Any first-time visitor should start in Old Sacramento.  The Discovery Museum offers a great overview of local history and the Gold Rush.  The California Railroad Museum is another must-see for history buffs, with an informative display on the Transcontinental Railroad among others. You can also climb up into historic locomotives or stroll through a swaying sleeping car and an opulent dining car.  The docents in both these museums are extremely informative and welcoming.  Also chat with the docents at the historic hardware store nearby (free).  Have lunch on the riverfront, and shop for souvenirs as you stroll along the wooden sidewalks.

 From Old Sacramento, you can make your way to the Capitol, which houses a free museum and offers free tours.   Highlights are the pink, gold and green dome, the mosaic floors, the period-decorated legislative chambers and the majestic monumental wooden staircases.  Don't leave without stopping by the governor's office to pick up a business card! 

If time allows, Sutter's Fort and the adjacent Indian Museum can be fun for the late afternoon when the busloads of schoolkids have cleared out.