Things to Do in West Sacramento

Make up for the ill-fated model-train competitions of your childhood by celebrating National Train Day in style. You'll board the locomotive in full Victorian regalia at the Sacramento Southern Railroad ticket office in Old Sacramento and embark on an epic 40-minute journey through the central California wilderness. Amid the train's historic 1920s-era El Dorado luxury car, your 6-mile round-trip ride will transport you along the edge of the Sacramento River in the style of politicians and highfalutin VIPs of bygone days. The air-conditioned cabin boasts plush ruby sofas and expansive windows for taking in the panoramic views while enjoying complimentary lemonade and cookies.

Upon arrival at Alpha Fired Arts, commence the creative process by selecting a ceramic bisque piece from the studio's extensive collection of ready-to-paint artifacts, including plates, platters, cookie jars, and flower pots perfect for storing secret cookies. Next, dig into the depths of your thinker to come up with a design, sketch it out with pencil, and select your glaze colors. If your creativity gets hit with a ceramic block, draw on Alpha's collection of stamps and stencils for inspiration as you craft your masterpiece. When you've finished applying pigment, leave your work behind for a final firing in the kiln. After applying the first part of this Groupon to Alpha Fired Arts' studio fee ($9/adults, $7/kids), which includes the use of brushes, underglaze colors, stamps, and stencils, you can use the remaining value toward up to two ready-to-paint bisque pieces (many cost $5–$20).

The California Automobile Museum weaves the story of the automobile's birth and development through a gleaming collection of cars that dates back to the 1880s. Guests meander through 72,000 square feet of luxury and muscle vehicles, from pre–Model T Fords and green vehicles to Lamborghinis and modern NASCAR vehicles. In addition to its permanent collection and current exhibits, the museum's displays are always changing due to donations from private collectors and the hot rod fairy, allowing visitors to see a varying display of vehicles on different visits. Guests can also visit the gift shop stocked with auto-centric goodies, including car-related fine-art photography, T-shirts, kids' arts and crafts, and die-cast models of classic cars.

Laying a hand on a piece of the ornately carved fauna that chase each other around Funderland’s carousel, one can nearly hear the gleeful shouts of the innumerable happy riders who have graced the attraction since it is was built in 1947. A happy chorus of youthful shouts brings the present day back to life, drifting from rides such as the log flume and the Funderland train ride, which chugs slowly past diminutive rustic cabins under the shade-giving arms of evergreen trees. The Red Baron ride whisks youngsters off the ground, granting an improved view of the 2-acre playground as the tiny crimson planes pirouette through the air. Current owner Sam Johnston pays almost daily visits to the family-entertainment emporium and takes pride in the role the park plays in supporting local causes and helping families spend time together amid constant distractions such as work, TV, and the disco dancers that refuse to leave one's living room.

"Ornate" and "sweeping" only begin to describe the Crest Theatre, whose rich history extends back to 1912, when it was opened as a vaudeville house. Within its gargantuan auditorium, plush seats perch in subtly curved rows while elaborate lights and a sea-blue ceiling wash the space in ethereal hues. Moviegoers settle into the elegant confines to take in both new and classic films, reading the subtitles in a whisper to stuffed animals that forgot their glasses. Out in the lobby, a richly patterned carpet and bronzed floral motif cover the sprawling space as visitors belly up to the bar and snack on high-quality goodies.

RPM Indoor Kart Racing indulges a driver's need for speed with two connectable indoor racecourses, refereed by staff members during high-octane heats. After stepping into the spacious lobby with high ceilings and a two-story window overlooking the track, adult drivers slap down a valid driver's license and sign a liability form in exchange for a racing suit and helmet. Once suited up, they climb into a 9-horsepower race kart that reaches speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, roughly the speed of an ostrich riding a moped.

The raceway's two sweeping thoroughfares—the Monster Energy Track and the Unbound Energy Track—send amateur IndyCar drivers zooming around adrenaline-filled turns. On Mondays, the two courses unfurl into one gargantuan raceway—the Lost Big Gun Track. Races include sprint and grand prix competitions with 8–10 racers, or Hot Laps that pit drivers against the clock, which despite one hand being smaller than the other, is actually a pretty good driver.

Guaranteeing maximum safety, referees keep their eagle eyes peeled during every race to enforce the courses' rules of the road. After heated competitions, former enemies bury the hatchet and become lifelong frenemies over refreshments in the Skybox, a windowed lounge that overlooks the tracks.