Folsom is located roughly 30 miles east of Sacramento and about 40 miles from Davis. A quiet but rapidly expanding town, it is adjacent to Highway 50 which is the fastest way to get there from UC Davis. Folsom has more than 70,000 inhabitants, many of which work at the local 5,800 person Folsom Intel campus and over 4,000 of which is institutionalized. Here is a map of Folsom.

In Folsom

Like most small towns, Folsom has its share of landmarks and restaurants to show off. A few noteworthy icons are:

Landmarks and Sites

  • American River Bike Trail starts in Folsom, an excellent place to ride for bicyclists of all ages and skill-levels.
  • Folsom Lake and Folsom Dam
  • Folsom State Prison (FSP). There is use of prison labor in the production of vehicle license plates (since the 1930's), metal fabrication, and a print shop.
  • Folsom Museum
  • Old Folsom, home to the powerhouse, Rainbow Bridge, and various restaurants
  • The Old Folsom Powerhouse, now a historical landmark
  • The Rainbow Bridge, also a historical landmark (but still used as a automobile bridge)

Restaurants

  • BJ's
  • Chicago Fire Restaurant
  • Pizzeria Classico, where you'll taste the best garlic chips in your life
  • Snooks Icecream and Candies
  • and more

Getting There

Getting to Folsom from Davis is easy. If you have a car, just head onto Highway 50 towards Sacramento and continue towards South Lake Tahoe. Depending on traffic, it can be quite a long drive in terms of time, as that corridor is heavily used during most of the day.

If you take a bus or train to Sacramento, you can hop on the Light Rail and take it all the way to Folsom, where the line was extended in 2005.

Links