Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Old Sacramento Underground

    3.7 (88 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Old Sacramento Underground Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Old Sacramento Underground

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Our tour guide.
    Bobbie R.

    Been wanting to do this for a while. Made reservations online. $25. A person, this includes in and out privileges into the California museum for the day. Nice stop for aircon, bathroom and $1. Bottled water. From start to finish the tour was about an hour and 15 minutes. Being a CA native and long time Sac resident I had heard a lot of this information before. Although, I did still learn a lot. Lots of history. Our tour guide did a great job describing everything and answering questions. A worthy tour. Be sure to tip generously.

    Under ground tour
    Cari S.

    I took my in-laws on a Monday and it was just us and 4 others on the tour. My MIL needs a wheelchair for long distances which proved to be helpful, as you walk a few blocks before getting to the first underground spot. Google maps made it difficult to find. If you park in front of the railroad museum and then walk down the street (walk left as you face the RR museum) to the brick building with the green trim, that's it. I've attached a photo of it in relation to the RR museum. The tour was led by a gentleman in costume who told the history in story form. Great for keeping kids' attention, though my children (2yo and 4yo) were still a bit young. I think 3rd graders would love it. We decided to do this tour as it was supposed to rain. It didn't rain, but due to the tour consisting of walking a lot outdoors, that would've been for hardier souls than us. We did enjoy the tour and would take guests there again.

    Arlene E.

    Definitely worth doing, it was priced fairly plus you get free admission into the museum. The tour was 1 hour long and the tour guide was great! He gave us headphones with a radio which worked out perfectly when doing the tour and walking in a big group, we were able to hear perfectly. It was nice to see everything and learn about how Sacramento was built and how Old town came to be. It was all very good information and a lot of great artifacts to look at as well as really taking a look at the old construction.

    Kimberly N.

    I've been on many free walking tours that have lasted several hours where you tip your guide based on how well you liked the tour. This less than an hour tour of "Old Sacramento Underground" is NOT a free one. But the $18 fee per person did include admission to the Sacramento History Museum. Our guide was in character as an older doctor from the area. He knew plenty of facts about the river, storms which caused flooding, and how and why the buildings in Old Sac were raised. It was pretty interesting but we only went in two "underground" areas. One included a demonstration of how the buildings were raised and the other included artifacts supposedly found after excavating the area. I am glad we had the opportunity to check it out but have been on much better tours.

    Christine L.

    I've been on many underground tours in various cities, I would have to say this has been the least impressive thus far. With that being said our guide was knowledgeable of the history and was entertaining but the two underground areas have extremely limited artifacts and things of interest to view. The bonus is your admission also gets you access to the museum so for that the cost is worth it. If you know nothing of the water front history and environmental challenges then this would be a great tour to take.

    Finn our guide
    Karalee H.

    What a fabulous tour full of history, jokes, interactive experiences and fun. My daughter and I took this tour and learned so much and enjoyed every minute. Finn was such a great guide.

    Tour guide dressed in character
    Taylor M.

    This is a very cool tour. You meet with a group at the Sacramento History Museum. This tour includes admission to the Sacramento History Museum. You get head phones and a handheld radio to hear your tour guide as you walk around old sac and look in the underground parts. The tour guide gives you a lot of great information about how old Sacramento was built. There's some cool trivia in there. There are two different "underground" parts you get to see. The tour is an hour long. Definitely worth doing.

    Rachael P.

    Fantastic! Being a newish member of the West Coast, I was excited to learn more about the state that I chose to call home. Sacramento has such rich history and this tour did a great job of encasing you in it. At the tour's start we were greeted by a woman dressed in era-appropriate attire. She sprinkled facts about her "personal" life throughout and seamlessly referred to cars as "horseless carriages." Although she wasn't the most animated, these little details helped elevate the experience. Visitors are given headsets so the tour guide can continue talking while walking the bustling streets of Old Sacramento. Unfortunately, my headphones were finicky at times; fortunately, the worst of it happened right as we entered the first underground space. I absolutely love exploring historic towns and this reminded me of Colonial Williamsburg. Such a great idea to do with kids as well! *Don't forget that tickets include entry into the museum. Definitely leave time before or after the tour to peruse this space!

    Miss Odessa, our guide for the adult underground tour April 24, 2014.  Absolutely the BEST guide I've experienced!!!
    Michelle T.

    I had taken the regular underground tour about a year prior and figured the adult tour would be something fun for a meetup group activity. I love all the rich history in this area and find it all fascinating, even what most would consider "boring". Everyone is gathered in the lobby and our guide, Miss Odessa, comes in. From the moment she came out to the end of the tour, this woman had me in stitches!!! She is absolutely an entertaining gem!! We had some technical difficulties with the listening devices and she just rolled right through it. I like that she stayed in character the whole time, actually recounting historic events from the first person. "As a proper, independent woman.." and all. ;-) So, yes, there are only two buildings that you actually get to go into underground but I think it's enough of a representation on what it was like to really get a feel for how it was. I do wish we could take pictures but apparently the buildings are not owned by the museum, are leased, and they are under contract. Plus, they are still considered active archaeological digs and they don't want just anyone knowing about what's down there. I get it. And the process for raising the streets and buildings is phenomenal! Hard to believe they did it without machinery or any modern technology. Well, no wonder it took 15 years!!! While I don't think there was all that much more that was too adult for kiddos, it was still nice to go on the tour in the evening without children running around. I did learn more about the Hall & Luhr's building, how it was home to several "professional" women... and Miss Odessa used that term loosely. hee hee I would definitely recommend this to anyone, local or tourist, to experience at least once.

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Karyn C.
    7
    667
    1363

    1 year ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 3
    Love this 15
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Christine L.
    52
    245
    146

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 2
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kelly M.
    1124
    801
    1459

    12 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tim G.
    3
    68
    27

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jason B.
    326
    79
    14

    8 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeremy B.
    231
    20
    0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Erin B.
    154
    57
    102

    14 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ben O.
    3
    41
    11

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Robin B.
    581
    131
    181

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Old Sacramento Underground

    Can you take photos on this tour?

    September 16, 2023 For the Old Sacramento Underground Tours, only pictures allowed are outside… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Old Sacramento Underground

    I can honestly say our tour guide, Miss Odessa, is the best tour guide I have every seen.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Museums 1,590 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Sacramento River Cruise

    Sacramento River Cruise

    5.0(54 reviews)
    11.5 mi

    This was a wonderful cruise. I was worried that it might be too hot because the temperature was 86…read moreand I don't do well with heat. However, cruising on the water in a covered boat was very comfortable., Captain Emil is the best! He was very knowledgeable about the local vineyards and served generous pours of local wines. He only pours wines you can't get in stores and buys from small wineries that aren't usually open to the general public. The charcuterie platter was very generous- more than the 4 of us could eat. He offered additional pours of other wines or the opportunity to 'revisit' the wines we liked. All in all a wonderful experience and we plan to make this an annual event!

    I couldn't recommend this place enough! I was visiting my family in the bay and decided to do this…read moreriver cruise and I'm sooo glad we did. Captain Emil was amazing and kept us entertained! You have options of either drinking beer or wine and our captain is very generous so if you ever want to revisit a drink, just let him know. We got to play our own music and it was all great vibes all around. The star was the charcuterie board and everything about it was delicious! It paired well with the wine selection. We requested to have it 30 mins earlier and he was able to accommodate our request. Definitely listen to the captain's instructions and make sure to arrive on time to get the most out of your experience. If you're ever in the Sacramento area, definitely add this to your itinerary! What a great family/friends bonding!

    Photos
    Sacramento River Cruise - Beautiful view

    Beautiful view

    Sacramento River Cruise
    Sacramento River Cruise

    See all

    California State Capitol Museum - Former governor portraits

    California State Capitol Museum

    4.5(325 reviews)
    0.9 miDowntown

    We visited the capital in Sacramento last weekend. Part of it is a museum of restored areas curated…read moreby the California state park system. This is a very interesting area in which to spend some time. As we wandered through the rooms, we came upon an attendant. She wasn't there as an official docent, but as an employee of the state park system. System. She asked if we had any questions, and then answered everything. We wanted to know with very complete answers and told us a lot of information about the place. It was very informative. If you're in Sacramento, I recommend visiting the capitol. It's great to see where our state government really happens.

    On a day trip to Sacramento, we stopped by the California State Capitol Museum for a quick…read moreself-guided walk. If we had more time, we would have taken one of the public tours, which usually last 45 minutes to an hour. We went up to the 4th floor thinking we might be able to listen in on the State Assembly session, but because of time constraints we had to leave and made our way down through the 3rd floor, 2nd floor, lobby, and basement. There's a lot to see, including the 1st floor Rotunda and county exhibits, the 2nd floor Senate and Assembly Chambers plus historic Governor's offices, and the 3rd floor portraits. There's definitely more to explore, and I'd like to revisit the California State Capitol Museum on another Sacramento day trip.

    Photos
    California State Capitol Museum - Secretary of State 1902

    Secretary of State 1902

    California State Capitol Museum - Inside the capitol

    Inside the capitol

    California State Capitol Museum - Reagan; only CA governor to become President.

    See all

    Reagan; only CA governor to become President.

    City Cruises - Stale chips and salsa

    City Cruises

    3.7(152 reviews)
    0.3 miOld Sacramento, Downtown
    $$$

    First time here! Food: I tried the mocktail from the bar (margarita) and I liked it. :) service:…read morenice staff . Ambiance: beautiful views of the Sacramento River and it was so relaxing .

    My family and I were very excited to attend the 1-hour Sacramento Historical River Tour and learn…read moremore about Old Sacramento. Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing due to poor communication, lack of signage, and unprofessional customer service. We followed the instructions exactly as stated in the confirmation email and arrived at 1206 L Street, next to Joe's Crab Shack, as instructed. The email stated we were to be at the dock by 10:45 AM for the 11:00 AM tour, and we arrived at 10:40 AM along with several other guests. No staff members were present at the dock, and there was no one available to check anyone in. We waited until around 11:10 AM, during which time multiple customers double-checked their emails and confirmed we were all at the correct location. One guest even called the company to inform them that several customers were waiting with no staff present. At approximately 11:10 AM, the woman working the ticket stand arrived for her shift. At that point, we were told that a different location had supposedly been included in the purchase email. However, all of us had the same instructions, and the address we were given also matches what appears on Google Maps and Apple Maps. There were no signs, no arrows, and no posted instructions anywhere explaining how to access the dock or where the boat was actually boarding. When my partner and I spoke with the woman at the ticket counter, the situation became even more frustrating. She was argumentative and immediately blamed customers, insisting we had not read the email correctly. She refused to review the email we showed her and would not take accountability for the incorrect or unclear instructions. Instead of acknowledging the confusion or offering assistance, she spoke to customers in a rude and dismissive manner. We were explicitly given two options: 1. Move our experience to a later time 2. Receive a refund Because we had other commitments and did not have the time or patience to go back and forth arguing over money, we requested the refund. However, it became unclear whether the employee had the authority or knowledge to issue refunds. The interaction turned into repeated back and forth, and rather than continuing to argue, we disengaged. We were then told we would be partially compensated for only one ticket, despite having purchased three tickets. No explanation was provided as to why only one ticket would be refunded, and the employee stated that there was no way to leave a note or documentation regarding this promise. Because nothing was documented, we have little confidence that this compensation will actually occur. What made this experience even worse is that the boat left without any staff coming to locate the guests who were waiting at the dock. Some customers eventually figured out where the boat was docked, but by then it had already departed, leaving no opportunity to participate. Overall, we wasted our time traveling to the location, waiting well past the scheduled departure, and attempting to resolve an issue that was not caused by the customers. Mistakes happen. That is understandable. What is not acceptable is: * Incorrect or unclear instructions * No signage directing guests * Staff arriving late for check-in * Offering a refund without the ability or willingness to issue one * Promising compensation without documentation * Poor, dismissive customer service This was a terrible first impression for us and several other first-time guests. While we will attempt the tour again to see if the experience itself redeems the company, I am not optimistic based on how this situation was handled. The company needs to update their emails, provide clear signage, ensure staff arrive on time, and properly train ticket counter employees on customer service, accountability, and refund procedures, especially when errors originate within the company.

    Photos
    City Cruises - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    City Cruises
    City Cruises - July 2025 menu

    See all

    July 2025 menu

    River Fox Train - River Fox Christmas Train

    River Fox Train

    3.0(309 reviews)
    9.1 mi

    Holiday train review - Absolutely spectacular and warm heartening experience for our 3 and 4 year…read moreold girls! I don't know what other low rating patrons are expecting... fireworks? High class service? Jazz band playing in every train car with speakers interconnected? We came expecting nothing and ended up having an incredible experience with beautiful decorations well suited for a sweet, memorable Christmas train experience. Online reservations were simple, easy to obtain, and a lot more affordable compared to the exorbant Polar Express tickets. We're extremely happy that we chose this over Sacramento's Polar Express. It's obvious that their staff spent a lot of time putting work into the trains inner and outter decor - beautiful and creative! Parents and adults FYI - on your way to your reserved train car, there's a small bar after boarding the train. It's very important to load up on your magic drinks before heading to your seat. (Drinks.. not drink! But drink responsibly, of course.) Parking isn't far and although limited, it shouldn't be a problem with reservations handled appropriately. We sang a few Christmas songs with the elves, threw snowballs at the grinch (best part, IMO), met Santa, and had a little fun at Santa's (little) village after the ride. Every sip of their hot cocoa (included with your tickets) was warming and delicious, perfect for cold weather. Couple of cookies came along with it, perfect for our kids to snack on. Overall, this was an incredible experience for our kids! Service was fantastic, ambiance was very jolly and felt like home, staff members are very friendly, and the experience is fantastic for all occasions - family, friends, and dates! The memories are ever lasting and hopefully it becomes a core memory that lasts a lifetime. Highly recommended to experience, at least once, for your little loved ones. We'll be back next year!

    We were NEVER SERVED ANY FOOD during our 2-hour Tea Train and could barely get water…read more About 30 minutes after boarding we were given hot water but no tea bags. We eventually found our own. Refills of hot water, cream, and drinking water required chasing down staff. After 45 minutes we began asking where the food was, while people in another section of the car had already ordered and eaten their meals. Staff kept saying the food would come "soon." It never did. At 1 hour 45 minutes the staff disappeared, and the train returned to the station at 2 hours. No food and no explanation. I had to insist on speaking with a manager and got a refund. I still don't understand how this could happen.

    Photos
    River Fox Train - Boba train! (Lisa_vs_food)

    Boba train! (Lisa_vs_food)

    River Fox Train - Table setting

    Table setting

    River Fox Train - Small, but memorable, Santa's village

    See all

    Small, but memorable, Santa's village

    Old Sacramento Underground - museums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...