Welcome to Downtown Davis,
where life is Powered by the People…
Downtown Davis is a delightful 32-block shopping, dining and entertainment destination in the heart of the university town of Davis, CA. It's a place to gather with friends and family to enjoy a walkable shopping district packed with vibrant entertainment, dining destinations and community events. It's convenient, close, fun and easy to explore.
Downtown Davis is energized by the people who work, live and visit here, offering the friendliness of a small town, with the culture of an innovative, creative and forward-thinking community.
Discover over 700 retail, professional and service businesses, including more than 70 restaurants and cafes, 13 movie screens, three art galleries, five hotels and more.
What are you waiting for? Stop by, say “Hi,” and stay awhile.
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2nd Friday Art About
A monthly evening of open galleries and artists’ receptions at businesses, galleries and other art-friendly locations in Downtown Davis and beyond. Events occur year-round, are free and open to the public. Many venues include receptions, refreshments and opportunities to meet artists.
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Try a DIY "Staycation," and Discover It Yourself in Downtown Davis. As Davis resident Kyle Monhollen uncovered this fall, there are treasures around every corner. Below, Kyle describes the unexpected rewards of his adventure with his wife and two daughters:
This summer my friend Nina wrote an article announcing our family’s intention to take a Staycation - a vacation without leaving town. Our plans conflicted first with Lance Armstrong, then with an army of parents delivering mini-fridges and high school graduates to UC Davis. So our summer Staycation finally took place in the first days of autumn, but this is Davis so it might as well be July until October, right? Staycation, 2011, woo-hoo!
Due to soccer schedules we didn’t accomplish everything on our list (sorry U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame), but we still painted the town in fine fashion. We started by checking into the University Park Inn, then took a walk Downtown for lunch. On our way, we visited our pal Nina who was hosting the Indie Davis craft fair, showcasing talented locals who are doing their best to make Downtown a creative, community-minded destination.
Eventually we wandered back to the hotel for a swim. A few cannonballs and warm towels later we were showered and ready to walk back Downtown for dinner and ice cream. Soccer, swimming and all that walking made for a satisfying day and early night by vacation standards.
Sunday started with a run for Amy, and cartoons and continental breakfast in pajamas for the rest of us. The morning culminated in brunch—coffee, carbohydrates and crayons at Café Italia—the perfect thing to sustain another leisurely afternoon downtown. We stopped by Outdoor Davis, Fleet Feet, Alphabet Moon and Avid Reader, and that was just 2nd Street. We paid a visit to Cultivé for some frozen yogurt and Peet’s Coffee for further sustenance. Our weekend ended with a late matinee complete with the big bucket of popcorn and contraband licorice.
Our decision to vacation at home was initially financial, influenced by the gift cards and coupons for Downtown businesses we had accumulated. We spent less than $200 out of pocket for a weekend “away”—food, lodging, entertainment and a new pair of shoes. But the value of goods and services purchased Downtown was easily three times that, and money we might have spent elsewhere.
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Be Green... Shop Local!
Sixty cents of every dollar spent with most Downtown businesses STAYS IN DAVIS, vs. only six cents of every dollar spent at big box retailers.
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