If you are looking for something fun and FREE to with kids of any age, then check out the Capitol Aquarium downtown.   They are a family-owned and operated business that has been around for over 40 years.  Even though it is a retail store, families are welcome to wander through any time.  They have over 500 aquariums with a wide variety of fresh and saltwater fish.

You can see every size, shape and color fish.  There are even frogs, turtles and best of all an electric eel!  Our favorite part of a visit there is feeding the Koi carp in the small pond by the entrance.  Bring quarters for the fish food vending machine and have a ball!  Click here to take a virtual tour.

Capitol Aquarium
1920 29th Street
Sacramento, CA
(916) 452-5556
www.capitolaquarium.net

Close

What a beautiful little zoo!  The kids and I ventured there with some good friends for the first time this summer and had a great time!   The Folsom Zoo is not a “mainstream” zoo.  This unique zoo provides sanctuary to some very special animals.  Many were raised and rejected as wild pets.  Others were injured or orphaned in the wild.  All have names and personalities, and their individual stories are posted at the exhibits, along with factual, up-to-date information about their species.  The zoo teaches about common and uncommon animals, both wild and domestic, while promoting responsible and appropriate behavior toward all animals.

After visiting all of the animals in the zoo, which took us about an hour, we enjoyed our picnic lunch in the shaded area right outside the entrance.  There is also a playground for the kids to finish wearing themselves out before going home!  We did not happen to be there when the train was running but apparently The Folsom Valley Railway (located between the zoo and the library) can be a real highlight of the Folsom Zoo experience.

Another plus for this zoo is that admission is so inexpensive.  Kids ages 2 - 12 are $3.00 and Adults are just $4.00.  I only spent $10.00…what a deal!  You can get in for even cheaper if you go on the first Tuesday of the month (September through February) on their Half-off Admission days.

I recommend checking the zoo out on one of these cooler fall days as you’re more likely to find the animals playing or eating.  The crowds are likely to be smaller when summer’s done and you’ll be able to spend more time walking and enjoying eachother’s company.  So go visit the animals while the weather is still great!

Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
403, Stafford Street, Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 351-3527

Normal Hours (Sept through May): Tues - Sun 10am - 4pm
Closed Mondays for animal rest days
Summer Hours (June 1 - Aug 31): Tues - Sun 9am - 3pm

Close

At Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova sits the cutest little Petting Barn.  It is taken care of by the Rancho Cordova Girl Scouts.  I was aware that they open on weekends for FREE…but when I called for more information, I was told that every Tuesday they hold a Storytime in the Barn.  Well, we had to check it out!

The Experience:

The kids were excited to go to a “real barn” and see the animals.  They were even more excited when we got there and they were able to have  a more interactive experience than we expected.  There was a donkey, a goat, a rabbit, chickens, birds and the sweetest baby lamb.  The kids and I agreed that the highlight was feeding the chickens out in the chicken yard!  Friendly Ms. Lu made this a wonderful experience by guiding their interactions with the animals, giving them some tips, and answering their questions.  She then read a few animal stories while the children all sat on haystacks.

Expenses:

The fee is $5.00 per child and it was well worth the experience!  On the weekends the petting barn is FREE.  (There is a $4.00 parking fee that you do not have to pay when attending Storytime on Tuesday).

Tips:

You can bring your own carrots and crackers to feed the animals.

There is a playground close to the petting barn.  We brought a picnic lunch and played with the new friends we met at Storytime.

Storytime: All year long, Tuesday 10:00 - 10:45 AM; $5.00/per child or $16.00 for 4-pass punchcard

Weekends: Petting Barn open May - September,  Saturday and Sunday 12:00 - 4:00 PM.

Steam Train rides are available behind the Petting Barn on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:00 - 4:00 PM!

Petting Barn & Steam Train rides are FREE!  (Donations suggested)

Hagan Community Park Petting Barn

2197 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova

(916) 362-1841

Close

School’s out…summer is officially here!  If you’re anything like me, you’re hoping to find budget-friendly activities for the kids.  I have found that there are many fun things to do with kids in Sacramento that are FREE!  Yes, FREE!  Here is a list of 12 things to do that are sure to please.  Click on each item for details.

1. Summer Movies

2. Spray Grounds

3. Concerts in the Park

4. Library Storytimes & Events

5. Capitol Aquarium

6. Hagan Park Petting Barn

7. Effie Yeaw Nature Center

8. Old Sacramento

9. Capitol Museum

10. Jelly Belly Factory

11. Davis Arboretum

12. Cosumnes River Preserve

Kids looooooove animals!  Don’t they??  You can never go wrong taking your little ones to check out any of these places…

CAPITOL AQUARIUM

www.capitolaquarium.net

1920 29th Street, Sacramento, CA
(916) 452-5556
Open Daily 10-6
FREE

Capitol Aquarium is a family-owned and operated business, serving the Sacramento area for over 40 years.  They feature over 500 sparkling aquariums with a wide variety of healthy fish and saltwater fish, as well as a complete line of products for every aquarium hobbyist.  They have a small pond with Koy fish upon entering, where visitors can sit on a bench and feed the fish with fish food from their coin-operated machine.

(more…)