Family Vacations in California: California State Railroad Museum

The impact of the railroad and how it shaped the history, culture, and economy of California and the West is told through the various exhibits in this vast Sacramento museum. You'll find 20 meticulously restored railroad cars and locomotives on display here. On the main floor, check out the Governor Stanford steam locomotive, the first engine used by the Central Pacific, and then get a close-up view of a huge diesel engine.

California State Railroad Museum
©2007 Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau
Learn how the railroad helped shape California history at the California State
Railroad Museum.

Several displays invite visitors to climb aboard for a closer look. Children can sit in the engineer's cab of a Santa Fe steam locomotive and experience the sounds and the rocking motion of a sleeping car on a pretend rail trip. Little ones can play with Thomas the Tank Engine trains and wooden Brio trains and tracks. A display entitled Small Wonders: The Magic of Toy Trains features some 1,000 vintage toy trains and an elaborate toy train layout. Between April and September, steam train excursions take visitors for a six-mile round-trip ride along the banks of the Sacramento River.

California State Railroad Museum Information

Address: Second St. and "I" St., Sacramento, CA
Telephone: 916/445-6645
Hours of Operation: Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults; $3 kids

In the San Francisco Bay, you can visit the former home of some of the country's most famous prisoners -- and some of the most famous prison escapes. Keep reading to learn about Alcatraz Island.

To learn more about family vacation destinations, see:

  • Family Vacations: Learn about hundreds of family vacations in destinations all over North America.
  • Los Angeles City Guide: Explore the City of Angels -- Los Angeles is brimming with restaurants, shops, attractions, and the occasional celebrity hotspot.
  • California State Guide: From north to south, California encompasses mountains, deserts, beaches, and vineyards. Learn about it all in our guide to California.
  • Scenic Drives: For those who think getting there is half the fun, we have compiled more than 100 of the most scenic drives throughout the country.