Places to Take a Visitor in Davis, California By Teresa Pilon and Esther Rose DiCarlo

Downtown Davis Davis prides in its downtown area. Its streets are lined with local shops, savory dining, and people enjoying themselves. The whole city comes downtown on Friday and Saturday nights. Davis’s downtown is also very historical. Some of the buildings have been around since the 1800s.

The Train Station In Davis’s early days, when it was known as Davisville, the train station was an essential part of life. In fact, the whole town was centered around it. Now on the edge of downtown, the train station is still up and running. Taking a train ride to San Francisco or Sacramento, or just looking at the beautiful architecture is a great way to learn about our culture.

Farmers’ Market On Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings, farmers from the Central Valley come to Central Park to sell their produce at the Farmers’ Market. On Wednesdays, local bands play on the lawn, and vendors come to sell food. Kids play in the fountain, and everyone brings a picnic blanket to sit and eat dinner. To get a true taste of Davis life, one should, without a doubt, visit the Farmers’ Market.

Out to See A Show Going to a show at either the Mondovi Center or Varsity Theatre is a great way to spend an evening. The Mondovi, presents top quality plays, concerts, and performances. It is internationally known. Located in Downtown Davis, the Varsity Theatre has recently been restored to its former glory as a one screen movie theatre. It shows independent films that you probably wouldn’t see at a normal cinema.

The Memorial Union Another place to go to get a taste for life in Davis is the MU. Located on UCD campus, it holds many local treasures, such as the bowling alley and the Coffee House. Behind the MU is the Quad which, on certain days, is the center for UCD’s festivals, such as Whole Earth, and Picnic Day.

On a Day Trip Lake Berryessa and Lake Tahoe are both breathtakingly beautiful natural sites. Lake Berryessa is about a 45 minute drive west, and Lake Tahoe is a couple hours east.

Old Sacramento Although Old Town is in Sacramento, all visitors to the area should definitely take time to explore Old Sacramento. The train museum teaches the cities importance in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Discovery Museum of California tells the story of the people that have come to live in our area. Most of the buildings are from the 19 th Century, and there’s even an old one-room schoolhouse.