Yesterday we joined a several friends for a visit to the California Automobile Museum, located on Front Street in Sacramento. This museum is a gem “hidden” a half mile south of Old Sac. I put quote around hidden because without our GPS map I doubt we could have found it. With all the one-way streets in Sacramento this is one time where three wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left.

The museum showcases the old and new in well arranged displays. My personal favorite cars were the red 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS (Magnum’s car), 1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Roadster, and 1947 MG-TC (my neighbors car while growing up in Middlebury.) We took part in a scavenger hunt to identify cars with specific details, e.g. “non-skid tires,” “bird on the front,” “made by Walt.” We found them all, with a little help from the docent, who also told us once a month, weather permitting, they take people on rides up through Old Sac in one of their convertibles. What fun!

The California Automobile Museum is well worth the short drive.

The museum isn’t heated. If you go in the winter, take a coat. If you go in the summer go minimalist, it will be hot. Here is another hint, to find it without a GPS go to Old Sac and head south on Front Street. They have free onsite parking, with is a nice touch.

After the museum we stopped at the Delta King for a very nice lunch, it wasn’t their problem I ate too much. We were lucky and found a parking spot on Front Street across from the paddlewheeler hotel/bar/restaurant. There is a public parking garage a block further down the street for the unlucky ones in our group.

Old Sac was pretty busy, the results of a nice, not rainy, Sunday afternoon. Even with the crowds it is always fun to go walk the old west boardwalk and peek into the tourist trap stores. There are some good restaurants and bars along the boardwalk that always promise a good time.