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Sacramento | Woodland | Davis
California’s capital is an ethnically diverse city, with sizable Mexican, Hmong, and Ukrainian populations, among many others.
Sacramento
87 miles northeast of San Francisco; 384 miles north of Los Angeles.
All around the Golden State’s seat of government you’ll experience echoes of the gold-rush days, most notably in Old Sacramento, whose wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages on cobblestone streets lend the waterfront district a 19th-century feel. The California State Railroad Museum and other venues hold artifacts of state and national significance, and historic buildings house shops and restaurants. River cruises and train rides are fun family diversions for an hour or two.
Due east of Old Sacramento is Downtown, where landmarks include the Capitol building and the surrounding Capitol Park. The convention center is also here. The area is a little uneven economically, but some of the boarded-up storefronts have begun to enjoy some revitalization in recent years.
Farther east, starting at about 15th Street, lies the city’s most interesting neighborhood, Midtown, a mix of genteel Victorian edifices, ultramodern lofts, and innovative restaurants and cozy wine bars. The neighborhood springs to life on the second Saturday evening of the month, when art galleries hold open houses and the sidewalks are packed. A few intersections are jumping most evenings when the weather’s good; they include the corner of 20th and L streets in what’s known as Lavender Heights, the center of the city’s gay and lesbian community.
Getting Here and Around
Most people drive to Sacramento and get around by car. Yellow Cab is a reliable company.
Bus Travel
Sacramento Regional Transit buses and light-rail vehicles serve the area. The No. 30 DASH shuttle bus links Old Sacramento, Midtown, and Sutter’s Fort.
Car Travel
Assuming that traffic is not a factor (though it often is), Sacramento is a 90-minute drive from San Francisco and a seven-hour drive from Los Angeles. Parking garages serve Old Sacramento and other tourist spots; on-street parking in Downtown can be difficult to find.
Essentials
Transportation Contacts
Sacramento Regional Transit. | 916/321–2877 | www.sacrt.com.
Yellow Cab Co. of Sacramento. | 916/444–2222 | www.yellowcabsacramento.com.
Visitor Information
Old Sacramento Visitor Information Center. | 1002 2nd St. | 916/442–7644 | www.oldsacramento.com | Daily 10–5.
Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. | 1608 I St. | 916/808–7777 | www.visitsacramento.com.
Exploring
Top Attractions
American River Bicycle Trail.
The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, as it’s formally called, runs for 32 miles from Old Sacramento to Beals Point in Folsom. Walk or ride a bit of it and you’ll see why local cyclists and pedestrians adore its scenic lanes, if not always each other: confrontations do occur between humorless speeders and meandering gawkers. Enjoy great views of the American River and the bluffs overlooking it. TIP Bring lunch or a snack. Pretty parks and picnic areas dot the trail. | www.americanriverbiketrail.com.
California Automobile Museum.
More than 150 vintage automobiles—including Model Ts, Hudsons, Studebakers, Pontiacs, and other bygone makes and models—are on display at this museum that pays tribute to automotive history and car culture. Check out a replica of Henry Ford’s 1896 Quadracycle and a 1920s roadside café and garage exhibit. The docents are ready to explain everything you see. The museum is near Downtown and Old Sacramento, with ample free parking. | 2200 Front St., Downtown | 916/442–6802 | www.calautomuseum.org | $8 | Daily 10–6.
FAMILY | California State Railroad Museum.
Near what was the terminus of the transcontinental and Sacramento Valley railroads, this 100,000-square-foot museum is a re-creation of the original train station and roundhouse. There are 21 locomotives and railroad cars on display along with dozens of other exhibits. You can walk through a post-office car and peer into cubbyholes and canvas mailbags, enter a sleeping car that simulates the swaying on the roadbed and the flashing lights of a passing town at night, or glimpse inside the first-class dining car. The room containing the gold “Last Spike,” one of two cast in 1869 to commemorate the completion of the transcontinental railroad, is quietly compelling. Kids have lots of fun at this museum, especially in the play area upstairs. TIP You can visit an original roundhouse, not just a replica, at Railtown 1897 in Jamestown, near Sonora. | 125 I St., at 2nd St., Old Sacramento | 916/323–9280 | www.csrmf.org | $10 | Daily 10–5.
Capitol.
The lacy plasterwork of the Capitol’s 120-foot-high rotunda has the complexity and colors of a Fabergé egg. Underneath the gilded dome are marble floors, glittering chandeliers, monumental staircases, reproductions of century-old state offices, and legislative chambers decorated in the style of the 1890s (the Capitol was built in 1869). Guides conduct tours of the building and the 40-acre Capitol Park, which contains a rose garden, a fragrant display of camellias (Sacramento’s city flower), and the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. TIP Wander the Capitol’s botanical grounds to glimpse the diverse collection of trees, shrubs, and flowers, including some 1,200 trees from around the world. The original Deodar Cedars on the west side date back to 1872. | Capitol Mall and 10th St., Downtown | 916/324–0333 | www.statecapitolmuseum.com | Free | Daily 9–5; tours hourly 9–4.
Fodor’s Choice | Crocker Art Museum.
Established in 1885, this esteemed art museum contains one of the finest collections of Californian art in the nation—two highlights include Sunday Morning in the Mines (1872), a large canvas by Charles Christian Nahl depicting the original mining industry, and the magnificent Great Canyon of the Sierra, Yosemite (1871), by Thomas Hill. The Crocker has exceptional holdings of master drawings as well as an impressive collection of international ceramics and works from Europe, Asia, and Africa. A huge contemporary wing was added in 2010 and regularly hosts outstanding traveling exhibitions. On view in 2015 are works by Toulouse-Lautrec, William S. Rice, David Ligare, and Armin Hansen. | 216 O St., at 3rd St., Downtown | 916/808–7000 | www.crockerartmuseum.org | $10 | Tues., Wed., and Fri.–Sun. 10–5, Thurs. 10–9.
Worth Noting
FAMILY | California Museum.
Some of the exhibits at this celebration of all things California are high-tech and interactive, but there are also scores of archival drawers that you can pull out to see the real artifacts of history and culture—from the California State Constitution to surfing magazines. Board a 1949 cross-country bus to view a video on immigration, visit a Chinese herb shop maintained by a holographic proprietor, or find familiar names inducted into the annually expanded California Hall of Fame. The museum’s café is open on weekdays until 2:30 pm. | 1020 O St., at 11th St., Downtown | 916/653–7524 | www.californiamuseum.org | $9 | Tues.–Sat. 10–5, some Sun. noon–5.
FAMILY | Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station.
At this reconstructed 1876 depot there’s rolling stock to admire, a typical waiting room, and a small restaurant. Part of the year a train departs from the freight depot, south of the passenger station, making a 40-minute out-and-back trip between the Sacramento River and, less interestingly, Interstate 5. | 930 Front St., at J St., Old Sacramento | 916/445–6645 | www.csrmf.org | Train rides $10 | Train rides Apr.–Sept., weekends 11–4; Oct.–Mar., call for hrs.
Huntington, Hopkins & Co. Store.
Picks, shovels, gold pans, and other paraphernalia used by gold-rush miners are on display at this re-creation of a 19th-century hardware store. Though it’s named for two of the Big Four railroad barons, their store was far more elaborate. | 113 I St., at Front St., Old Sacramento | 916/323–9280 | Free | Mon.–Thurs. 11–4.
Leland Stanford Mansion.
The painstakingly renovated Victorian mansion is distinguished by both the 19th-century paintings it houses as well as the home’s general craftsmanship, both indoors and out. Stanford, a railroad baron, California governor, and U.S. senator, had this home built in 1856; additions were made in 1862 and the early 1870s. TIP Free tours, limited to about 15 people, depart at the top of the hour from 10 to 4. | 800 N St., at 8th St., Downtown | 916/324–0575 recorded info, 916/324–9266 visitor center | Free | Tours daily 10–5.
FAMILY | Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum.
Sacramento’s first school welcomed students in August 1849 and closed permanently four months later. Five years passed before another public school opened. Today it’s a kid-friendly attraction that shows what one-room schoolhouses were like in the California Central Valley and foothills in the late 1800s. | 1200 Front St., at L St., Old Sacramento | www.scoe.net/oldsacschoolhouse | Free | Mon.–Sat. 10–4, Sun. noon–4 (closed some weekends).
State Indian Museum.
Among the interesting displays at this museum near Sutter’s Fort is one about Ishi, the last Yahi Indian to emerge from the mountains, in 1911. Ishi provided anthropologists with insight into his people’s traditions and culture. Arts-and-crafts exhibits, a demonstration village, and an evocative 10-minute video also explore the lives and history of California’s native peoples. | 2618 K St., at 27th St. | 916/324–0971 | www.parks.ca.gov | $3 | Daily 10–5.
FAMILY | Sutter’s Fort.
German-born Swiss immigrant John Augustus Sutter founded Sacramento’s earliest Euro-American settlement in 1839. Audio speakers give information at each stop along a self-guided tour that includes a blacksmith’s shop, bakery, prison, living quarters, and livestock areas. Costumed docents sometimes reenact fort life, demonstrating crafts, food preparation, and firearms maintenance. | 2701 L St., at 27th St., Midtown | 916/445–4422 | www.parks.ca.gov | $5 most days, $7 on interpretive program days | Daily 10–5.
Where to Eat
Fodor’s Choice | Biba.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Owner Biba Caggiano is a nationally recognized authority on Italian cuisine, having written numerous cookbooks, several of which are sold here in her inviting restaurant. The Capitol crowd flocks here for exceptional renditions of lasagna with Bolognese sauce, classic Milanese-style veal osso buco with saffron-risotto cakes, and pan-roasted halibut topped with a light caper-lemon-butter sauce. For dessert, try delicious zuccotto Florentino (a layer of rum-soaked cake with chocolate ganache crowned with a mountain of whipped cream, and bites of hazelnuts, almonds and chocolate). A pianist adds to the upscale ambience nightly. | Average main: $28 | 2801 Capitol Ave., at 28th St., Midtown | 916/455–2422 | www.biba-restaurant.com | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. No lunch Mon. or Sat.
Cafeteria 15L.
$$ | AMERICAN | An easygoing comfort-food haven, 15L makes a great first impression on newbies and a lasting one on its many repeat local customers. Generous portions of sides such as macaroni and cheese and tater tots just might be the biggest hits, but entrées like pork sliders and grilled-cheese sandwiches are also popular. The food here consistently receives high marks, as does the attentive service. On Friday and Saturday nights the place turns into a hopping club with DJs spinning dance music. | Average main: $18 | 1116 15th St., at L St., Downtown | 916/492–1960 | www.cafeteria15l.com | No lunch weekends.
Ernesto’s Mexican Food.
$ | MEXICAN | Customers often have to wait for a table on Friday and Saturday evenings at this traditional Mexican restaurant that’s a reliably good bet for shrimp Veracruz, pork carnitas, chile colorado (steak in ancho and pasilla chili sauce), and Mexico City–style street-food tacos. The margaritas are strong and affordable. Sister restaurant Zocalo (1801 Capitol Ave. | 916/441–0303) has an indoor-outdoor dining space and is a popular launching spot for nights out on the town. | Average main: $13 | 1901 16th St., at S St., Midtown | 916/441–5850 | www.ernestosmexicanfood.com.
Ella.
$$$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | With fresh white calla lilies on the tables, ivory linen curtains, and distressed-wood shutters installed across the ceiling, this swank restaurant and bar near the Capitol building is artfully designed and thoroughly modern—a nice fit for the stellar California-French farm-to-table cuisine served within. The menu changes seasonally, but typical are the steak tartare with garlic popovers and a farm egg, seared local sturgeon with caul fat, grilled endive, and romanesco sauce, and wood-fried pork chop with root vegetables. The impeccable waitstaff works with ninja-like precision, paying close attention to every detail. | Average main: $34 | 1131 K St., Downtown | 916/443–3772 | www.elladiningroomandbar.com | Closed Sun.
Fodor’s Choice | The Firehouse.
$$$$ | AMERICAN | Long celebrated by locals and foodies as one of the city’s top restaurants, this historic eatery has a full bar, breezy courtyard seating, and creative American cooking, such as char-grilled spring rack of lamb served with roasted French fingerling potatoes and baby artichoke and fava bean succotash. Visitors who can afford to treat themselves to a fine and leisurely meal can do no better in Old Sacramento—although they might also opt for the less-pricey Ten 22. Located a block away and under the same ownership as the Firehouse, it serves pizza and other fancified comfort food. | Average main: $41 | 1112 2nd St., at L St., Old Sacramento | 916/442–4772 | www.firehouseoldsac.com | No lunch weekends.
Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Company.
$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | Youthful and hip, with found-art decorative elements and exposed vents, this historic former fire station is a favorite stop for creative cocktails, craft beers, and creative gastropub fare. Lighter dishes include pizza with gooey burrata cheese and fresh tomatoes, house-made sausages with assorted chutneys and mustards, and seared-ahi bahn mi sliders. There’s more complex fare, too, such as bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with gnocchi and smoked tomato, and roasted-pumpkin risotto with mascarpone. A refined drink list includes rotating local wine and beers on tap. | Average main: $18 | 1630 S. St., Midtown | 916/442–4885 | www.hookandladder916.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Magpie Cafe.
$$ | AMERICAN | This hip Midtown eatery with a casual vibe takes its food quite seriously: nearly all the produce is sourced locally, and menus are printed each day, reflecting availability from local farms. The array of small-batch farmstead cheeses, all from California, is mouthwatering (especially the Point Reyes Blue, drizzled with honey). Recent offerings have included roasted chicken for two with a chervil-ginger green sauce, and—at lunch—a smoked-trout and Meyer lemon sandwich with dill, capers, and cream cheese. Be sure to choose a couple of the perfectly braised or roasted side vegetable dishes, perhaps asparagus with green-garlic oil, or pan-seared creamy polenta with sage. If you make it here for brunch, consider the savory bread pudding with bacon, chipotle-cheddar, and chives. The pub next door can get loud after 9, so arrive before if aiming for a relaxed dinner. | Average main: $22 | 1409 R St., No. 102, Midtown | 916/452–7594 | www.magpiecafe.com | Reservations not accepted | No dinner Sun.
Rio City Café.
$$ | AMERICAN | Contemporary and seasonal Mediterranean and Californian cuisine, and huge floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor deck overlooking the river are the attractions of this popular restaurant that’s designed to resemble a vintage steamship warehouse. Consider dining here for lunch or brunch, when you can enjoy the beautiful water views. The food is unfussy and consistently good—burgers with rosemary fries, Baja-style fish tacos with pineapple-papaya salsa, Dungeness crab and shrimp Louie salad. The big draw here, however, is the ambience. | Average main: $18 | 1110 Front St., at L St., Old Sacramento | 916/442–8226 | www.riocitycafe.com.
Fodor’s Choice | The Waterboy.
$$$ | EUROPEAN | Rural French cooking with locally sourced, high-quality (often organic) ingredients is the hallmark of this upscale but refreshingly unfussy Midtown restaurant that’s as appealing for a casual meal with friends as it is for a drawn-out romantic dinner for two. The artisan cheese and antipasto plates are appealing starters for sharing, as is a standout chicken-liver crostini with fennel, frisée, apple, and caramelized shallots. Among the mains, try the braised Niman Ranch pork cheeks with green garlic jus, or pan-seared dayboat scallops with a celery root–sunchoke–bacon hash and a Meyer lemon–brown butter sauce. | Average main: $28 | 2000 Capitol Ave., at 20th St., Midtown | 916/498–9891 | www.waterboyrestaurant.com | No lunch weekends.
Where to Stay
Amber House Bed & Breakfast Inn.
$$$ | B&B/INN | About a mile from the Capitol, this B&B has rooms in a 1905 Craftsman-style home and an 1895 Dutch colonial–revival home. Baths are tiled in Italian marble; some rooms have skylights, fireplaces, patios, and two-person spa tubs, or a combination of some of those features. Amber House’s location has become increasingly desirable, as its Midtown neighborhood has blossomed with distinctive new shops and restaurants, many within 15-minutes’ walking distance. Pros: Midtown location; attentive service. Cons: freeway access isn’t easy. | Rooms from: $199 | 1315 22nd St., Midtown | 916/444–8085, 800/755–6526 | www.amberhouse.com | 10 rooms | Breakfast.
Fodor’s Choice | Citizen Hotel.
$$ | HOTEL | This boutique hotel built within the historic 1926 Cal Western Life building is dapper and refined, with marble stairs, stripped wallpaper, and plush velvet chairs, lending the place a Roaring ‘20s charm. It’s a favorite overnight roost among visiting politicians, business leaders, and celebs. Try to choose a room on a higher floor—the view of downtown Sacramento is impressive. Dining in the Grange Restaurant & Bar ($$$) is a treat—the upscale contemporary restaurant draws plenty of locals, too. If you’re here for brunch, try the yummy brisket hash. Pros: hip, sophisticated decor; smooth and solicitous service; terrific restaurant and bar. Cons: rooms near elevator can be noisy; rates vary widely depending on conventions, legislature, season. | Rooms from: $159 | 926 J St., Downtown | 916/447–2700 | www.jdvhotels.com | 183 rooms, 15 suites | No meals.
Delta King.
$$ | HOTEL | For the opportunity to sleep in one of Sacramento’s most unusual and historic relics, book a stay in this riverboat that’s been gloriously restored. It’s permanently moored on Old Sacramento’s waterfront. Wake up to the sound of geese taking flight along the river. The old-fashioned restaurant offers live music on weekends, and the staff is helpful and friendly. Pros: exudes old-world charm; steps from historic Old Town shopping and dining. Cons: slanted floors can feel a bit jarring; rooms are a bit cramped. | Rooms from: $167 | 1000 Front St., Old Sacramento | 916/444–5464, 800/825–5464 | www.deltaking.com | 44 rooms | Breakfast.
Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza.
$$ | HOTEL | This high-rise hotel has modern rooms and the best location for visiting Old Sacramento, and it’s within walking distance of the Capitol. Pros: central location; top floors offer good views; decent on-site restaurants. Cons: impersonal; next to a busy freeway. | Rooms from: $121 | 300 J St. | 916/446–0100, 800/465–4329 | www.holiday-inn.com | 336 rooms, 5 suites | No meals.
Hyatt Regency Sacramento.
$$$ | HOTEL | With a marble-and-glass lobby and luxurious rooms, this hotel across from the Capitol and adjacent to the convention center is arguably Sacramento’s finest. The multitiered, glass-dominated hotel has a striking Mediterranean design. The best rooms have Capitol Park views. The service and attention to detail are outstanding. Pros: beautiful Capitol Park is across the street; some rooms have small balconies. Cons: nearby streets can feel a little dodgy at night; somewhat impersonal. | Rooms from: $179 | 1209 L St., Downtown | 916/443–1234, 800/633–7313 | www.sacramento.hyatt.com | 485 rooms, 18 suites | No meals.
Nightlife and Performing Arts
Nightlife
Blue Cue.
A billiard lounge known for its selection of single-malt scotches, the Blue Cue is upstairs from the popular Mexican restaurant Centro. Wednesday night’s trivia contest is a spirited event. | 1004 28th St., at J St., Midtown | 916/441–6810 | www.bluecue.com.
Dive Bar.
Live “mermaids” and “mermen” swim in a massive tank above the bar at this lively downtown nightspot known for its extensive list of craft cocktails and local beers. | 1016 K St., Downtown | 916/737–5999 | divebarsacramento.com.
Fox and Goose.
This casual pub with live music serves fish-and-chips, Cornish pasties, and other traditional items—plus vegetarian/vegan fare—on weekdays until 9:30. | 1001 R St., at 10th St., Downtown | 916/443–8825 | www.foxandgoose.com.
Harlow’s.
This sceney restaurant draws a youngish crowd to its art-deco bar-nightclub for live music after 9 pm. | 2708 J St., at 27th St., Midtown | 916/441–4693 | www.harlows.com.
Streets of London Pub.
A favorite among Anglophiles, Streets is open until 2 am nightly. Darts and TV soccer, anyone? | 1804 J St., at 18th St., Midtown | 916/498–1388 | www.streetsoflondon.net.
Performing Arts
California Musical Theatre.
This group presents Broadway shows at the Sacramento Community Center Theater and the summer Music Circus offerings (think Oklahoma, Annie) at the theater-in-the-round Wells Fargo Pavilion. | 1419 H St., at 14th St., Downtown | 916/557–1999 | www.calmt.com.
Crest Theatre.
It’s worth peeking inside the Crest even if you don’t catch a show there, just to see the swirling and flamboyant art deco design in the foyer. It’s a beloved venue for classic and art-house films, along with concerts and other cultural events. | 1013 K St., at 10th St., Downtown | 916/476–3356 | www.crestsacramento.com.
Esquire Theater.
If you want the really big picture, the Esquire Theater screens IMAX movies. | 1211 K St., Downtown | 916/443–4629 | www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax.
Sacramento Community Center Theater.
Top arts events are presented here, including ballet, opera, symphony and other concerts, along with Broadway musicals and speakers series. | 1301 L St., Downtown | 916/808–5181 | www.sacramentoconventioncenter.com.
Tower Theatre.
For art films, visit the funky Tower, a few minutes southeast of downtown. | 2508 Land Park Dr., near Broadway | 916/442–4700 | www.thetowertheatre.com.
Sports and the Outdoors
Sacramento Kings.
The NBA’s Sacramento Kings are scheduled to move into a new downtown arena in 2016, but for now they continue to play at freaky Sleep Train Arena (1 Sports Pkwy. | 916/928–6900), one of the NBA’s oldest sites. | www.nba.com/kings.
Sacramento River Cats.
The minor-league Sacramento River Cats baseball team plays before big crowds at West Sacramento’s Raley Field (400 Ballpark Dr. | 916/376–4722). | 400 Ballpark Dr. | www.rivercats.com.
Shopping
Greater Sacramento is filled with familiar shops. To try something new, wander through Midtown, especially J, K, and L streets between 16th and 26th streets.
Artists’ Collaborative Gallery.
Top local artists and craftspeople exhibit their works at this gallery. | 129 K St., Old Sacramento | 916/444–7125 | www.artcollab.com.
Arden Fair mall.
Macy’s and Nordstrom department stores anchor this large mall that contains a slew of chain shops and a few homegrown businesses. | 1689 Arden Way, off Capital City Freeway (Business I–80), northeast of downtown | www.ardenfair.com.
Westfield Galleria at Roseville.
The Sacramento region’s largest shopping complex is a sprawling, heavily trafficked collection of chain stores and restaurants. It’s always jumping. | 1151 Galleria Blvd., north of Sacramento off I–80 Exit 105A | Roseville | www.westfield.com/galleriaatroseville.
Woodland
20 miles northwest of Sacramento.
In its heyday, Woodland was among California’s wealthiest cities. Established by gold seekers and entrepreneurs, it later became an agricultural gold mine. The legacy of the old land barons lives on in the restored Victorian and Craftsman architecture downtown; the best examples are south of Main Street on College, Elm, 1st, and 2nd streets. The town’s top attraction is the splendid Heidrick Ag History Center.
Getting Here and Around
Yolobus (www.yolobus.com) serves downtown Woodland from Sacramento, but it’s far more practical to drive here via Interstate 5.
Essentials
Visitor Information
Woodland Chamber of Commerce. | 307 1st St., at Dead Cat Alley | 530/662–7327 | www.woodlandchamber.org.
Exploring
FAMILY | Heidrick Ag History Center Tractor & Truck Museum.
This gigantic space provides a marvelous overview of the entire history of motorized agricultural vehicles. Souped-up and shiny, the antique threshers, harvesters, combines, tractors, and proto-tractors on display here look ready to service the farms of their eras all over again. And there’s more. A separate wing surveys the evolution of the truck, with an emphasis on ones used for farm work. | 1962 Hays La., off County Rd. 102 | 530/666–9700 | www.aghistory.org | $10 | Mid-Mar.–early Nov., Wed.–Sun. 10–5; early Nov.–mid-Mar., Wed.–Sun. 10–4.
Woodland Opera House.
This 1896 structure hosted minstrel shows, John Philip Sousa’s marching band, and early vaudeville acts before closing for six decades (a sad saga that involved a penny-pinching Hershey’s chocolate heir). Now restored, it hosts plays, musicals, and concerts. If the box office is open, ask for a backstage tour or a peek at the auditorium. | 340 2nd St. | 530/666–9617 | www.woodlandoperahouse.org | Tours Tues. 2–4 or by appointment.
Yolo County Historical Museum.
This 10-room classical-revival home of settler William Byas Gibson was purchased by volunteers and restored to what you see today. You can see collections of furnishings and artifacts from the 1850s to 1930s. Old trees and an impressive lawn cover the 2½-acre site. | 512 Gibson Rd., at College St. | 530/666–1045 | www.gibsonhouse.org | Tues.–Fri. 10–3.
Where to Eat
Mojo’s Kitchen428.
$$ | AMERICAN | Woodland’s dining scene turned a shade greener when Mojo’s opened with restored furnishings reportedly rescued from other businesses. The steaks, lamb shanks, and turkey potpies all have their adherents, but if you’re not into meat you’ll find salmon and other seafood on the menu, along with vegetarian and even a few vegan items. There’s a popular brunch on weekends. A friendly, stylish place, Mojo’s rewards customers for also adopting green practices: ride a bike here, and you’ll receive 10% off your bill. | Average main: $21 | 428 1st St., off Main St. | 530/661–0428 | www.mojoskitchen428.com.
Davis
10 miles west of Sacramento.
Davis began as a rich agricultural area and remains one, but it doesn’t feel like a cow town. It’s home to the University of California at Davis, whose 35,000-plus students hang at downtown cafés, galleries, and bookstores (most of the action takes place between 1st and 4th and C and G streets), lending the city a decidedly college-town feel.
Getting Here and Around
Most people arrive here by car via Interstate 80. In a pinch, you can get here via Yolobus (www.yolobus.com) from Sacramento. Downtown is walkable. Touring by bicycle is also a popular option—Davis is very flat.
Essentials
Visitor Information
Davis Chamber of Commerce. | 640 3rd St. | 530/756–5160 | www.davischamber.com.
Exploring
University of California, Davis.
A top research university, UC Davis educates many of the Wine Country’s vintners and grape growers. Campus tours depart from Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. On a tour or not, worthy stops include the Arboretum (arboretum.ucdavis.edu)—this is a major agricultural school, and it shows—and the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts (www.mondaviarts.org), a striking modern glass structure that presents top-tier artists. | Visitor Center, Alumni La. | 530/752–8111 | visit.ucdavis.edu | Visitor Center weekdays 8–5, Sat. 9–3.
Artery.
The work of Northern California craftspeople is displayed at the Artery, an artists’ cooperative that includes decorative and functional ceramics, glass, wood, jewelry, fiber arts, painting, sculpture, drawing, and photography. | 207 G St. | 530/758–8330 | www.theartery.net | Mon.–Thurs. and Sat. 10–6, Fri. 10–9, Sun. noon–5.
Where to Eat and Stay
Bistro 33.
$ | AMERICAN | This striking venue, in and outside what long ago was Davis City Hall, does brisk business well into the evenings. Wood-fired pizza and a small but diverse selection of entrées draw big crowds for lunch and dinner in a renovated building that has a large, attractively arranged courtyard. Brunch is served on Sunday. | Average main: $15 | 226 F St. | 530/756–4556 | davis.bistro33.com.
Aggie Inn.
$$ | HOTEL | This simple hotel, less than a block from the campus, is named for the University of California at Davis Aggies, the school’s team name. Rooms are basic; convenience is what this place is about. Pros: clean; windows open; good location; not a chain. Cons: so-so breakfasts; bare-bones decor. | Rooms from: $135 | 245 1st St. | 530/756–0352 | www.aggieinn.com | 25 rooms, 9 suites | Breakfast.
Hallmark Inn.
$$ | HOTEL | Two buildings with clean, modern rooms make up this inn, which is five blocks from the University of California campus and is next door to a restaurant. Pros: within walking distance of campus and downtown; safe neighborhood; updated rooms. Cons: limited ventilation; rooms can feel small. | Rooms from: $155 | 110 F St. | 800/753–0035 | www.hallmarkinn.com | 120 rooms | No meals.