Family Fun Guide to University of California@Davis Attractions

University of Calinfornia at Davis
2516 Stockton Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95817
Admission: Free! $6 parking
Directory listing

Your children might be years away from their college days, however the University of California at Davis offers venues guaranteed to simultaneously engage and educate (ok, you don't have to emphasis the latter). All have free admissions.

Combine our area's vast agricultural riches with the recent loss of honey bees and everyone is buzzing about this attraction located on the campus' west side.

A series of interconnecting sustainable gardens with names such as "My Backyard", "Nectar Nook", "Honeycomb Hideout" and "Pollinator Patch" and "Orchard Alley" with seasonally blooming plants, like red sage and coneflowers, and trees such as almond encourage bees to feed year-round. Advice on how not to fear bees and what we can plant in our backyards or in patio pots to help them gives these bee exhibits gets an A plus for appreciating the natural world around us.

Spread over 100 acres the 75 year-old Arboretum offers walkers, joggers and bikers a series of paths through 17 different gardens inspired from around the globe.

What part of the world would you like to visit?

The Australian Collection winds alongside a creek under towering eucalyptus trees or a gum tree's swirling branches with circular leaves. A sense of serenity surrounds the East Asian Collection. The dull grayness of our late Northern California winter is banished thanks to the pink explosion of cherry trees.

From Europe through North Africa to Asian countries like Japan and China and all of North America cone bearing trees, like pine and juniper, can be found. The Arboretum's Conifer Collection is one of the more fragrant gardens to visit.

When the temperature soars you can escape the summer's heat by spending time under the shade of the towering trees in the T. Elliot Weier Redwood Grove.

Free docent led tours and special events occur year-round.

Weekday visitors must pay $6.00 for on-campus parking lots.

Entomology is the study of bugs and if the thought of a museum dedicated to creepy crawling things makes you want to take off your shoe and start pounding – stop!

Luckily, the facility is so interesting it is almost possible to overcome any jitters. Over 7 million exhibits, alive and dead, can be discovered in drawers, tanks and cages.

The alluring beauty of butterflies is found on a walk down "Butterfly Alley" while having a Madagascar hissing cockroach crawl along the palm of your hand at the Arthropod Petting Zoo is a once-in a lifetime experience few will forget.

Due to the museum status as a working lab preschool children seldom enjoy a visit. However, older kids
will bug you for return trips.

On-campus parking lots cost $6.00.

Directions:
Take exit 71 off I-80.
Head south along Old Davis Road (away from the campus)
Cross train tracks
Go up a slight incline and over the small bridge.
Follow the road until you come to a "Y.
Take the left part of the "Y" down the incline.
Raptor Center is on left.

Despite being grounded for life the cries of these injured birds of prey still thrill. Heed the advice to
walk and speak softly and not to crowd their heavily fortified cages. The reward is seeing majestic bald and golden eagles, hawks, owls and even vultures close-up.

A one-room museum offers a variety of learning activities, but be warned the taxidermied birds often have equally stuffed mice in their talons or mouths. A popular exhibit is determining the contents of a raptor's pellets. Don't worry - disposable gloves are available.