Sacramento, California

== Parks and recreation ==
[[File:Capitol Mall Sacramento,CA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The [[Capitol Mall]] is a major monumental [[parkway]] leading from [[Tower Bridge (Sacramento)|Tower Bridge]] to the [[California State Capitol|California Capitol]].]]

Sacramento boasts an extensive park system consisting of over {{convert|5000|acres|0|abbr=on}} of parkland and recreation centers.<ref>Warner, Anmargaret. (June 6, 2013). [https://www.businessinsider.com/us-cities-with-the-best-parks-2013-6?op=1 "The 10 American Cities With The Best Parks"]. ''Business Insider''. Accessed July 15, 2013.</ref> In its 2013 ParkScore ranking, [[Trust for Public Land|The Trust for Public Land]] reported Sacramento was tied with San Francisco and [[Boston]] for having the third-best park system among the 50 most populous U.S. cities.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |last1=Lindelof |first1=Bill |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/06/5475461/capital-rated-highly-for-its-parks.html |title=Capitol rated highly for its parks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630002317/http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/06/5475461/capital-rated-highly-for-its-parks.html|archive-date=June 30, 2014 |date=June 6, 2013 |website=The Sacramento Bee |access-date=July 15, 2013}}</ref> ParkScore ranks city park systems by a formula that analyzes the city's median park size, park acres as percent of city area, the percent of residents within a half-mile of a park, spending of park services per resident, and the number of playgrounds per 10,000 residents.

The city features a collection of smaller parks in the downtown district, including Crocker Park, Roosevelt Park, Fremont Park, and Southside Park, and is home to basketball courts, playgrounds, and year-round farmers markets and local events. In addition, [[Cesar Chavez Plaza]] is home to concerts in the summertime and is a well-known rallying spot for gatherings. In addition, surrounding the [[California State Capitol]] is [[Capitol Park (Sacramento)|Capitol Park]], a {{convert|40|acre|ha}} park consisting of more than 200 types of trees and 155 memorials. The most recent park constructed in Sacramento is the Hanami Line at [[Robert Matsui]] Waterfront Park, which is home to a line of [[Cherry blossom|Cherry Blossoms]] surrounding the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sacramento.newsreview.com/2022/04/22/sacramento-to-get-its-own-hanami-line/ |title=Sacramento to get its own Hanami Line |last=Arrington |first=Debbie |date=April 22, 2022 |website=Sacramento Bee |access-date=December 12, 2022}}</ref> Popular parks outside the central core include [[American River Parkway]] which spans 23 miles along the American River, William McKinley Park and Memorial Rose Garden, and [[William Land Park]].

[[William Land Park]] is home to several key attractions in the city. The [[Sacramento Zoo]] spans {{cvt|14.3|acre}} and is home to more than 400 native and endangered animals around the world. The park is also home to Funderland, a small amusement park open from February to November consisting of 9 rides, and Fairytale Town, which sees more than 250,000 visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.saczoo.org/animals/ |title=It's all about the Animals |website=Sacramento Zoo |access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/article261083372.html |last=Adatia |first=Noor |date=May 30, 2022 |website=The Sacramento Bee |access-date=November 30, 2022 |title=Funderland in Sacramento has a new attraction this season — and it's not just for kids}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2022/03/25/fairytale-town-expansion-grant.html |title=Fairytale Town expansion gets $1.8 million grant from state |last=Hamann |first=Emily |date=March 25, 2022 |website=Sacramento Business Journal |access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

Sacramento is a hotbed for high school rugby. [[Jesuit High School (Sacramento)|Jesuit High School]] is the recent defending national champion (winning five times in total). Their arch-rival school Christian Brothers came in second nationwide. Burbank, Del Campo, and Vacaville have also placed well in the national competition over the years. The Sacramento Valley High School Rugby Conference hosts the largest and arguably deepest preseason youth and high school rugby tournament in America.
[[File:Monorail and rides at dusk at the 2012 California State Fair held in Sacramento, California LCCN2013633011.tif|thumb|right|The [[California State Fair]] is held annually at the [[California Exposition]].]]

The [[California State Fair]] is held in Sacramento each year at the end of the summer, ending on [[Labor Day]]. In 2010, the State Fair moved to July. More than one million people attended this fair in 2001. The [[Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail]] that runs between [[Old Sacramento]] and [[Folsom Lake]] grants access to the American River Parkway, a natural area that includes more than {{convert|5000|acre|km2}} of undeveloped land. It attracts cyclists and equestrians from across the state. Among other recreational options in Sacramento is Discovery Park, a {{convert|275|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} park studded with stands of mature trees and grasslands. This park is situated where the American River flows into the Sacramento River.

There are several casinos and card rooms in the city scattered throughout the Sacramento area. Since 1991, Capitol Casino has been open in downtown Sacramento and is home to several card games. Other notable casinos in the area include [[Thunder Valley Casino Resort]], [[Cache Creek Casino Resort]], Red Hawk Casino Resort, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort, and Sky River Casino in Elk Grove.

In amateur sports, Sacramento claims many prominent Olympians such as [[Mark Spitz]], [[Debbie Meyer]] (6-time gold medalist in US swimming), [[Mike Burton (swimmer)|Mike Burton]], [[Summer Sanders]] (gold medalist in swimming, and trained in childhood by Debbie Meyer), [[Jeff Float]] (all swimming), and [[Billy Mills]] (track). Coach [[Sherm Chavoor]] founded Arden Hills Swim Club just east of the city and trained Burton, Spitz, and others.