Photo above: Front of the Benicia Capitol building in Benicia, California, 2013. Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Walk First Street down to the water, tour California’s third State Capitol, hike the shoreline at Benicia State Recreation Area, and see art and history in the old Arsenal. On Thursday evenings through October 29, 2026, there’s a farmers market downtown.

Here’s the list, with hours, fees and dates from the people who run each place, so you can plan a real Saturday here before you buy.

What is there to do downtown on First Street?

Shops, restaurants and a walk to the water. First Street runs downhill to First Street Green, a waterfront park where First Street meets B Street, with a lawn, a view of the Carquinez Strait and restrooms nearby at the end of the peninsula (City of Benicia, First Street Green page, checked September 24, 2026).

From there you can pick up the city’s mapped walks (City of Benicia, Trails and Paths page, checked September 24, 2026):

  • Historic Downtown Walk: a 3-mile loop.
  • Benicia Marina Path: 1.5 miles out and back.
  • Waterfront Path: length depends on where you start, with restrooms and water at 9th Street Park and Benicia Point.

The Benicia Certified Farmers Market runs downtown on Thursdays from April 30 through October 29, 2026. Fall hours are 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Benicia Main Street, a nonprofit, runs it (Benicia Main Street website, checked September 24, 2026).

What is the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park?

It’s the historic building at 115 West G Street where California’s government met in 1853 and 1854. California State Parks calls it the state’s third seat of government and the only surviving capitol from before Sacramento. Inside, the Senate and Assembly chambers are set up with period furnishings. Next door is the Fischer-Hanlon House, moved to its site in 1858 (California State Parks, Benicia Capitol State Historic Park page, checked September 24, 2026).

Plan around the hours. It’s open Friday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and closed Monday through Thursday and on major holidays. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for ages 6 to 17, and free for ages 5 and under (same source).

Where can I hike or walk by the water?

Start with Benicia State Recreation Area, then try the city trails.

Benicia State Recreation Area covers tidal marsh, grassy hills and rocky beaches along the narrowest part of the Carquinez Strait. It has about 2 1/2 miles of road and bike paths, picnic areas, bird watching, a beach area and fishing, especially at Dillon Point. It’s open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Vehicle day use is $6. Dogs are allowed on a leash. Take I-780 to the Columbus Parkway exit, about 1.5 miles west of Benicia. State Parks lists accessibility construction there through mid-May 2027 (California State Parks, Benicia State Recreation Area page, checked September 24, 2026).

The city’s trail list adds more (City of Benicia, Trails and Paths page, checked September 24, 2026):

  • Dillon Point at the state recreation area: a 1.5-mile loop.
  • Rollye Wiskerson Trail: 2.0 miles one way, from Benicia Community Park toward the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
  • Historic Arsenal Path: a 4.5-mile loop.
  • Lake Herman Loop: 19 miles, for riders who want a real workout.

What is in the Benicia Arsenal?

History and art, in buildings the Army used for more than a century. The Benicia Arsenal was set up in 1849 on 345 acres east of downtown and deactivated in 1964. The city took ownership in 1965 and still owns several of its landmark buildings, including the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, the Clocktower building and the Camel Barns (City of Benicia, Arsenal Historic District page, checked September 24, 2026).

Two places to visit there:

  • Arts Benicia runs a gallery in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters at 1 Commandant’s Lane, open Thursday through Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. during exhibitions. It also runs art classes and printmaking programs. Check its site for the current show (Arts Benicia website, checked September 24, 2026).
  • Museum of History Benicia fills four original sandstone military buildings on Camel Road, known as the Camel Barns. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and admission is free (Museum of History Benicia website, checked September 24, 2026).

Are there events on First Street?

Yes, through the year. We don’t list dates here because they change every year. For upcoming events, check the city’s calendar at ci.benicia.ca.us and Benicia Main Street, the nonprofit that runs downtown events. SolTrans posts free shuttle service for the biggest ones at soltrans.org.

Should I live near First Street?

It depends on what you want outside your front door. Homes near First Street put the waterfront, the farmers market and the parade route within walking distance. They also put you close to event crowds a few times a year.

Many of those homes are older and sit inside the Downtown Historic District, which the city first set up in 1969 (City of Benicia, Downtown Historic District page, checked September 24, 2026). That matters if you plan to change the outside of a house. Exterior projects there can need city design review before a building permit, so call the Planning Division before you write an offer on a fixer.

Before you buy, spend one Thursday evening and one Saturday morning downtown. Park where you’d park, walk to the water, and see how it feels.

Questions people also ask

How much does it cost to visit the Benicia Capitol?

Admission to Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is $3 for adults, $2 for ages 6 to 17, and free for ages 5 and under. It’s open Friday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and closed Monday through Thursday and on major holidays, per California State Parks, checked September 24, 2026. The park is at 115 West G Street.

When is the Benicia farmers market?

The Benicia Certified Farmers Market runs downtown on Thursdays. The 2026 season runs April 30 through October 29, with fall hours of 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., per Benicia Main Street, the nonprofit that runs it, checked September 24, 2026. Check their site for the 2027 season before you go next spring.

Is there a fee at Benicia State Recreation Area?

Yes. Vehicle day use is $6, per California State Parks, checked September 24, 2026. The park is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset, off I-780 at the Columbus Parkway exit. It has about 2 1/2 miles of road and bike paths, picnic areas and fishing at Dillon Point, and leashed dogs are allowed.

When is the Museum of History Benicia open?

The Museum of History Benicia, in the Camel Barns on Camel Road in the Arsenal, is open Fridays and Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and admission is free, per the museum’s website, checked September 24, 2026. Check the site before you go, since hours can change for holidays and exhibits.

Your next step

Tell us how you like to spend a weekend and we’ll show you the Benicia streets that put those places closest to your door, with recent sales for each. Talk to a Benicia agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.

More on Benicia: Living in Benicia, CA · Benicia or Martinez for an Oakland commute? · Search Benicia homes · What’s my home worth?

By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Benicia, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.

Sources

  • California State Parks, Benicia Capitol State Historic Park: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=475 (checked September 24, 2026)
  • California State Parks, Benicia State Recreation Area: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=476 (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Benicia, First Street Green, Trails and Paths, Downtown Historic District and Arsenal Historic District pages: ci.benicia.ca.us (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Benicia Main Street, Benicia Certified Farmers Market: beniciamainstreet.org (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Arts Benicia: artsbenicia.org (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Museum of History Benicia: mohbenicia.org (checked September 24, 2026)