Within a 30 minute drive of Folsom Lake are the California State Railroad Museum, the Old Governor's Mansion, the State Capitol Museum, Sutter's Fort, Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Auburn State Recreation Area, as well as the historic town of Folsom.

CSUS Aquatic Center
California State University has an Aquatic Center located on Lake Natoma near the Nimbus Dam. The Aquatic Center offers a variety of courses in water sports for both adults and children. Water skiing, sailing, wind surfing, rowing, canoeing, and kayaking skills are taught by Aquatic Center staff throughout the year with various youth day camp programs scheduled in the summer.

American River Bicycle Path
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area’s 32-mile long paved bicycle path links the lake with many other county parks along the way before ending in Sacramento. Beginning at Beal’s Point at the lake to Discovery Park in Old Sacramento, the trail goes by the southwest corner of the lake, the west shore of Lake Natoma, and the American River. The bike path is considered to be one of the finest of its kind in the nation.

The paved path is completed on both the west and east shores. Solar powered 911 yellow phone boxes have been placed along the bike path and are spaced at 1 mile intervals.