Folsom Historic District

I love Folsom Historic District year round but it's so special for the Holiday! Christmas lights everywhere, Santa, ice skating rink and hot cocoa bar are just a few of the reasons I always visit at Christmas. You can also find the best gifts at their shops and some great dining options. There is a free parking garage too that makes finding a parking spot a breeze.

Small older part of Folsom that has some nice shops and restaurants. They have a small museum that has limited hours. I would recommend going here for a few hours if you're in the area but it's small and not worth going out of your way.

Beautiful May Saturday afternoon 2024. Walked the Sutter street tourist strip for an hour. Not at all busy. The shops were open. We strolled and poked around the businesses.And to quote Gertrude Stein's comment about her hometown of Oakland, CA "There is no there, There". The Folsom district dozen women's boutiques all seem to have the same style of cow girl clothes., accessories, soaps, scents, potions, etc... The antique / junk stores all had the same kind of overpriced stuff that nobody needs or wants (especially for the high prices).The train museum was deserted.See it once. Check it off your to-do list. Done. No need to ever return.

The Folsom Historic District (Folsom Old Town) is a well-known area for the people in the Sacramento area. It almost feels like Old Sacramento but just smaller. They have a lot of good restaurants and bars here. You can always find some food or drinks you like. The street is spotless compared to the other old towns in the area. It looks and feels even better than Old Sacramento, in my opinion. Parking can be a problem if you are here on the weekend. But you can always find parking if you don't mind parking your car far away. I enjoy my visit to the Folsom Historic District whenever I'm here. I know I'll come here again and again.

Folsom Historic District, for the purposes of this review, is the area that encompasses Sutter Street and Leidesdorff, between Riley/Greenback and the American River. Sutter Street is best known for its shopping and nightlife. Some of my favorite stores to shop on Sutter include More Than Olives, Ruby's Books, and Sutter Street Sock.My favorite steakhouse in the world, Sutter Street Steakhouse, as you might be able to guess by the name, is located on Sutter Street. If you haven't been there yet, you are missing out. Seriously. Stop reading my review, and go make reservations. As to nightlife, there are several decent places to go out, including Scarlett's (my personal favorite), Powerhouse, and Sutter Club Sports Bar. They also have some amazing art galleries, including Anita Rochelle Boutique and Fine Art, Fire and Rain Gallery, and YNOT. Museums of interest within walking distance of Sutter Street include the Folsom History Museum, Powerhouse State Historic Park, and (coming soon) Chinese Heritage Museum.For a full list of businesses on Sutter Street, visit: https://www.historicfolsom.org/find-it-in-historic-folsom/Would you guys believe me if I told you that I was actually the first to review Folsom Historic District? I'm pretty sure I was, because I remember debating whether to list it as "Sutter Street" or "Historic Folsom District." It was also one of my first ROTD's :) I see it's really taken off during the time I took off Yelp :) Personally, the main reason I go to Sutter Street is to catch the lightrail, which actually splits Sutter Street in half. Below the lightrail, Sutter Street is a mostly residential area with a Veteran's Hall, children's park, and the historic Young Wo Cemetery Memorial.My favorite thing to do in the area is to walk down to the river. From Sutter Street, it is easy to access the river via the Truss Bridge or the Lake Natoma Waterfront Access Trail.Overall, Historic Folsom is a good place to walk around, shop, drink, get a tattoo, wander the trails, throw some axes, and spend the day with your kids (although not necessarily all on the same day).

Historic and Modern Heritage in Folsom is GoldenI really enjoy coming to Old Historic Folsom... I haven't made it here in a while since pre-COVID-19. I am unable to visit here as often as I would like to and so the chance I do make it here we make the best of it... visiting antique shops, enjoying window shopping, supporting businesses and, of course, the food! Lots of history here... Old Town Folsom was once the site of the first railroad in the West and served as the transportation hub of the Mother Lode. It's cool seeing the preserved historic buildings on Sutter Street. I took my youngest daughter here to the History Museum housed in the old Wells Fargo Assay Office when she was little and she enjoyed pan handling. We had a great 'on location' photo session at the Folsom Powerhouse twice with a photography business that, unfortunately, closed their studio in this location [XSiGHT Photography], hubby and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner once at Sutter Street Steakhouse, and I've had the fortunate chance to enjoy a couple of Yelp events here. Exciting stuff! During winter time they also have a temporary ice skating rink set up. At my last visit last weekend, April 2021, I noticed that barricades and road closure signs were placed in over three blocks of the street to make room for increased outdoor dining and shopping in the streets while practicing social distancing. This is awesome and I was told that this has been happening for a few weekends now! When the city does this there is more foot traffic because there are no cars driving down the main drag.The parklets are great because they allow eateries and restaurants to expand outdoor seating to on-street parking spaces. This eases the affects of COVID-19 capacity. We saw hosted events including live music entertainment, farmers market, an outdoor art show and pop-up shops! Not sure how long they will continue this program but I love it. Lots to do in Old Folsom year round. Check it out :)Review #2203

Folsom Historic District is not just a place for tourists but locals as well. Sutter Street dates back to 1856. It has a modern look while keeping its unique historic charm. The District includes boutiques, antique shops, restaurants, bars, wine tasting rooms, cafe, an independent bookstore, a candle making shop, bicycle shop and rental,art galleries, dessert shops, candy store, toy store, jewelry shops, stage theater, hair salon, commercial office buildings, residential housing, and museums. The District preserved its historic aspects. There is a train turn table dating back from 1860s. The turntable is free for viewing. It is right next to the outdoor amphitheater which is free for all to sit in and relax when it is not in use. There is a Pioneer Village with volunteers reenacting a 1800s town complete with blacksmith and old town. There is a paid admission for the Pioneer Village and museums. The Folsom History Museum is housed within an original Wells Fargo Assay Office and Pony Express terminus. If you are interesting in visiting, check out their respective websites for current hours of operation. Lake Natoma Inn is within walking distance. It is a 138 room hotel with event and catering spaces. Also within walking distance is the first hydroelectric power house in California (built in 1895). It is California landmark. There is a musuem, outdoor garden area, and visitor center. The American River & the bike trail is nearby as well. The District hosts seasonal farmers markets, festivals, winter Ice Rink, and concerts. In regards to parking. They have two surface lots, side street parking AND a multistory parking structure. It is free to park. Plus there is a Sacramento light rail station. The line comes all the way from downtown Sacramento. But with the public transit, please be alert and cautious when riding.Historicfolsom.org

My first stroll through the downtown Historic District in Folsom was pleasant. The storefronts were very nice and "olden" looking, but I didn't find anything of interest inside most of them. There were two murals in the area, an interesting one celebrating Folsom's history and a modern, Instagram-inspired one with black and white wings (where a person can stand in the middle and take a selfie or have their picture taken).

I walked here while staying at Lake Natoma for 1 night. It was a great calming walk past many antique shops. It was quaint and charming. There is some cool history here. I checked out an old train. There are a lot of shops and some small eateries, ice cream shops etc. Exercise was in order in the early evening after eating and drinking at Chicago Fire. I was looking for access to Lake Natoma so I walked the length of the historic district. I met a young couple who were also seeking the Lake. So we walked together until Ifound the way and guided us all there. This historic district is a good walk to get some history, some snacks and some exercise!

Folsom Historic District is a nice and spacious area that is family friendly and has a diverse amount of store options. Compared to the Old Town in Sacramento, Folsom's district is much cleaner and seems more upscale. It's a great spot to have a coffee or lunch after, say, a bike ride by the adjacent trail. When we went there was a farmer's market as well with excellent local affair.