Midtown / Winn Park

Nestled in between downtown Sacramento and Interstate 80, Midtown is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city. Although it is largely residential, most residents consider it the heart of music, art and culture. Its wide range of boutique businesses, fine restaurants and popular nightlife make it one of the best neighborhoods in Sacramento for young adults.

The neighborhood itself is pretty perplexing. One minute you feel like you’re in the hustle and bustle of downtown, while two blocks down you’re heavy in suburban Sacramento. Here the streets are densely packed and organized in grid-like formation. Trees, Victorian homes and old apartment buildings all line the orderly streets of Midtown. Moreover, upscale lofts seem to be popping up all over the neighborhood. The community is also very walkable. The area is blanketed with bike lanes, trails and wide sidewalks. For those looking to live in the neighborhood, there is a wide range of ethnicities and household incomes. Midtown is also home to the largest gay community in Sacramento. Also, Sutter General Hospital straddles the eastern border.

The commercial district is the reason for the neighborhood’s popularity. Its array of eclectic restaurants, bars, music venues and boutique businesses make it the beating heart of Sacramento. The area is typically buzzing with window shoppers and foodies on weeknights and weekends. During the winter, trees are lighted up for the holidays giving the community a warm neighborhood feel.

For me Midtown is mostly about the bars like the Monkey Bar and especially the Lounge ON20. There are a number of bars in the neighborhood and even a gay dance club or two. There are also a number of cool restaurants in the area, including places like Kru—as sushi place and Waterboy—a pricey French and Italian place that is a good date spot. My favorite restaurant in the area, however, Bombay Bar and Grill—a great Indian place that is wonderful.
It’s a pretty cool place to live too, and right now, because the area was hit so hard by the Recession, so if you happen to have the money you can find recently foreclosed homes for as little as $250K. But don’t be fouled. This is really a pretty mixed neighborhood in terms of prices. The proximity to the Capitol means that many government workers and lobbyist take apartments here. So although you can rent a studio for as little as $600/mo, you can also find a 2 bedroom for $3000/month. Similarly, some homes here go for as much as $900K.
As far as a family atmosphere there is a Winn Park, on the east of the neighborhood which has a nice play area for the kids. Moms will also be happy to know that there are Pilates and Yoga places, so you can definitely stay healthy here as well.