Delta King Theater, Sacramento, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Delta King is a 285-foot paddlewheel riverboat moored on the Sacramento River waterfront in Old Sacramento, Sacramento. Built in 1927 to carry passengers overnight to San Francisco, she now serves as a hotel with a theater on board, and she is one of the most recognisable sights on the riverfront.

The story behind it

The Delta King and her sister ship, the Delta Queen, were built in 1927 for the overnight run between Sacramento and San Francisco. The service offered staterooms, dining and dancing, and it did not outlast the arrival of better roads and the Second World War. During the war the King was requisitioned and used as a troop ferry and floating barracks on San Francisco Bay.

After the war she went through a long decline, changing hands several times and suffering years of neglect. She was eventually brought back to Sacramento and reopened as a hotel in 1989, with a theater aboard. Today she is the odd one out in Old Sacramento: most of the district is about the Gold Rush era, while the boat arrived long after it.

Like many old vessels, she has a ghost story. The tale most often repeated is of a former captain who watches from the upper deck while performances take place in the theater below. He has no name, and there is no firm record of a death aboard, so treat it as local folklore rather than history.

What to look for

• The big paddlewheel at the stern is the clearest sign that she was built to work the river rather than the open sea.
• The tiered upper decks, where the story of the watching captain is set, give a good sense of how passengers once strolled and took the air.
• The view along the riverfront boardwalk shows the boat against the Sacramento River, a good spot for photographs.
• The contrast with the older buildings of Old Sacramento is worth noticing, since the boat is a much later arrival than the Gold Rush streets behind her.

Tips for your visit

• Viewing the boat from the riverfront promenade is free, and 20 to 30 minutes is plenty if you only want to look and take photos.
• Early morning or late afternoon gives softer light on the river and fewer crowds on the boardwalk.
• The boat is a working hotel with a theater, so check current opening hours and which areas are open to non-guests before planning to go aboard.
• Old Sacramento's historic streets are right beside it, so it pairs easily with a longer walk through the district.

See it on a quest

The Oz Escape in Sacramento is a self-guided walk with the Delta King as one of its stops. You reach the boat on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Sacramento also passes the Delta King. It suits the boat's ghost stories well: you walk to it, hear about it in the app, and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Family Scavenger Hunt: Bunny vs. Fox in Sacramento is a good choice for families. You walk to the Delta King as one stop on a longer route, the app tells you about it, and everyone can help with the puzzle. One ticket covers the whole group.