Davis Travel Guide

Just west of Sacramento, Davis, California seamlessly blends safe family neighborhoods, an abundance of retail and restaurants, and cultural values to create the ideal vacation spot and permanent place of residence. Davis offers entertainment for the entire family, and scenic views of the surrounding California landscape.

Things to Do in Davis

Art enthusiasts can enjoy a day spent admiring contemporary artwork at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, or purchase a new piece of unique home decor at The Artery- Davis’ very own art gallery and art store. To spend some time outside in the fresh air, Davis’ visitors can check out the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Gardens, the Carolee Shields White Flower Garden, Impossible Acres fruit tree fields- where guests can pick their own fresh fruit-, or the Haagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, which is a great place to learn about and contribute to the conservation of honey bees. Central Park is always a fun place to go, as are the Bohart Museum of Entomology and the Design Museum of UC Davis.

Best Places to Stay in Davis

Most of the vacation rentals in the city are located within downtown Davis, however, there are a select few that are located on the outskirts of the city, offering privacy and peace and quiet. The rentals are large enough to accommodate a host of family and friends.

Best Time to Visit Davis

The best time to visit Davis is from April to June or September through November. The Davis area holds most of its festivals and events May through June, but the state fair doesn’t arrive until July.

Food in Davis

When a hunger attack strikes, Davis offers a number of exciting places to combat it. Hungry visitors can get a hand-made pizza at Blaze Pizza, an Artisan salad at Pluto’s, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes at The Halal Guys, or a teriyaki-based meal at Huku Japanese Bistro. When it comes to dessert, finish the meal off with a popsicle or sweet treat at FatFace.

Best Events in Davis

To get into the holiday spirit, Davis holds the Candlelight Parade and Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, which includes free visits with Mr and Mrs. Claus, live performances by local bands and artists, horse-drawn buggy rides, a window decorating contest, an ugly sweater contest, the Toys for Tots toy drive, holiday movie showings, holiday tree lighting, and the Children’s Candlelight Parade. The Halloween Treat Trail is also popular, allowing and encouraging children and their families to go trick or treating at local Davis businesses.

Things to Do for Families in Davis

The Explorit Science Center is the perfect place to spend the day with the family, as the science center features educational interactive exhibits and activities for kids such as hands-on science experiments both indoors and outdoors. There are also live animals that they can interact with. The California Raptor Center is another location that should be added to the Davis vacation bucket list. The center features an extensive collection of large predatory birds that have recovered from injuries and are awaiting release. Each raptor cage includes an information card, and there is a section of the center that has been made into a small museum about raptors.