Sacramento is not just a great vacation destination for families but also an excellent home for people who want to raise their children in a city that offers a wide range of kid-centric places and activities.
Below is the list of kid-friendly places in Sacramento that you may want to check out with your kids.
Antelope Community Park
This 41-acre public park is clean and relatively uncrowded, making this a perfect place for anyone who wants to take a morning stroll on paved walkways with benches that offer a quiet spot. Meanwhile, the park also houses a garden and nature center.
As a family-friendly community park, it also has an expansive playground, picnic areas with tables (some are for rentals), seven tennis courts, two softball fields, and a baseball field.
In addition, the Antelope Community Park houses an aquatic center (available for rentals) with three pools and water features designed for kids.
Other facilities include bike racks, multiple drinking fountains, restrooms, unpaved trails, two parking lots (and off-street parking spaces), five BBQ areas, and sports lighting.
Location: 8012 Palmerson Drive, Antelope, CA 95843
Operating hours: Sunrise to sunset
Note: The tennis courts and softball fields are closed at 10 pm and 11 pm, respectively.
Contact: (916) 725-1585 (Antelope Aquatic Complex)
Foothill Community Park
The Foothill Community Park is a 24.87-acre public park that houses three children’s playgrounds, two tennis courts, soccer fields, a community center, 12 covered picnic tables, seven BBQ areas, and a bike rack, restrooms, and a garden and nature center.
The well-maintained community park is notable for its extensive walking, hiking, and biking trails, some of which offer a magnificent view of the lake and the surrounding mountain range.
The Foothill Community Park also has an expansive grass field that is an excellent spot for a quiet picnic and kite-flying.
Location: 5510 Diablo Drive, Sacramento, 95842
Operating Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Scandia Fun Center
It’s a bit surprising to know that this theme park also gives educational tours that focus on the principles of physics like centrifugal force, gravity and friction, aerodynamics, hydroelectric power, renewable energy, and electric motors.
The theme park teaches classroom subjects through real-life and hands-on experience to help children better understand complex principles and theories.
While some of their rides are reserved for older children (or at least 4 feet tall) like the thrill ride called Sky Screamer, some provide a more laid-back experience such as the bumper boats, race cars, slides, and flying/spinning rides.
Note: Some rides require kid passengers to be accompanied by an adult.
In addition to rides, Scandia also houses two Scandinavian-themed mini-golf courses dotted with thousands of flowers along rushing rivers, trickling streams, and cascading waterfalls.
Other facilities include batting cages (hardball, slow, and fast pitching machines), an arcade game area, a party pavilion, and snack bars.
Location: 5070 Hillsdale Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95842
Operating hours: 916-331-5757
SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (formerly Powerhouse Science Center)
SMUD is focused on teaching science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) to visitors and “campers.” Arguably, this well-loved museum is most famous for its in-person summer camps that encourage participants to play, experiment, “get dirty,” innovate and explore to understand complex classroom subjects better.
Their weeklong, full-day summer camps cater kindergartens to six-graders with their age-appropriate lessons and activities. Meanwhile, the sign-up fee is $260 for members and $280 for non-members.
Note: The summer camps, which have already started in June 2021, are hosted at SMUD’s new building located at 400 Jibboom Street in Downtown Sacramento.
Location: 3615 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95821
Contact number: 916-674-5000 (Monday to Friday, between 10 am and 4 pm)
