Working, raising children, running errands, living in a big city — all this can be exhausting. We spend most of our days, weekends, and years in a hurry, in a crowd, in noise. It makes the time spent alone and away from the crowds more valuable. When we’re alone, we learn to listen to ourselves, recognize our desires, and recover from the stress received both outside and inside. Finding quiet places in the middle of such a megapolis as Sacramento might be complicated. Complicated, but not impossible. If you’re having any issues with this — ask locals, and they’ll give you some advice. But keep in mind they usually don’t want to share their secret spots with strangers (and we totally understand them).
In this article, we collected the best quiet places in Sacramento. Among them, you can find the one (or a few) that will be perfect for you, your friends, your loved ones. Choose the place you like the most, go there, and spend time all by yourself.
We know Celine Dion would sing being all by yourself isn’t the best pastime, but sometimes it’s all you need to go back to yourself and find inner peace.
Sacramento, as the City of Trees and the River City, is well-known for its parks, gardens, and forests. In 2014, The Trust for Public Land titled Sacramento as one of the top 10 USA cities with the best park systems, and it got a title like this, not for nothing. One year earlier, Sacramento got on the list of 10 Best Urban Forests in the USA, and, again, this was not an unreasonable decision.
There are many great parks and squares in Sacramento, and you probably know all of them. But there are parks and secret spots hidden from view, where you won’t find many people and will spend time alone with the rich nature of Sacramento.
Natomas Oaks Park is just a place like this.
Natomas Oaks Park (2230 River Plaza Drive, 95833) is an oak park spread out on the square of 13 acres, being close to Chevy on the River, where one can satisfy their hunger and quench their thirst. People loving having barbecues and small picnics in nature might find Natomas Oaks Park a perfect spot for these purposes. Those who love having picnics with friends and enjoy looking at wildflowers (such as wild buttercups) in bloom might find large grassy spaces of the park attractive for these purposes. Joggers escaping noisy crowds and seeking empty (or almost empty) jogging trails might consider trails of Natomas Oaks Park as their next jogging spot.
WPA Rock Garden at William Land Park (3800 William Land Park Drive, 95822) is the second hidden spot on our list and another quiet place in Sacramento. WPA Rock Garden is somewhat a park within a park that occupies just one acre and is almost invisible for visitors of William Land Park. While visitors are heading to the duck pound, Fairytale Town, or the Land Park Golf Course, they skip hidden in the bushes WPA Rock Garden built in 1940 by workers of a New Deal program. This place is rich in California native plants, flowers, and foliage. Crossing the garden by wandering paths, visitors get to the middle of this heavenly spot, where they can rest in the circular stone arbor. If you want to get lost in the wild garden surrounded by the bustling park, WPA Rock Garden is the perfect option. Take your kids with you, or come here alone — we’re sure you won’t regret having this experience.
The Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery (1000 Broadway, 95818) is, perhaps, one of the quietest places in Sacramento. Mainly, the credit goes to the fact it’s a cemetery, and it’s usually quiet at places like this. But this cemetery is well-known not only for its serene atmosphere but also for the rose garden hidden inside its ancient walls. There are more than 200 varieties of antique roses and 500 plants in total. And all of them have been growing in the garden since the Gold Rush era. The World Federation of Rose Societies’ based in Lyon, France, considered this the solid reason for awarding the Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery with the Garden of Excellence award in 2015. Another reason for visiting this rose garden is the gravesites of such famous people of Sacramento as E.B.Crocker (the founder of Crocker Art Museum), Mark Hopkins (Central Pacific Railroad), and John Sutter (Sutter’s Fort). Imagine wandering between gravesites of prominent personalities, watching the antique roses in bloom, and being away from the crowds. All at once. Sounds astonishing, right?
Sand Cove Park (2005 Garden Highway, 95833) is the perfect place for swimming, sunbathing, and having picnics on the sand. Sand Cove Park is located along the Sacramento River and occupies 10 acres of nature area. If you go there, you will find a perfect sand beach, comfortable access to the river, and free off-street parking. Take your friends, kids, and pets with you, have a picnic on the sand of the river, and swim in its waters. But don’t forget to take life vests with you, as undercurrents of the Sacramento River might be dangerous (especially for kids). As not so many Sacramento residents know about this place, waters near the Sand Cove Park are clean, and, as almost no one knows about the park, its beach is empty, which is essential in times of pandemic.
East Portal Park (1120 Rodeo Way Sacramento, CA 95819) is a secret spot on the map of Sacramento. Tourists don’t know about its existence, and locals don’t hurry to uncover this precious gem. East Portal Park is located away from the crowds and traffic of the city, in the neighborhood of Sacramento. This park is perfect for Sunday walks with family, small picnics with friends, dog walking, and meditations early in the morning (if you’re a fan of this). Get lost in the foliage of the park with a book and a cup of coffee, and forget about the problems and responsibilities of big city life. At least for some time.
Paradise Beach (5211 Carlson Dr. Sacramento, CA 95819) is a tiny beach only locals know about. This beach is hiding under the tall grass and not-so-convenient paths, but if you’re lucky and patient enough, you will find this secret spot. And it will be totally worth it. Locals say Paradise Beach is a perfect option for families with kids and pets (as this place is dog-friendly), so pack your lunch, grab your kids, and get ready to spend a few hours in this tiny local paradise.
Nimbus Flat (1901 Hazel Ave Sacramento State Aquatic Center Gold River, CA 95670) is a national park where families with kids or single individuals can safely enjoy their time, spend weekends, and entertain themselves. You can walk around the park, or you can have a picnic there — it’s up to you. Also, you can kayak at the Nimbus Flat if there won’t be any restrictions due to the pandemic. But even if there are no kayaks, you can still enjoy time spent in this beautiful national park. Take a book, a board game, a magazine — anything that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed.
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