#davisca

It’s spring quarter at UC Davis: flowers are blooming, students are tanning and high school seniors are touring campus in increasingly large packs. In honor of all the future Aggies out there, I’ve made this 12-hour guide to take you through some of the best—and most Davis-y—activities the city has to offer. Enjoy!

MORNING

9:00 AM: Start your day the Davis way: on a bike! Your journey begins in North Davis, where you are nestled inside a hub of college apartments. No need to worry about distance; nothing in town is more than a 20-minute ride away.

9:10 AM: Ready to feel small? Ride over to “The Dominoes” (also known by their official title, Domino Effect II). These larger-than-life sculptures stand inside one of city’s many public parks, and they’re always good for a quick photo op.

9:45 AM: Head downtown to wake up with some local flavor. Coffee shop favorites include Cloud Forest Cafe (if you like your lattes with a side of panini), Temple Coffee Roasters (if you like a modern aesthetic and lots of laptops) and Mishka’s (if you like conversations and bustling, jazzy vibes).

10:30 AM: See some art while you’re here! Plenty of sculptures and murals populate downtown Davis, and many hide in plain sight. You’re sure to spot some as you wander, but for more directed viewing you can move through the self-guided Davis Art Walk.

11:30 AM: Check out one of Davis’ quirkier landmarks: Toad Hollow. This small tunnel was constructed in 1995 to guide wandering toads away from from the highway. Since then, it has inspired children’s books like The Toads of Davis and was visited by a young Stephen Colbert as part of a Daily Show segment. And if potential toad sightings aren’t enough, you can always go dogspotting at Toad Hollow Dog Park.

12:00 PM: Grab a piece of cardboard and make your way to Slide Hill Park to visit—you guessed it—Slide Hill. The attraction is less of a “slide” than it is a steep, smooth mountain of concrete, but zooming down on a makeshift seat really gets the adrenaline pumping. This activity is not for the faint of heart.

AFTERNOON

12:30 PM: You deserve a treat after all that biking—have some boba as a refresher. You can find milk tea in nearly every corner of Davis. Some local favorites include MandRo Teahouse and Teabo, but today you might as well return downtown to stop at other top picks like T4 or Lazi Cow (just to name a few).

1:00 PM: What’s a trip to Davis without a walk through the Arboretum? Head toward campus to journey through up to 100 acres of bright flowers, redwood trees and desert landscapes—all interwoven with the university. If it’s mid-spring, you might also spot a large group of ducklings on the water!

2:00 PM: If those natural colors and textures left you wanting more, you can bike to the south part of campus to visit the Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. The museum may be new to Davis, but it has already had a big impact on the town. Even if art isn’t your “thing,” you’ll want to see this museum just to admire its architecture—and to hit the giant gong that sits outside.

3:00 PM: You’ll probably smell the cows before you see the cows, but when you get the chance you should probably pet the cows, too. Our bovine friends live across from the Tercero Residence Halls, and they love visitors.

3:30 PM: Head five minutes northwest to spot the Baggins End Domes, a cooperative campus community that dates back to the seventies. You’ll see chickens, gardens, and sculptures around this property (but you won’t find many corners).

4:00 PM: Take a break on one of the famous blue hammocks bordering the UC Davis quad. You might have to fight another sleepy student to grab a spot, but it’s worth it in the end.

EVENING

5:00 PM: Time to visit the Wednesday Farmers Market to try some samples, listen to live music and people-watch to your heart’s content. (This is also your opportunity to purchase the iconic Farmers Market hat that seemingly everyone in town owns.)

6:00 PM: Still hungry? Move across the street to Burgers & Brew for gourmet burgers and curly fries or go to Redrum Burger for exotic twists like the ostrich burger. If you’d rather go vegetarian, Thai Canteen is just one many downtown restaurants that’s got you covered.

7:00 PM: You might want to digest all that food. Walk to Varsity Theater to see a new independent movie inside the Art Deco-inspired building.

9:00 PM: You don’t have to leave Varsity to get a post-movie treat—peek directly into Icekrimski Cafe for pistachio gelato or blackberry cabarnet sorbetto. If you want to go elsewhere for frozen treats, you can explore The Good Scoop and Davis Creamery for other rotating ice cream flavors