Classic buildings for art, politics in Downtown Sacramento

Taking up a sizable 37 acres of real estate and featuring a huge assortment of trees from around the world, Capitol Park is a destination unto itself. Downtown, which starts at Third Street, stretches east to 16th Street and is contained mostly between S and I streets, is also home to the hip R Street Corridor, a former warehouse district. The highlight of the museum is the Californian and American Art collection on the third floor of the Teel Family Pavilion. Stretching from the Gold Rush era to the present, these works chronicle the state’s cultural and industrial emergence while celebrating its natural beauty, from Maynard Dixon’s renderings of Tuolumne Meadows’ meandering streams to Thomas Hill depictions of Yosemite Valley’s grandeur. The sleek, airy Crocker Cafe, on the modern side of the museum, has an enticing, though pricey, menu. 216 O St., (916) 808-7000. Once industrial, with a train spur delivering goods to the Waterfront, this area, usually referred to as the R Street Corridor, is now Downtown’s hipster central. For lunch, head straight to Fish Face Poke Bar, on the ground floor of the Warehouse Artists Lofts building. Fish Face is part of the WAL Public Market, which includes a collectible-record store (right), a custom shoemaker (left) and a heavily curated vintage clothing shop. The adjoining barbershop has a similarly classy interior; don’t expect to get a drop-in cut, though; this trendy spot is booked for weeks out. Just down the block on 10th Street is Arthouse, which features artists’ studios upstairs and a funky assortment of retail shops downstairs. Once past the metal detectors, take in the ornate beauty of the place: the colorfully tiled floors, the dark wood trim, the high ceilings, the numerous statues and paintings. The public area is perched high above the Senate floor, offering a commanding view of the proceedings. The couch seating makes it a particularly comfortable place to unwind from your busy day of sightseeing. Ostensibly down-home American cuisine with a farm-to-table emphasis, Cafeteria 15L’s menu offers a little bit of everything, from pulled-pork sliders to grilled rib-eye steak, as well as mac and cheese for the kids. 1116 15th St., (916) 492-1960. www.cafeteria15l.com K Bar has an industrial-chic vibe, with lots of exposed concrete, graffiti-like murals and antique ephemera squirreled away in various nooks and crannies. Classic movies and the occasional live music act can be seen at the Crest Theater across the street.