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Underground passageways run below downtown Sacramento. How to enter the hidden city


Andrea Blatchley from Los Angeles points out an old nail in the beams above her head where the floor was raised as visitors learn about Sacramento history on an Old Sacramento Underground Tour.
Andrea Blatchley from Los Angeles points out an old nail in the beams above her head where the floor was raised as visitors learn about Sacramento history on an Old Sacramento Underground Tour. Sacramento Bee file

Underneath historic Sacramento lies the remnants of a not-so-forgotten city.

A reader asked The Bee: “I’ve heard that there are underground downtown passages. How can I see them? Do I need to book a tour? What would be the cost?”

The Old Sacramento Underground Tours, hosted by the Sacramento History Museum, take people to explore the former city before it was raised due to floods in the 1860s and 1870s. You’ll get to see excavated foundations and enclosed pathways, according Old Sacramento Waterfront, as well as learn about the city’s history.

How to book a tour

You can book a tour online or by calling 916-808-7059.

Tours are available every day and run for one hour. Guests will meet at the Sacramento History Museum, 101 I Street in Old Sacramento.

Ticket prices

Admission for adults starts at $25. Kids ages 6 to 12 enter for $18, and children 5 years old and younger enter free.

What to know before you go

According to the museum, you should wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes as there will be uneven ground.

Parking is available around Old Sacramento at the meters or at the garage on Second and I streets.

This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 9:07 AM.

HT
Hanh Truong
The Sacramento Bee
Hanh Truong was a reporter for The Sacramento Bee.
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