The Ultimate Guide to Davis, California

Home to UC Davis, big red buses, and plenty of cows, Davis is the cutest quaint college town. Having lived here for six years now, I have made my rounds through all of the good bars, food spots, and places to hang out. Here’s a guide with all of my Davis favorites!

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Where to Stay and How to Get Around

If you’re coming into town and need to find a place to stay, we’ve got plenty of hotels in the area. I suggest the Hyatt Place UC Davis, which is directly on campus, if you’re coming to visit a student or for a campus event. Another good Davis hotel option is the Best Western Plus Palm Court, which is right in the heart of downtown Davis. There are so many good food options nearby, including a cafe and bar right in the hotel.

Since Davis is small, it’s easy to get around. Unitrans is the public transit system, run by the university, that can get you just about anywhere in Davis. Lyft and Uber rides are inexpensive, and parking is plentiful if you’re driving. Downtown is made up of just a few square blocks, so it’s easy to park or get dropped off in one place and walk around.

Where to Eat

Here’s my Davis food recommendations broken down into categories:

Breakfast/Brunch: Crepeville, Cindy’s Restaurant, Bernardo’s (my FAVE brunch place), Noah’s Bagels, and Delta of Venus.

Lunch/Dinner: Paesano’s (italian), Taqueria Guadalajara, El Burrito, Taqueria Davis, Thai Canteen, Sophia’s Thai, Mikuni (sushi), Burgers and Brew, Woodstock’s Pizza,

Dessert: Davis Creamery, Sweet and Shavery, Insomnia Cookies, YoloBerry, Mandro Teahouse (for boba)

Cafes/Bakeries: Konditorei Austrian Pastry, Village Bakery, Pachamama Coffee, Temple Coffee, Tea List

Where to Grab a Drink

My favorite place to grab a drink in Davis is Sophia’s Thai, which has a nice open patio. Sophia’s hosts trivia night every Tuesday, where locals and college kids alike gather to play trivia and enjoy the tropical cocktails. They also serve food (the best thai food in Davis, in my opinion). Another great option is University of Beer. UoB has an extensive menu of beers and ciders and a nice outdoor patio as well. Head inside and check out their cool arcade-game-style table. Some other great bars in the downtown area are Wiki Bar, Red 88, and Froggy’s (with karaoke!).

Davis also has some great brewery options in town. My favorite is Sudwerk Brewing Co., which has outdoor seating and some great food in addition to the brews. In downtown, Three Mile Brewing is the place to be. They once had a brew called “Amarillo Grande” named after Ariana Grande and I loved that. They often host live bands in their outdoor courtyard area. In West Davis, there’s a great spot called Super Owl Brewing. All three options are great to grab a drink in a chill vibe (while supporting local business!).

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Fun Spots

My favorite place to hang out in Davis is the Arboretum. Davis residents love to come to the Arb on weekend mornings. Right next to Lake Spafford is the best spot to picnic and enjoy the outdoors. I always see couples and families doing photo shoots in this area of the park, as well as the Redwood Grove, just a few feet away. Almost any spot on this 100 acre stretch of land is picturesque.

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Another Davis favorite hangout spot is the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings in Central Park, where you’ll find food stands, produce, bakery items, and even some handcrafted goods. There’s usually a band playing live music as well. My favorite food stand in the Wednesday edition of the farmer’s market is the Dumpling House (they used to have a physical location but unfortunately now only serve at this farmer’s market stand). Another favorite of mine is the stand for Pachamama Coffee, on Saturdays.

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If you’re looking for something fun to do indoors, head to Varsity Theater or Regal Theater, both in downtown, and watch a movie! You could also check out the Manetti Shrem Museum (right on campus, and free to enter), catch a show at the Mondavi Center, or head down to the bowling alley & game room inside the Memorial Union on campus! If it’s the right time of year, you might also want to catch a sporting event while you’re here in our football stadium or ARC Pavilion.

One unique thing you can do in Davis is ride a vintage London double-decker bus! I might be biased because I worked as a conductor for Unitrans as an undergrad, but I think these buses are so cool and cute. Fare is free for students, and 1.25 for non-students if you’re getting on anywhere besides the terminal. If you’re getting on at the terminal, the ride is free. They depart from the Memorial Union terminal every half-hour or so. Unitrans also has more modern double decker buses which depart from the Silo Terminal. Hop on for a ride on the upper level!

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Where to Head on a Day Trip

If you’re looking for a fun day trip to head OUT of Davis, you’re in luck! The town is located close to lots of cool places that are a short drive away.

In the fall, Apple Hill in Placerville will make all of your apple cider donut dreams come true. In summer or winter, Lake Tahoe is a great day trip to do from the Davis/Sacramento area for going to the lake or skiing. For either Apple Hill or Tahoe, just be aware of the freeway traffic when you’re planning the trip as they tend to be popular destinations.

Another great spot a short drive away is Lake Berryessa, a fun spot for hiking or heading out on the lake. On the way to Lake Berryessa is Winters, California, a small town with a very cute downtown area. Berryessa Brewing Co is a great spot in Winters to check out. Just past Lake Berryessa is Napa, and (you already know) I have an -entire blog post- on what to do in Napa for a day or weekend trip! Find that post here.

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In addition to all these great spots, Sacramento is a short drive away (30 mins), and the San Francisco Bay Area is also close by (hour and a half). I have a guide on San Francisco (best date spots) which can be found here, and am working on a Sacramento guide for the future.

Annual Events

Picnic Day. If you asked an undergrad what Picnic Day is, they might tell you it’s the biggest rager of the year, but this annual event is so much more than just a party day for the students. Picnic Day is UC Davis’s annual open house! Many departments and organizations of the university put out displays around campus and hold events. There’s also a large parade, a battle of the (marching) bands, and a doxie derby! Picnic Day traditionally takes place in mid-April and tends to be quite hot, so be sure to bring sunscreen and water. I suggest planning out your picnic day agenda in advance as there are a lot of events throughout the day.

Pajamarino. One of Davis’s oldest traditions, Pajamarino takes place on the weekend of the football homecoming game. Legend has it that students used to come out from their dorms to the Amtrak station in their pajamas to welcome alumni coming in on the train for the weekend, so now students dress in their pj’s and join the marching band for a celebration at the train station.

Celebrate Davis. Celebrate Davis is an annual festival in May put on by the Davis Chamber of Commerce. There’s plenty of booths, food trucks, stage performances and fireworks!

Sunflower fields. Not necessarily an “event” so to speak, but the sunflower fields are a one-a-year occurrence that everyone loves to visit. They usually are at full bloom around mid-June. I will warn you… whoever owns the sunflower fields does NOT like people trespassing and stepping all over the sunflowers. But plenty of people still do it. I would advise to be cautious and courteous while at the fields if you go. How to get there: head west on I-80 a few exits out of Davis toward Dixon, and exit on Pedrick. Go forward onto the Lincoln Highway and the fields should be around there on the right.

Cows!

What would this guide to Davis be without mentioning the cows? The UC Davis Dairy Facility holds over a hundred cows which are milked twice daily. The milk is sold to Hilmar Cheese! In addition to be used for various animal biology classes and research studies, the dairy facility hosts internships for students to get hands-on experience in the facility. The cows are right next to the Tercero dorms, and are so friendly! I love going to visit them and highly recommend it.

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The Campus.

In addition to what I’ve said about the Arboretum and the dairy facility, the UC Davis campus is beautiful, full of nature, and worth a visit. I believe it’s actually the largest University of California campus by area. I suggest parking either by the Arboretum Redwood Grove, the law school, or on A street, and taking a walk around. (Campus parking is free on weekends!) Some noteworthy spots on campus to check out are: the Memorial Union, the Quad, Shields Library, the Silo, and (if you’re here for my law school content) King Hall! You could also go on a hunt to find all 7 of the eggheads that are scattered around campus.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to Davis! Living here for my 6th year now (undergrad + law school) the town still amazes me and I am constantly finding new things I love. If you’re considering coming here for school, I highly recommend it! If you have any suggestions or questions, I am always happy to chat! Follow me for more Davis recommendations and content on Instagram, here.