Davis: The Town Where Bikes Outnumber People (And That's Just Fine)

so davis, california-you might know it as that college town with more bicycles than brains. but let me tell you, there's something weirdly charming about a place where the local government probably has a department just for bike lane maintenance. i rolled in on a wednesday afternoon, and the first thing i noticed was the smell. not bad, just… earthy. like someone mixed alfalfa with artisanal coffee and called it "local aroma."

*the weather was doing its thing-15.06°c, feels like 14.95°c, humidity at a solid 89%. basically, sweater weather with a side of "maybe bring an umbrella, just in case." i just checked and it's... there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.

i stayed near the uc davis campus, which is basically a labyrinth of lecture halls and students who look like they haven't slept since 2019. someone told me that the best coffee in town is at peet's coffee on 2nd street, and honestly? they weren't wrong. the barista had a sleeve tattoo of coffee plants and looked at me like i'd insulted his mother when i asked for oat milk. fair enough.

if you get bored, sacramento and san francisco are just a short drive away, but honestly, davis doesn't need them. it's got its own weird little ecosystem. i spent an afternoon at the uc davis arboretum, which is basically a fancy way of saying "we planted a bunch of trees and called it a day." but it was peaceful, and i saw a duck that looked like it had opinions about my life choices.

for food, i hit up soga's because i heard it was a local institution. the rumor was that their burgers could cure existential dread, and while i can't confirm that, the fries were definitely doing something right. also, the walls are covered in photos of people who look like they've been coming here since the 70s. respect.

the vibe here is hard to explain. it's like if a hippie commune and a research lab had a baby, and that baby grew up to be really into composting. i met a guy at the farmers market who was selling homemade kombucha and had a phd in plant biology. he told me that the secret to life is fermented tea and a good pair of walking shoes. i didn't argue.

one thing i didn't expect? the public art. there's this giant statue of a fork in the road near the train tracks, and i spent way too long trying to figure out if it was a metaphor or just someone's idea of a joke. either way, it's iconic.

if you're into museums, the manetti shrem museum is worth a stop. it's small but mighty, and the architecture alone is worth the visit. someone said it looks like a spaceship landed in the middle of a vineyard, and honestly, that's pretty accurate.

the people* here are a mix of students, professors, and retirees who all seem to agree on one thing: davis is special. maybe it's the bike culture, maybe it's the proximity to farmland, or maybe it's just the collective decision to embrace weirdness. whatever it is, it works.

i left davis feeling like i'd stumbled into a town that doesn't take itself too seriously, but somehow still manages to be brilliant. it's not flashy, but it's got heart. and honestly, in a world full of places trying too hard, that's refreshing.

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