Vacaville, located in Solano County’s Sacramento Valley, is a mix of a small city and a large town, with roots more connected to nature than most of the larger urban areas.
The town of Vacaville took its name from Juan Manuel Vaca, a wanderer from New Mexico who came to the region in 1842.
With a population of under 100,000, you can anticipate fewer crowds and a plethora of amenities.
Because of the pleasant Mediterranean climate, you may enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities all year round.
Vacaville has an extensive range of stores, outdoor areas, and museums.
A wide range of regional and ethnic cuisines are available to customers at a nearby restaurant.
An ideal Vacaville getaway involves exploring the historic downtown area, sipping wine at local vineyards, hiking in Lagoon Valley, or taking in outdoor concerts.
Vacaville hosts several festivals and events year-round, like the Vacaville Fiesta Days and the Tree Lighting Ceremony in December.
During the summer, CreekWalk takes place every Friday in the city downtown.
Vacaville is close to some of California’s top attractions and is easily accessible by aircraft, rail, or vehicle.
Sacramento and San Francisco are both within an hour’s drive of the city.
As a result, you can travel to each city in about an hour and spend the day taking advantage of everything it has to offer.
Read on to discover the best things to do in Vacaville, California.
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A beautiful 470-acre park in Vacaville called Lagoon Valley Park offers ample natural areas and panoramic views of the adjacent Solano County hills, just off Interstate 80.
The park’s Lagoon Valley Lake is a popular place for boating and fishing because its shallow depth makes it suitable for both expert and inexperienced boaters.
The park’s trails include a 20-mile circle and a 7.5-mile biking track with an elevation gain of almost 1,100 feet.
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A wooden swing at the trail’s highest point affords spectacular views of the setting sun.
It also features a disc golf course, an archery range, and an off-leash dog park.
The race is dubbed “Loop the Lagoon,” which features two-mile, five-kilometer, and ten-kilometer events in April.
Visiting a museum dedicated to the history of a city or region and its residents is the best way to learn about them.
The Vacaville Museum is an excellent place to start.
Several exhibitions are changing throughout the year at this long-standing museum about Vacaville and Solano County.
Among the museum’s more than 40 displays are one on notable local women and another on the people who originally lived along Ulatis Creek in the region.
Handmade goods are available for purchase in the on-site gift store, and cultural workshops are given from time to time.
The museum offers self-directed tours as well as guided tours for those who prefer.
You can take on the task of climbing these boulders if you’re the sort of traveler who enjoys intense outdoor activities.
The Bay Area, where you can see these basalt rocks, is only a short distance from Vacaville.
Depending on your ability, you may select from a variety of different heights of boulders to climb.
Several boulders here are as short as 10 ft in height, while others reach 30 ft or more.
Most importantly, what is the most enjoyable aspect?
If you have a dog, this park welcomes them!
You may bring your pets but make sure they’re on a leash and under the control of the visitor.
A small herb garden called Morningsun Herb Farm is available to the general public from Thursday to Sunday afternoon on the Loveall farm.
Over the years, the farm’s owners, Rose Loveall and Dan Sale, have expanded it to include a broad range of herbs, vegetables, drought-resistant perennials, and succulents for sale in the greenhouses.
While at the farm, take a tour around the gardens, including various herbs and perennial plants available for purchase.
Also available for purchase are garden materials such as soil and fertilizer and garden art. The public is also welcome to attend a range of gardening, planting, and crafts classes held at the center throughout the year.
Are you health-conscious and adhere to a strict organic eating regimen?
Then it would be best if you check out this organic farm to stock up on some fresh veggies.
Yah-Whooo Organic Farm’s microgreens will give your bland dishes a burst of flavor.
In 1987, a group of ladies came together to start this fantastic store.
Among the restaurants that use its organic microgreens are several top-tier establishments in California.
In addition, they provide veggies to other farmers’ markets and grocery shops around the state of Washington.
In all, Yah-Whooo Organic Farm sells 17 different kinds of nutritious produce, such as cabbage, pepper cress, radish, arugula, pea shoots, and other herbs and salad ingredients.
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Roadside rest areas are widespread in the United States, but none are as well-known as the Nut Tree Plaza in Vacaville.
Back in the 1920s, this massive area was nothing more than a roadside fruit stand. It has grown into a 400,000-square feet retail, dining, and entertainment complex.
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Go shopping first, and don’t forget to check out Saks Fifth Avenue and Old Navy, as well as Nordstrom and Kirkland’s.
The on-site amusement center offers rides, games, and free activities if you’re traveling with children.
Stop by one of the eateries like Chipotle or Buffalo Wild Wings for a fantastic supper to round off your day.
Additionally, there is an ice cream parlor and a well-known coffee shop on the property.
The scent of chocolate, cinnamon, apricot, or pineapple wafts through this factory at all hours of the day and night.
About one hour away from San Francisco, its Vacaville candy factory brings a sweet treat for visitors.
You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at our 150-plus sweet treat manufacturing facility during the walking tour led by Jelly Belly experts.
Find out the process of making the fabled Jelly Belly jelly beans and why they take over a week to produce just one.
See the creation of chocolates, taffy, and wild gummy creatures, too.
Many people describe our guided tours as a “unique and delightful experience” because of how well they go over with visitors.
There is no need to make a reservation.
Grab the chance to join its free guided tours available every day from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
In July 2016, two Rocklin siblings created Beat the Room, an escape room experience with two sites in Vacaville and Rocklin.
Teams consisting of two to eight people can participate in the escape rooms, which have an hour to solve clues and determine how to escape.
Like 221b Baker Street, Rooms provide a Sherlock Holmes-themed investigative task, while others, like The Plundering, are based on pirate-themed adventures from the 1800s.
The lobby area of the attraction may host private special events, such as corporate team-building activities, for parties of up to 60 people.
Are you in search of a relaxing location to unwind in Vacaville?
This park may spark your curiosity.
Here, surrounded by the city’s best architecture, you may see the beautiful California blossoms and luscious redwood trees.
Picnics and hiking paths are available at Jack Hume Grove, and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the park’s amenities.
Some of the park’s walkways lead you to a steep spot from where one may enjoy panoramic views of the magnificent Vacaville cityscape.
A large outdoor venue in Vacaville, CreekWalk Plaza, lies just outside Andrews Park.
CreekWalk is indeed the best place to be on sunny Californian evenings, thanks to its diverse roster of live music acts and other forms of entertainment.
Food Truck Mania, hosted on the second Sunday of every month from April to September, the 4th of July festival, and the CreekWalk Summer Concert Series, held every Friday from June to September, are just a few of the city’s popular events.
As a result, visit the CreekWalk Plaza and participate in a community celebration while meeting new people and learning about some local bands you may not have otherwise encountered.
Vacaville’s Imagine That! is a children’s science and technology facility that first opened its doors to the public in 2016.
You may also find Vacaville Boys and Girls Club and event area for special events rentals in the same 6,100 square-foot structure as the interactive learning center.
It highlights STEM themes in the exhibits and activities, aiming to instill lifelong learning ideals in young children.
Visitors who want to hold birthday parties at the facility may contact the facility directly for reservation and select from one of many birthday party packages.
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With a total area of 306 acres, this gorgeous park is home to a diverse range of outdoor entertainment.
The Lagoon Lake, a 100-acre lake perfect for non-motorized boating, borders the park.
In addition to strolling paths that lead to the beautiful Rotary, Hume, and Hospice Groves, there are many stretches of multipurpose hiking, biking, and equestrian trails providing the public access to several hundred hectares of bordering open space.
Visitors to the Vacaville Art League and Gallery will find an oasis of calm in the middle of the busy Vista Crossings.
It’s a cultural hotspot where exhibitions vary on a monthly or bimonthly basis.
It showcases the work of both the gallery’s resident artists and visiting artists.
This gallery exhibits a wide range of media, such as paintings, vases, sculptures, installations, ceramics, glass, and photographs.
Vacaville Art League & Gallery includes a shop on-site where you may buy art pieces and handcrafted items in addition to a showroom of creative ideas.
Consolidated Rock & Mineral Shop is West Coast’s most prominent rock and mineral retailer.
Visit the raw stone, diamonds, fossils, and other sections for hours on end.
Whatever your level of expertise, you’re sure to be impressed by the wide range of small and huge discoveries, as well as unusual ones.
The Rock Shop offers a broad range of things, including expensive specimens worth thousands of dollars and inexpensive stones worth only a few cents, as well as unusual gifts.
You may also find here fossils, amethyst crystals, and a seashell collection. There is a price tag attached to everything on display.
Although it is a small park, Peña Adobe Park is the city’s most historically significant location.
Here, you may find one of Solano County’s oldest structures.
The Vaca-Peña family settled in the region in 1842 and built the city of Vacaville after moving into the rudimentary timber building.
You may visit the Peña Adobe every first Saturday of every month from February through December, thanks to the Pea Adobe Historical Society’s dedication to maintaining the family home.
Even though there are other golf courses in the neighborhood, the Rancho Solano is the ideal choice for a day on the greens.
Rancho Solano has some of the state’s most expansive greens.
The terrain of this course is more challenging, with undulating landscapes, lakes, and bunkers.
On-site amenities include a driving range and a bar and grill.
Before, Vacaville was only a pit stop between Sacramento and San Francisco, but that is no longer the case.
The city of Vacaville is indeed a terrific vacation spot in and of itself, with plenty to offer everyone who goes here.
Try the ones on our list for a fantastic Vacaville experience!
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