Sacramento Trains & Fairytale Town
Giant steam engines, a storybook playground and wooden sidewalks in Old Sacramento. Easy, flat and good in any weather.
1.5 hrs drive · 1–2 days · Best for toddlers to big kids · Year-round
Day 1: Trains & Old Sac
- 10:00 California State Railroad Museum
- 12:30 Lunch in Old Sacramento
- 2:00 Walk the riverfront and wooden boardwalks
- 4:00 Hotel pool break
Day 2: Land Park
- 9:30 Fairytale Town storybook play park
- 11:30 Sacramento Zoo, right across the road
- 1:30 Picnic in William Land Park, then home
From parents who have been
- The Railroad Museum has no lot of its own. Use the Old Sacramento Garage at 2nd and I or the Tower Bridge Garage. Metered street spots in Old Sac are hard to find, need coins and allow only about 90 minutes. Marin Mommies
- Little kids should head to the third floor. It has Thomas layouts and big train tables where parents can sit. Several families said it was their preschooler's favorite part. Trips With Tykes
- Don't miss the St. Hyacinthe sleeping car, which gently rocks and plays train sounds. Kids also liked walking through the dining car set with real railroad china. Marin Mommies
- Keep your museum ticket. A 2026 reviewer says it gets you back in the same day, so you can break for lunch in Old Sac and come back. TripAdvisor review
- Easy kid food in Old Sac: Railroad Fish and Chips (counter service with outdoor benches), Danny's Mini Donuts fried to order, and Dole Whip at Boxcar Eats across from the depot. Many places turn into adult bar scenes at night. Trips With Tykes
- Fairytale Town works best for kids under about 8. Pack a picnic for under the trees, and pay the small extra for the key that opens the talking story boxes. Kids like watering the vegetable garden. Islands.com
Good to know
- The railroad museum is indoors, so it works on hot or rainy days
- Fairytale Town and the zoo are side by side, so park once
- Summer afternoons are very hot, so do outdoor stops in the morning
- Fairytale Town keeps winter hours (Nov–Feb): Thursday to Sunday only, 10–4, and closes in bad weather
- Sacramento Southern train rides end in October; until spring only themed rides like The Polar Express run