Forgo the Rental Car: Explore Sacramento by Bike

This past 3-day weekend, my boyfriend and I traveled to Sacramento. We were excited to visit because of the outdoor enthusiast community we’ve heard so much about. Not only are boating and hiking year-round sports, getting around Sacramento by bike is easy because of the proximity of many neighborhoods.

Sacramento is a city not often on people’s Bucketlist, even though it’s within a couple hours of popular vacation destinations like San Francisco, Tahoe, and Napa. The last time I was in Sacramento, I was 9 and on a school field trip to the capitol building. Being a California native, I was a little embarrassed to say I’ve never spent any time in our state’s capital.

In the past couple years, I’ve heard of many people leaving Los Angeles and San Francisco for Sacramento, because of its up-and-coming neighborhoods and great communities to raise a family. We were very excited to see what all the buzz is about!

Why You Should Visit Sacramento

SacTown is known for two things besides the capitol building: its microbreweries and coffee shops. And there is surely no shortage of either. I feel like we should add tattoo shops to that list too, as I swear I saw one on every block.

That’s not what drew us to the city though. We had also heard about the huge cycling community in Sacramento. Being a triathlete in LA, I was excited to check out all of the miles and miles of endless roads that wind throughout Sacramento and even connect to other cities.

This city is definitely made for the cyclist!

When you visit, save money on a rental car and gas, and explore Sacramento by bike. Most sights are located relatively close together in the center of town, so it’s easy to get around Sacramento by bike. The airport is about a 15-min drive to downtown, so you can catch a quick Uber and go by pedal the rest of your visit.

Almost every street on the grid (the North/South East/West organization of streets in downtown) has a bike lane. You can check out the City’s Sacramento by Bike guide for more information about trails and safety.

Don’t worry if you don’t own a bike or aren’t traveling with it. We didn’t!

If you’re looking to rent a bike for an hour, half-day, or multiple days, your best bet is to rent a bike from a local shop. I recommend Practical Cycle, located in Sacramento and Folsom, especially if you’re looking to go for a longer ride along the American River Bike Trail.

There are tons of bikes racks throughout Downtown Sacramento, and cafes with outdoor patios, like Zocalo, to keep an eye on your bike. Another reason to explore Sacramento by bike is that car parking can be a bit troublesome in popular areas like Midtown…and expensive. We paid $3.75 an hour for a meter!

If you’re just looking to get from point A to point B quickly, hop on a Jump Bike. The electric bike company, owned by Uber, has now taken over the bike share market in Sacramento. These electric-assist bikes go up to 20mph, so you can get anywhere in a matter of minutes. With over 900 bikes throughout Sacramento and its surrounding areas, you shouldn’t have trouble tracking one down.

What is a bike share?

Unfamiliar to bike shares? They’ve been around for years but really picked up popularity in the past couple years as costs for riding have decreased and availability of bikes has increased! Here’s how it works:

1. Download the bike share app to your phone.
2. Open up the app to locate nearby available bikes.
3. Scan the barcode or enter a code to unlock the bike.
4. Ride for as long as you want.
5. Park the bike at a designated bike rack charging station. (Soon there will be the option to drop off a bike anywhere.)
6. Check that the bike has been locked in your app before walking away.

Explore these Areas in Central Sacramento by Bike

• Old Sacramento – Founded in 1949, this 8-block region is your typical ‘old town’, crowded with small museums, cheesy souvenir shops and salt water taffy stores on every corner. Admire the Old Western town facades. You probably don’t need more than an hour to explore, unless you want to spend some extra time at the museums.
• Capitol Park – Home of the California Legislature since 1869, you can visit the renovated offices of the Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Governor, as well as having the opportunity to see the Senate or Legislature debate a bill or cast a vote. The park and gardens surrounding the building are a perfect location for a walk or picnic.
  
• Midtown – A largely residential community with gorgeous tree-lined streets and old Victorian homes, has become the center of Sacramento’s art, music, and cultural scene. The streets are filled with trendy indoor/outdoors bars, clubs, restaurants, and shops. There is an art show the second Saturday of each month.
• Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park – Named after the Swiss pioneer who is credited with establishing Sacramento as a main settlement on the West Coast, this landmark is the oldest restored fort in the U.S.
  
• Richmond Grove – Similar to Midtown, this up-and-coming area is home to many young professionals with a growing number of swanky gastropubs, cafes and coffee shops. 
• Land Park – About 3 miles from downtown Sacramento is William Land Regional Park. This 166-acre park is my personal favorite in the city. The area includes Fairytale Town (great for kids), Funderland (also great for kids), the Sacramento Zoo, jogging paths, a full golf course, lakes and gardens. 

Explore Surrounding Areas of Sacramento by Bike

• The American River Trail – The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail is well-known for being one of the most picturesque bike paths in the state of California. It connects Old Town Sacramento to Folsom Lake, a mere 32-miles one direction.
• Folsom Lake – Whether you bike from Sacramento, or train up to Folsom to start your ride, there are several bike paths you can choose to ride along. From town, you can follow the American River Trail up to Folsom Lake. A couple of the bike paths take you right through the famous Folsom State Prison, along the Johnny Cash trail. The full loop around the lake is 50 miles.
• Sac –> Davis – Only 15 miles away from Sacramento is the college town of Davis. You can train there, but why not bike instead? You’ll start on West Capitol Ave. from Old Sacramento for approximately 3.25 miles until you get to the Yolo Causeway Bike Path. At the end of the bike path, you’ll continue onto County Road 32A until you reach Davis.
• Miner’s Raving Bike Trail – This gorgeous trail spans roughly 7.5 miles through the suburb of Roseville, ending in Rocklin.