kids or the Crocker without.
California State Railroad Museum
Full-size restored locomotives and railcars under one roof, including cars you can walk through.
Tip Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 4:30. Adults $12, ages 6-17 $6.
Sacramento History Museum
Gold Rush and city history next door to the Railroad Museum, and the starting point for the Underground Tours.
Tip The roughly one-hour Underground Tour runs rain or shine, seven days a week ($30 adults). Book ahead.
SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC)
Hands-on science museum in an old power station on the river, with more than 100 exhibits and a planetarium.
Tip Best for kids roughly 3-12. Check planetarium show times when you buy tickets.
California Automobile Museum
More than 150 cars, from early 1900s models to alternative-fuel prototypes, in a big warehouse a short drive south of Old Sac.
Tip Plenty of free parking out front, unlike Old Sac.
The California Museum
Home of the California Hall of Fame plus exhibits on California Indians, Chinese Americans, Japanese American incarceration and women's history.
Tip Closed Mondays; opens at noon on Sundays.
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Free: tour the State Capitol
The Capitol is free, indoors and a block from most downtown hotels. Weekday visitors can join a guided tour or wander the historic rooms on their own.
California State Capitol Museum
Restored early 1900s offices, the rotunda and the legislative chambers, with free admission.
Tip Open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed weekends. Expect airport-style security. Call 916-324-0333 for tour times.
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Bowling, arcades and climbing
For burning off energy when the parks are soaked. Downtown's old Punch Bowl Social at DOCO closed and its replacement isn't open yet, so head a little out of the core.
Lucky Strike Sacramento
50 lanes, an arcade, billiards and a sports bar, so there's room even on a busy wet weekend.
Tip Opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; earlier on Mondays and weekends.
The Boulevard
Opened in 2025 in a former Safeway: 65-plus arcade games, bowling, laser tag, billiards and a restaurant and bar.
Tip A 10-minute drive across the river from downtown.
Sacramento Pipeworks
A climbing gym in an old pipe factory with a 40-foot lead wall, 110-plus routes and a big bouldering area.
Tip Day passes are $30 before 3 p.m. on weekdays. First-timers can take an intro to climbing class.
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Old movie palaces
Two of Sacramento's historic theaters still show movies, and both are worth seeing for the buildings alone.
Crest Theatre
A restored 1949 movie palace on K Street that runs classic and cult films, film festivals and concerts.
Tip October brings a run of horror classics; check the calendar since many nights are one-off screenings.
Tower Theatre
The 1938 art deco theater under the Tower neon sign, now run by Angelika and showing independent and foreign films.
Tip Tower Cafe is right next door for dinner after the show.
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Bookstores to get lost in
Three independent shops, each in a different part of town.
Capital Books
An independent bookstore on K Street right next door to the Crest Theatre, in the middle of downtown.
Tip Easy to pair with a Crest movie or a Capitol tour.
Beers Books
Sacramento's oldest bookstore, open since 1936, about 90% used books and movies. It moved to R Street in 2023.
Tip Good for cheap paperbacks; the stock turns over often.
Wild Sisters Book Co.
New and used books with a big children's focus, plus read-alongs and kids' events.
Tip Bring used books for store credit.
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Warm cafes
Places where it's fine to sit for an hour with a laptop or a book.
Old Soul Co. at The Weatherstone
A coffeehouse in an old Boulevard Park horse barn with reclaimed-wood tables; it was Sacramento's first independent coffeehouse.
Temple Coffee Roasters (K Street)
A big, high-ceilinged Midtown cafe from one of the city's best-known local roasters.
Tip Also a location at 2829 S St.
Camellia Coffee Roasters
Local roaster in the R Street corridor, a short walk from Beers Books.
Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters
A neighborhood roaster in East Sac, a good stop after Wild Sisters.
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A warm meal indoors
Longtime Sacramento spots that feel right on a gray day.
Frank Fat's
Open since 1939 a block from the Capitol; known for honey walnut prawns and banana cream pie.
Tip Easy lunch after a Capitol tour.
Tower Cafe
Global comfort food and big desserts since 1990, next to the Tower Theatre.
Pancake Circus
A retro breakfast diner serving pancakes since 1970.
Questions people ask
What is there to do indoors in Sacramento?
Museums are the big draw: the Crocker Art Museum, California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento History Museum, MOSAC science museum, the California Museum and the California Automobile Museum. You can also tour the State Capitol for free on weekdays, bowl at Lucky Strike, climb at Sacramento Pipeworks or catch a film at the Crest or Tower Theatre.
Is the California State Capitol free to visit?
Yes. Admission is free, and it is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's closed on weekends and most holidays, and visitors go through security screening.
What's the best rainy day activity for kids in Sacramento?
The California State Railroad Museum and MOSAC are the two most kid-friendly picks. The Railroad Museum has full-size trains to walk through, and MOSAC has more than 100 hands-on exhibits and a planetarium.
Are the Old Sacramento Underground Tours open when it rains?
Yes. The tours run rain or shine, seven days a week, and leave from the Sacramento History Museum at 101 I St. They last about an hour.
Fits this plan: on this week
Live picks from the Light The Beam calendar, updated daily.
