Esparto, California, is a small, quiet community in the Capay Valley surrounded by agricultural land along the State Route 16 corridor. Known for its peaceful, small-town character, Esparto features a mix of early-20th-century Craftsman homes, late-20th-century ranch-style homes, and bungalows near the town’s core, with suburban developments offering New Traditional homes with Spanish Revival-style elements on the west side. Larger agricultural properties with farmhouses hosting hobby farms are found around the community's edges. The town's Main Street-style downtown includes local restaurants and a few parks, with Esparto Community Park and Tuli Memorial Park and Aquatics Center offering playgrounds, basketball courts, soccer fields, and walking trails. The nearby Capay Open Space spans over 40 acres along Cache Creek with 2 miles of walking trails, attracting birdwatchers. The Annual Almond Festival, a tradition for over 100 years, brings visitors to the area in February for live music, food trucks, and farm tours. Local shops and restaurants on Yolo Avenue include Ace Hardware, Dollar General, Valley Food Market, El Toro Meat Market and Taqueria, The Ravine on Sixteen, and Hog Canyon Deli. State Route 16 connects Esparto with Woodland, less than 15 miles away, and Sacramento, about 40 miles away, with intercity bus routes operated by Yolobus. Woodland Memorial Hospital is the nearest medical center, under 15 miles away, and Sacramento International Airport is less than 30 miles away. Esparto schools offer career-oriented programs in agriscience, plant and soil science, and agricultural mechanics, along with extracurricular activities like culinary arts and Future Farmers of America.
