5 Things: A Local’s Guide to Davis, California

As we head into the new year, I am excited to be relaunching the Five Things Travel Series! I’ve found that when asking people advice about visiting their city, it’s best to ask them “where would you take a friend?” The results are more passionate, personal takes on cities around the world, with insider travel tips on where to eat, shop, stay, and play in their neighborhoods. We’ll get started with contributors next week, but I thought I’d begin with a more extended version of this, featuring my own home town! 

I pretty much jump at any chance I get to tout Davis, California—partly in hopes that friends scattered about the country will decide to move here.

With the highest number of bikes per capita in the U.S., a walkable downtown core, a world-class performing arts center, and a steady stream of students that keep the city youthful and multicultural, Davis may be small but it has a lot to love. Our little university town is just a 20-minute drive from Midtown Sacramento, two hours from Lake Tahoe and, in the other direction, an hour from the San Francisco Bay.

Here are some of the places I’d take an out-of-town friend…

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The Magic of a Message in a Bottle

I’ve been thinking about this story all weekend. It begins with a tweet from Eileen Webb, whose father Patrick Webb died last month: “Here’s a true story about my dad. When I was little, we were on a beach in Oregon and he found a message in a bottle”…

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Making plans (& Friday Links)

I’m looking forward to a weekend at home, and some free time to make plans. How about you? Aron and I have been booking plane tickets for spring break and summer trips—will definitely be asking for some specific itinerary advice!—and I’ve been so excited about the replies so far to my contributor query. I’ll start replying soon!

Also, we finally picked out a big kid bed for Skyler during the holiday sales. I think it was way back on black Friday—we went with this one when we saw it was marked down—and it will be delivered next week so I guess I need to get to work figuring out how to rearrange the furniture and shelves in her room so that it will fit! It’s going to be an early 5th birthday present.

Finally, some sad news: we are all so shook up and heartbroken: One of our new police officers—a 22-year-old who was just sworn in—was shot and killed last night in Davis, and a manhunt ensued for hours. I was just about to head out to drinks and a movie with friends and we were all cautioned to avoid downtown. Thinking of Officer Corona and her family today—such a tragic loss. Aron had the difficult task of preparing Hudson to hear the news at school this morning, just before dropping him off in his pajamas for pj day.

Hold your loved ones close this weekend! Some links of note… 

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