Drive past it so you know where to go, but park in a "C lot" on la rue. A stroller may be necessary…read moreto get from parking lot to entrance. "A" parking is for faculty and staff until 5pm. 35260 for a hint on the parkmobile app. You'll prob need parking for 1 hour. Cut through the parking lots and building walkways to get to Bohart. Museum (I think "open lab" is a more apt name) is on the ground floor, wander til you locate the door. Entrance is free. Have an idea about what bugs you would like to request to see. They have a small case for live/preserved bugs that you can hold, but if you come without ideas you might find it a little underwhelming with young ones. Ideal for kids who can safely hold a bug or glass jar without dropping or shaking. The staff is kind and knowledgeable. The room is small, you may like a mask on hand. They have a gift shop area and they have bug nets you can borrow.

Bugs are cool! Betcha didn't know that the seventh largest worldwide collection of them in No…read more America is nearby at UC Davis. They also boast the second largest mosquito collection -- shhh, don't tell Bill Gates! This was my second visit, this time with kids on a field trip. The collection is vast -- so extensive that they have installed rolling bookcases to house the specimens. Our 45 minute tour led us through some of the cases and then on to live specimens which included a giant millipede, hissing cockroaches, a scorpion, black widow, tarantula, walking sticks, and a leaf bug. Our group of little bookworms with ants in their pants was enchanted! The museum is open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Wise people call first before they go to ensure the museum is available. While there is a small charge for tour led groups, the museum is free for general admission. But don't be a stink bug; put some money in the donation box.

It's a smaller museum but take the time to visit. It's free! There are also student docents around…read moreto tell you more about the exhibits. Located close to the parking structure on the south side of UC Davis campus by the Mondavi performing arts center and the campus visitor center. Great clean bathrooms!

Nowheresville? Just a bunch of fields and cows? Think again, mon frère. As a proud Aggie, I can…read moretell you there's more than meets the eye. For example, feast your eyes on the new-ish Shrem museum, right on the edge of campus. New to Davis? This museum is directly across the street from UCD's visitor and conference center on one side, and the campus concert hall (wine-named Mondavi Center). High-tail it over to the museum and keep your wallet in your pocket -- it's free. It's 30 minutes or so you won't mind giving up. A fun mix of modern art that is always changing, so i won't date my review here. At the very least, it's a beautiful space with some thought-provoking installations every time I'm in town. I believe there's some kind of rule that all the artists have some connection to UC Davis. Davis hates cars, so the adjoining parking lot is about $10, during the week only. Weekends? Cars galore, no charge. Inspiring!

A first class museum of Native American art. We were there to see Brenda Mallory's exhibit, which…read moreis phenomenal. The permanent collection is similarly excellent. Highly recommended.

This is a small but beautiful museum along the arboretum. It is well curated and was a very…read moreenjoyable excursion.

So today I was here for my 1st graders field trip…read more Funny story, I found this amazing science center, while googling the words, "inexpensive science field trips." Lo and behold the science center was super cheap to attend for two classes, and the exhibits are very engaging and fun! Anna, Bradley, and David, made our experience fun and exciting! I've done a lot of field trips, in 27 years of teaching, but this one is one of my absolute favorites! I feel like their spot is totally slept on and underrated, we need to usher in more educators to take their kids here for their field trips! They're a non-profit and need our help to stay open! So spread the word and let's keep this learning gem, open longer! Science Exhibits: 20/10 Customer Service: 20/10 Quality of the Programs: Amazing! Overall: 20 out of 10!

We are members and absolutely love this place. My kids have taken camps here over summer and…read morethroughout the school year and we also had my five year olds birthday party here...they always want to return for more. They recently re did the science center and it is such a well done space. The kids enjoy all the interactive stuff as well as the animals. The membership is really great bc you get access to free events - like private times, meet Santa / holiday party, and discounted birthday parties and camps.

Huei and her garden are a Davis treasure. The beautiful plantings, adhering to feng shui, have…read more spilled over into the greenbelt beside her house. With approval from the city, and the assistance of the Sunrise Rotary Club, she has developed a large area outside her side fence. Huei opens her private yard as a setting for fundraisers throughout the year. Her garden is ever changing. If you see a notice of a fundraiser for Huei's Garden, take the opportunity to experience the beauty.

This is one of my favorite places in Davis. It is the best-hidden gem tucked away, so unassuming…read more If you would like to visit the garden yourself, please reach out and schedule a time! I have been working in the garden for a long while as a PhD student in plant biology at UCD, and I have learned so much in its ever-changing landscapes. If you have seen it once, I assure you it's no longer the same! Schedule a visit below! https://forms.gle/gvMN87DVm7a6ZTrL6

A very cool place to explore and zone out and just quiet out the cluster in my mind. They also…read morerecently added more tables and chairs for working and studying. Staff are super nice and will help you if you need anything. They have a gift shop on the first floor perfect for picking up a gift~ I enjoy coming here often because they do have new art on display all the time. So you can enjoy the classics (non rotating long staying pieces) and new ones. Highly recommend this gem of an art gallery!

We came to Davis today to participate in the: California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic…read moreArts (CCACA). I love this event and we come to it every year from the past x number of years. This year they gathered 99.9% of all the student exhibits into the old Whole Foods store across the street from John Natsoulas Gallery. It was a perfect location. Instead of searching all over Davis trying not to miss and exhibit it was all in one place this time. It put off a differnt vibe, which was unique of course. The connivence was great, but I do miss having them divided up so you could focus on one school a a time. This new format has its pros and cons. I love the student exhibits of this Conference the best. You can sign up for demonstrations and lectures if you want, I haven't yet, but many people do and it's a wonderful opportunity. Schools all over California visit. The farthest school we came across is San Diego, but there may be farther schools. Both High Schools and Collage participate. I love them both. Some of those High School students are amazing and out do the Collage Students. All students come and look around for further inspiration. Years ago I used to dabble in ceramics. As a kid I loved taking Ceramics classes in the Community Center. As an adult I used to go to Verge Gallery of the Arts and participated in their open ceramics studio, which I loved. I really should get back into it. I had fun back in the day. There were several schools that created chains out of class. I found that really fascinating. I'd like to try that technique out. One of the Walnut Creek exhibitors crocheted a basket out of yarn and dipped it in Slip (LiquId Clay), and stuck a balloon it it so when it dried it would be poofy. It was so facinating.

Fond memories of this scenic walk as it was one of our family's places to escape during the Covid…read moreshut-down. We visited the Arboretum more recently, and it was just as serene and beautiful as we remembered. From the Davis Commons, there is an entrance to the trail which follows a small creek to the UC Davis campus. The beginning is paved, so you can even push your baby along in a stroller. Along the way are plants and flowers of different varieties, small bridges, a grove of towering trees, and mallard duck couples obviously bonded for life! There is plenty of shade, benches, and spots to rest, but the full loop is about 3.5 miles, which would also make for a phenomenal run with Mother Nature.

Spent my Saturday afternoon here. It was a bit windy & cloudy but there was some sun off and on. It…read morewas so nice to just be outdoors. People were out walking, jogging, enjoying a picnic, reading, etc. parking was a challenge but I parked in the parking structure nearby the Mondavi center. Beautiful views and loved how busy this place was as everyone came out to enjoy the view & some sun.

I've been here twice for concerts and have been extremely pleased with the venue and the overall…read moreexperiences I've had. The campus is gorgeous that it sits on and the Center is absolutely beautiful inside. What I love most about the seating inside is that it's designed well with comfortable seats that aren't crammed together and you can actually enjoy the show. There are vents under each seat to keep you cool, which is also a plus on warmer seasons. The sound quality here is absolute perfection as well and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't feel the same way as I do about this wonderful venue! What a true gift it is to have near us! Oh, the parking here is great as well and so are the attendants!!!

Been here a few times & was here for an event on a Saturday evening but realized Ive never done a…read morereview. I've always enjoyed every show here just not too excited about the seats especially if people are late since there's not a lot of leg room for people to squeeze by. I always buy tickets at the end to avoid sitting in the middle as I find it really tight. There is a snack bar but it doesn't offer a lot but if you need water/soda/coffee or a cookie/brownie they have it.

The Davis art center offers a variety of eclectic cultural arts classes. For instance the first…read morestudio to the left of the entrance is where three-dimensional art and ceramics class are held. Although I don't take 3-dim art classes here it looks like it would be rewarding to create beautiful mosaics from huge chunks of clay and chipped glass while listening to cool retro background music. There are dramatics classes who rehearse outside behind the stage for the "theatre in the park" productions. There are music classes, singing classes, and a variety of cultural dance classes. As an Added bonus... All DAC dance studio floors are solid tongue and groove wood. Did I mention that wood dance floors are almost nonexistent in Northern California? With that said its the floors that drew me to the Davis art center, as any respectable rhythm tapper would. As a community non profit organization taking classes at the DAC should not burn a hole in your octet book. Plus 1 star for that. Enrollment fees & tuition fees are nominal compared to a private studio plus you automatically become a member of the DAC after enrolling in a class. You should really check this place and take a class for fun. Go ahead and dust off that old Yamaha instrument in the back of your closet...you won't regret it. After all cultural arts classes give your mind an opportunity to create while making new friends from the community.

My first experience here was a dazzling evening of drumming with my dear friend Mamadu. This was…read moretruly a enriching and cultural gathering for all ages. I brought my Kambala djembe and jammed until the sun set. Djembe masters like Mamadu are rare these days and I was fortunate enough to have networked with him through the Sacramento drum circle rhythm community. There are people of all ages and backgrounds who share a collective interest in rhythm and the origins of music. The djembe is the roots! I will be back!