Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park

One of Sacramento’s hidden gems. This would be a great place to do an outdoor movie, or any form of s community event. I think Congressman Matsui would be proud.

Before beginning my review, I’d just like to give a shout out to the awesome gate worker at Discovery Park. Located less than a mile from Matsui, I asked him for directions to Matsui and was greeted with an ever-​chipper, «Um, no? … This is DISCOVERY Park?» Glad to know that common sense, intelligence, and treating another human being with even a modicum of decency is so highly valued in Sacramento park employees!
But I digress.
As others have mentioned, Matsui is a water intake facility. BUT, it is a *super cool* water intake facility, based on the countless water intake facilities I have been to. The facility itself is an awesome architectural structure that stands independently in the river, and would be lovely for a date, a walk, taking pictures, or reading on one of the benches. There’s a grass area at the head of the bridge, dogs welcome!
Other things that are welcome — homeless people. junkies. very enthusiastic cyclists. Be aware of your surroundings (and your valuables!), and don’t get run over by the next tour de france champion.

Beware. This place is not a true park. It’s an water intake facility located in an open green space. There is public art work and a water feature/​fountain that shoots water from the ground level sprinklers. But I think the water feature isn’t turned on due to the drought.
Positives: pretty river view, whimsical public artwork, and modern architecture. The design firm did a fantastic job in turning the old water facility into a work of art. It was remodeled in 2004.
Negatives: while visiting there is the potential to encounter homeless transients and panhandlers, remote location, and limited number of parking spaces.

Came here based upon the beautiful pictures of the building. Also to let our little ones play in the shooting water. Well, first off the location of this place is no where near ideal. You drive past all the low-​end motels and once you pull into the tiny parking lot you are greeted by couple of homeless people. I went there around 4:30 in the afternoon with my husband and my two kids so I didn’t feel any threat but otherwise I don’t think I would’ve come out of my car. (Those people did not seem threatening but you just never know). Once we walk up the steps, there was no water shooting! That was most disappointing.
Moving on, you come to the actual structure and I wonder… Ok. This is it? And what is the exact purpose of this building? And inside the building you see utility stuff? I didn’t get it. They could’ve been more informative and actually educate ppl like me… Then you look over the river, people jet skiing and you start to feel dumb for standing over them in the heat… duuuuuhhh
Waste of time. Better to see this place from across the lake I bet. Or from other people’s pics.
Giving 2 stars only because of the architectural features of this place. Even that I’m being very very generous.
I give 2 stars because of the architectural effort they put into this place but everything else almost makes it a waste of your time to visit this place…

this place is a giant water front piece of art from the trees lining the driveway to the glass bubbles that seem to move and the silver feather on top of the dragonfly. it’s a great mixture of steel and concrete and glass of water all flowing together with great views of the Sacramento River both bridges and Old Sac. just a jump off of i-​5 on Richards Boulevard this place is a great spot to go chill take a walk play in the water with the kids and by playing in the water I mean by watching the kids play in the fountains at the entrance. (in fact the fountain was handcrafted &water sealed by my brother Joe who said he was glad to be part of this project because his kids would be able to play in the fountain for years to come, he also did the fountain in front of the federal courthouse) there is no River access from this location however is attached to the River Bike Trail between Old Sacramento and Discovery Park.

After having driven along the freeway and caught glimpses of this place time and time again I decided to hunt it down one day. I have returned several times since.
It it a beautiful structure with a fun little fountain to splash in and lovely views from what I always subconsciously think of as the lido deck. It’s great for a stroll, bird spotting, chilling out on a bench while reading a book, and letting kids be kids. Bring your camera, this is a beautiful building — one of the prettiest man-​made spots in Sacramento. It stirs my imagination and awakens ideas I had thought left behind in childhood.
My only complaints are the cyclists can be very inconsiderate and seem to not realize this isn’t the bike trail. They will zoom around and expect you to hop out of their way. The other not so great thing… and this is really what has kept me away sometimes… are the bums. The last time I was there I actually didn’t even make it up the steps. There were several men hanging around and one stood at the top of the steps and gave me creepy eye, so I left. From now on I will only go if my boyfriend is with me.

A great place for a stroll with your sweetie. The structure itself looks great, almost like a Dragon Fly Shape. It has amazing views of the river. We came in the evening so the light breezy was great.
I do believe the bike trial runs past it/​below also. A great place to take the kids since my BF said they have a water feature which shots up water.
Very romantic spot but do expect other around. :)

Neato! We checked this out yesterday because we ended up being too tired to drive to Bay To Breakers at 5 AM. We slept in and visited the river instead.
Boy, was that smart! So fun, for the most part. The intake center has limited parking; in fact, we parked on the street and there is no sidewalk, so that was kinda scary. The stairs going up have little fishes mosaicked into the cement, and the fountain is really, seriously, cool. Someone else called it «whimsical», and I agree wholeheartedly. My toddler, who is deathly afraid of cold water spraying her face and was the only child who DIDN’T play in the sprinklers at a bbq we went to on Saturday, was laughing her ass off and dancing around with the other kids on Sunday. Even after getting blasted in the face when she was inspecting a spigot hole. Coolness.
We also trotted down the bridge to the actual intake facility, which was made to look like a ship docked on the river. Soooo nice. Great view of the two rivers where they converge. Lots of a-​holes out on the waterways though. FYI, if you are boating or ski-​dooing or whatever else those a-​holes were out there doing, YOU MAKE WAKES. These are not always FUN for everyone else. Also, you stupid a-​holes (no one on Unilocal,of course), STAY ON THE RIGHT. Same rules as road rule, jerks. If you cut a big boat off because you are too stupid to breathe air, you deserve the drowning and propeller-​to-​the-​head you will get in return.
My other complaint has nothing to do with river goers or the intake facility itself, but that my kid was nearly killed while she was dancing in the fountain by a teenager on a bike (said teen’s sullen friend shot me the «Die, Old Bossy Lady» look when I screamed «watch out!!!» 10 times in a row) This is because there were really stupid teenage bicyclists (later, there were full adults with their families in tow doing the same thing, so it’s not related to being a teenager per se) who were circling, ON THEIR BIKES, all the little kids who were in the fountain. Yeah, it’s fun. So park your bike and join in, because you are DEFINITELY not looking out for anyone smaller than your wheels when you are grinning in the spray. There needs to be signs that say ‘walk your bike’ when you ride up to the fountain and bridge entrance, because people assume (possibly they are correct, but I saw a nice bike parking area right near the fountain that would arguably mean to a common sense sort that you should PARK your BIKE) that they can just «ride through» to the other side of the bike path. The path, incidentally, also runs under the bridge. To me, it makes sense that you have OPTIONS to ride towards the fountain, or under the bridge, and that if there are KIDS ACTUALLY PLAYING in the fountain, you get off your goddamn bike and walk it across unless you are an a-​hole. Unfortunately, there is many, many an a-​hole near the river.
Sigh.
Fun place though; keep your eyepeeled for the a-​holes.

Look! Out on the Sacramento River between Discovery Park and the I Street Bridge! It’s a ship; it’s a dragonfly; it’s a public art display; it’s a destination by foot, bike, skates, or car along the riverfront; it’s a fun place for kids to play in a fountain; it’s a giant crazy straw supplying Sacramento’s drinking water; it’s — all of these things.
I first saw the rendering for this magnificent structure in an issue of Metropolis magazine several years ago and had to rub my eyes when I read that it was going to be built in Sacramento.
It was completed in 2004. This lovely modern glass, metal, and concrete structure was designed by the Lionakis Beaumont Design Group. It’s a great place to visit for a number of reasons:
— A place to enjoy art: this begins as you ascend from the parking lot, continues on the walkway and is incorporated throughout the building.
— A place to be educated about the river: kiosks explain everything about the facility, the river, and water treatment.
— A place to play: a wonderful in-​ground fountain spurts arcs of water on an irregular, intermittent basis. Great fun for kids on a hot day!
— An unusual vantage point to observe the river and our city.
Sometimes the water fountain isn’t operating, but you can easily tell if it isn’t by looking down from I-​5. Take the Richards Boulevard exit and head towards the river. It’s a great spontaneous thing to do with the kids. Keep a change of clothes, towels and sunscreen in the car and you’re good to go anytime. Regular hours are 9 AM to 3 PM; longer hours Spring/​Summer.
UPDATE: This park appears to have been renamed: «Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park» I originally listed it as «City Water Intake Facility» for lack of a better name. See