Pocket-Greenhaven - Sacramento, CA

The neighborhood of Southwestern Sacramento developed when the city core of Sacramento began to grow in the 20th century. After the California Gold Rush, miners settled in Sacramento and the state declared the city as its state capital in 1854. Like much of south Sacramento, the southwestern part started off as farmland before developers began building houses on a massive scale in the mid-1900s. Nowadays, older and younger generations live together in Southwestern Sacramento.

Travelers to Sacramento go downtown to check out the many well-rated museums, including the California State Capitol Museum. Take a free tour to view the State Assembly floor and the other goings-on in the museum. Stay downtown to pass by art galleries, or go to the southwest and check out the work at Girl Glass. For more art and culture, look up Sacramento’s event schedule to attend holiday festivals and craft shows.

Locals enjoy several restaurants and bars within the Southwestern Sacramento neighborhood, though they tend to travel up to downtown Sacramento for clubs and music. Southwestern Sacramento does not have the same diversity in restaurants as the southeast, but the area specializes in new American fare that many Sacramento residents appreciate.

Californians tooling around for an old-fashioned burger flock to Burgess Brothers Burgers in Hollywood Park. BBQ sauce fans can dole out the sauce of their choice on all the burgers. Go for the house quarter-pounder, or dare to try the Hero Burger with its pulled pork, cheese and grilled onions. Vegetarians even enjoy the Portabella mushroom. Finish the meal with a root beer float

Those looking for a more “sophisticated” meal head to Ravenous Café in droves for its fish and steak options. Many locals adore the filet mignon, complete with a small crab cake on top. Go for a swordfish or lobster risotto if you crave white meat. The smoked trout and salmon sandwich fills up all seafood lovers. Remember to save some room for dessert and order sea salt gelato.

Locals who crave a simple, affordable meal love Sunrise Chinese Restaurant for its large portions. Order a combination special and take food home that lasts for several more meals. Many residents praise the orange chicken and Kung Pao chicken, as well as egg-fried rice. Go to the restaurant with a large party and fill up on plenty of fresh Chinese fare.

Most people in Sacramento go downtown for the fancy bars, but a few patrons of dive bars in Southwestern Sacramento attest to the area’s cheaper drinks. Brownie's Lounge in South Land Park pours affordable drinks, and the regulars in this bar like to sip and chat for hours. Spitzer’s Walnut Room just north in Land Park draws in a number of patrons as well.

Southwestern Sacramento locals go to downtown Sacramento to places like Old Ironsides and Ace of Spades to check out local bands and have a night out on the town. Downtown houses the many clubs in Sacramento, including MIX Downtown.

Outdoor exercise in Sacramento continues to become more popular, and many residents enjoy walking around in the Pocket-Greenhaven area of Southwestern Sacramento. However, most locals still rely on their cars to get around and do errands. Shopping plazas lie a good distance away from some neighborhoods, although many apartment complexes sit near commercial spaces. The neighborhood’s proximity to Interstates 5 and 80 allow drivers to head in any direction in the state fairly quickly.

Travelers find spacious parking in most of Southwestern Sacramento, but the shopping plazas in Pocket-Greenhaven fill up at the end of the day. Since the neighborhood cannot expand over the river, the areas closest to that body of water become more condensed.

Sacramento’s bus service, the Regional Transit District, provides the neighborhood with several bus lines. Locals find public transit to be more plentiful when they live closer to downtown, so Land Park and Pocket inhabitants can get to downtown easier than those in Valley Hi. Locals call ridesharing services such as Lyft and Uber to catch a ride, or else ring a cab from one of the many companies that serve the area.

As with walking, biking enthusiasts can ride all around the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood to do errands and get some exercise. Outside of that region, bike lanes become sparse and more difficult to find.

The most popular park in Sacramento, William Land Regional Park, lies within the Southwestern Sacramento borders. The park provides jogging and playground options for adults and children, in addition to housing a pool and a number of large attractions. Play on the basketball courts and softball fields, or check out a show at the amphitheater. Residents and tourists need to pay to enter the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town to watch animals and let children play for hours. Locals enter the park itself for free, and can bring dogs along on a leash.

Another park in the area, Miller Park, allows for a quieter trip into nature than Land Park. Sacramento residents visit to go kayaking and canoeing, or to fish and have a nice picnic on the Sacramento River. This free park includes a walking path for people looking to get their heart rate up at a smaller place than Land Park.

As in much of California, Sacramento residents pay for a slightly higher cost of living than the national average. For example, the average one-bedroom apartment in Southwestern Sacramento costs $855 in rent every month.

Drivers in Southwestern Sacramento pay about 2 percent more in gas than the national average. Though local dive bars may serve drinks for even cheaper prices, an average beer at a pub in Southwestern Sacramento costs about $3.50.

A one-way ride on Sacramento buses costs $2.50 for most riders between the ages of 19 and 62. A daily pass costs $6, and a book of 10 daily passes costs $60.

Shoppers in Southwestern Sacramento can go north to some downtown shops or travel east to find thrift stores like Thrift Town. One of the city’s most popular malls, however, attracts hundreds of people every weekend. Arden Fair Mall in Arden-Arcade houses Macy's and Sears, as well as high-end stores like Nordstrom. Shopping fans like to eat at BJ’s Brewery or Johnny Rocket’s while they wander through the large mall.

Locals who prefer to avoid the hoopla at Arden Fair on the weekends like the smaller boutiques. Krazy Mary’s in East Sacramento helps many local women pick high-quality and designer clothes, bags and jewelry that suit their needs. Parents looking to shop for kids — or people looking for a present to give to a child — like Mother Goose Store for their affordable, stylish children’s clothing. Find “gently used” clothing that children love at this shop.

Residents who need to do some food shopping find a number of grocery stores throughout Southwestern Sacramento. Laguna locals shop at Safeway and Raley’s down on their end, and Pocket residents go to Bel-Air. Nugget Markets give Pocket locals a chance to shop at a smaller grocery to pick out healthy foods. In addition to Nugget Markets, the indoor Sprouts Farmers Market in the area serves organic produce and homegrown goods.

For the traditional outdoor farmers market experience, go to the Land Park Farmers Market in the summer. There, you can listen to music and buy everything from fruit to homemade waffles.