Folsom

Folsom is a city of 82,000 people (2019) in Sacramento County in California. Folsom is home to Folsom Lake College, Folsom Dam, Folsom Prison and a historic district. Folsom is also home to the largest private employer in the Sacramento area, Intel.

Get in

By car

U.S. Route 50 connects the town on its eastern and western sides.

Public transportation

• 1 Historic Folsom Station, Sutter Street and Reading Street. Served by the Sacramento Regional Transit Gold light rail line, with service approximately every half-hour to and from Downtown Sacramento. (updated May 2024)

Get around

Folsom has its own bus line that is serviced with the Folsom Stage Line buses. Reloadable bus passes are available at the city hall. There are also several car rental locations throughout the city.

See

• 1 Historic Sutter Street, 700 Sutter Street (By the river). A narrow street but beautiful trees and a lot of restaurants and other businesses. (updated Jun 2018)
• 2 Folsom Prison Museum, 312 3rd St., Represa, ☏ +1 916 985-2561 ext 4589, jbrown@folsomprisonmuseum.org. 10AM-4PM. The prison was built in 1880 to handle the overload from San Quentin. Tours of the prison are not offered; however, the displays in the museum offer a realistic view of what life is like on the inside. Especially frightening is the display of weapons prisoners have made from everyday items. You can purchase crafts and other items made by prisoners. $2. (updated Jul 2015)

“ I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin' on... ”

—Johnny Cash

Do

There's always the option to go to Folsom Lake, a reservoir north of the Folsom city itself.

• 1 Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park, 9980 Greenback Ln, ☏ +1 916 988-0205. Vintage generators are still in place at the powerhouse, as is the control switchboard, faced with Tennessee marble. Visitors touring the powerhouse can see the massive General Electric transformers, each capable of conducting from 800 to 11,000 volts of electricity, in addition to the forebays and canal system that brought the water from the dam. (updated Jul 2020)

Buy

Folsom has a historical downtown with lots of interesting shops and excellent restaurants. Outlet malls are located just out of town.

Eat

• 1 Scott's Seafood Bar and Grill, 9611 Greenback Ln, ☏ +1 916 989-6711. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 4-10PM. Excellent and delicious food, very nice sight overlooking the river, though a bit expensive. (updated Feb 2019)
• 2 BJ Cinnamon, 402 E Bidwell St, ☏ +1 916 608-8824. M-F 5AM-5PM, Sa Su 5AM-3PM. Small shop serving donuts and breakfast pastries with excellent customer service; will occasionally throw in some extra donut holes to your purchase if you have children. (updated Feb 2019)
• 3 La Fiesta Taqueria, 1008 E Bidwell St # 100, ☏ +1 916 984-3030. Daily 8:30AM-10PM. Mexican restaurant with good tostadas, taco salads and tacos. Clean environment and friendly staff. (updated Feb 2019)
• 4 Sacramento Pizza Company, 2700 E Bidwell St, #500, ☏ +1 916 673-9754. Daily 11AM-9PM. Locally owned build-your-own small pizza restaurant with many toppings and a good crust. Seating is limited here, with only a few small tables. (updated Aug 2024)

Sleep

• Courtyard Sacramento- Folsom, 2575 Iron Point Rd, ☏ +1 916 984-7624, fax: +1 916 984-3198. 
• Hawthorn Hotel Suites-Folsom/Rancho Cordova, 12180 Tributary Point Dr., ☏ +1 916 351-9192, fax: +1 916 355-1752. 
• 1 Larkspur Landing Folsom, 121 Iron Point Rd, ☏ +1 916 355-1616, toll-free: +1-877-527-5778, fax: +1 916 355-1766, folsomll@larkspurhotels.com. All suite hotel. Complimentary Healthy Start Breakfast, fitness center, outdoor spa and laundry facility. (updated Jul 2015)
• Residence Inn Sacramento Folsom, 2555 Iron Point Rd, ☏ +1 916 983-7289, fax: +1 916 983-8637. 

Go next

• Placerville — 50 East. About 20 minutes away.
• Sacramento — is just 20 minutes to the west on 50.

Routes through Folsom

Sacramento ← Rancho Cordova ←

W  E

→ El Dorado Hills → Carson City