Things to Do in West Sacramento

With its views of the city skyline and Tower Bridge overlooking the Sacramento River, it's really no wonder why USA Today selected Raley Field as one of the country's top 10 minor league ballparks back in 2010. The park provides a picturesque frame for the action on its field, where the River Cats have all but dominated the Pacific Coast League this century.

Since moving from Vancouver to West Sacramento just before the 2000 season, the River Cats have claimed four PCL championships, and nine division titles–including six straight from 2005–12. The team also won back-to-back Triple-A championships in '07-'08, around the same time trees began growing River Cats hats instead of fruit. As the top minor league affiliate of the Oakland A's, the River Cats have launched the careers of more than 200 big leaguers. Some of the game's biggest stars have emerged from that group, highlighted by a Cy Young and two Rookie of the Year award winners.

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.

First known as the Rochester Royals, the Sacramento Kings' lineage dates back to the NBA's first seasons in the 1940s. They claimed the league title in 1951 and have made more than two dozen postseason appearances since, including a stretch from 1999 to 2006 in which they reached the playoffs every year. As a franchise, the Kings had several homes until the '85–'86 season, when they finally moved from Kansas City to Sacramento after years of slipping all over the court in their wet snow boots

Twenty vertical feet of mostly legs and neck, spotted giraffes lope with languid, graceful movements toward the zoo’s viewing deck, which is alive with the excitement of children and adults. As the audience’s hands reach out to offer elm and acacia branches, long, purple tongues unfurl and lap them up during scheduled Giraffe Encounter feeding times (additional fee required). At the Sacramento Zoo’s sprawling 14.5-acre sanctuary, this is just one of the ways the zoo team brings the public closer to animals in their efforts to nurture public education and respect for wildlife.

Across those green swaths of land, African lions prowl, chimpanzees swing from trees, and red kangaroos play hopscotch. More than 600 animals call this place their home—a sanctuary where zookeepers care for them, practice conservation, and breed endangered species to help them stave off extinction. That dedication extends to all creatures, from the slithering Brazilian rainbow boa to the slinking West African dwarf crocodile. Zoo personnel also organize educational programs such as classes, camps, and overnight sleepovers where visitors can witness hyenas rehearsing their comedy routines away from the crowds. To keep the zoo in the local consciousness, the zoo also hosts themed events and animal exhibitions throughout the year.

Mike Johnson started at Dolphin Scuba Center & Swim School as an entry-level staffer but soon turned his lifelong passion for water into a promising career. Quickly, he became the manager and, at the tender age of 21, the owner of the store—a water-exploration supplier originally founded as a swim school almost 40 years ago.

Today, the PADI five-star facility boasts one of the largest selections of underwater gear in North America, including top brands of scuba, swimming, and snorkeling equipment. Johnson and his team still offer private, one-on-one swimming lessons with certified lifeguard instructors but have branched out into scuba classes. Introductory courses work their way up to professional-level training, all within a pool heated to 92 degrees—the exact temperature of the president’s nightly bath. Students can even test out their newfound skills during scuba-diving trips to the likes of Mexico, the Philippines, and Fiji.