Things To Do With Your Kids Before School Starts in the Sacramento Area

Calling all parents, nannies, grandparents and parental figures! This is not a drill. School is just around the corner, and we need to rally together to make sure we make the most out of these final glorious days of summer.

Thankfully, there are several summery activities for the whole family to enjoy in and around Sacramento that will ensure you capitalize on the sunshine before it’s time to hit the books. Take a look at a few of our favorite ways to savor summer, and let us know what activities you would add to this list!

Dive Into a Pool

One of the most obvious ways to spend your final days of summer is at a local pool. While the weather is still hot, dive into one of these refreshing pools scattered in and around the city!

Photos Courtesy of Folsom Aquatic Center and West Sacramento Aquatics Center

City of Sacramento Pools — Sacramento

Folsom Aquatic Center — Folsom

Roseville Aquatics Complex — Roseville

Sierra Pool — Auburn

Wackford Aquatic Complex — Elk Grove

West Sacramento Aquatics Center — West Sacramento

Cool Off at a Water Park

Take your pool trip to the next level with a thrilling trip to one of these water parks.

Head to Raging Waters at the CalExpo, where you’ll find plenty of rides, slides, wave pools, rivers and kiddie pools! Raging Waters features more than 25 exhilarating water attractions for children and adults of all ages.

Photo Courtesy of Raging Waters

Or visit Golfland-Sunsplash in Roseville for an action-packed day splashing around on their 30+ exciting rides and attractions. There are plenty of water attractions and slides, including Riptide, a toe-curling 65-foot drop loaded with dizzying twists and turns that ends with a high-speed shot up a nearly vertical wall!

Wake Island Waterpark in Pleasant Grove is the largest waterpark resort on the West Coast. This 80-acre aqua park contains more than 50 new inflatable slides, bridges and towers, all interconnected and floating in a large and clean lake surrounded by a sandy shore. The park also features cable wakeboarding, beach volleyball, pedal boats and paddleboarding!

Hop on Board the Train

A ride on a train is always a magical experience for kids and kids-at-heart alike. Hop on board the Sacramento RiverTrain, a family-owned business dedicated to preserving a piece of Northern California history and sharing the timeless joy of rail travel. The train ride takes you from West Sacramento to Woodland 16 miles away, at a leisurely 10–15 miles per hour.

Photos Courtesy of Sacramento RiverTrain

Their new RiverTrain Excursion is perfect for families, showcasing the timeless fun of passenger trains in their newly remodeled cars. Each ticket includes a 2-hour train ride with live music from a strolling musician. Food is also available for purchase during your excursion! Check out their upcoming dates to make your train ride plans for the whole family.

Have a Blast at Funderland Amusement Park

During an eventful day spent at Land Park, make sure you take a trip to Funderland Amusement Park located next to the Sacramento Zoo! This amusement park has been dishing up kid-sized thrills since 1947, with a variety of rides from a Flying Dragon roller coaster to a peaceful Funderland Train ride. The kids will have a blast at this park, and you can even visit the zoo and Funderland back-to-back if you’re up for an extremely action-packed day!

Photo Courtesy of Funderland Amusement Park

Ride Horses at Shadow Glen Riding Stables

Take the whole family horseback riding at Shadow Glen Riding Stables in Fair Oaks. Travel by horse on a scenic one-hour or two-hour western trail ride along the American River at Lake Natoma. These rides are fully guided by wranglers knowledgeable of the area, which is both extremely beautiful and varied in terrain, as you travel up and down hills and through trees.

Photos Courtesy of Shadow Glen Riding Stables

Make your reservation at least 24 hours in advance, as these popular rides fill up quickly. You may call 916-989-1826 for ride times and availability.

If your kids enjoy their horseback riding experience enough, you can even sign them up for horseback riding lessons with Shadow Glen! This is the perfect way to introduce this relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

Take the Whole Family to Scandia Family Fun Center

The Scandia Family Fun Center in Sacramento is your one-stop-shop for family entertainment, featuring tons of rides, arcade games, miniature golf, batting cages and restaurants. Don’t miss the Crazy Dane Coaster or the Sky Screamer, both of which are in plain sight because of their massive sizes!

Photos Courtesy of Scandia Family Fun Center

Get a Round of Ice Cream Cones

Say “cheers!” to summer with a round of ice cream cones for the entire family. We can’t think of a more iconic location for such an occasion than Gunther’s Ice Cream on the edge of Curtis Park. You’ll be convinced of their quality after just one bite of their delicious ice cream crafted with a slow, hand-controlled method they have perfected since opening their doors in 1940. The kids will appreciate a special trip to Gunther’s just for these amazing sweet treats, especially when they take their first bite!

Photo Courtesy of Gunther’s Ice Cream

Head to the Beach

Embark on a family road trip during one of the final weekends before school starts to one of the many beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Head to Marin County for some of the best beaches around, where you’ll find the beach towns of Muir Beach and Stinson Beach. Or head a little more north to Dillon Beach or Bodega Bay! But since you’re already in the area, you might want to turn your day trip into a weekend adventure with a trip to San Francisco, where you’ll find several beaches in the bay near downtown offering stunning views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Wherever you go along the coast, the kids will appreciate the fresh seawater breeze, the ultimate sand for building sandcastles, and the chance to feel the ocean water splash up on their ankles.

Enjoy the final days of summer!

What activities would you add to this list? We’d love to know!