The historic downtown is entirely walkable; Sutter Street, the Powerhouse, the Depot, and the Prison Museum are all within a fifteen-minute walk of each other. For the lake and the longer trails, a bicycle is the best option.
The American River Bike Trail is the city's main cycling artery. It runs along the river from the historic downtown west toward Sacramento (45 km) and east to the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Bike rentals are available from several shops near the historic district and at Brown's Ravine marina at the lake.
A car is useful for the Folsom Dam itself, which is a five-kilometre drive north of town. Rideshare services (Uber, Lyft) operate throughout Folsom and connect to Sacramento.